How to Get Someone to Stop Smoking

Countless people try to quit smoking – just to start over again days, weeks, or months later. Convincing smokers who refuse to quit is sometimes a big challenge. You need to understand that smoking, like any other addiction, is hard to give up. It is among the hardest habits to crack. Nicotine is a powerful compound that affects the brain. But there are some ways you can do to start a dialogue with someone who refuses to quit smoking.

Be positive, don’t nag. Be optimistic that one day they will quit smoking. Express this optimism to them but not in a nagging or disapproving manner. Always keep in mind the nicotine addiction is working on their brain. You may want to build a loving and supportive ambiance. But you do not have to talk about it almost every day. Infrequently remind your smoking friends or relatives that you are worried for their health and how much you would want them to quit smoking.

Remember that majority of the people who tried to quit smoking were not successful on their first try. In fact, the average is about 5 to 7 attempts before they are able to quit smoking successfully. So if your partner or loved one does decide to give up smoking, keep your optimism, understanding, and support. And don’t nag.

Set the limits. Setting the limits is essential if you want to keep a healthy relationship with your loved one who refuses to quit. As a nonsmoker, you have the right to set the boundaries and state your conditions and have those conditions followed. If you’re not comfortable smelling the smoke inside your house then tell your smoking friends or relatives to go outside every time they want to light a cigarette.

BUT, you want to be flexible about your conditions. Try to communicate and arrive on an agreement. For instance, you can both agree that he or she can smoke in the garage, but never inside the house.

Maintain your composure. Don’t forget that nicotine is as addictive as alcohol, cocaine, and heroin. Some people will easily get defensive on their decision to smoke. By maintaining your composure, you can raise your points without having to

start a heated argument. This way you can make it clear that you’re not giving your approval in any way to smoking, but you’re willing to help them deal with the addiction by agreeing on reasonable terms.

Let them dispose their cigarette butts properly and clean their ashtrays. It is not your responsibility to clean up a smoker’s mess if they refuse to quit smoking. Set your rules. Make it clear that they have to dispose the butts and clean the ashtrays after they smoke. It’s one way of making smoking inconvenient for them. Hopefully, this will help them quit, if not reduce their cigarette use.

Casually talk about their quitting options. There are several smoking cessation drugs, nicotine replacement therapies, and natural ways to help him quit smoking for good. You may want to tell him about these in one of your conversations.

Encouraging a smoker to quit when he or she doesn’t want to is really a big challenge. Nevertheless, it is one way to show how much you value that person. But remember that the decision to quit is theirs to make, not yours. You can only show your unconditional support until they are ready.