Help Others Quit Smoking – How to Support a Quitter

Sometimes friends and family need a helping hand when it comes to quitting

21 April 2022 | Hannah Rubery

Smoking is a serious problem for not only the smoker but for those around them. Whether it’s second-hand smoke or the worry about your loved one’s health, there are tons of reasons why you should want to help those you care about, quit. And sometimes a little help from those around us can be the push to help us make better choices.

Quitting smoking is hard

For some, quitting and going cold turkey is easy but many struggle with saying goodbye to cigarettes for good. It’s one of the biggest challenges many smokers face, brought on by developing it as a habit or a coping mechanism, or simply due to the addictive nature of nicotine. It can take time for the cravings to fade and it’s this that can make many smokers falter.

There are many methods including vaping that have come around in an attempt to help smokers quit. Some may not be aware of them or how they can help. By educating yourself on these methods you too could help someone you care about quit smoking.

Start the conversation about quitting

It can be hard to have a conversation about something this serious so perhaps take the initiative and look for an opportunity. It could be a passing comment from them about thinking of quitting, or that their doctor has told them to stop smoking. Responding positively and letting them know how good an idea it is, can be the first step in them starting the journey.

If you too are an ex-smoker, point out your own experience and positives driven from it. And most importantly offer your aid. Even if you’re unsure of how you can help, showing that you are there for them can be enough of a push.

Ask questions to understand

You may already know the smoker quite personally and are aware of their smoking journey but asking questions can help to clear up any potential hurdles. Is there something that triggers their need to smoke? Is there something that could make it easier for them?

Knowing and understanding can help you, help them in the long run. Make sure you’re not being hard on them, especially if they slip. Instead offer ways to help avoid it or figure out the reason why it happened.

Dos and don’ts

Number one to remember is to be respectful and non-judgemental. Support should always be positive and at the end of the day, the one who is quitting is the one in charge. Likewise, being supportive and encouraging are great ways to help. A listening ear can be highly valued by someone who needs to talk.

You could offer alternatives and distractions to help the smoker in your life take their mind off cravings and thoughts of cigarettes. Making your house and things around you smoke-free are also helpful. If stress is a trigger for a cigarette, then help them with making their stress manageable be it with planning action, creating lists or breaking down their tasks into manageable chunks.

Celebrate their success. If they’ve gone a few weeks without a cigarette, treat them to something nice and offer praise. Even if it’s only a small win such as one day without smoking, celebrate the milestone. As we said, quitting isn’t easy but making it somewhat more enjoyable is a boon for those on the hard journey.

Most importantly, don’t lecture or nag the smoker. Pressure from friends and family can make anything unpleasant, and an already hard task such as quitting, even more so. Similarly, don’t take the quitter’s mood changes personally. Part of nicotine withdrawal can be a decrease in mood, but it won’t last forever. You also don’t want to question their ability to quit – challenging their ability to continue a hard path is more likely to make them question themselves and even give up.

For smokers looking to quit, vaping can be a great option for easing the transition. Vaping offers a similar experience to smoking without the thousands of harmful carcinogens produced by cigarette smoke. By delivering nicotine in a less harmful way, through vaporising E-Liquid, vaping could be something you could suggest to a smoker to help quit. If you also vape you can offer your own experiences to help them transition to a less harmful alternative.

We suggest Nicotine Salt E-Liquids for smokers making the switch as they offer stronger nicotine hits whilst being kinder to your throat, unlike traditional E-Liquids. Pod Salt’s award-winning Nic Salts are available in a variety of flavours in 10ml bottles and disposables – a great way to introduce someone to vaping for the first time and make the switch from smoking all the easier.