Using one's willpower to stop cigarette smoking is a difficult thing to accomplish. In addition to relying on one's willpower, most doctors would recommend utilizing different methods, such as shifting focus onto other activities. One suggestion is to take a deep breath and repeat ten times when craving for a cigarette. Another suggestion is to chew on gum, carrot, or cucumber as a diversion. These methods have been proven to work well to satisfy the mouth and finger habits one has developed over many years of smoking.

　Two effective ways of reducing the urge to smoke are drinking lots of water and exercise more. Drinking water not only quenches thirst and lubricates oral cavity, it could effectively suppress the craving for cigarettes. Exercise more will make a person perspire more, which could accelerate the excretion of nicotine from one's body. During the early stage of smoking cessation, the longing for cigarettes is very strong. Mood swings and loss of concentration are also very common. The way to overcome them is by constantly stretching the limbs.

　　One of the most widely utilized methods of behavior modification is "self-control". The person who is trying to stop smoking should write down in details the cause and effect of lighting up a cigarette, such as when he is bored, troubled, depressed, sad, or with friends. Once the triggering events for cigarette smoking are known, they can each be dealt with or avoided, so that the frequency of cigarette smoking can be effectively reduced until total control is achieved.

　　To effectively combat the urge to smoke cigarette, various commitments could be made to reinforce the motivation to stop smoking. Commonly used methods include making a security deposit, making a written statement to award or penalize oneself, telling close friends and family about the decision to stop smoking, or signing a contract that indicates the date of smoking cessation to strengthen the determination to quit smoking. In order to fend off friends or colleagues who offer cigarettes as a friendly gesture, there is a Say No to Cigarette ID card available. Printed on this ID card is the health reason to stop smoking, with the physician's signature on it. It works well as a protective shield to cigarettes.

　　For someone who doesn't wish to stop smoking altogether, reducing the amount of cigarette smoking is still strongly recommended. They could consider using methods such as not buying any cigarettes themselves, not smoking inside the house, or throwing away the ashtray. For the people who are trying to cut back on cigarette smoking, we should give them proper encouragement and support. Praise them by saying, "go for it, you can do it!".