Tips for quitting smoking in 2014

Many smokers make kicking the habit their top New Year's resolution. It's a popular goal, so much so that there are more former smokers in the U.S.—nearly 50 million—than current smokers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Northeastern University news office has asked Northeastern's University Health and Counseling Services to provide some strategies to help smokers quit as well as a rundown of the smoking cessation resources available to students, faculty, and staff.

• Choose a reason that is strong enough to outweigh the urge to light up, and then set a quit date.
• You don't have to do it alone! Tell your friends and family that you're trying to quit. Their encouragement could make the difference.
• Set yourself up for success. Quitting cold turkey is not easy to do. Nicotine is addictive, and in its absence, you may encounter symptoms of withdrawal. So it's important to ask your clinician about your options.
• There is a comprehensive list of smoking cessation options available to students through UHCS and the Northeastern University Student Health Plan. Read more about them here. Students can also take advantage of the Ready to Quit! Program, developed to offer personalized smoking cessation plans. Interested in starting Ready To Quit!? Complete an assessment form online and UHCS will contact you to set up an appointment.
• Counseling, nicotine replacement therapy, and cessation resources are also available to benefits-eligible faculty and staff through the Employee Assistance Program and their Blue Cross Blue Shield healthcare programs.