Many people get into a vicious cycle making New Year's resolutions to give up smoking and after a few days they get to the point where their habit has got the better of them. There are many programs, self-help material and a wide range of counselors out there that are available and will help you to break the habit once and for all. The most effective way to quit smoking is to find the root cause of why you have this habit, rather than just fighting the urges, as people often transfer their smoking addiction to something else, such as food or alcohol.

A smoker must have sufficient reasons to quit, and be able to follow a system where progress is easy to measure.

Most people quit smoking because they are concerned about the health effects for their family, particular children, from passive smoking, pressure from family and friends for their own health, or financial pressure.

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Reprogramming the body's habits and expectations via, for example, CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), and addressing nutrition to reduce cravings are the most successful ways to stop.

Smoking cigarettes is the leading preventable cause of death in the USA, causing an estimated 438,000 deaths, plus 50,000 deaths in non-smokers through passive smoking

An 150,000 and 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children under 18 months of age are caused by secondhand smoke and results in between 7,500 and 15,000 hospitalizations in the US annually.

The health benefits of quitting smoking justify the determination in order to quit smoking once and for all. Many smokers think that they have to wait for several years before they can see the positive effects of quitting smoking, but improvements to the body happen within 20 minutes of making the positive, life-changing decision to quit smoking.

After the following time periods you will notice:

• 20 minutes: Your blood pressure and heart rate drops.
• 12 hours: The level of carbon monoxide in your blood drops to normal.
• 2 weeks to 3 months: Your lung function and circulation improves.
• 1 to 9 months: Your shortness of breath and coughing decreases; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs. This will clean the lungs, reduce the risk of infection and increase the ability for your body to handle mucus.
• 1 year: you will reduce the risk of heart attack to half. Studies in the U.K have found that smoking results in around 20,000 deaths due to heart diseases.
• 5 - 15 years: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker.
• 10 years: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a smoker. There is also a decrease in the risk of other cancers, such as of the esophagus, mouth, throat, and pancreas.
• 15 years: The risk of getting coronary heart disease is the same as that of a non-smoker.

The government and various non-profit organisations provide some free programs: LiveHelp Online Chat Information and advice about quitting smoking through a confidential online text chat with an information specialist from NCI's Cancer Information Service. Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time Smokefree This site offers science-driven tools, information, and support. It also includes Smokefree Women which includes advice on losing weight.