The younger you start smoking, the more damage your body will suffer when you get older. The sooner you quit the better.

Need help on kicking the habit? Try these steps:

1. Make the decision to quit and start cutting down each day. Many people find it hard to just “quit” without slowly reducing how much they smoke.
2. The first two weeks can be the most difficult as this will be when your cravings will be strongest.
3. Make note of your smoking triggers. Are there certain times of the day that you smoke, like first thing in the morning or after you eat? 4. Perhaps you smoke more when you’re out with friends? Or when you drink? By looking at the routines you’ve created around smoking it may help you organize activities around these times or to have a list of distractions ready to help you deal with cravings.
4. Most of your withdrawal symptoms should subside after the first four weeks. It takes about a month for the remainder of the nicotine cravings to subside.

Physical feelings of withdrawal can include:

• headaches or stomach-aches
• irritability jumpiness, or depression
• lack of energy
• dry mouth or sore throat
• a desire to eat

The symptoms of nicotine withdrawal will pass — so be patient. Try not to give in and sneak a smoke because you'll just have to deal with the withdrawal longer.

Take it one day at a time and soon you'll be smoke free for the rest of your life. Some experts think the nicotine in tobacco is as addictive as cocaine or heroin. But millions of people have quit, it just takes some determination.