It’s more difficult for some people to stop smoking than it is for others. There are a number of reasons for this, one of which is that some people have a greater response to the nicotine when they begin smoking cigarettes. They physically become more addicted. These people who are more addicted can have an extremely difficult time becoming tobacco free despite a strong desire to stop and a great deal of effort expended trying to stop. Too often they may give up on themselves and blame themselves for not having the willpower or a strong enough desire to quit.
We try to encourage people to stop blaming themselves. Focus the anger where it belongs. The cigarette is a very powerful drug delivery device. It delivers nicotine much more rapidly than any of the nicotine replacement medications. This combined with the additional vulnerability that some people have for becoming addicted to nicotine, can make it terribly hard to stop.
We encourage you to not blame yourself; instead, use every tool available to help you stop smoking. If you haven’t been able to stop on your own, follow the Become An EX plan, talk with your health care provider, or call the local tobacco Quitline at 1800 QUIT-NOW. Best treatment includes both counseling and medication, and more intensive treatment has a greater impact. If you haven’t yet succeeded, don’t blame yourself, but get the help you need to stop smoking for good.
