Smoking is the greatest cause of preventable illness and early death in the US. Every day smoking claims the lives of about 1,000 Americans.
Continued use of tobacco causes addiction. That is, the smoker becomes dependent on nicotine and its effects on the mind and body. As use of tobacco continues, the desire to avoid the discomfort of withdrawal leads to compulsive use and a high rate of relapse when smokers attempt to quit.
Withdrawal is the process of quitting smoking. The user's lack of tobacco causes withdrawal symptoms such as craving nicotine, frustration, irritability, difficulty concentrating, anger and anxiety. Withdrawal symptoms (the body's reaction to the physical "need" for nicotine) are what make quitting so difficult.
Most smokers want to quit, and many have tried more than once. Quitting is not easy, but it is possible. Successfully stopping the use of tobacco may mean using one or more of the methods outlined in this concise publication.
