1. Don't repeat the myths.
Yes, your friend probably knows exactly how bad tobacco is for their health. And yes, most likely they already want to stop, and have even tried before.
2. Understand that this is big.
If your friend tries to quit, they are doing something really big: changing a deeply ingrained habit that probably goes back to their childhood, that likely affects most aspects of their life, and that also has a nasty addiction attached to it.
3. Think about support, not guilt!
Most smokers try 7-8 times before they succeed at quitting. And each quit attempt moves them closer to the final success, especially if it lasts longer, or if it helps them reduce their number of cigarettes smoked daily. So, think about supporting their success and forgetting the guilt if your friend starts smoking again.
If your friend isn't talking about quitting yet...
- Talk to them about how you want to be on their support team if they do want to try quitting. But don't turn your words into nagging!
If your friend is thinking about quitting soon...
- Help them prepare for their quit attempt. You can look up the smoking Quitline for them, or find a local cessation group. You can talk with them about what you can do to help with stress or to help support their new habits as they start their quit attempt.
If your friend is trying to quit now…
- Offer to do smoke-free things with them, like a movie, or a dinner at a smoke-free restaurant.
- Check-in to see how you can help.
- Offer to do stress-reducing things with them; think of things that might include exercise or that you often do to relax.
- Keep showing them how proud you are of their effort.
If they have started smoking again after a quit attempt...
- Reaffirm their success and tell them you want to be on their support team next time too.
If they have stayed quit for a while...
- Remember it's not over, people often battle urges to smoke for years after they quit.
You can still be part of their support team, taking the steps outlined above. Chances are the things you learn might help you someday too. Or if you are ready, you can try a quit attempt together. But do be careful about smoking around someone who is trying to quit, because that creates a big temptation.