Attention-grabbing letters from people who want to quit Get the latest quit smoking news and advice
I've decided it's the right time
I'm not ready yet
Practical tips and advice
We'll get you back on track
Everything you need to quit for good
Practical answers to all of your quitting questions
Help, I am about to smoke
What Can One Cigarette Do?
Time and time again, we hear how someone who had been quit for months decided to try just one” cigarette. Maybe it was because they were feeling stressed out and thought that a smoke would help. Or, maybe it was because they were around others who were smoking and they began to really miss their cigarettes.

Whatever the reason, the most common cause for relapsing back to smoking is deciding to have “just one” cigarette. This explains the famous saying, “I am always a puff away from a pack a day”.

So what can you do to avoid joining the ranks of people who went back to smoking because of a few puffs? The most obvious thing is to never have a puff again. But that’s not so simple. What you really need to focus on is not putting yourself in situations where you would be tempted to smoke.

This is especially true in the early stages of quitting when it’s all too easy to let your guard down. For the first few weeks to months of quitting:

  • Avoid hanging around people who smoke
  • Avoid going to bars or parties where there will be a lot of smoking
  • Don’t test your resolve by taking a few puffs
  • Don’t think that you can stop after a few puffs

Quit Tip: After being quit for a few months, it’s ok to go to places where people will smoke. But be prepared to say no when someone offers you a cigarette. In fact, mentally envision yourself being offered a cigarette and then refusing it. This way you won’t be caught off guard when it happens.