Every year, millions of people choose the American Cancer Society's (ACS) Great American Smokeout as the day to begin a smoke-free life. Smokers quit for different reasons, and quitting can be more difficult for some than for others, but the effects are beneficial for all.

When smokers quit, they live longer and stay healthier, as do their families. Signs of physical recovery -- like decreases in blood pressure and reduced chances of having a heart attack -- start immediately. Over time, the effects of giving up smoking are even more dramatic.

Just knowing the benefits of quitting is not all it takes to stop smoking. Nicotine is highly addictive. The addiction is not easy to break, but it can be done. Half of all people who once smoked have now quit.

"Preparation, commitment and confidence are the three critical ingredients in successfully stopping," says Ron Todd, MSEd, director of tobacco control for the ACS. "Preparation is thinking about how you're going to quit and what you're going to do when you want a cigarette. Commitment means you're really going to give it a serious try and realize there is no magic bullet. Confidence is really believing that you can succeed. There are many aids out on the market, but ultimately it comes down to these three things."

Todd points out the ACS offers a brochure, Set Yourself Free, which offers advice on the entire process of quitting smoking along with a consumer guide to nicotine replacement therapies. While there is evidence that nicotine replacement therapy can be helpful, using it in combination with a behavioral change program or counseling has even greater impact, Todd says.

"Most people will try several times to quit," he adds. "They should not view quitting attempts as a failure, but as a learning experience."

The most common smoking cessation methods are:

• Cold Turkey -- completely stopping all smoking at one time and relying on your will power to fight nicotine addiction.
• Nicotine Replacement Therapy -- using gum or a patch helps reduce cravings and ease withdrawal symptoms without exposure to tar, carbon monoxide and other harmful components of cigarette smoke. Recent federal guidelines for health professionals suggest using a therapy that gradually lowers the amount of nicotine over the course of treatment.
• Zyban -- this prescription antidepressant also reduces symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. In one study, Zyban helped 49 percent of smokers quit for at least a month.
• Hypnosis also can be useful to some people. You can ask your doctor to recommend a good hypnotist. Acupuncture also has been used, but there is little evidence to show that it is effective.

Along with these cessation aids are some steps you can take to help yourself through the withdrawal process immediately after quitting smoking. The ACS offers these tips:

• Don't keep your intention to quit a secret. Tell your friends and family and let them know what they can do to support you.
• Put it in writing. Write out a contract with yourself and hang it in a prominent place. Your intentions are more concrete once they are in writing. Say it like you mean it. Repeat your reasons for quitting 10 times each night before you go to bed.
• Keep smoking "out of sight, out of mind" by clearing the usual places you smoke such as your home, office and car of cigarettes, lighters, matches and ashtrays. Also, ask friends and family members not to smoke around you, and clean your home and car thoroughly to remove the smell of cigarettes.
• Avoid bars and other places where smokers gather. Instead, go to the movies, museums or other places where smoking is not allowed. Avoid alcohol, coffee and other beverages you associate with smoking.
• If you miss the sensation of having a cigarette in your hand, play with something else, such as a pencil, a paper clip or a marble. If you miss having something in your mouth, try toothpicks, cinnamon sticks or celery.
• Calm the jitters with long strolls and deep breaths of fresh air, and find things to keep your hands busy, such as trying a crossword puzzle or building a model ship.
• Do brief exercises such as pushups, walking up a flight of stairs, or touching your toes.
• Brush your teeth; keep oral substitutes such as carrots, apples, raisins or gum handy; light incense or a candle instead of a cigarette.
• Never allow yourself to think "one won't hurt," because it will.

For more information about Great American Smokeout activities in your community, quitting smoking, and how to obtain the Set Yourself Free brochure, contact the ACS at 1-800-ACS-2345. You can also visit this section of the ACS Web site to learn more about tobacco and cancer.