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Much has been said about the risks of smoking to one's health, lifestyle, and even finances. Each year, smoking causes seven out of ten deaths in the Philippines alone, enough to make medical experts consider it the number one cause of death in the country, usually linked to heart diseases. Even a mere 30 minutes of exposure to secondhand smoke can already damage blood vessels and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a research from the University of California in San Francisco.

Unfortunately, nicotine addiction requires more than willpower to treat. Based on collective studies of various institutes such as the Smoker’s Information Centre in Sweden, 70 per cent of all smokers want to quit smoking but only 30 per cent actually attempt to kick the habit. While some people manage to try helpful tips to stop the urge, doctors still encourage seeking professional help, especially if patients are beginning to suffer from smoking-related illnesses.

Dr. Edgardo Juan Tolentino of the Group for Addiction Psychiatry of the Philippines advises having a behavioral approach to treatment which should include the patient's own cessation plan, accompanied by consultations with a medical expert. "Addiction comes to a point when you don't want it, but you can't live without it," he said. For such drastic cases, Dr. Tolentino advises that you follow these procedures:

1. Set a quit date, making sure not to take even a single puff after this date. Pick a day that has a special meaning for you, such as an anniversary. Sign a contract with your doctor promising to follow this plan.
2. Tell your friends, family, and co-workers of your plans to quit. They could provide support and even help prevent you from responding to the urge to smoke.
3. Anticipate challenges to your planned quit attempt. To help curb these, try to pursue new healthy habits.
4. Remove tobacco products from your environment and reward yourself from time to time (but not by smoking!). Drink lots of water to help wash nicotine out of your system.
5. Plan your first few days as a non-smoker to help keep yourself on track.

Depending on your case, your doctor could prescribe medicines like patches, buproprion, or varenicline in pill form, such as Pfizer's Champix pill which has been recommended by the Smoker's Information Centre in Sweden, headed by Dr. Karl Fagerstrom. Varenicline, according to Dr. Fagelstrom, reduces craving for nicotine and its "rewarding" effects.

If you think your nicotine habit is already bordering on addiction, of course it's still best to consult a doctor first so you can get the right medication, dosage, and guidance for your attempt to follow a healthier lifestyle.