Tips for Helping Smokers

Stopping smoking involves a process of change that takes place in stages over time. It often takes many attempts to quit before a tobacco user achieves long-term success. This "stages of change" model defines five stages in the process of quitting. Your patients will benefit from different intervention approaches at every stage.

IF YOUR PATIENT IS...		THEN YOUR GOAL MIGHT BE TO...
Not thinking about stopping - Is neither considering stopping nor actively paying attention to tobacco and health information. Does not see him/herself as vulnerable to health risks.		Raise doubt about the safety of tobacco use and provide strong recommendation to quit. Describe treatment supports available. Repeat at each visit.
Thinking about stopping - Is actively paying attention to information about the effects of tobacco use and ways to stop.		Identify pros and cons of continuing to use tobacco in order to tip the balance toward making a quit attempt. •  Enroll patient in QuitWorks program
Trying to stop - Has developed strategies to help him/herself stop.		Support setting a quit date soon. •  Enroll patient in QuitWorks program
No longer using tobacco - Has been without tobacco for up to six months. This is a crucial period in terms of relapse. Maintaining abstinence - Has been without tobacco for more than six months and is establishing long-term abstinence.		Prevent relapse by reviewing benefits of staying quit and of successes experienced.
Back to regular smoking - Has recycled to any of the first three stages.		Encourage another quit attempt. • Re-enroll patient in QuitWorks