--- title: "How to Quit Smoking at Sutter Health" description: "Quitting nicotine is extremely hard, but within two weeks your body begins repairing itself. Decide to quit now, and use these tips to succeed." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/health/how-to-quit-smoking" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Health and wellness](https://www.sutterhealth.org/health) / 3. How To Quit Smoking # How to Quit Smoking Learn smart strategies to quit nicotine for good. * * * July 3, 2025 We all know quitting smoking is tough — that’s because nicotine is incredibly addictive. But here’s the good news: the moment you stop, [your body starts healing](https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/tobacco/guide-quitting-smoking/benefits-of-quitting-smoking-over-time.html "your body starts healing") right away.   Most people experience withdrawal for just a few days to a few weeks before things start to get easier. [Talk to your doctor](https://www.sutterhealth.org/services/primary-care) about strategies for quitting. ![stop-smoking](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/sutterhealt962c-sutterhealt8fce-production57cc-4860/media/Project/SutterHealth/SutterHealth/Images/health-topics/stop-smoking.jpg) If you’re ready to quit, here are some gentle tips to help guide you through this journey:  ## Tips for Quitting **1\. Get Ready** - **Pick a quit day:** Mark it on your calendar. - **Find a buddy:** Team up with someone who might quit with you for extra support. - **Notice your triggers:** When and why do you usually smoke? Maybe it’s with your morning coffee or during a break. - **Shake up your routines:** Change where and how you smoke. Keep cigarettes in a different spot or try using your other hand. - **Delay the urge:** When you want a cigarette, wait a few minutes and distract yourself. - **Cut back slowly:** Start buying just one pack at a time or switch to a brand you don’t like.  **2\. Quit Day** - Toss out all your cigarettes and ashtrays. - Change your usual habits — for example, try sitting somewhere different at breakfast. - When cravings hit, do something fun or active instead. - Keep things handy to chew on, like gum, hard candy or toothpicks. - Celebrate your progress every evening. Watch a movie or treat yourself to a favorite meal.  **3\. Keep Going Strong** - Feeling tired or irritable is normal — it will pass! - Move your body with walks, bike rides or any activity you enjoy. - Focus on the positive: better health, fresh breath, more money saved. - Stay busy when you feel tense and eat regular meals. Hunger can feel like a craving. - Save the money you’d usually spend on cigarettes in a jar — watch it grow! - Share your success with friends and family; their support makes a difference. - If you slip up, don’t worry. Many smokers need a few tries to quit for good. Keep going! And if you want extra help, don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor or  [join a support group](https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/join-freedom-from-smoking/freedom-from-smoking-clinics "join a support group").  ## Explore related topics [Smoking](https://www.sutterhealth.org/health/articles?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_healthTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Smoking%22%5D%7D%2C%7B%22i%22%3A%22builtin.entityType%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Sutter+Health+Page%22%5D%7D%5D&limit=10&verticalKey=health-and-wellness) ## Your #1 Healthcare Advocate Whether you’re not feeling well or want advice, you can call your primary care provider. [Book an Appointment](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-provider-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22acceptingNewPatients%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5Btrue%5D%7D%2C%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_affiliate.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Gould+Medical+Group%22%2C%22Mills-Peninsula+Division%22%2C%22Palo+Alto+Foundation+Medical+Group%22%2C%22Sutter+East+Bay+Medical+Group%22%2C%22Sutter+Medical+Group%22%2C%22Sutter+Medical+Group+of+the+Redwoods%22%2C%22Sutter+Medical+Group%2C+Solano%22%2C%22Sutter+North+Medical+Group%22%2C%22Sutter+West+Bay+Medical+Group%22%5D%7D%2C%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_providerSpecialties.specialty.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Family+Medicine%22%2C%22Internal+Medicine%22%2C%22Pediatrics%22%5D%7D%5D&limit=10&verticalKey=healthcare_professionals) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebPage","name":"How to Quit Smoking at Sutter Health","description":"Quitting nicotine is extremely hard, but within two weeks your body begins repairing itself. 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