The days when anyone could pretend that smoking was not harmful to the body are long gone, but the struggle of many smokers is very present and real. There are many stop smoking programs to choose from and this may be confusing to those struggling to quit. No one program will work for everyone.

Hypnosis is one popular method utilized in stop smoking programs. Among the several advantages of using hypnosis is that while it needs neither drugs or tobacco substitutes it can be extremely successful in halting tobacco use. This has caused its acceptance by the medical community. The two chief disadvantages of hypnosis are the fact that not all people can be hypnotized and that multiple sessions can be required for complete success.

Quitting smoking can be a difficult process. There are, however, medications that can be used to help by blocking the urge to smoke. A prescription is required, and like all medications, anti-smoking drugs can have side effects. One must consider, however, that continuing to smoke can be worse than the expense and side effects associated with these medications.

Others may prefer to use an herbal remedy to stop smoking. There are several different herbs and combinations used to help smokers quit and some experimenting may be needed to find the product that works for any one individual. One type is an herb called lobelia which seems to mock the effect of nicotine and helps transition from smoking to smoke free.

There are a number of stop smoking programs that you can use when you are thinking of quitting smoking that use some form of acupuncture. The traditional method involves small, painless needles which claim to block the desired to smoke a cigarette. Alternatively you can have a surgical staple inserted in the air while you are trying to quit.

All stop smoking programs also need to provide counseling and support for best results. Some programs use counseling alone without other means except going "cold turkey" and quitting. While physical addiction to tobacco is gone in a few days, the psychological dependency may go on for a very long time, so programs with the highest success also pay attention to the mind of the smoker.