Reasons to Quit

Why do you want to quit? Knowing why you want to quit is an important step in the process of quitting and can help keep you motivated when it gets tough.

Everyone has their own personal reasons for quitting. Here are some common ones. Think about what is most important to you.

Your Health

According to the Surgeon General, quitting is the single most important step someone can take to improve the length and quality of their life. As soon as you quit, your body begins to repair the damage caused. Of course, it's best to quit early in life, but even someone who quits later in life will improve their health.

Your Wallet

It's expensive! In some places, a pack of cigarettes costs more than $10, while the cost of electronic nicotine delivery systems including e-cigarettes and vapes can cost anywhere from $5 to $25—and prices keep rising. Think about how much you use and how much you spend per week or month, let alone a year! Now think about how much you can save.

Your Convenience

It's a hassle. More and more states and cities have passed clean indoor air laws that make bars, restaurants, and other public places tobacco-free. Are you tired of having to go outside many times a day? Is standing in the cold and the rain really worth it? Wouldn't it be easier if you could choose to go outside only when you want to and not when you need to?

Your Friends and Family

Secondhand and thirdhand smoke harms everyone who inhales it, not just the person using the product. Whether you're young or oldand in good health or bad, secondhand smoke is dangerous and can make you sick. Children who live with people who use tobacco products get more chest colds and ear infections, while babies born to mothers who use have an increased risk of premature delivery, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Both you and the people in your life will breathe easier when you quit. People who have quit don't carry the scent of smoke on their clothes and hair, and their homes don't smell either. Better breathing can mean better sleep at your house: Not only are people who use more likely to snore, so are people who don’t use but who breathe secondhand smoke on a daily basis.

Your Quality of Life

Here are some ways not using tobacco products may affect your life:

  • Because using cigarettes, e-cigarettes and other vaping devices interferes with your sense of taste, food tastes better when you quit.
  • Your sense of smell also improves, so get ready to really enjoy the scent of flowers or fresh-cut grass.
  • You'll be able to make it through a long movie or an airplane flight without a craving.
  • Within a few weeks after quitting, your cough will disappear and you'll have more energy.
  • See how quickly your body responds to your decision to quit on the benefits of quitting timeline.

Join Freedom From Smoking®

If you're ready to quit, find out how our Freedom From Smoking program can help you start your smokefree future.

Page last updated: November 12, 2024

No upcoming events near you