Zieleniewski has tried nicotine replacement therapy and Zyban, a prescription medication that's supposed to curb the urge to smoke. She's even gone cold turkey. But within two months of each time she's quit, she's smoking again. Dr. George Metropoulos, medical director of St. John's Health System occupational health services, says he believes all motivated smokers can ultimately quit, no matter how many times they've tried and failed. Davis says it's important for smokers and those who care about them to realize the addictive nature of smoking.
Many smokers have to quit several times before they can become permanent ex-smokers.
Dr. Richard D. Hurt, medical director of Mayo Clinic's Nicotine Dependence Center in Rochester, Minn., says only about 5 percent of smokers are able to quit on their own. The success rate averages about 30 percent for people who combine pharmacologic therapy, like nicotine replacement products and other medications, with support and counseling from a health care provider. Eventually, half of all smokers quit for good. It wasn't death that scared me. I know I have to go someday.