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Resources to Help You Quit

Students

UC San Diego Student Health Services can help. Schedule a free individual counseling appointment to assist in quitting and ask about FREE Nicotine Replacement Therapy. Call (858) 822-5926.

Staff and Faculty

Have you already quit?

We would love to hear how you did it. You can be an inspiration to others - Share Your Quit Story (by email).

Shared Story

"I had been a 2-pack a day smoker for 20 years when I got a long-lasting, very sore throat. I thought I might have throat cancer, so I quit smoking. By the time my doctor appointment came up three weeks later, I had already stopped smoking for three weeks and was found to have an irritated throat, but no cancer. I never went back to smoking, now 50 years smoke-free."

SHIP Smoking Cessation Benefits

Other Resources

How to Help a Friend or Loved One Quit Smoking

Once a smoker has decided to quit, they are most likely to be successful when friends and family provide help and support. Whether you are also a tobacco-user and going through your own quit process, or have never smoked, you can help someone you care about who has decided to stop smoking by being part of their support team, asking how you can be most helpful and/or encouraging them through their quit process. If they aren't ready to quit yet, you can help them with identifying reasons for quitting, setting a target quit date, and offering to be part of their support network. Consider offering healthy and fun alternatives to smoking such as:

  • take walks with them
  • be a "workout buddy"
  • lend an ear if they need to talk about the challenges they are facing by not smoking

Visit the following links for advice and tips on how to help a friend or loved one quit smoking. Your support can be part of creating a healthy and successful environment for someone you care about as they become a non-smoker.

Secondhand Smoke Information

When non-smokers are exposed to secondhand smoke it is called involuntary smoking or passive smoking. Non-smokers who breathe in secondhand smoke take in nicotine and other toxic chemicals just like smokers do. The more secondhand smoke you are exposed to, the higher the level of these harmful chemicals in your body. Learn more about the dangers of secondhand smoke from the American Cancer Society.