Steps to Reach the Beginning of the End

Whether it’s your first attempt to quit smoking or your 10th, experts offer these tactics to help you give up cigarettes for good.

* Set a date to quit. The sooner, the better. Experts recommend aiming for sometime in the next two weeks.

* Talk with your doctor about medication to help while you quit.

The latest federal treatment guidelines recommend nicotine replacement or bupropion (Zyban) for nearly all smokers. Exception: pregnant women--although on a case-by-case basis, they also can take drugs to help them stop smoking.

* Involve your friends--plus family and co-workers. Social support combined with drug treatment can boost success rates to 30%.

* Avoid alcohol. It can undermine willpower.

Experts advise going on the wagon for the first two months while quitting smoking. Barring that, limit yourself to two drinks or fewer per day.

* Don’t even think of dieting while you quit smoking.

Studies suggest that giving up nicotine and food at the same time is a program for failure. Stock up on low-calorie munchies and expect to gain a little weight, the range is about seven to 10 pounds. Most people lose those extra pounds eventually.

* Exercise. It will help limit weight gain, can ease cravings for nicotine, improve sleep and elevate mood. About one in five smokers may experience mild depression after quitting.

* Drink plenty of fluids. They help flush nicotine from the body.

* Find a phone buddy or an Internet friend. National quit lines include those run by the American Cancer Society ([800] ACS-2345), the American Lung Assn. ([800] LUNG-USA) and the Cancer Information Service of the National Cancer Institute ([800] 4-CANCER).

The Web site www.quitnet.com, funded in part by the institute and run in conjunction with Boston University’s School of Public Health, offers around-the-clock help.