How to Help Your Loved One Quit Smoking

You know that your beloved family member has seen all of the public service announcements about all of the health risk associated with smoking.

You’re pretty sure his physician has talked at length about the importance of deciding to quit smoking. But still that person continues to decline to quit smoking.

If you feel that you're at your wit's end and would like to help move things along, here are some ideas.

Be forewarned, it's possible that this strategy to help someone quit smoking may backfire, starting a huge fight instead of a huge revelation that he or she should quit smoking. But if you're still determined, press on.

Alone

One way to make your feelings about this person and your desire that he or she quit smoking is to show him. Without any mistake in your message. When this person lights up a cigarette, leave the room. Every time. Leave the dinner table.

Move to the guest room. When she's going to the mall or the grocery store, ask if she will smoke in the car. If she says yes, stay home. If you're going to a party, ask if he'll be smoking there.

If he says yes, then stay home or make alternate arrangements to get there. Remember you are trying to convince this person to quit smoking. You want to make it clear that if this person continues smoking, he or she will be very lonely for a long long time.

Hid the cigarettes

This strategy to help your loved one quit smoking will up the ante. Just hide the cigarettes. Of course he or she will go out and get a new pack. Hide that one too. Better yet, don't just hide them, get rid of them.

And make it clear that you are. Take a pair of scissors and shred them into the household garbage can. Break off the filters. Flush the rest of the cigarettes down the toilet. Leave the snapped filters in the bathroom.

When you get rid of a pack, take the empty box and make an origami bird out of it. Let him or her know you've been there, and that you're serious about wanting him or her quit smoking.

Complain

Get vocal in your attempts to help someone quit smoking. Seriously. Every time she or he lights a cigarette, complain. Loudly. Complain in the car. Don't even wait for them to light a cigarette. While you're shopping at the mall, complain loudly about how his or her clothes smell like smoke.

Refer in a loud voice to how his or her hair smells like smoke. In the supermarket, grab a box of the smoker's toothpaste and shout across the store, asking if he or she needs this for their stinky smoker's breath and stained teeth.

Buy special lotion and offer it to him or her saying that you though they could use if for their nicotine-stained fingers. With any luck, using the tough love tips above, you'll be able to convince your loved one to quit smoking.

Be prepared for a backlash. No one likes to be told what to do, and making the decision to quit smoking is a hard one. But with your pushing the issue, perhaps it will make the choice to quit smoking a bit easier for him or her. If nothing else, maybe now you leave him or her alone.

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