Motivation is the most important lesson

To answer the question "How to quit smoking?" the most important take away from this research is this: quitting smoking is fundamentally a question of motivation.

The list of methods to quit smoking is ranked according to effectiveness.

If you ranked the results according to how motivating they are, the list would look the same.

Poor methods are not motivating

What can be less motivating than the last place method, a doctor's advice saying, "... and another thing, quit smoking"?

Drugs and Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) miss the motivational issue also. Drugs came in 12th and NRT came in 13th out of all the methods.

Interestingly, when NRT needed a prescription, it was somewhat more successful. Now that it is sold over the counter, important major research concludes that it is "no longer effective."

Perhaps only those more motivated to quit went in for the prescriptions. Maybe the act of making the doctor's appointment, keeping it, and getting the prescription, screened out the less motivated.

In any event, research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association involving 21,384 smokers concludes, "Since becoming available over the counter, NRT appears no longer effective in increasing long-term successful cessation in California smokers."

If you have tried a method that ranks low on the list, and you still smoke, it is not your fault. The weak method failed you.

The methods at the bottom of the list are not only the least effective but also generally make smokers the most uncomfortable because they don't help with the motivational piece of the puzzle-and that's the most important part.

Good methods are motivating

Patient studies

Surviving a heart attack is clearly motivating as is a lung cancer diagnosis. Because how many second chances do we get? But these two categories are not realistic choices.

Available choices

Combination methods generate impressive results as well. Perhaps multiple methods helps instill a determination to quit. Or perhaps the results of hypnosis pulled up the combination average.

Hypnosis is the top ranked method available.

In terms of motivation, hypnosis generates exceptional results.

Control your own motivation

Hypnosis gives you the tools to dramatically ramp up your motivation, like a gas pedal in a car. Your motivation is within your control.

If you are conflicted, like:

• I know I should quit smoking, but...
• I just don't feel like it

Hypnosis works in that situation. Hypnosis gives you the tools to resolve that conflict, so you can put it behind you, and get on with your life. Wouldn't that be great?

More information on what works, what doesn't, and why

Smoking quit tips has the big picture take away from the research

Our stop smoking program has the scientifically proven best choice to quit smoking

The method of quit smoking study has the study background including:

• Citations and links
• Study authors and methods
• Study's reception in the research community
• Criteria for including the 633 separate studies, and more

Nice reasons to stop smoking has the really good news about quitting smoking

Side effects of quit smoking methods lists the shocking side effects by method, straight from the FDA

Ways to quit smoking has the full list of links to 15 methods

Important patch research explains the Journal of the American Medical Association article that concluded the patch and NRT was "No longer effective"

The IRS and quitting smoking shows that the IRS does not like weak methods like drugs and NRT at all