KEEP BUSY to help take your mind off cigarettes. Throw away all your ashtrays, lighters and tobacco.

DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS - Keep a glass of water or juice by you and sip it steadily. Try different flavours.

GET MORE ACTIVE - Walk instead of using the bus or car. Try the stairs instead of the lift. Exercise helps you relax and can boost your morale.

THINK POSITIVE - Withdrawal can be unpleasant, bit it is a sign your body is recovering from the effects of tobacco. Irritability, urges to smoke and poor concentration are common - don't worry, they usually disappear after a few of weeks.

CHANGE YOUR ROUTINE - Try to avoid the shop you usually buy cigarettes. Perhaps you should avoid the pub or the break room at work if there are lots of smokers around you. Try doing something totally different. Surprise yourself!

NO EXCUSES - Don't use a crisis or even good news to be an excuse for "just one cigarette" there is no such thing - you will soon want the next and the next....

TREAT YOURSELF - This is important. If you can, use the money you are saving by not smoking to buy yourself something special - big or small - that you usually would not have.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU EAT - Try not to snack on fatty foods. If you do need to snack, try fruit, raw vegetables or sugar free gum or sweets.

TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME - Each day without a cigarette is good news for your health, your family and your pocket.

WRITE DOWN LIST OF REASONS - Keep this list with with you and refer to them when you feel the temptation to light up.

SET A QUIT DATE - Stop smoking completely on this important date.

TELL PEOPLE IMPORTANT TO YOU - Let them know your desire to stop smoking. Their support will help you. If possible try to get other household members who smoke, or friends who smoke, to stop smoking at the same time. A group effort may be easier than going it alone.

BE PREPARED FOR WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS - When you stop smoking, you are likely to have various withdrawal symptoms which may include: nausea, headaches, anxiety, irritability, craving, and just feeling awful. These symptoms are caused by the lack of nicotine that your body has been used to. They tend to peak after 12-24 hours, and then gradually ease over 2-4 weeks.