Ask any smoker who is trying to quit, and certainly any smoker who has successfully kicked the habit, and there is one thing they'll tell you: Quitting is hard. Often, very hard. In fact, research suggests smokers have to try several times before they win the battle over cigarettes.

The reason? Nicotine, a powerfully addictive stimulant in tobacco smoke. It's a tough adversary.

But to paraphrase a famous American president who set our sights on the moon, we do these things not because they're easy, but because they're hard. Just because quitting can be hard doesn't mean you shouldn't try—and try, try again, if necessary.

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As New Year’s resolutions go, deciding to stop smoking always ranks close to the top. There are some compelling health reasons to stop, if you can. You can reduce your chances of dying of heart disease, lung cancer and other smoking-related illnesses, thus prolonging your life.

If you smoke, you probably already know this. If you’ve already tried to give up smoking and failed, maybe more than once, you also know that it can be incredibly difficult to stop. 

Well, if you’ve tried before and it didn’t stick, Einstein respiratory therapist Kristin Bauer, BS, RRT, CPFT, encourages you to try again.

“People may have a strong desire to quit and it can still be very difficult,” says Bauer, a smoking cessation counselor and  facilitator at Einstein Medical Center Montgomery. "It’s an addiction. It’s chronic.”

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