Dear editor,

Smoking is a dangerous habit that develops slowly and most people have suffered a number of diseases including the worst of it which is cancer.

I am therefore taking this opportunity to advice smokers how they can stop/quit smoking. The quit date you set should be realistic not so close that you don’t have time to prepare properly and not so far away that you might be tempted to keep putting it off.

But don’t fall into the trap of waiting until ‘the time is right’ if you do you will probably never get around to quitting! So when you are ready to stop smoking, set a quit date two to three weeks ahead (this gives you time to prepare and to organise supplies of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).

If your New Years resolution is to stop smoking then it is best to avoid actually trying to stop on New Years Day itself unless you have planned it properly beforehand. Why not set your quit date a week or so later so that you can prepare thoroughly, and for a time when you are not really tired and/or suffering from a major hangover!

During February you may want to set your quit date to National No Smoking Day, which is always the second Wednesday in March for the next one is Wednesday the 14th of March 2001 - when the majority of people stop smoking for good.

Decide what time you are going to give up. If you are going to a group you will probably stop there. You may want to make a clean break and start the day without a cigarette or it may be easier to stop in the evening.

Nyabugogo-Kigali