The health hazards of smoking are no secret, but smokers still find it quite difficult to quit. The vast array of stop smoking programs available can complicate matters, making it difficult to decide which program will work best for each individual smoker. Each smoker requires a program that best suits his or her individual needs.

Hypnosis is one popular method utilized in stop smoking programs. Among the several advantages of using hypnosis is that while it needs neither drugs or tobacco substitutes it can be extremely successful in halting tobacco use. This has caused its acceptance by the medical community. The two chief disadvantages of hypnosis are the fact that not all people can be hypnotized and that multiple sessions can be required for complete success.

To aid in your desire to stop smoking you can get a prescription medication from your doctor. These medications need physician follow up and tend to be a bit costly. As with other prescription drugs, these medications have been know to have negative side effects. People with certain medical conditions should not take these medications. The risk of smoking versus the risk of the medication must be carefully weighted.

Some people like to utilize an herbal remedy to stop smoking. There are a few herbs and combinations that are used to help in this respect. You may need to try several different combinations before finding the one that is right for you. The herb lobelia seems to copy the effect of nicotine and is helpful in converting from smoking to non-smoking.

Some stop smoking programs utilize acupuncture in one form or another. This may be the traditional treatment using tiny and usually painless needles to stimulate energy channels in the body which then block the urge to smoke. Another method places a surgical staple in the ear which remains in place while the patient is quitting smoking.

All stop smoking programs also need to provide counseling and support for best results. Some programs use counseling alone without other means except going "cold turkey" and quitting. While physical addiction to tobacco is gone in a few days, the psychological dependency may go on for a very long time, so programs with the highest success also pay attention to the mind of the smoker.