Ways to quit smoking Advertising Wizard. Efforts Towards Smoking cessation. Smoking cessation is the effort to stop smoking tobacco products. Nicotine is an addictive substance, especially when taken in by inhaling tobacco because of the rapid absorption through the lungs. Tobacco use is one of the major causes of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Nicotine dependence is most effectively treated with a combination of drugs and specialist behavioural support. There are many people and organizations touting what are claimed to be effective methods of helping smokers to stop. Any smoker thinking of paying money for such help would be well advised to ask whether the claims of success are backed up by evidence. Smoking cessation will almost always lead to a longer and healthier life. Stopping in early adulthood can add up to 10 years of healthy life and stopping in one's sixties can still add three years of healthy life. Stopping smoking is associated with better mental health and spending less of one's life with diseases of old age. The most common short-term effects of stopping smoking are increased irritability, depression, anxiety, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, increased appetite, constipation, mouth ulcers and increased susceptibility to upper respiratory tract infections. These mostly last for up to four weeks, though increased appetite typically lasts for more than three months. The most obvious long-term effect is weight gain.