Some programs and individuals have reported success with the “wrap” method. During the period before the quit date, the smoker wraps each pack of cigarettes with paper and rubber bands (a variation calls for wrapping each individual cigarette in aluminum foil). Whenever there is an urge to smoke, the automatic response is broken by the chore of having to unwrap and rewrap the pack. For each cigarette, the smoker must write down the time and his or her mood and current activity, and then rate the importance of the cigarette. Like the diary, this helps potential quitters start to think about why they smoke.
A program of this type requires a time and financial commitment that may be difficult or unnecessary for some people. On the other hand, some smokers find that the financial commitment is an added incentive to quit.
A number of government and voluntary health agencies offer free or nominally priced self-help materials for smokers who want to quit on their own. (See box, “Smoking Cessation Resources.”) The American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association run relatively inexpensive smokingcessation programs, as do the Seventh Day Adventists and some hospitals. At the same time that they introduce workplace no-smoking policies, many employers are offering such programs as well.
