Smoking-related diseases claim nearly 500,000 lives annually and costs the United States in excess of $97 billion dollars in healthcare costs. If you're a smoker, you're probably well aware of the health and financial costs of this particular addiction, but you may not know all of the resources available to help you successfully kick the habit, once and for all. The following are helpful hints to get you started:

• Dispose of all cigarettes and/or cigars. Hide all items like matches, lighters and ashtrays
• When a craving strikes, take a deep breath through your mouth and exhale slowly through pursed lips. Repeat 5-10 times
• Replace cigarettes with something else designed to give oral satisfaction, such as sugarless gum or mints
• Spend all of the $$ you'd spend on smoking on a reward for your hard work
• Talk to a non-smoking friend for moral support
• Make a list of all of the positive things you've noticed since you've quit
• Each day, renew your commitment to breathe easier!