3 min read
Support Systems: Why the People Around You Determine Whether You Quit
Social support is among the strongest predictors of cessation success—stronger than any drug. The quitter with supportive family, friends, and coworkers is dramatically more likely to succeed. Most quitters have none of these.
A smoker whose partner also smokes, whose coworkers smoke, and whose friends smoke is trying to quit in an environment that is actively hostile to their quit attempt. **Social support—the encouragement, accountability, and practical help of the people around you—is among the most powerful determinants of cessation success. It's also the hardest to provide through the healthcare system. You can prescribe a patch. You can't prescribe a supportive spouse.**
