In today's society, we acknowledge that smoking is harming millions of people worldwide. But instead of tackling the issue at hand and stopping smoking for what it really is, a killer, we have created other substitutes to take its place.

I am talking about nicotine patches, gums, pills and herbal remedies. I believe, that to truly quit smoking, we shouldn't be using such substitutes.

By using substitutes, we try to fill a void that does not exist. It results in acknowledging, that smoking provides us with "something". Whether it be a pleasure, helping with confidence or helping with concentration. The truth is, that smoking provides us with no benefits at all. All smoking achieves, is to ensure that we kill ourselves slowly, with every breath we take.

As smokers, we perceive to be obtaining some sort of pleasure, but this is incorrect. All we really achieve, is to end our suffering from nicotine withdrawal, every time we light a cigarette. The more we smoke, the more our body craves nicotine. Now, if we were to have never tried cigarettes in our lives, then we would never suffer the feeling of nicotine withdrawal, thus we would never have this perception, that cigarettes provide us with pleasure. In reality, it is just our minds playing tricks on us.

It is best to quit without substitutes because products such as nicotine gum and patches, ensure that we remain addicted. By ensuring that we are addicted to nicotine, we continue to fill a void. Eventually, our mind plays tricks on us and once again perceive smoking as a provider of some pleasure. The consequence is, we dive head first back into the trap. Substitutes only ensure that we light another cigarette, especially with a misguided perception.

Although, before you take up the task of quitting you have to constantly remind yourself, that smoking has never provided you with anything beneficial and never will.