Gradual Method

Quit Smoking Guides — by Smoker Profile

Light, moderate and heavy smokers each need a different timeline and a different plan structure. Pick the guide that matches how many cigarettes you smoke a day and get a week-by-week schedule designed for your profile.

light smoker

5–10

cigarettes a day

Short 5–8 week plan, mild withdrawal, focus on social-trigger management.

See plan
moderate smoker

12–20

cigarettes a day

Standard 8–12 week plan, the most common smoker profile, structured weekly drops.

See plan
heavy smoker

25–40

cigarettes a day

Long 12–16 week plan, designed for high-dependency smokers, gradual to avoid severe withdrawal.

See plan

Why gradual reduction, not cold turkey

Cold turkey has a 12-month sustained-quit success rate of around 3–5%. Gradual reduction with a structured schedule and a clear quit date achieves comparable or better quit rates while sparing you the worst of withdrawal.

SmokeClock automates the process: you enter your starting count, and the app generates your full timeline. It spaces your cigarettes throughout the day so you stop counting manually and start following a plan.

Learn more about quitting

Week-by-week quit timeline

What to expect each week — from day 1 to 3 months smoke-free.

See timeline

Quit smoking glossary

Plain-language definitions of nicotine withdrawal, NRT, cotinine and more.

Browse glossary