Do you know what it takes to quit smoking? The process is not only difficult for those who are trying to quit — it's also difficult for friends and family who are offering support. With proven smoking cessation programs, however, 20 percent to 40 percent of participants are able to quit smoking and stay off cigarettes for at least one year. Take this quiz to see how much you really know about smoking facts.

1. During 1997 to 2001, how many premature deaths occurred each year as a result of smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke?

a.) 25,000
b.) 100,000
c.) 255,000
d.) 438,000

2. Healthy methods of quitting include:

a.) Cold turkey
b.) Nicotine replacement
c.) Prescription medications
d.) Stop-smoking programs
e.) All of the above

3. True or False: In countless studies, nicotine has been proved to be more addictive then heroin.

4. The average smoker makes how many attempts before he or she is able to stay smoke free?

a.) One to two
b.) Two to four
c.) Three to five
d.) Five to six

5. After one year off cigarettes, the excess risk of heart disease caused by smoking is reduced by how much?

a.) One-third
b.) Three-fourths
c.) Half
d.) Three-quarters

6. True or False: Writing down personal reasons to quit smoking will help you focus on your goal.

7. True or False: More than four in five smokers say they want to quit.

8. Male smokers who quit between ages 35 to 39 add an average of how many years to their lives?

a.) One
b.) Two
c.) Zero
d.) Five

9. Secondhand smoke causes approximately how many lung cancer deaths in adult nonsmokers in the United States each year? a.) 500

b.) 1,000
c.) 1,500
d.) 3,000

10. Each day, how many children under 18 years of age start smoking?

a.) 100
b.) 1,000
c.) 3,000
d.) 6,000

Did this quiz give you a new perspective on smoking? If you are trying to quit, discuss your quitting options with your doctor. Your doctor can recommend tools to help you and can offer tips on how to quit successfully. If you know of a loved one trying to quit, encourage that person to visit his or her doctor to gather information.

Answers

1. B. Source: June 2005 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

2. E. Your doctor can recommend one or more tools to help you and can offer tips on how to quit.

3. True. Source: www.addiction-spot.com

4. B. If you've tried to quit before and have failed, don't worry. It takes most smokers two to four times to quit successfully.

5. C. And after 15 years of abstinence, the risk is similar to that for people who've never smoked. Source: American Heart Association

6. True. Write them down. Share them with family and friends. This may help you stay focused on your goal.

7. True. Each year about 1.3 million smokers do quit. Source: American Heart Association

8. D. Sources: American Heart Association and American Lung Association, 2005

9. D. Secondhand smoke causes approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths and 35,000 heart disease deaths in adult nonsmokers in the United States each year. Source: American Lung Association, 2004

10. D. Each day, nearly 6,000 children under 18 years of age start smoking; of these, nearly 2,000 will become regular smokers. That is almost 800,000 annually. Source: American Lung Association, 2004