The short answer
A cigarette craving usually lasts only a few minutes, so the most useful thing is a plan for those minutes. Have a distraction ready: a walk, a glass of water, slow breathing, a text to a friend. Urge Buddy is an iPhone app that gives you one the moment you tap it.
What to expect
The NHS says cravings “usually only last a few minutes” [1]. Withdrawal can start within a few hours of your last cigarette, is usually strongest in the first 3 days, and lasts 3 to 4 weeks on average [2]. The NHS also notes that once you reach 28 days smoke free you are 5 times more likely to stay quit for good [2].
What to do when you want a cigarette
- Delay for five minutes. Don’t decide now. Do something else and decide after.
- Breathe slowly. A long, slow breath out is the part of smoking many people miss most.
- Drink a glass of water or have a mint, to give your mouth something to do.
- Get out of the trigger. If it’s the coffee, the car or the break room, change the routine around it.
- Move. A walk around the block, the stairs, a quick stretch.
How Urge Buddy helps
- Tap your buddy the moment the urge hits. From the app, or say “I’m craving” to Siri, or set it on the Action Button.
- Say where you are and how you feel. At home, out but private, or out in public; stressed, anxious, bored, lonely or low.
- Do the task. Your buddy picks something that takes 1 to 5 minutes and fits the moment: no squats on the bus, something calming when you’re anxious.
- Say how you feel now. Better counts as an urge beaten, and that count only goes up, even if you slip.
In Urge Buddy, choose Nicotine or vaping as your habit, add your quit date and what you spent a day on cigarettes, and watch your days smoke free and the money you kept.
Urge Buddy
When an urge hits, tap your buddy and get something quick to do until it passes. For iPhone, with a 3-day free trial.
More help
Stop smoking medicines and free support make quitting easier, so they’re worth asking about. In the US call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit smokefree.gov. In the UK, try the NHS Quit Smoking service.
Questions
How long does a nicotine craving last?
Usually a few minutes. The NHS says cravings usually only last a few minutes, so having a distraction ready is one of the best ways to get through them.
When do cigarette cravings stop?
Withdrawal is usually strongest in the first 3 days and lasts 3 to 4 weeks on average, according to the NHS. Some people feel occasional cravings for a few months, triggered by old routines.
Can an app help me quit smoking?
An app can help you through the moments that matter. Urge Buddy gives you a 1 to 5 minute task the moment a craving hits and counts every craving you beat. It works well alongside stop smoking medicines or a quit service.