Quitting Cigarettes: 10 Smokers Who Kicked Butt (or Are Trying To)

Loretta M. Craig, 45

I am an RN, and taking care of patients with pulmonary problems really made me feel guilty about being a smoker. The hospital I worked with at the time was becoming smoke-free and they offered to pay for us to quit smoking. So I used the NicoDerm patch and have been smoke-free for nine months now.

I can breathe better and I definitely smell better. But most important of all, I can honestly tell my patients that they should quit without feeling like a hypocrite.

I still sometimes have urges. For example, as a travel nurse, I travel long distances and I used to have the music blaring with the windows down and smoke away. It was an independent feeling for me. But now, I realize I can still enjoy those long trips and be healthy at the end of the road.

Next: Matthew Fox, 24

Credit: Loretta M. Craig