Article: Whether you're trying to quit smoking, or trying to keep from developing a habit, you might need to ask a parent or sibling, a teacher, or a non-smoking friend to help keep you in check. Ask this person to keep an eye on you and tell you if you're engaging in dangerous behavior. Ask if you can message or call this person in the event that you're having trouble resisting peer pressure. Don't be afraid to actually use this resource: smoking is highly addictive, and you might need all the help that you can get. If you are really serious about avoiding a smoking habit, then you might want to avoid people who habitually smoke. You can always keep saying no, but you will still run the risk of inhaling secondhand smoke as long as you spend time with smokers. If you don't want to cut these people out of your life, try stepping away from them when they smoke--or asking them to take their cigarettes outside.  When you breathe secondhand smoke, you ingest all of the toxic, cancer-causing chemicals that waft into the air when cigarettes burn. You can inhale secondhand smoke by breathing "mainstream smoke" (the smoke that smokers exhale) as well as "sidestream smoke" (the smoke from the lighted end of a cigarette, pipe, or cigar).  If you get used to being around people that smoke, you may gradually lighten up your attitude toward smoking--and you may be more likely to relapse. If you're constantly listening to people tell you that smoking is okay, your perspective may begin to sway. It isn't easy to leave friends behind, but it may be the right choice if you want to put your health first. Be honest with your friends. Say, "I'm not comfortable with you guys pressuring me to smoke, and I'm afraid that if I keep hanging out with you I might actually start smoking. I'm going to take some time to get my priorities straight." Get rid of any un-smoked cigarettes that you own, and don't buy any new cigarettes.  As long as you keep cigarettes around, you are acknowledging that smoking is a possibility. When you get rid of your cigarettes, you go a long way toward removing yourself from the possibility, and you make smoking much easier to avoid.  It may be tempting to tell yourself, "I'll just smoke the rest of this pack, so that it doesn't go to waste, and then I won't buy any more. I'll quit once I finish these cigarettes." Some people may be able to follow through with this sort of plan, but it's safest not to tempt yourself. The "just one more pack" mentality can stretch into years of continued smoking. You can throw the whole pack away for dramatic effect, or you can give the cigarettes away to someone else if you're uncomfortable with the waste. The important thing is that you get the smokes away from yourself as soon as possible. Develop habits and hobbies that reinforce your commitment to avoiding smoking, and try to involve yourself in communities that actively discourage smoking. Whenever you get the urge to smoke, channel that energy into something else: go to the gym, or pick up an instrument, or take a walk to clear your head. It's easy to let smoking a cigarette become your first impulse--so try to break this habit.  Build a regular exercise routine, whether you're running, hiking, playing sports, or going to the gym. The more work you put into your health and physical fitness, the less likely you will be to want to tear it down. Join a hiking group, a sports team, or any group of active, outdoorsy people. Many active  groups hold a stigma against smoking, especially during the group activities--so you can use this stigma to keep yourself from getting tempted to smoke.

What is a summary?
Consider asking for help. Consider spending more time with friends who don't smoke. Don't keep cigarettes around. Distract your mind with productive activities.