10 Things Not to Do if You Want Someone to Stop Smoking for Good

3: Don’t Use Guilt to Manipulate Them

Using guilt to make someone quit smoking can be ineffective and emotionally damaging. Smokers may already feel guilty about their habit, especially if secondhand smoke is affecting the health of loved ones. Bringing up the risks of secondhand smoke or past failed attempts at quitting only adds to their sense of defeat. Instead of using guilt, offer empathy and acknowledge the difficulty of quitting. Positive reinforcement is far more effective than shaming someone into quitting.