My wife & I were smokers for 12 years. I got to 2-1/2 packs a day at one point. I tried to quit, but with her still smoking it was impossible. We ended up quiting cold turkey together. That was about 10 years ago.
The secret to success, is find a substitute for the "habit" that you can get hold of at any time. For me, all I did was carry a pack of sugarless gum & a Bic pen. When a wicked craving would strike (like when my co-workers would fire up, or at dinner back when smoking was still allowed in restaurants) I pull out the Bic & pretend it was a cig. The motion & the deep breathing would trick my body into thinking I was getting a dose. THE CRAVING WOULD SUBSIDE IN A FEW SECONDS. It was freakin' awsome to know I was beating the nicotine!
