People say

"I had my first cigarette when I was 11 years old. I hated it. But that didn't stop me from having another at 14. That started my 33-year love affair with cigarettes. I convinced myself I needed it to release stress. I quit smoking two years ago through electro-magnetic acupuncture. After one session, I never smoked again."
Gassan Khazoun, 49, therapist Lebanon.

"I started smoking when I was 17, and started cutting back seven years ago. It took six and a half months for me to control it but I managed to kick the habit through determination. I manage to control myself by doing exercise everyday for an hour and a half, as well as practising yoga."
Suresh Kumar, 39, accountant, India

"I smoked since I was 18, but stopped three months ago because I started feeling the physical effects. A friend of mine introduced me to the hypnotist Dave Crane as part of his life motivation campaign. I didn't believe at
first that I could stop smoking through hypnosis, but it worked."
Mariam Abonamah, 23, public relations US

"I started smoking when I was 19 and had a cigarette every two days. I realised I wanted to stop smoking when my two-year-old daughter took a cigarette from my handbag and wanted to put it in her mouth. I stopped smoking at home, and now I will only smoke one cigarette in the company of friends. But I have completely stopped buying them now."
Yara Massouh, 29, media coordinator, Syria