Practical Support

• You can help eliminate the stress-related triggers that once urged your spouse to smoke by taking on some extra child-care responsibilities or household chores while your spouse gets used to life without cigarettes. Having a home that's free of tobacco odors may help discourage your spouse from lighting up. Friends and family members should be told that your home is now a smoke-free zone, and no smoking is allowed in or outside of your house.
  
  

Habit Support

• Help your spouse develop new habits to replace smoking, such as going for a walk or playing a game of cards after dinner. Providing a selection of ready-to-eat, low-calorie snacks such as fresh fruits and vegetables may tempt your spouse to reach for a healthy snack instead of a cigarette. Keeping a pitcher of chilled water with mint or cucumber slices in the refrigerator may help him get in the habit of drinking a glass of water when a tobacco craving hits. If candy, popcorn or cookies is what helps your spouse the most, make sure to keep those things on hand.
  
  

Emotional Support

• Your spouse may become irritable while experiencing nicotine withdrawal for several weeks, and you should avoid taking it personally or partake in an argument that may trigger the desire for a cigarette. No matter how grumpy your spouse gets, he needs to know that you are proud of his efforts and that you have faith in his ability to become a nonsmoker.
  
  

Relapse Support

• Most smokers must try to quit several times before they finally succeed, according to the American Cancer Society. If your spouse has a relapse, you can remind him that it's a common part of the quitting process and that you are encouraged that he was smoke-free for several days, weeks or months -- even hours. Speaking in an affirmative manner, such as "when you try again" instead of "if you try again" might help your spouse view relapsing as a temporary set back and not a permanent failure.