Start small
Deciding to stop smoking or vaping is a big step, but the planning can be broken into small ones. This guide is set up so you can take one step every few days. You do not need to have everything figured out before you begin.
Step 1: Map where you smoke or vape now
For one week, keep a simple log on your phone or a notecard. Each time you light up or reach for a vape, note:
- The time of day.
- Where you are.
- What you were doing just before.
By the end of the week you will likely see three or four situations that account for most of it.
Step 2: Notice where the rules already help
Some of your log entries will happen near places where smoking is restricted. Washington's RCW 70.160.030 says no person may smoke in a public place or in any place of employment, and RCW 70.160.075 sets a presumptive 25-foot buffer around entrances, exits, operable windows and air intakes for those enclosed spaces.
In Spokane, the city's park policy adds tobacco-free zones at playgrounds, swimming pools, splash pads, picnic shelters, park restrooms, skate parks and formal gardens on Parks and Recreation property.
Mark each place in your week that falls under one of these. Those are stretches of time you already spend without smoking, and they can become anchors in your plan.
Step 3: Pick a format
Decide what kind of help you want:
1. A coach for one-on-one planning and check-ins. 2. A consulting hypnotist, if guided relaxation appeals to you. 3. A group program, if you would like company and a fixed schedule.
Some people combine more than one. There is no single right choice. If you have tried before on your own, think about what got in the way last time: lack of structure, no one to check in with, or a schedule that fell apart. Let that guide which format you try now.
Step 4: Build a short list
Use the directory to find two or three Spokane-area providers in the format you chose. The directory introduces independent providers and does not review their qualifications, so the next step is your own research.
Step 5: Ask the same questions of each
Call or message each provider and ask:
- How many sessions do you plan, and how far apart?
- What does a typical session include?
- Do you work with vaping as well as smoking?
- What contact is available between sessions?
- What do you charge, and what is your cancellation rule?
- Can I meet by video if the roads are bad?
Write down the answers side by side. Be wary of any provider who makes sweeping promises.
Step 6: Choose a start date with care
Look at your calendar. Avoid starting during a week with a big deadline, a move or a family event. In Spokane, some people like a fall start, when the cold already discourages standing outside 25 feet from the door; others prefer spring, when evening walks to a nearby park are easier.
Step 7: Prepare your surroundings
In the days before you begin:
- Clear ashtrays, lighters and spare vape pods from your car, desk and porch.
- Tell one or two people you trust what you are doing and when.
- Plan a replacement for each situation from your Step 1 log, such as a short walk, a glass of water or a call to a friend.
Step 8: Keep the appointments
Hold your sessions with a provider to the same standard as any other commitment. If winter weather makes a drive from the Valley or the north side difficult, ask about switching that week to video rather than skipping.
Step 9: Check in with yourself every two weeks
Look back at your log. Which situations have become easier? Which still feel hard? Share both with your provider and adjust the plan. Setbacks are common; what matters is what you do next. Keep the log going even on hard days, since an honest record is more useful to you and your provider than a tidy one.
Step 10: Know when to ask your health provider
If you have health questions, or are thinking about any product sold at a pharmacy, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. The providers in this directory offer coaching, hypnosis sessions or group support, not health care.