If you smoke, you're probably aware that smoking raises your risk of potentially fatal lung disease and many kinds of cancer. However, it also raises your risk of developing high blood pressure. Smoking damages the lining of your blood vessels and encourages your arteries to grow stiffer, and smokers have twice the risk of dying of a heart attack and are at greater risk of strokes. So if you smoke, this article in Life Line Screening's year-long series on high blood pressure is especially important for you. About 47 million Americans currently smoke … and about 47 million are former smokers. Think about it: The number of people who have successfully quit is about as large as the group of people who haven't quit yet.

Quitting isn't easy, as you probably already know. But you may improve your chances of giving up smoking for good with the use of a few tools. The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends: 

• Telephone counseling. All states now offer some sort of free telephone-based program, according to the ACS, which can double your chances of stopping smoking. Counselors can help keep you motivated and offer suggestions based on your individual needs.
   
• Support. Talking to your family, friends, physician, former smokers, and Nicotine Anonymous support groups may improve your chances of success.
   
• Nicotine replacement therapy. A number of treatments supply the nicotine that you had been getting from cigarettes, which can help reduce your withdrawal symptoms. Nicotine replacement is available in the form of skin patches, gum, and lozenges (available without a prescription), and nasal spray and inhalers (prescription required). These different products have pros and cons; for example, some types deliver nicotine more quickly than others, and some keep your mouth and hands occupied, which you may find helpful.
   
• Your doctor can prescribe several medications that may improve your chances of quitting. Buproprion (Zyban) is an antidepressant that reduces nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Some smokers may benefit from combining this drug with nicotine replacement. Varenicline (Chantix), according to the ACS, reduces nicotine withdrawal symptoms and makes smoking feel less pleasurable. However, this drug has been associated with serious mood and behavior changes. Discuss with your doctor whether you'd be a good candidate for these if you're interested in using them.

Remember, it's common for smokers to need to make several tries at stopping before they quit smoking for good. Even if you've tried before, consider making another go of it this Nov. 19.

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