Joel Spitzer has provided smoking cessation and prevention services since 1972, first as a volunteer speaker and then a member of the professional staff of the American Cancer Society. Later he served as smoking programs coordinator for the Rush North Shore Medical Center's Good Health Program, and then as a consultant for the Skokie Illinois Health Department and the Evanston Department of Health and Human Services, providing state funded smoking cessation clinics and seminars for the two Chicago suburban communities. Here at WhyQuit, since June 2000 Joel has served as education director at Freedom from Nicotine, a free education oriented nicotine dependency recovery messageboard support group.
Joel's Library is home to:
- Joel's Reinforcement Articles - More than 100 short quit smoking articles in HTML format
- "Never Take Another Puff" - The 2003 and 2006 editions of Joel's free PDF stop smoking book, containing nearly all of the above reinforcement articles
- Joel's Video and Audio Quit Smoking Lessons - 64 short stop smoking movie clips -- most formatted for listening -- in which Joel shares important nicotine dependency recovery insights.
- Joel's Daily Quitting Lesson Guide - This guide suggests daily video and reading lessons for specific days during the first two weeks of quitting smoking.
- Joel's MP3 Audio Counseling Download - An extremely large zipped file (264MB) containing all of Joel's audio lessons, that can be loaded into an MP3 player and listened to anywhere.
- Ask Joel - Submit your quit smoking question to Joel.
- Index to Joel's Freedom Articles - Since 2000, Joel has served as education director at Freedom, WhyQuit's support group. This index provides links to Joel's primary message board posts.
Joel's Reinforcement Articles
Smoking: A Historical Perspective
"Never Take Another Puff"
Link to 2003 Edition - Download the original online version of Joel's free 149 page quit smoking book in PDF format (1.35MB), containing 97 short quitting articles. Once opened, be sure to click the "save" icon (the first icon on the far left) and save a copy to your computer. You'll then be able to search, print and e-mail "Never Take Another Puff" to friends, family members and co-workers who are smoke, chew or dip nicotine.
Link to 2006 Edition - This link is to the latest edition of "Never Take Another Puff." It is a bit larger file (1.5MB), with 63 additional pages (212 total) but only four additional articles related to: (1) setting quitting dates, (2) alcohol use and alcoholism, (3) who to believe regarding quitting methods, and (4) why the decline in smoking is grinding to near standstill. If you have already printed the 2003 version, we recommened that you print the four additional articles and place them at the end of Chapter 3.
We can not promise that if you read Joel's entire book that you will succeed in quitting smoking. What we can promise is that you will learn how to quit and that you will never look at smoking the same again. Give this free quit smoking book one complete cover-to-cover read and you will discover why more than one millions copies were downloaded between August 2005 and August 2007.
Joel's Video and Audio
Quit Smoking Lessons
The below lessons are presented in four formats: Dial-Up - as smaller video files for those with slower dial-up Internet connections; HS/BB - as larger videos for those with high speed or broadband Internet access; Audio - as audio files without video; and MP3 - as audio files for use on MP3 players. All files will play on Windows Media Player. You can click on this icon to download a Windows Media Player.
Video Title |
Dial-Up |
HS/BB |
Audio |
MP3 | Length |
Added |
| Introduction video | 1.13mb | 10.8mb | 0.60mb | 1.83mb | 04:04 | 10/15/06 |
| Make a list of why you want to quit smoking | 2.26mb | 6.76mb | 2.77mb | 06:09 | 11/22/06 | |
| Using these videos to quit smoking | 4.02mb | 12.0mb | 5.04mb | 11:07 | 11/21/06 | |
| Starting day one of your quit | 3.28mb | 5.84mb | 4.09mb | 09:03 | 11/21/06 | |
| Starting day two of your quit | 1.82mb | 5.39mb | 2.33mb | 05:10 | 11/21/06 | |
| Starting day three of your quit | 1.37mb | 4.03mb | 1.62mb | 03:57 | 11/21/06 | |
| Starting day four of your quit | 3.58mb | 10.7mb | 4.52mb | 09:58 | 11/22/06 | |
| Starting day five of your quit | 1.77mb | 5.26mb | 2.18mb | 04:50 | 11/23/06 | |
| Starting day six of your quit | 3.63mb | 10.8mb | 4.53mb | 09:59 | 11/24/06 | |
| Starting week two of your quit | 3.19mb | 9.54mb | 3.93mb | 08:40 | 11/26/06 | |
| Getting on with the rest of your life | 3.39mb | 10.1mb | 4.22mb | 09:21 | 11/27/06 | |
| Addiction - the Surgeon General says ... | 4.42mb | 13.2mb | 1.77mb | 5.49mb | 12:00 | 10/09/06 |
| Criteria of addiction | 4.09mb | 12.2mb | 1.64mb | 5.09mb | 11:06 | 10/09/06 |
| People in recovery from other addictions | 3.24mb | 9.68mb | 1.27mb | 4.00mb | 08:50 | 11/20/06 |
| "Why did I ever start smoking?" | 1.23mb | 12.1mb | 0.50mb | 1.54mb | 03:22 | 09/27/06 |
| Learning how to inhale | 1.70mb | 16.8mb | 0.69mb | 2.10mb | 04:38 | 10/02/06 |
| Why do smokers smoke? | 2.65mb | 5.70mb | 8.31mb | 18:08 | 11/07/06 | |
| The Palmolive bottle demonstration | 2.84mb | 19.1mb | 1.15mb | 3.55mb | 07:45 | 10/11/06 |
| Lung cancer | 3.04mb | 6.55mb | 8.58mb | 18:48 | 11/05/06 | |
| See how smoking destroys the lungs | 1.55mb | 4.59mb | 1.87mb | 04:13 | 11/27/06 | |
| Heart and circulatory diseases | 2.81mb | 5.93mb | 8.82mb | 19:18 | 11/03/06 | |
| Premature deaths caused by smoking | 1.84mb | 3.62mb | 5.72mb | 12:33 | 11/06/06 | |
| How did the people you know quit smoking? | 1.90mb | 18.8mb | 0.77mb | 2.34mb | 05:10 | 09/27/06 |
| Quitting by gradual withdrawal | 2.35mb | 7.54mb | 1.03mb | 3.25mb | 07:13 | 10/18/06 |
| My first encounter with NRT | 3.99mb | 16.1mb | 2.13mb | 6.66mb | 14:37 | 11/16/06 |
| WhyQuit's candid views about Chantix (and Champix) | 17.8mb | 53.3mb | 7.11mb | 22.0mb | 48:16 | 10/19/07 |
| The fear of quitting smoking | 4.09mb | 12.3mb | 5.04mb | 11:08 | 11/11/06 | |
| "I don't want to quit smoking" | 6.52mb | 19.5mb | 2.61mb | 8.09mb | 17:40 | 10/11/06 |
| "I don't need to smoke" | 3.86mb | 11.5mb | 4.75mb | 10:29 | 11/09/06 | |
| "I'm safe from smoking because of my genetic makeup | 3.45mb | 10.3mb | 4.26mb | 09:24 | 11/24/06 | |
| "I can't quit or I won't quit" | 6.33mb | 28.6mb | 3.29mb | 10.15mb | 22:15 | 10/16/06 |
| "I'll be a nervous wreck forever if I quit smoking" | 3.87mb | 11.6mb | 0.81mb | 4.77mb | 10:30 | 11/29/06 |
| "I'll never be as productive again if I quit smoking" | 2.95mb | 08.8mb | 3.63.mb | 08:01 | 11/24/06 | |
| Getting colds and flus after quitting | 1.46mb | 11.1mb | 1.46mb | 4.57mb | 10:04 | 11/18/06 |
| "I am climbing the walls because I quit smoking" | 2.69mb | 8.59mb | 1.20mb | 3.78mb | 08:23 | 10/18/06 |
| "I have to smoke when I talk on the phone" | 2.77mb | 27.6mb | 1.12mb | 3.43mb | 07:30 | 09/27/06 |
| "I can't drink alcohol without a cigarette" | 1.36mb | 13.4mb | 0.55mb | 1.67mb | 03:43 | 09/27/06 |
| "If I relapse I'll smoke until it kills me" | 1.58mb | 04.4mb | 2.37mb | 05:11 | 02/25/07 | |
| "I'll smoke anywhere I want" | 2.74mb | 8.74mb | 1.25mb | 3.94mb | 08:44 | 10/18/06 |
| How I started running quit smoking clinics | 3.87mb | 38.6mb | 1.56mb | 4.80mb | 10:32 | 09/28/06 |
| "I'm not joining this clinic" | 4.62mb | 13.8mb | 1.85mb | 5.73mb | 12:33 | 09/27/06 |
| "Is this a symptom of quitting smoking?" | 1.91mb | 18.9mb | 0.77mb | 2.36mb | 05:13 | 09/27/06 |
| Common symptoms | 2.18mb | 21.6mb | 0.88mb | 2.69mb | 05:55 | 09/28/06 |
| Blood sugar symptoms | 2.03mb | 20.1mb | 0.82mb | 2.51mb | 05:31 | 09/28/06 |
| Does smoking cause my headaches? | 2.69mb | 07.4mb | 3.95mb | 08:32 | 03/21/07 | |
| The emotional stages of loss | 3.05mb | 30.4mb | 1.23mb | 3.78mb | 08:18 | 09/28/06 |
| Carrying cigarettes | 1.85mb | 5.70mb | 0.99mb | 3.02mb | 06:39 | 10/17/06 |
| Telling others that you have quit smoking | 2.53mb | 7.58mb | 1.30mb | 4.07mb | 08:57 | 10/17/06 |
| Talking to others about not smoking | 5.60mb | 16.8mb | 2.22mb | 6.92mb | 15:13 | 11/19/06 |
| Dealing with people who try to undercut your quit | 6.52mb | 19.5mb | 8.05mb | 17:42 | 11/12/06 | |
| Avoiding situations where you used to smoke | 4.67mb | 13.9mb | 1.51mb | 5.75mb | 12:39 | 11/29/06 |
| Who wants to go back to smoking? | 2.61mb | 25.9mb | 1.05mb | 3.22mb | 07:05 | 09/28/06 |
| Dreams of smoking | 2.38mb | 7.10mb | 2.92mb | 06:28 | 11/10/06 | |
| "I want one!" | 1.01mb | 5.36mb | 0.78mb | 2.48mb | 05:33 | 10/18/06 |
| "I don't feel any better since I quit smoking!" | 3.18mb | 31.6mb | 1.28mb | 3.94mb | 08:39 | 09/28/06 |
| "I know I will quit smoking!" | 2.37mb | 23.5mb | 0.96mb | 2.98mb | 06:30 | 09/29/06 |
| "What bad habit should I replace it with?" | 1.86mb | 18.4mb | 0.75mb | 2.30mb | 05:04 | 10/02/06 |
| "I'll come for reinforcement when I need it" | 3.83mb | 11.5mb | 4.73mb | 10:24 | 11/08/06 | |
| The only time I think of smoking is when I get one of your stupid letters | 3.16mb | 09.5mb | 3.87mb | 08:36 | 11/27/06 | |
| What is your quit smoking mantra? | 8.60mb | 14.0mb | 3.55mb | 5.79mb | 12:47 | 11/17/06 |
| Quitting may lead to other self-improvements | 1.13mb | 11.2mb | 0.46mb | 1.40mb | 03:07 | 10/02/06 |
| Weight control concerns after quitting smoking | 9.13mb | 21.9mb | 20.07mb | 43:56 | 11/14/06 | |
| "I know I am going to gain weight if I quit smoking!" | 4.82mb | 14.4mb | 5.94mb | 13:05 | 11/28/06 | |
| Money wasted on cigarettes | 1.93mb | 6.19mb | 0.86mb | 2.72mb | 06:03 | 10/18/06 |
| "Will I ever stop thinking of cigarettes?" | 3.97mb | 11.9mb | 1.57mb | 4.89mb | 10:47 | 11/20/06 |
Sincere thanks to Nelson A. (Skip) Coash of Encinitas, California for converting Joel's .wmv files to .mp3 format in late 2007 after fellow quitters at his online support group suggested the idea.
Joel's MP3 Audio Counseling Download
The link below requires high speed Internet access as it allows one-step downloading of this large 264MB zipped file containing all 64 of Joel's audio quitting lessons, 11 hours of listening. Depending on your Internet connection speed, the download time may take from 30 to 60 minutes. All you need to do is download the file, unzip it and load the individual (unzipped) files into your MP3 player. Our thanks to David King, who at 42 days into his own recovery created this zipped file in December 2009.
Ask Joel
Ask Joel is a forum that allows you to ask Joel your quit smoking question, or questions related to ending chemical dependence upon smokeless tobacco (snuff, dip, snus or chewing tobacco) or upon NRT (the nicotine gum, lozenge, inhaler, spray or patch). If previously unasked, or unusual, your question and responses may be posted to the Ask Joel messageboards so others might benefit. Take a look at previously asked questions to see if yours has already been answered. If not, e-mail it to AskJoel@WhyQuit.com. Please use language suitable for youth. Thank you.
