I have been teaching people how to stop smoking for over 25 years as part of my nursing practice. I was a social smoker, never severely addicted and quit August 17 1983.
The best way to stop is to cut back slowly, 1 cig per day per week, so if smoking 20/d smoke only 19 the next week, 18 the next, 17 the next and so on, down to 1/d, then 1 every 2 d, then every 3 etc.
As you get to the last few - and sometimes you might need to stay at a particular lever for a bit longer - you will notice less craving (withdrawal) and then maybe - hopefully - disinterest, then finally distaste for cigs altogether. This is the best note to end on as that memory, both psychological and physical is what will help you stay cig sober.
Quitting suddenly causes painful withdrawal symptoms and craving is miserable to have to deal with. Withdrawal and cravings are very much less painful if you use the gradual method and there is much less chance of rebound even months or years later.
Nicotine from smoking tobacco is deposited in the hypothalamus, a walnut sized organ in the middle of the brain. It is the site that governs hunger and anger. As blood cleanses nicotine away, the hypothalamus objects, and demands more = craving and irritability = nic fit! But! the human will and spirit can trick the ole hypothalamus into not noticing it is getting less nicotine from reduced smoking by reducing very slowly. In the end, when down to 1 - 2/week and the courage to toss out the cig pkg altogether arrives, the hypothalamus is no longer the enemy, which was us, as Pogo said.
I had to quit suddenly after developing a sudden allergic reaction that almost killed me. My mother too - she had cardiovascular symptoms too and needed surgery. Her surgeon, Peter, a family acquaintance, asked her to stop smoking during an office visit, and she said, "Very well, Peter", took her cigs out of her handbag and threw them into his wastebasket with a wonderful clanking noise! He said, "Mary, I can see we are going to get along very well!" She was in her mid 50s then, lived 'til nearly 80 and died of something not related to tobacco disease.
Smoking is a disease that causes worse diseases. Bon courage to everyone on the path to quitting. Your quilts will smell so much better and you will live longer to make more of them!!