Stars who serve as inspirations to kick the butt

On World Tobacco Day, we present celebrities who have managed to leave their tobacco addiction behind with positive attitude, patience and a sense of responsibility.
Rajinikanth
Post his hospitalisation three years ago, Superstar Rajinikanth decided to quit smoking, after having been addicted to cigarettes for decades. On 12.12.2012, his birthday, the Superstar opened up to his fans on how he ruined his health by smoking and drinking and recalled his days as a bus conductor when he used to spend most of his time drinking and smoking with his friends.Latha Rajinikanth is said to have played a pivotal role in his recovery.
Kamal Haasan
Wonder when Ulaganayagan lit up his first cigarette? When he was just 11 years old! The actor began to smoke out of curiosity when his mother adviced him to not get addicted to such habits. But his smoking days didn���t last for long, as he decided to quit after the people around him, including the light boys on the set, started to question him about the habit. The actor later joked on a TV show that he kicked the butt because he had to act in many lip-lock scenes.
Ajith
Like many, Ajith started smoking early in his life, but it���s said that the actor stopped smoking the day he tied the knot to Shalini. Now, the only time Thala lights up is when he is on-screen and does it only if the role demands it.
Vetri Maaran
Is it possible for a person to smoke more than 180 cigarettes a day? Well, director Vetri Maaran claims he has done it before. The National Award-winning director says that quitting smoking is an experience in itself that is hard for others to understand. He believes that one needs to be strong and determined to achieve it. After trying to quit many times, the director finally managed to kick the butt on November 14, 2008.
Aamir Khan
Aamir once said on a TV show that whenever his film was about to hit the screens, he used to get nervous and ended up lighting a cigarette to ease the tension, despite his mother requesting him to throw his cigarettes and lighters away. However, the Bollywood star let go of this addiction after his daughter, Ira and son, Junaid became annoyed about it, and credits sheer determination for his achievement.
Arjun Rampal
The actor, who has been lighting up since his college days, managed to quit smoking for the sake of his family. He announced on his social networking page that he took this decision for the sake of his kids. Interestingly, it was his wife, Mehr Jessica who had inspired him to quit, when she quit smoking herself.
Hrithik Roshan
He tried to quit smoking by going for nicotine patches but even after five attempts, he couldn���t. But one fine morning, Hrithik ordered Alan Carr���s Easy Way To Stop Smoking online and the book did the trick. The actor says that the day he finished reading the book, he quit smoking as he was very impressed with the way the author conveyed the message.
Saif Ali Khan
Lessons learnt from a visit to the hospital gave Chota Nawab the strength to give up smoking for good. Saif says that every time he tried to quit, he was being reminded of it at parties and by friends around him. But the actor fought off his urge by drinking a cup of water every time he felt like taking a puff.
Vivek Oberoi
The actor chose to quit this deadly habit after visiting patients in a cancer hospital in Mumbai. Now, he has been signed as the brand ambassador for anti-smoking initiatives by the World Health Organization and the Mumbai police department.
Easy ways to quit smoking
#Begin by taking fewer smoke breaks and by reducing the number of ciggies you smoke in a day. Always set realistic targets and bring down the number every day, every week, and every month.
#Avoid places that trigger you to take a puff.
#Get a smoker friend to quit with you. Make a #youquitIquit pact with your close pals, especially with the one who doesn���t approve of your smoking. Tell them that you will quit smoking if they quit one bad habit of theirs.
#Many smokers get an urge to light up after a meal. To avoid it, have fruits or your favourite dessert or a chocolate.
#Never go to a nicotine replacement therapy. If you feel depressed, plan a short trip with your non-smoker friends or do some physical exercises.
#Procedures like acupuncture, hypnosis and meditation can help you to get rid of the habit, provided you do it under proper guidance.