Going cold turkey isn't the only road to kicking the habit, a review published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research reports.
Analyzing 19 studies on smoking reduction, University of Vermont researchers found that reducing the number of cigarettes smoked and adding the use of nicotine gums or patches led to eventual quitting in 16 of the studies.
Said reviewer, John Hughes, M.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont College of Medicine:
"Our review contradicts the commonly held belief that quitting requires stopping abruptly, and provides evidence that smokers can quit successfully by reducing the amount of cigarettes smoked."
Read more: Cutting Back May Lead To Quitting Smoking