Smokers Who Plan Ahead for Future Events More Likely to Quit

Smokers who are long-term planners are more likely to quit than those who live more in the moment, a new study suggests.

Previous research has shown that smokers are less likely to make long-term plans compared with nonsmokers, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The new study, published in the journal Addiction, included 1,817 smokers. They were asked about their saving and spending plans for the future. Those who planned more than three months ahead were considered long-term planners. Those who planned for a week or less were considered short-term planners.

The researchers found 76 percent of those who quit smoking between 2001 and 2008 were long-term planners.

“It is possible that helping smokers to think about the future a bit more might be a useful way to help them quit,” study co-author Jean Adams of Newcastle University in Britain said in a news release.