1st Inning:
Decide to Quit

Quitting smokeless tobacco is not something you do on a whim. You have to want to quit to make it through those first few weeks off tobacco.

Know your reasons for stopping. Focus on what you don't like about chewing or dipping--the mess, the inconvenience, feeling that you're hooked, the dangers. See your dentist or doctor. Have your mouth checked. Ask why smokeless tobacco is bad for you. Find out how quitting can help.

"I started thinking about the negative aspects of it [smokeless tobacco] and the positive aspects. I couldn't come up with any positive aspects. And I just didn't see where I was benefiting from it." (Nolan Ryan, Rangers, NBC's "Today Show," July 31, 1990)

Here are some reasons given by other players. Are any of them important to you? Write in your own reasons too.

To avoid health problems
To prove I can do it
To please a loved one
To set a good example for my kids
To set a good example for young fans
I have a health problem
My girlfriend hates it/My wife hates it
My doctor or dentist told me to quit
I have sores or white patches in my mouth
I don't like the taste
I have gum or tooth problems
It's disgusting
I don't want it to control me
Other reasons: Write them down

1st Inning: Decide to Quit

1st Inning:
Decide to Quit