I tried quitting a number of times. Not easy, and demoralizing when you fail. You may have to try several times too.

When I finally did quit I had decided to put off my first cigarette in the morning as long as possible, reasoning that sleep was the longest I'd go without nicotine. One day I went the whole day.

A friend quit at the same time as me, using the gum. Six month later she was still using it, and gave up and started smoking again.

Probably help that I had quit drinking by then as well. Pretty hard to drink and not smoke, for me.