Nick I have quit for a month or more two-three times the last 8 years. The bitch of it is every time I will start back up having "Just one Cigarette" when I am out for some drinks with a friend.
If you quit, don't ever light up again - It really does just take one time.
The last time I quit, was for 2 1/2 months about 5 years ago. One night I was drinking (New Years Eve of all nights) and bought a pack of smokes to enjoy and celebrate what had been a great year. When i woke up the next morning without even realizing it, I reached to the back of my bed, grabbed a smoke, and lit it up the second I woke up.
I have been a smoker since. They weren't kidding when they said smoking is more addictive than heroin. I wouldn't quit say it was a cake walk compared to quitting coke - and it sound slike you had a habit as bad/if not worse than me... But once I quit coke the desire to do it again subsided over time and I was able to do it once without starting back up.
Smoking, this is NOT the case... But a month after you quit you feel like a new person - more energy, less phlegm every morning when you wake up, and you feel overall better as a person
GL Mate, you have a tough road ahead of you. By the way, The things that worked best for me was
1) Wellbutrin as prescribed by the doctor
2) 21 mg nicottine patches
3) For the first week nicottine gum as well
4) Lots of excercise
5) Making it clear to EVERYONE in my life NOT to fuck with me