Smokers, now so often forced to huddle outside offices and homes, will find even fewer places where their habit is welcome from July 1. That's when the English public smoking ban comes into effect, banning smokers from having a drag in pubs, cafes, clubs and restaurants and a host of other places that will become smoke-free zones.

The ban already exists in Scotland and Wales and making it UK-wide is predicted, by the Department of Health, to provoke up to 600,000 people to attempt quitting for good.

Millions more would like to join them - at least 70 per cent of the UK's 12 million smokers would like to kick the habit - but are daunted by the difficulty of kicking the weed.

Smokers need support to succeed according to Jennifer Percival, head of the Royal College of Nursing Tobacco Education project and author of You Can Stop Smoking, a self-help guide to overcoming the habit.

She says: "Smoking is extremely difficult to give up and people shouldn't feel bad about themselves or failures if they struggle with it.

"Nicotine is as addictive as heroin or cocaine, and so the cycle of addiction can be difficult to break. Most people try five or six times to quit before they succeed."

Percival points out that those using nicotine replacement therapy products - such as patches, gum, or inhalators which mimic cigarettes - and getting support, are four times more likely to quit than those simply going cold turkey.

She says: "Nicotine replacement therapy is no magic cure but combined with willpower and support maybe from a group or even a sympathetic friend it can significantly help you overcome your desire to smoke."

Percival also counters the two major reasons people give for smoking - that it aids concentration and helps reduce stress.

"The reality is that smokers experience higher levels of stress than non-smokers. After stopping, the level of stress in ex-smokers drops noticeably.

"And although many people believe smoking helps them clear their thoughts and concentrate, research shows that nicotine does not enhance a smoker's performance level above that of a non-smoker's."

Follow these tips and advice from the experts to help you quit.

q Nicotine patches as a once-a-day solution are most suitable for smokers who have a regular pattern of smoking.

They release a steady dose of nicotine into the bloodstream via the skin. They come in three strengths to allow users to reduce the dose when they're ready. "In general, people who smoke 10 cigarettes or more a day should start with the highest dose patch," Percival says.

A week's supply costs around £15, but they may be available on prescription.

q Nicotine nasal spray is the strongest form of NRT available. "It's especially suitable for heavy and highly addicted smokers as it is absorbed faster than any other NRT," Percival explains.

It's recommended for those who smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day or light up within 30 minutes of waking.

It costs around £21 per spray.

q Nicotine gum lets you control your nicotine dose yourself', Percival says. It comes in two strengths, the 2mg gum for those who smoke 20 cigarettes or fewer a day, and 4mg for those who smoke more than 20 a day.

Most people use 10-15 pieces of gum daily for the first 12 weeks. A pack of 24 costs around £4.

q A new therapy, IQS (I Quit Smoking) from America, has just launched in the UK, and involves having electrical stimulation applied to the earlobe. It's claimed this releases endorphins that help reduce nicotine cravings.

It's aimed at those who smoke more than 15 cigarettes a day, and have smoked for more than eight years. It costs £399 and includes four treatment sessions, and six months support at five London clinics.

IQS also offers a money-back guarantee if the treatment fails to work. For more information call 0800 107 5877 or visit www.iqs.uk.com q Nicotine microtab is a small white tablet that dissolves allowing the mouth to absorb the nicotine. It should be taken for 12 weeks. It's around £16 for a pack of 100 tablets.

q Nicotine inhalators are plastic devices shaped like a cigarette with a nicotine cartridge fitted into it. "It's held like a cigarette so it's suitable for people who miss the habit of holding and handling a cigarette," Percival says.

It's around £6 for a starter pack.