You know that smoking is bad for you. You see the commercials, you hear your friends and family, and deep down you know you should quit. In fact, you aren’t sure why it was so easy for you to start in the first place.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, supported scientists who said last week that genetics may have something to do with the problem. They have identified genes that could contribute to a person’s ability to stay away from cigarettes.

“This knowledge could impact the success rate of cessation programs by helping health care providers choose the most appropriate treatment based on individual differences,” NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow was quoted as saying in a press release last week. “We soon may be able to make use of this information to match treatments with the smokers most likely to benefit from them.”

In the meantime, blaming Mom and Dad won’t do you much good. But there are some great options for Northwestern students who want to quit. Through health services, the Smoking Cessation Program, coordinated by health education, can help students quit by themselves or with some help. If you agree to let health education contact you about your care, they will provide you with a “Quit Smokng Kit.”

Or you can try the Stop Smoking Clinic at the Civic Center on Ridge, where the classes are free for anyone who lives or works in Evanston. Joel Spitzer, a former American Cancer Society employee, has been teaching at the clinic for more than 30 years.

In the first class, Spitzer will review why people start smoking, the reason they continue, why they should stop, how to quit and how to avoid relapse. He believes in a cold turkey approach.

“It’s a drug addiction, clear and simple,” he said. “And yet, people treat it differently than other addictions. They don’t give an alcoholic alcohol, or heroin addicts gum with heroin on it.”

If you’re interested, sign up before the class starts April 17. If you’d rather not go to a clinic, Spitzer invites you to attend the first day and then download free videos of the rest of the sessions.

“By quitting now, [college students] are getting out of it before they feel the effects,” Spitzer said. “They benefit from seeing the older people in the room and seeing the long term effects—not just cancer but complications of life.”

True, your genes may contribute to your propensity to start smoking or the level of difficulty you will face trying to quit. But waiting around for individualized gene treatments won’t help much. Pick a route and stick with it. Your lungs—and your wallet—will thank you.