Table 3.

Reported facilitators to quit smoking, interview findings (N=20)

Themes and sub-themes	Quotes	n
Motivational techniques		11
Self-motivation		9
Self-motivating talk	‘I keep in mind that ... “tomorrow is the third day without cigarettes, come on let’s try further!”.’ (CS2, female, translated quote)	6
Thinking about experienced health complications	‘I kept looking at my chest and picturing a spring inside (chuckling).’ (FS5, male)	4
Motivation from others	‘My children ... used to tell me, “come on be brave, come on, how good you are, come on!”.’ (FS10, female, translated quote)	4
Helpful distraction		7
Action distraction	‘Not sitting down, you know. Making that one, making some DIY, go to the field, go for a walk.’ (CS9, male)	4
Mouth distraction	‘emm you know I told you these Nicotine inhalers that I bought, so I still have one without nicotine and anything and I just put it in my mouth and that’s it.’ (FS1, male)	2
Thinking distraction	‘When I tried to quit smoking, I made my mind busy in another thing.’ (CS1, male)	2
Taking nicotine replacement	‘I think a substitute for something, that when you take it you would want this to make you feel calm, because that’s what it is, you feel anxious when you crave a cigarette.’ (CS3, male, translated quote)	3

FS: former smoker. CS: current smoker.