I quit once for eight years straight. Until right before I started again, I didn't even have the desire to smoke.
The reason why it was so easy for me to quit was because I sincerely WANTED to quit. For me, it was my health. At that point I had been smoking like a chimney for about 7 years, and I tend to have respiratory issues anyway. I was worried what I was doing to my health.
Then I split from a 9 year relationship, and it took a while but I think I kind of reverted to an old "comforting" habit ( maybe not quite the right way to put it but oh well).
Actually, now it has been about 3 or 4 years of smoking (you know. I was "just" gonna smoke a little bit until things settled down....mmm hmmm.....) and lately I've been very interested in quitting again.
I definitely want to. I've just gotta figure out some way to never go back. Maybe just reminding myself how stupid it was to start again after eight years quit would suffice. Because really, how STUPID.
BUT, he ain't gonna stop unless he wants to. Not with any real success anyway.
Peace.