TAMPA, Fla. -- Fifty-million Americans smoke but many don't want to. Nine out of 10 smokers who do quit start again.

John Mucci understands. He smoked two packs a day for 35 years. But he hasn't had a cigarette in eight weeks.

"I wake up in the morning feeling 100 percent better than I did," he said.

Many smoking-cessation programs include two components: counseling and nicotine replacement (such as the patch).

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READ: Stop Smoking By Using Cues

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"The average smoker quits seven or eight times before they are finally successful for good," said Dr. Thomas Brandon, a psychology professor at the University of South Florida.

Dr. Brandon says that's why he is beginning to study a third component to help prevent relapse called cue exposure therapy. Patients watch images on a screen and even hold and smell a cigarette.

"What we are trying to do is speed up the process so when they encounter these cues out in the real world, like a friend who is smoking, it doesn't produce the arousal and craving to smoke; it's ho-hum by that point," said Dr. Brandon.

This therapy has been successful with patients with anxiety disorders such as phobias. And it's working for John Mucci.

"Holding it, smelling it, it definitely causes a desire," said John. "There should be a temptation, and the idea is to cope with that temptation."

This study is funded by the American Cancer Society. Researchers plan on including 100 patients, but right now it is in the early stages with less than 20. Doctors say it's too early to call it successful, but they are impressed so far.