My mom has been smoking for years and she thinks that going to a hypnotist will help. Her sister says a hypnotist helped her to quit. Also, I've been watching old segments from The Howard Stern show on youtube where they hypnotize certain cast members. I'm very skeptical about the whole thing but it might just be because TV made me see hypnotism as like controlling people when it is more like you are planting thoughts and feelings deep in their mind. So what do you guys think?

Very skeptical, but I'll allow for the possibility of it working on SOME people, and even then only if they are actively trying to get hypnotized. I mean some form of hypnosis in general, not necessarily quitting smoking. Still, I find it hard to believe and would jump at the chance for an acclaimed hypnotist to hypnotize me, just to try it out.

It could work, just like how placebos work.

this.

hence the saying "you can't be hypnotized unless you want to be hypnotized".