Meh

No, but guilt seems to be.

Quitting smoking is easy as hell. I've done it like 25 times.

Also, they've found a link between trends and people doing what their friends do.

//Come on science, go cure cancer already

My mom quit smoking two months ago after 35 years of chain smoking. A week later my dad quit too because he saw that my mom was successful. So I guess peer pressure can work as well.

Stupid peer pressure...

It's a pandemic of smug.

Hmmm. Interesting. My dad smoked, observation of which convinced me that smoking is for retards, so I never tried it. No disrespect to the old man, who started when he was 17 and before there was any hard data about the health problems. But when you see someone get up every day and cough for 30 minutes, listen to him biatch about all the money he spends on smokes, watch him repeatedly try (and fail) to quit, and ride in his disgustingly filthy and foul-smelling car, you kind of wonder why anyone would decide to take it up.

I wish it was, then my Dad would quit.

KimJ: My mom quit smoking two months ago after 35 years of chain smoking. A week later my dad quit too because he saw that my mom was successful. So I guess peer pressure can work as well.

Good luck to them, but seriously 2 months is nothing, and very few people permanently quit on their first attempt. Don't get your hopes up, especially considering they've smoked for 35 years.

/smoker who's "quit" a few times
//I'd have to quit drinking to successfully quit smoking, so screw that

ex/3pk/day/30yrs/smoker

I had such a hard time when I tried to quit that for a long time I quit trying.

On Aug/18/08 I decided I did not want to be a smoker anymore and I stopped smoking. To my surprise I then found it to be easy to stop smoking.

I had to ask myself what was different.

To just try to quit I felt smoking was still ok and it lacked a strong mental position to draw support from.

To decide I did not want to be a smoker was a very strong mental position.

I hope this helps someone else.

I quit smoking seven years ago. It's not that farking hard, just stop doing it. I tried the patches for five days, and all they did was make me itch and piss me off, so I did it cold turkey. Once I quit, I stopped coughing, had more energy and didn't smell like the asshole of a bar room. Plus I saved about $150 a month.

I have no problem with people who want to smoke. It's your business, not mine, therefore I will never do the following when encountering a smoker:

The "polite cough"
The "go the fark away" look
The "that will eventually kill you" speech
The "could you please move, oh, I don't know, about 200 feet to the left so I don't have to smell it" speech
The "fake asthma attack"
The "guilt trip"
The "cancer speech"
The "you're wasting your money" speech
The "cigarettes killed my mother and raped my father" speech
The "you're supporting domestic health terrorism" speech
The "smokers are evil people for smoking" speech
The "why don't you chew gum instead" speech

Instead, I will let them make their own goddamn choices. It's not my business what another person chooses to do with themselves, and it's certainly not anyone else's.

mbillips: Hmmm. Interesting. My dad smoked, observation of which convinced me that smoking is for retards, so I never tried it. No disrespect to the old man, who started when he was 17 and before there was any hard data about the health problems. But when you see someone get up every day and cough for 30 minutes, listen to him biatch about all the money he spends on smokes, watch him repeatedly try (and fail) to quit, and ride in his disgustingly filthy and foul-smelling car, you kind of wonder why anyone would decide to take it up.

Wow, you're so much smarter than smokers, and your incredible superiority came only at the cost of a man's life.

TheGreatZarquon: therefore I will never do the following when encountering a smoker:

That rocks. I (quit this morning) know far too many ex-smokers who don't feel the same way. It makes me all stabby.

After a couple of decades of smoking, I quit on Christmas day in 1981. The incentive was the birth of my first child one month later. I haven't smoked since.

I had dreams of smoking for at least 5 years after quiting.

I'm afraid that if I picked up a cigarette today, I'd be right back to smoking.

Marlboros...(ffffffp) Ahh!

qwertypoo: Good luck to them, but seriously 2 months is nothing, and very few people permanently quit on their first attempt. Don't get your hopes up, especially considering they've smoked for 35 years.

Yeah, I know it's not likely to stick. Though on the other hand, both of them have job-related reasons to make it work: my dad's manager complains that he's "never around" because of his smoke breaks, and my unemployed mom wants to get a job as a cleaning lady and knows that no one will hire her if she smells like an ashtray.

I've been smoke free for four months after smoking for seventeen years. After the first two days its been a piece of cake. I find that I don't even think about it most days. When I do think about it, I remember that cigarettes are six dollars a pack and am reminded why I quit in the first place.

8Man: I remember that cigarettes are six dollars a pack and am reminded why I quit in the first place.

I can remember paying 25c a pack.

That was also an era when there was no real restriction on the purchase. As a 12 year old I could always go into Walgreens and buy them "for my mom."

One co-worker just quit cold turkey last week after another worker did.

The other co-worker quit because his doctor told him it was bad idea to keep smoking after having triple bypass surgery.

TheGreatZarquon: I have no problem with people who want to smoke. It's your business, not mine, therefore I will never do the following when encountering a smoker:

...
The "fake asthma attack"
...


Oh man, that was the worst. I'd stand outside in a wide-open space, doing my damnedest to stand away from people and not blow in anyone's direction (I really did try to be courteous), and a complete stranger would walk by, 15 feet away, and feign a choking attack. Any smoke I was emitting was nothing compared to that gigantic cloud of smug.

/tobacco-free for 9 years and proud of it, but not sanctimonious about it

Gargoyle: 8Man: I remember that cigarettes are six dollars a pack and am reminded why I quit in the first place.

I can remember paying 25c a pack.

That was also an era when there was no real restriction on the purchase. As a 12 year old I could always go into Walgreens and buy them "for my mom."

But you know, we were happy in those days, though we were poor.

Robert1966: mbillips: Hmmm. Interesting. My dad smoked, observation of which convinced me that smoking is for retards, so I never tried it. No disrespect to the old man, who started when he was 17 and before there was any hard data about the health problems. But when you see someone get up every day and cough for 30 minutes, listen to him biatch about all the money he spends on smokes, watch him repeatedly try (and fail) to quit, and ride in his disgustingly filthy and foul-smelling car, you kind of wonder why anyone would decide to take it up.

Wow, you're so much smarter than smokers, and your incredible superiority came only at the cost of a man's life.

Wow, you're so smug. And it comes at the small price of being a huge farking douchebag. A bargain at twice the price, I say

TheGreatZarquon:

I will never do the following when encountering a smoker:

I had thought being an insufferable ass would be one of the more pleasant perks of quitting but I just can't bring myself to do it. Damn live and let live ethos.

upright_apes_r_us: ex/3pk/day/30yrs/smoker

I had such a hard time when I tried to quit that for a long time I quit trying.

On Aug/18/08 I decided I did not want to be a smoker anymore and I stopped smoking. To my surprise I then found it to be easy to stop smoking.

I had to ask myself what was different.

To just try to quit I felt smoking was still ok and it lacked a strong mental position to draw support from.

To decide I did not want to be a smoker was a very strong mental position.

I hope this helps someone else.

Yes, that was what worked for me as well. It was time to quit and I simply did not want to be a smoker anymore.

qwertypoo: But you know, we were happy in those days, though we were poor.

Because we were poor. My old dad used to say to me, "Money doesn't bring you happiness, son."

qwertypoo:

Good luck to them, but seriously 2 months is nothing, and very few people permanently quit on their first attempt. Don't get your hopes up, especially considering they've smoked for 35 years.

/smoker who's "quit" a few times
//I'd have to quit drinking to successfully quit smoking, so screw that

Got to go with those slashies.
/part time ex smoker

mbillips: Hmmm. Interesting. My dad smoked, observation of which convinced me that smoking is for retards, so I never tried it. No disrespect to the old man, who started when he was 17 and before there was any hard data about the health problems. But when you see someone get up every day and cough for 30 minutes, listen to him biatch about all the money he spends on smokes, watch him repeatedly try (and fail) to quit, and ride in his disgustingly filthy and foul-smelling car, you kind of wonder why anyone would decide to take it up.


I wonder the same thing sometimes. The information is out there, why would anyone want to start? Is it really that COOL?

I have never smoked, but, I have used Hypnosis to help people stop. Things to remember, you have a few things to consider when you are stopping:

1) You have the Chemical Addiction to break.
-Tar and Nicotine

2) You have the Habitual Addiction to break.
-Grabbing a smoke when you get up, when you drive, when you drink, after a meal, the associations or "Triggers".

3) You have the Social Addiction to break.
-Do you mostly smoke to be with a group to socialize? Or, on the other end of the spectrum, when you want to be alone?

When you do make a plan for yourself, take all the different aspects into consideration.

/Free advice from your friendly Local Hypnotist.
//Never Smoked, but used Hypnosis to drop over 60 pounds.

qwertypoo:

I'd have to quit drinking to successfully quit smoking, so screw that

I did stop drinking for the first week. Thought I'd get the jitters but I didn't. After that week, beer tasted even better, something I hadn't thought possible. I call drinking my fallback vice (one of two). My drinking is slated for reduction soon as I've been gettin' me a bit of a beer belly lately.

Oh, and I told my friends and family I'd quit. Don't underestimate the looking like a total schmuck in front of those you care about motivation.

"....# Heightens activity in cholinergic pathways throughout your brain. Using these pathways, nicotine improves reaction time and focus, making you feel sharper and on the ball.
# Releases dopamine in the reward pathways of your brain. These reward pathways reinforce behaviors that help you survive, like eating and sleeping. Stimulating this area of the brain brings on pleasant feelings that encourage you to do something again. When nicotine activates the reward pathways, it increases your desire to smoke because you feel so happy afterwards....."
Gee, they make it sound so good maybe I'll start smoking again.
Seriously folks, if you want to quit do not use patches or gum. Why put nicotine into your body if you're trying to get it out in the first place. By the way, after 48 hours your blood is clean. All the rest of the addiction is psychological. Not that it isn't very very hard to quit.

I smoked from 14-24, quit, and then just had a relapse this last fall at 27. My family, my girlfriend and all my hippie friends don't smoke, and are constantly being sanctimonious about it to me.

I really appreciate it: it shows they love me, and keeps me from slipping.

/But being smug to strangers is farking retarded.
//OTOH: smokers/casual party-smokers who tease an ex-smoker with cigarettes? THAT is just evil.

Our world is one of corruption and hypocrisy. EVERYONE knows smokes will kill you, but they continue to be legal. Government tells us all,obey the laws, basically be good and help your fellow man. OH,,,UNLESS it has to do with "MONEY" then the government does what it wants. What bullshiat!

MontanaCarl:

//OTOH: smokers/casual party-smokers who tease an ex-smoker with cigarettes? THAT is just evil.

I am very much look forward to that. I will accept their munificence and promptly cost them a nickel or so in crushed cigarette, a stunt I assure you I can keep up longer than they can proffer smokes.

SherKhan: MontanaCarl:

//OTOH: smokers/casual party-smokers who tease an ex-smoker with cigarettes? THAT is just evil.

I am very much look forward to that. I will accept their munificence and promptly cost them a nickel or so in crushed cigarette, a stunt I assure you I can keep up longer than they can proffer smokes.

Good luck! Wish I would have thought of that. I have to be careful not to drink around certain friends. Now I have to find some other friends who indulge in all the other vices I like, but don't smoke.

//Peer pressure can be lots of fun.

HONDOWAYNE: Our world is one of corruption and hypocrisy. EVERYONE knows smokes will kill you, but they continue to be legal. Government tells us all,obey the laws, basically be good and help your fellow man. OH,,,UNLESS it has to do with "MONEY" then the government does what it wants. What bullshiat!

But cigarettes kill people, and dead people don't pay taxes. Explain that, Einstein.

It took me seven tries to finally quit, and I learned a lot along the way, which is sometimes helpful for others trying to quit. One of the things I learned is that at least for myself (and presumably many others), the social habit is much stronger than the chemical addiction. (I also drink coffee, so I know a thing or two about the latter.)

In re TFA, the best personal example I have is a girl I dated years ago. It's rarely a great idea to date someone twice, but I was mad for her. We'd quit smoking together the first time we dated. I stayed quit, she didn't. When we got back together, I started again, almost immediately. The day after we broke up the second time, I found I suddenly had no desire for a cigarette, and I realised: She was the habit!

I've had a couple similar experiences, which together convince me that this article is right on the money. Chemical addiction is real, but for many smokers, other people are the most powerful factor to deal with.

Sue Dunham: Seriously folks, if you want to quit do not use patches or gum. Why put nicotine into your body if you're trying to get it out in the first place. By the way, after 48 hours your blood is clean. All the rest of the addiction is psychological. Not that it isn't very very hard to quit.

Just one thing: If the patch or gum helps you quit, by all means use them.

when you see someone get up every day and cough for 30 minutes, listen to him biatch about all the money he spends on smokes, watch him repeatedly try (and fail) to quit, and ride in his disgustingly filthy and foul-smelling car, you kind of wonder why anyone would decide to take it up

Excellent endorsement for giving up that dirty, dead-ended, filthy, stinking habit.

Speaking of endorsements.

If pols had found a competing bribe that had paid them more, smoking would have been wiped out a long time ago.

qwertypoo: HONDOWAYNE: Our world is one of corruption and hypocrisy. EVERYONE knows smokes will kill you, but they continue to be legal. Government tells us all,obey the laws, basically be good and help your fellow man. OH,,,UNLESS it has to do with "MONEY" then the government does what it wants. What bullshiat!

But cigarettes kill people, and dead people don't pay taxes. Explain that, Einstein.

Tobacco companies in the past tended to support political candidates who would be on the side of both the industry and smokers and be very active lobbyists. So, in spite of the undisputed fact that tobacco usage kills it stays legal.

Aka the Golden Rule. He who has the gold makes the rules.

However, there are jurisdictions where there is evidence that this influence on politicians is weakening; examples are the fact that tobacco companies are now forbidden to sponsor sporting and cultural events in some countries, plus the proliferation of strict no-smoking laws pretty much everywhere.

No it's not subby.

A little-discussed dark side of quitting is that if you've smoked your whole life, quitting can actually ruin your health for years.

http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2007/03/14/traister_smoking/index.html (new window)

The article generated a flood of letters from people who suffered all kinds of sicknesses for years after they quit. But almost all of them said that, eventually, (sometimes after 10 years), the sickness went away and they finally felt better.

Here's one of the letters:

-----
"... when i quit smoking i was so sick, for so long, i really thought i had lost my mind. within 24 hours i was in bed with a fever and the flu. i felt like a hideous broken out troll who'd gained 8 pounds in 3 weeks while faithfully following weight watchers. i ended up in the hospital with inflammatory bowel disease, not an uncommon reaction, which i will suffer with for life. and yes, nicotine does work as an anti-depressant: for the first time in 20 years i was having panic attacks and sobbing uncontrollably.

I'm lucky to know a lot of medical academics, and one sent out my list of maladies to a large group of smoking cessasion experts around the world and asked them to reply to me personally... not surprising, each
wretched symptom i developed had a factual basis and was most likely caused by quitting smoking.

I'm not sure why regular GPs don't tell their patients these things as they urge them to quit. perhaps they think this will stop us from doing so? i have to believe that many people trying to quit will fail because they quitting has made them feel so damned awful.

And any doctor who urges a person with a depressive history to quit without taking this fact into consideration--like using wellbutrin,
for example--should have his/her license revoked.

In the end, i'm glad i quit. i never felt better immediately, as some will proclaim, but i'm ultimately much better off for doing so. even though i will always have colitis. (and please, don't bash this. google it, many doctors, GPs, don't know this can happen. it's fact. and if nothing else, eat a whole lot of bran while you're quitting!)
-----

Wellbutrin helped me. I highly recommend it. Haven't smoked in more than five years!

Is that supposed to be an article? Cuts off before it gets to the punch line. Taking a ciggie break.

Can't say it is. No one I know has quit since I did. And nobody made me quit either. Rather, it was the 6 cracked ribs, broken clavicle and punctured lung that convinved me. (The month supply of opiates didn't hurt, either.)

Absolutely the best way to stop smoking




Link (new window)



This surely helps too

Chantix is a terrible idea. It actually blocks your dopamine receptors, so while your smoking of cigarettes won't have the same positive effect, neither will ANYTHING you do.

I stopped smoking (I never "Quit" but I occasionally "Stop") for a year when I was 17, and it was the most stressed out I've ever been. I know that smoking is bad for me, but when I look at all of the people who don't get their hour of exercise in every day day, eat bacon cheeseburgers, drink like fish, etc. etc. etc.... I'm doing one thing that's bad for me, but I balance out my scales. I think everybody should have their vice.

And I do my damndest to stay away from non-smokers outside of bars and whatnot. Just because I'm making this choice for me doesn't mean I should make it for others.

/If you do your laundry, keep synthetic sugar low in your diet, and keep yourself clean, you won't reek. Most people don't know I'm a smoker until I light one up. Then I wash my hands afterwards and drink some water.
//Tobacco stains on the teeth are way more apparent if you drink a lot of coffee, and they scrape off with a slightly sharpened metal edge, like the end of a tweezer or the nail file in a pocket knife. Don't use much pressure, because you'll risk scratching your enamel, but they're easy to get rid of if you wake up after a long night and one has shown up. Thank you, dentist ex-step-dad!
///Quitting smoking for your kids is possibly the best thing a person can do. And I hope I'm in a place where I'm willing to quit when I have kids.