Thank You For Smoking
Image credit: Jollyboy
I can’t believe they used to market cigarettes this way.
Do you smoke cigarettes? If not currently, have you ever smoked? I’m particularly interested to hear any tips for quitting, or better yet, for helping a loved one quit. A family member that I deeply care about smokes, and there’s no stopping them. I sometimes worry so much about what they are doing to their body. I wish I could find a way to make them stop. To make them WANT to quit smoking.
Me? I tried smoking ONCE. Inhaled. Coughed A LOT. My throat was burning and the taste in my mouth was horrible.
Let’s just say it wasn’t a positive experience.
Thankfully, that single bad experience turned me off smoking for good.
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Tiff@Three Peas responds:
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 9:50 pm →
wow I bet the doctors that reccomended them are kicking themselves in the butt right now.
Tiff@Three Peas’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday
Monica @ DailyDwelling responds:
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 9:57 pm →
My goodness! I don’t think I would have believed it without the picture!
Monica @ DailyDwelling’s last blog post..Watch Where You’re Going
Max Forlani responds:
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 10:47 pm →
It’s a sad fact that today most doctors still smoke, but not so openly anymore. The most famous cliché: “do what we say, don’t do what we do” still goes for doctors I guess.
I’m a smoker, but about to quit. I want to be smoke-free by the time we move into our new house and before the baby arrives. I’ll try to do it on character. My doctor said to gradulally reduce the amount of cigarettes in a day. Going cold Turkey is too drastic and doesn’t work for most people. There is a whole scientific reason behind it, but I’ll spare you from that here
Cheers,
Max
Max Forlani’s last blog post..Ground Control to Major Forlani
CK Go Places responds:
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 10:51 pm →
What an eye-opener for a cigarette advertisement! Happy WW!
CK Go Places’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday – Hot Samba Girls
Avani-Mehta responds:
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 10:59 pm →
Doctors advertising cigarettes is just too much. I haven’t tried smoking anytime.
Pamela The Dust responds:
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 11:07 pm →
That is an unbelievable ad. just unreal.
No. don’t, never did. So, I can’t give advise.
Pamela The Dust’s last blog post..WW: Olympic Diving Gold Mudal
Dominique responds:
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 11:09 pm →
It’s simply crazy for doctors to promote smoking when they should be the best informed about the ill effects and harmful consequences.
Most of my cousins smoke, have no clear idea why they do so, I think only with meeting a near death experience of someone or experiencing it themself would be the only think to make them kick the habit.
Dominique’s last blog post..Filled up with some Mommy thoughts
Ryanne responds:
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 11:12 pm →
I guess they used to think that it helped opened the lungs and LOTS of athletes smoked to make them faster and have more energy! It’s just crazy seeing a Dr. used as advertising! Great find!
Ryanne’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday: What’s waiting out there?
Rhonda responds:
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 11:15 pm →
That’s an interesting advertisement. Great post.
Rhonda’s last blog post..Cozy Cuddlez Give Away
Joel Falconer responds:
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 11:18 pm →
I started smoking when I was young, picked it up at school and I must have barely been a teenager at that point. I was almost twenty when I quit, though I’d tried and tried for years. I think when you’re that young an addiction must take even more control and be harder to shake than if you start later in life.
You’re lucky. I wish my first experience with cigarettes had been equally distasteful (and that I had not been surrounded by a bunch of twelfth graders I was trying to impress on my first day of high school!).
And sorry that I haven’t dropped in for a couple of posts. You wouldn’t believe…
Joel Falconer’s last blog post..Is Updated Technology Important to Productive Work?
Davina responds:
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 11:18 pm →
I have never smoked but had lots of exposure to second-hand smoke. I worked in a coffee shop and my hair and clothes stunk from it every day. If I had known then what I know now, I would have quit that job.
I wish I had some suggestions to share with you about how to stop. My boyfriend smokes and has smoked for most of his life. His father stopped after having 2 heart attacks and triple bypass surgery. Still this isn’t enough to make him stop. I have heard hypnosis works for some, but my friend has no motivation to try anything. I really pisses me off!
Davina’s last blog post..My Turn To Be Seen
Scott McIntyre responds:
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 11:21 pm →
How scientific knowledge and advice changes on health-related matters, Vered.
Some of what doctors advised us was once ok, they now urge refrain. Kind of makes you wonder which of our current healthy habits they’ll deem off limits tomorrow…
I was never tempted to smoke, though I know how strong peer pressure can be.
Here in Scotland, we introduced a smoking ban in public places (which, I think, California has too).
While many might strongly argue against a ‘Nanny State’ infringing on civil liberties, the effects on public health have been remarkable. Studies have shown that Scotland’s smoking ban appears to have prevented hundreds of heart attacks. This is a good thing.
Everyone has benefited from the ban: the cash-strapped National Health Service which saves money on treatment; the passive smoker, and the smoker him or herself.
Perhaps, one day, doctors will want to ban fast food too.
Kelly@SHE-POWER responds:
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 11:44 pm →
When you think about it, we have come so far in our knowledge of what smoking does to the body. These old ads seem like fairy tales. Did they seriously release that into the media? But my grandmother talks about how they used to think smoking was good for you. Insane.
I was a smoker from 15 - 23 and I quit because I got pneumonia twice on one year. It was awful to quit. I just went cold turkey, but I remember I found it so hard when I went out that I just drank more! After a couple of years of abstinence I then smoked on and off socially until I was 31. Since then I just don’t have the taste for it. Now I couldn’t imagine it at all. I think giving up is something you really really have to want. Especially if you’re a long term smoker.
Kelly
Barbara Swafford responds:
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 11:48 pm →
Hi Vered,
Another great ad picture. I don’t ever remember seeing ads of doctors smoking, but they sure used a lot of cowboys on horses. Remember when they used to smoke on TV, too?
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..Choices Equal Consequences
scrappysue responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 12:17 am →
smoked when i was much younger because of peer pressure, but gave up before i married (at 21). dr oz has done some great shows on oprah about this subject. he says it’s harder to quit smoking that it is to quit HEROIN. check out oprah’s website = it may have some useful links. all the best
J.D. Meier responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 12:26 am →
I was very surprised to find out that my aunt had quit smoking recently — I never imagined it was possible. She used laser surgery. I didn’t know there was such a thing. It sounded really weird to me, but I guess you can’t argue with results.
J.D. Meier’s last blog post..10 Years Younger
Dave Fowler responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 12:50 am →
Hi Vered,
My mother has been a smoker since she was a little girl. She’s in her 60s now.
She recently had to have half a lung removed. You’d think that would be incentive enough to stop smoking. Nope! She still smokes.
She’ll just carry on until it kills her.
It’s very sad.
My worst fear is that one of my children may become a smoker in the future. It’s scary because I have absolutely no idea how to make sure they don’t become smokers.
Kim responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 1:26 am →
I Drank lots of Grapefruit juice because someone told me that it took the cravings away, but it was just hard. Good Luck! Great post, it is so hard to watch someone you love hurt themselves. Kim
Kim’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday
Busymama Kellie responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 2:18 am →
Oh yeah, because Camels is sooo much better! It’s funny to see old ads, but then kind of scary too! Sorry, no advice on the smoking thing. I have a couple of family members and friends that smoke but refuse to quit. Don’t know how to get through to them!
Busymama Kellie’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday: What are YOU lookin’ at?
Lance responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 4:09 am →
With what we know today - scary ad. I don’t smoke, and in fact, like you Vered, I only tried once (in college), and just didn’t like it at all. And am I ever glad I didn’t like it. My father used to smoke, but quit about the time I was born. I think it was because there were kids in the house (me, at the time). And he has no desire to go back - of course that’s been almost 40 years ago. My mother in law smokes. And she doesn’t see it as bad at all. It’s like she is able to block out everything we hear about the negatives of smoking. And yet, she has become more prone to getting sick (but, oh, not from the cigarettes). Hmm…
Lance’s last blog post..Olympic Strength - It’s In All of Us
Marelisa responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 4:35 am →
I never took up smoking, though it was something my friends did in high school. My father was a chain smoker until a few years ago. He quit by chewing on nicotine gum. The cigarette packages come with images of lungs falling apart, so I truly don’t understand how a person can proceed to buy a product with an illustration right in front of their eyes of what they’re doing to themselves, and then just calmly proceed to puff away.
Marelisa’s last blog post..Lessons to Teach Your Children (Part 1)
Robin responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 5:13 am →
Hi Vered - I’m so glad I never took up smoking, because I’d be hopeless at quitting if I had. Frank smokes (outside) - sigh.
Robin’s last blog post..Reincarnation… A Scenario
Mike Goad responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 5:25 am →
I don’t remember ads using doctors, but I do remember a time when smoking was advertised extensively.
I picked up smoking when I was about 16 and smoked until I was 30. I tried a number of times to quit but it was always easy to “bum a smoke” or to buy a pack out of vending machines. For a time I smoked a pipe and at various times, I made my own to save money — I actually had a little machine that would insert tobacco into pre-rolled paper. Finally, in 1982, I bought a new truck and vowed that I would never smoke in that vehicle. I quit cold turkey, but the truck was my psychological crutch.
Today it would be much easier to quit that it was then, especially where I live in Arkansas. The company that I retired from instituted a smoking ban indoors several years ago. Most of the people that I worked with were non-smokers — mostly former smokers, which meant that it would have been more difficult to “bum a smoke” and today it is a less socially acceptable behavior. A couple of years ago, Arkansas passed a law banning smoking in virtually all places of business to protect workers from second hand smoke. This includes eating and drinking establishments.
Mike Goad’s last blog post..What does “Gay New York” mean to you?
MomOf3(4ToB) responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 5:37 am →
I am not a smoker and never have been. BUT my parents were both smokers and they successfully quit 20+ years ago. My mom quit first without saying a word to my dad. He is someone who will not listen to anyone lecturing him. Smoking was killing him. After 2 years, my dad quit too. They both quit cold turkey which is amazing considering my dad was up to literally 5 PACKS a day. I still remember his smoker’s cough in the morning. I am so glad they quit, but I wish they would have quit sooner. I remember driving in the winter in Iowa with both of them smoking and the windows rolled up because it was freezing outside. Horrible. I cannot stand to be around anyone smoking and I won’t allow it around my kids. I am so very proud of them for being able to quit. I am not sure they would be here to see their grandkids if they had not quit.
MomOf3(4ToB)’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday - First Picture - 19 Weeks!
Al at 7P responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 5:45 am →
I’m not a smoker, but I do feel for the smokers who want to quit but can’t. My mother smokes and she’s starting to know how much I hate her to, so she’s cutting back. I think persistent pressure from loved ones can help, but there’s a point where it could do more harm than good.
Maya responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 6:13 am →
I quit at 34; went to a three months meditation retreat and never thought about it again. My husband is the same way as you Vered. He tried it once, coughed and that was that. Now when I think about it I go, why would anybody inhale smoke into your lungs? My tip: you really got to want to stop and then once you do instead of reaching for a cigarette feel the wanting and the craving inside of you, sit with it for a moment and allow it to be. Then make yourself a nice cup of tea!
Maya’s last blog post..Does your Life spiral in the right Direction? A Lesson from the Moon Snail Shell
Stacey / CreateaBalance responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 6:29 am →
That is a shocking ad and I’m lucky no one dear to me smokes. When my children see people smoking they ask me time and again why people are chosing to kill themselves. I hope the disgust for smoking keeps cigarettes out of their hands forever.
Stacey / CreateaBalance’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday: Dream Bigger
Writer Dad responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 6:32 am →
Vered,
One of my first thoughts this morning was, “I wonder what Vered will have for Wordless Wednesday.” It is amazing how much advertising has changed. I saw a picture online a couple of days ago from the Olympics in the twenties. I had two cyclists sharing a smoke while riding. Times have definitely changed. My childhood best friend took up smoking when we were teenagers. I made fun of him constantly. Loser Face became his new name. He finally said, “How do you know if you don’t try?” He was right. I tried. I still called him Loser Face.
Writer Dad’s last blog post..Just Pay Attention
Dot H. responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 6:44 am →
I also don’t remember that ad, but in those days everything was very paternalistic and authority figures were considered infallible and benevolent. Nowadays, we know that they’re sometimes neither. So many things were taught as the truth that I questioned then — for instance, sneakers are bad for babies because they need ankle support from hard leather shoes (those lace-up white leather hightops you see now only in old bronzed shoes). Wrong! “Purifying” food for you so that you’re eating pure white bread, pure white sugar, pure white rice, will remove all those unwanted icky ingredients that we now know we need. And of course the famous edict that crawling under your desk and curling into a ball will protect you from nuclear attack. How absurd it all was.
I smoked for a couple of years, maybe 1/2 pack a day or less. Just couldn’t seem to get into it. Funny, because I’m able to be addicted to food quite easly. As for getting someone else to quit, not gonna happen, IMHO. They have to want to, and want to very bad, because it’s a serious addiction.
Jenileigh responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 6:58 am →
It is sad. My hubby quit after smoking more than 20 years. The Lord led him to quit after I’d been praying for years. (((()))) And happy WW!
Jenileigh’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday
Jamie | WiredParentPad responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 7:00 am →
I used to be a casual smoker until about four years ago. By “casual” I mean that I smoked mostly in social situations and would typically go through less than a half a pack a day.
I quit cold turkey without any gums or patches. My motivation came from the desire to be more physically healthy, so I literally replaced smoking with walking, jogging, and working out. With every step and breath I took while jogging I envisioned cleaning my lungs and body of the poisons. It was hard for about the first month or so, but today I can’t even imagine picking one up again.
Jamie
Jamie | WiredParentPad’s last blog post..Do You Use Text Messaging to Stay Connected with Your Teens?
killlashandra responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 7:17 am →
The ad is appalling I completely agree. However I worked for a Health Science Center with a hospital attached and when the smoking ban went into effect it just pushed all the nurses and doctors that smoke farther away from the hospital entrances. Which is nice, but you can still see them lurking. And that’s depressing. In an ideal world I think people who work in healthcare should care as much about their own bodies as that of others. But that’s probably wishful thinking on my part.
killlashandra’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday - Western Flare
Friar responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 7:24 am →
I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s…where cigarettes were still glamorized. Ads weren’t on TV anymore, but they were everywhere ELSE. Plus role models (including friends of the family, grandparents, even school teachers) smoked. Right in front of us.
So theoretically, with all this “bad influence”, I should be victim of the mass-media, and I should be smoking like a Chimney now.
But I’m not. I never smoked. Never had the desire. And never will. And most of my friends that I grew up with are the same.
Why is this? I think it’s Parenting. Good old fashionned parenting.
Plus education. I remember anti-smoking campaigns in school in 1975. You had to be a complete moron to not to realize that cigarettes were bad for you. Even back then.
So why do people still smoke? I’m not judging, it’s a personal choice. But perhaps they deliberately chose to do so, because they enjoy it.
So maybe THAT’s where a big chunk of the responsibitliy lies…and we should stop blaming the media so much.
Friar’s last blog post..Friar’s Random Olympic Thoughts
Doll Clothes Gal responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 7:28 am →
Great “blast from the past.” It really is a shame that these companies still exist - thank goodness they don’t dominate the media as they used to.
Doll Clothes Gal’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday - Our American Girl
Suzie responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 7:33 am →
I smoked from 15-25. I quit with the patch. It was hard but it worked. But now that I know Dr’s smoke Camels I may take it up again
Suzie’s last blog post..Never Wordless Wednesday
DJ responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 8:02 am →
The funny thing is to me, they all look ridiculous in that poster! My how things have changed.
DJ’s last blog post..Nests Are Not Just For The Birds!
Evelyn Lim responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 8:24 am →
I’m really wondering how you unearth all these ads that you feature on your site. This one with the doctor is definitely shocking!!
Evelyn Lim’s last blog post..10 Insights Into The Power Of Thoughts
Kim Woodbridge responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 8:26 am →
I don’t think it is possible to get someone else to quit. They know it is bad for them, that it is expensive, etc … it really is something that has to come from within. Only the smoker can decide they are truly ready to quit.
I am familiar with those ads. When we were kids my brother and I had some cassette tapes of old radio shows, one of which was the Abbot and Costello ‘Who’s On First’ Routine. One of the ads said - “4 out of 5 doctors smoke camel cigarettes”.
Kim Woodbridge’s last blog post..Stuff This in Your RSS - Giveaway of the Day
Tim Brownson responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 9:09 am →
What a healthy bunch of readers you have!
I’ve never been a smoker er, except the exotic herbal variety in my 20’s and early 30’s. Can I say that? Probably not.
I’ve done a lot of work with smokers and helping them quit is the easiest thing I do. There is one huge proviso though and that is they have to want to quit and not want to want to. YOU cannot get anybody else to quit smoking, they have to make the decision. You can encourage and support them, but until they decide it’s a good idea it wont happen.
Tim Brownson’s last blog post..Two Little Words To Change Your Life
munchkinsandmusic responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 9:31 am →
Crazy!
munchkinsandmusic’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday
Randall responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 9:41 am →
Nothing advertisers do ever surprises me. I’m fortunate in that my parents raised me a skeptic when it comes to advertising.
Randall’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday
Natovr responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 9:44 am →
Yeah, but I can guarantee you that most doctors (well, almost all) won’t go near a cigarette. They most probably SAW what it could do to them. Doctors that are crazy enough would, I guess, in that day, smoke that type of cigarettes.
Cath Lawson responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 9:48 am →
OMG Vered - I thought I was seeing things when I first saw your title. I knew that people never used to be aware of the dangers of smoking. But I had no idea that they actually used doctors to promote cigarettes.
I smoke, so I can’t help on the giving up part. I’ve quit a few times, but always started again. But now that I’m taking control of my life, quitting is the next thing on my list. So, I’ll let you know how it goes.
It really is difficult I guess, when you want your relative to give up. But they have to want to give up themselves. In my experience - nagging relatives just make me folk want to smoke more.
hyrcan responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 9:52 am →
I’ve puffed on a couple when I was young, but I’ve never smoked. Working with the Volunteer Fire Dept. where I used to live, hundreds of thousands of dollars was spent on protection for us to put on to keep smoke out of our lungs, I’m not a fan of purchasing things design to specifically to put smoke in.
@Tiff: Only if they feel well enough after their Chemo session…
hyrcan’s last blog post..Healthcare Security in the U.S. (Wordless Wednesday)
crunchy domestic goddess responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 10:04 am →
wow. nice move, big tobacco.
as for me, i have smoked a few times (i kind of liked smoking cloves), but never enough to get hooked. every once in a while i’ll feel like having a cigarette, but i haven’t smoked one in years.
crunchy domestic goddess’s last blog post..Coming in for a landing
MomGrind responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 10:43 am →
@ Max: GOOD LUCK! I am so happy for you and for your family that you decided to stop smoking. See Tim’s comment below: the person needs to WANT to quit in order for it to happen.
@ Dominique: “Most of my cousins smoke, have no clear idea why they do so” – the person that I wish would stop smoking does so because of stress. I know that many young people start because of social pressure or wanting to appear cool – as Joel’s comment below demonstrates.
@ Ryanne: Really? They used to believe that? That’s crazy.
@ Joel: Oh, please don’t apologize! I know how busy you are an am HONORED that you still make the time to visit me once in a while.
I’m glad for you and for your family that you don’t smoke anymore.
@ Davina: This is frustrating. I guess Tim is right in his comment below – the person needs to want to quit.
@ Scott: “Kind of makes you wonder which of our current healthy habits they’ll deem off limits tomorrow” – absolutely! Indeed, California is a great place for non-smokers. I think it’s on its way to become a completely smoke-free state. I completely agree that this is a public health issue. Re fast food, I’m sure it will happen at some point, or at least taxes on it would be so high that it would make more sense for people to buy fresh food.
@ Kelly: “I think giving up is something you really really have to want.” I think this is the key. I’m so glad you’re not smoking anymore!
@ Barbara: It’s true! You don’t see people smoking on TV anymore – although the leading character on Sex and the City did smoke.
@ scrappysue: “it’s harder to quit smoking that it is to quit HEROIN.” Wow. I will check out that website – thanks!
@ J.D. Meier: I didn’t realize there was laser surgery for quitting smoking. I quickly looked it up and apparently there’s indeed “stop smoking laser therapy”. Interesting.
@ Dave Fowler: Your mom’s story goes to show how addictive smoking is. Re children, mine are 6 and 8 and the best I can think of is to point out how sick people who smoked for many years are. My grandfather, who is in his eighties, smoked for 50 years and is his lungs are hardly functioning. Whenever we visit him, my kids are shocked at how awful he looks, and I always tell them that smoking has a huge part in that. Also: now, before they are teens, is the time to talk about peer pressure and about the importance of saying no to it. I don’t know if it would actually help, but at least I’m conveying the message at an age when they still listen to me.
@ Kim: Grapefruit juice? Interesting. It IS hard to watch them hurt themselves. It is beyond frustrating. It is painful.
@ Busymama Kellie: It’s true, then. As long as a person does not WANT to quit, they won’t.
@ Lance: “It’s like she is able to block out everything we hear about the negatives of smoking.” I think many people who engage in destructive behavior do that.
@ Marelisa: I think the only explanation is that many people start when they’re young and feel invincible, and then when they’re older they’re addicted and it’s just physically hard to stop.
@ Robin: I’m sorry that Frank smokes. So, you know what I mean when I say how hard it is to watch a loved one hurt themselves.
@ Mike Goad: I’m really impressed with how you used the new truck as an incentive to quit smoking! I agree that the atmosphere today is less conductive to smoking. I’m glad that Arkansas is banning smoking in public places. I’m pretty sure that in the future, the entire industrialized world will be smoke-free, at least in public places.
@ MomOf3(4ToB): Wow, going from 5 packs a day to nothing. That must have took some willpower and I’m sure he felt horrible the first few weeks.
“I remember driving in the winter in Iowa with both of them smoking and the windows rolled up because it was freezing outside. Horrible.” I’m feeling sick just thinking about it!
@ Al: “I think persistent pressure from loved ones can help, but there’s a point where it could do more harm than good.” That’s exactly my dilemma – how much pressure to put on that person, and whether I should just accept that they would need to make that decision and nothing that I say or do can help.
@ Maya: “why would anybody inhale smoke into your lungs?” – it’s very true, although you could also ask “why would anyone want to eat fatty greasy salty unhealthy stuff”… I guess people do weird things. Replacing a cigarette with an antioxidant-laden cup of tea… that’s a great choice.
@ Stacey: Sounds like you are doing a great job teaching your kids about the dangers of smoking.
@ Writer Dad: “He was right. I tried. I still called him Loser Face.” I love that story.
So, you’re looking forward to my Wordless Wednesdays? That just makes me HAPPY!
@ Dot H.: I used to wear those those lace-up white leather hightops! In the early seventies.
Re “pure white foods”, wow, I didn’t know they were marketed that way!
I’m sad to agree with you that the person needs to WANT to quit, or it won’t happen.
@ Jenileigh: I’m so glad your husband quit!
@ Jamie: The way you describe how you quit smoking is truly inspiring!
@ killlashandra: I agree – it is highly disturbing when doctors and nurses smoke.
@ Friar: “Why is this? I think it’s Parenting. Good old fashioned parenting.” This is an encouraging thought. I am doing my very best to teach my kids that cigarettes kill people. I am also working on the “it’s just plain gross” angle.
@ Doll Clothes Gal: My youngest asked me recently, how come cigarette manufacturers are not in jail, since they kill people. I thought it was an interesting question.
@ Suzie: LOL @ “But now that I know Dr’s smoke Camels I may take it up again”. How I love your sense of humor!
@ DJ: They do!
@ Evelyn: I have a patented system for finding interesting stuff.
@ Kim Woodbridge: I’m afraid you are right. It has to come from within.
@ Tim: You know, I chose to say “smoke cigarettes” rather than just “smoke”, specifically to exclude talk about exotic herbal variety.
“I’ve done a lot of work with smokers and helping them quit is the easiest thing I do.” That’s an interesting statement.
I think you are right. They have to really, truly, want to quit.
@ Randall: “Nothing advertisers do ever surprises me.” That’s a very true statement. Sounds like your parents did a great job. I’m trying to do the same with my kids.
@ Natovr: You would think so! But from what people say here, many people who work in healthcare do smoke. I find that amazing, and disturbing.
@ Cath: I really hope you can quit smoking for good! I do worry that if I nag that person too much, it will just cause them to want to smoke even more.
@ hyrcan: True! This goes back to “why would anyone want to put smoke IN their lungs in the first place?”
@ crunchy domestic goddess: “every once in a while i’ll feel like having a cigarette, but i haven’t smoked one in years.” Good for you! I find it interesting that you still get the urge to smoke. I wonder if something triggers it – stress, or being with friends who smoke.
Mark Salinas responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 10:51 am →
Geesh! Never a fan of smoking!
Mark Salinas’s last blog post..Ladder Pushups
Elaine responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 10:53 am →
The person really has to want to quit. My husband tried t3 imes before he was successful because he wasn’t really into it until the last time when he finally did. He quit last year with the assistance of Chantix. It’s a somewhat controversial drug but it worked for him and I am SO, SO glad. I hope your family member(S) find a way too…
Elaine’s last blog post..They’re Here!
Natural responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 10:56 am →
darn i can’t see the picture here at work, will have to check when i get home. i’m not a smoker, thank gaud, so i don’t have any tips, sorry. it just never interested me. paying to pollute my lungs and causing myself other health issues. i probably wouldn’t even look cool doing it.
Natural’s last blog post..Is Your Subscriber Count Showing?
Dave Fowler responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 11:04 am →
Vered, thanks for your response.
My eldest child is 7. The others are 5, 2, and 1. The 7 year old saw someone smoking on TV and thought it looked cool, so he then pretended to be smoking. I’m afraid I overreacted a little.
What I’m desperate not to do is to actually push my children towards smoking by making such a big deal of it.
I like the approach you’re taking, and I take your point about getting the message across concerning peer pressure.
Thanks again,
Dave
SpaceAgeSage responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 11:19 am →
You have to ask, “Why do something that so harms the human body, including the probability of cancer and death?” You can also ask, “Why are some people addicted to adrenaline rushes?” and “What is the need being met by smoking?” If the root cause isn’t determined or addressed, won’t smoking or any other risky behavior be continued?
SpaceAgeSage’s last blog post..Self-Knowledge
Bamboo Forest responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 11:50 am →
I don’t smoke. I have compassion for those that do - as I know how challenging it is to quit.
Our bodies have to be guarded as best we can! Our health is a personal responsibility. If one smokes, ones taking chances that aren’t necessary.
Bamboo Forest’s last blog post..How to Live a Life of Freedom
Ellen Wilson responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 12:30 pm →
I have had years without smoking, and then something sets me off and I buy a pack and it’s all over from there.
It is shameful and distasteful. And the hardest habit anyone has to kick. I’ve heard it’s harder than heroin. Not that I’ve every been addicted to heroin, but that’s what I’ve heard! You would just think heroin would be harder.
The best and most painful way is cold turkey. You need to get it out of your system. The worst withdrawal symptoms are over after three days. At least it’s been that way for me.
My brother in-law tried Chantrix (sp?) and it worked for him.
Really, there is nothing you can say to someone to get them to quit. They really have to want to do it themselves. Denial can be a very powerful force.
Ellen Wilson’s last blog post..The Forward Momentum of Bloggery
Marsha (at JustMe1947) responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 1:37 pm →
I quit almost 13 years ago. I was a long term smoker who had tried to quit many times and feared trying one more time because I knew if I failed to quit again, I would probably never give up the habit. The first thing I will tell you is that there is nothing you can say that will make the person quit or want to. His/her first step has to be to want to quit. That doesn’t mean not to tell the person how you feel but nagging will not help and your desire for the person to quit means little beyond creating guilt, which sometimes spurs people to smoke more.
I wanted to quit for ages but failed several times before I was successful. I finally took a long term approach and realized that I didn’t get to the level I was at overnight. So I went on a long term plan of just trying to be a more healthy person. I started walking and exercising, eating better and drinking a lot of water. All of that helped me to naturally cut back without any real problems. I started going outside at home like I was forced to at work and gave up smoking in my car. When I had cut down to less than a half pack a day from what had been a steady two pack a day habit I talked to a doctor and got the patch (prescription needed at that time). I never looked back. All the other times I just tried to quit cold turkey and just couldn’t get over the need for a cigarette no matter how much I wanted to not smoke. I would say it was at least 2-3 years in the process before I got the courage to finally take the last step so don’t expect miracles. If it works, then it’s a good plan. It just may not happen overnight.
Marsha (at JustMe1947)’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday - August 20, 2008
Sarah responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 2:38 pm →
Vered,
I’ve never touched a cig and have never been tempted to. It makes me sick (and honestly, angry) when people smoke in public near me or my kids. My father-in-law just passed away from a decade-long battle with emphysema. I’m sorry to hear that your loved one still smokes. That must be very difficult. I have loved ones who are living destructive lifestyles also and it breaks my heart. I totally understand. (((hugs)))
Sarah’s last blog post..I Can’t Keep Up Anymore!
Ellen Wilson responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 2:40 pm →
Hey Vered,
Thinking more on this addictive subject I forgot to add: 1.) don’t drink alcoholic beverages after you have quit for at least a month, and 2.) cut down on your caffeine, because this also increases the cravings. E
Ellen Wilson’s last blog post..The Forward Momentum of Bloggery
Raag responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 3:17 pm →
Unfortunately, I tolerated a lot of passive smoking when my husband kept smoking all those years. It was a bone of contention, but then how much can you fight over the same thing so I gave up.
Many years later, when my daughter came in…I put my foot down on the grounds that ’she will NOT do passive smoking’. So there was no smoking around us. I was elated.
He never stopped it for me, though he has totally stopped now —–after many more years passed.
It does not elate me as much now though makes me tell him that it is for his health he may have done it.
I do not know why do they do it……It is a plain suicide pact.
I pray my daughter stays smoke free all her life.
I can go so much on the topic, but….
Urban Panther responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 5:59 pm →
Let’s just say I put cigarettes in my mouth to look cool, but no I’ve never really smoked. Both my brothers smoke off and on, but they seem to have to have this insane ability to stop at will. As a singer and a runner, I can’t imagine junking up my lungs. I guess like any destructive behaviour, the person has to really want to quit for themselves. The only thing a loved one can do, is support them once they have made that decision.
Urban Panther’s last blog post..The cost of relationships
hank responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 6:46 pm →
I smoke when I drink, and I drink when I have time. I don’t have much time, so I do neither very often any more… but there was a time that a smoke or 2 capped off an evening in college that’s for sure…
Becky responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 6:58 pm →
I smoked for years, although never around my children nor while I was pregnant. And for quitting? You have to be resolved 100%, or it will never work.
Joel Falconer responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 7:34 pm →
I should add for those that want to quit, don’t drink alcohol until you’ve succeeded. It will cause you to fail. Don’t do the whole “cutting down” thing either. That’s a myth perpetuated by doctors and chemists who want you to buy those ridiculous nicotine patches. Cold turkey sucks and it’s one of the most painful things a cigarette addict can do, but it is the only way that I know of without some kind of medical intervention (ie the laser surgery).
It is also important to want to quit, but it doesn’t mean you have to want to quit on an emotional level. You can want to quit on an intellectual level and it will still work. It’s an addiction, which means you’re obviously going to want to smoke on an emotional level.
Friar responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 7:42 pm →
I hate smoking, but you know what? Almost everyone of us has some kind of vice.
Alcohol. Caffeine. Tobacco. Junk Food. Pot. Porn. Obesity. Too much TV. Gambling. Credit Card Debt. Pirating software. Too much Internet. Unhealthy obsession with exercise. Not enough exercise….etc. etc.
That’s part of what makes us human. I’m almost RELIEVED to hear when someone has a fault. ”
If they had zero flaws, I’d worry. They’d ether be a saint, or a liar.
Friar’s last blog post..Friar’s Random Olympic Thoughts
MomGrind responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 8:39 pm →
@ Elaine: I am so happy that your husband quit!
@ Natural: “I probably wouldn’t even look cool doing it.” I love your self-depreciating humor… but sometimes I think you are too hard on yourself! Anyway, smoking is not cool anymore anyway.
@ Dave Fowler: I don’t think you can overreact. This is an issue that requires a strong stance. “What I’m desperate not to do is to actually push my children towards smoking by making such a big deal of it.” – this might be the case later on, but at their ages, this is your time to get the message across. Maybe if you can stay cool about it - not become emotional but just share with them how dangerous it is (there are images on the internet of smokers’ lungs, by the way that illustrate the damage it does) – maybe that’s the best approach. I wish I had the answer. I think all parents are terrified that their kids would pick up a really damaging, dangerous habit.
@ SpaceAgeSage: These are good questions. I think that in this person’s case, it is just plain addiction, and also a reaction to stress.
@ Bamboo: I have compassion for them too. Maybe I should make it clear – I am NOT judging smokers. I am judging cigarette manufacturers, and governments that do not a strong enough stance against them for political reasons. Individuals who smoke are victims.
@ Ellen: As I said, smokers are victims. I don’t think it is “shameful and distasteful”. I think it’s terrible that cigarettes are so readily available. Thank you for the extra tips. I am debating whether to email my relative a link to this post, or compile a list of tips. I need to think about it. I don’t want to NAG.
@ Marsha: “your desire for the person to quit means little beyond creating guilt, which sometimes spurs people to smoke more.” This is exactly what I’m worried about. I am really impressed with the way you did it. It’s interesting that while some say going cold turkey is the best way, others – including you – say that doing it gradually worked best for them. I am going to email your story to my relative. May I say, I am PROUD of you!
@ Sarah: Thank you for the hugs… and for understanding.
@ Raag: I am very sorry about your exposure to second-hand smoke. I too hope that your daughter never smokes.
@ Urban Panther: “The only thing a loved one can do, is support them once they have made that decision.” This is what’s so difficult for me. I want to somehow make that person want to quit, yet I realize that I can’t.
@ hank: I’m glad you don’t smoke often. I guess it means you’re not addicted?
@ Becky: “You have to be resolved 100%, or it will never work.” I know you’re right. It’s just too hard.
@ Joel: Thank you so much for these tips. As I said above, I am trying to figure out how to present all this info to my relative, but this is actually helpful for anyone who wants to quit and since this is a public medium, I’m glad we are all having this discussion. It’s an important one.
@ Friar: It’s true that we all have vices and that we all make mistakes. I wonder if smoking is worse than the other things you mentioned. I’m sure it’s worse than some items on your list, but is it worse than ANY and every other bad habit or addiction? Maybe it is, since it is proven to be extremely dangerous. Maybe it is, because it harms others through second-hand smoke. Maybe it’s not, because alcoholism, for example, kills people too and ruins families. You are raising an excellent question.
Chris responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 9:02 pm →
The things that we do to mess up our bodies, if it isn’t smoking, it’s drinking, if it isn’t drinking, it’s drugs and on and on and on…Maybe this just nature’s way of controlling the population…
Chris’s last blog post..Divine Intervention
Shelley responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 10:14 pm →
Wow. Well, I never smoked a cigarette in my life…partly because no one ever offered me one, and partly because of this truly disgusting poster our principal put up in our lunch room with pictures of people’s black lungs and cancerous tongues. YUK!
Also, being pretty health conscious as a pregnant woman, I always had gargantuan babies. My sister in law, who had tiny babies, said to me after the 2nd one, “Smoke, drink, be evil, have small babies, like me!”
No thanks, I’ll take my 10 pounders any day.
When my mom was growing up, people didn’t really know how bad smoking was for them. It’s almost a little more understandable. What I can’t fathom is people smoking today. ???
Shelley’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday…Did YOU just roll your eyes at ME?
Chris Wood responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 10:43 pm →
I smoke, and have all my life - all my adult life, that is. When I was a kid I managed the day cig free. So I don’t know what to say here or whatever. As to your relative, that Allen Carr book is a good one. I need to read that again and quit full time this time. Whenever that will be, over the next year I hope. But a half assed attempt is a waste of effort and spirit - next time it’ll have to be a big old effort.
Chris Wood’s last blog post..Weightlifting With Old Me’s Ego
New Age Bitch responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 10:56 pm →
You can’t make someone want to quit. That part has to come from within themselves. Finding *something* that makes the idea of smoking abhorrent is the key. Is it image? Acceptance? Cost? Every smoker has his Achilles heel. Once you identify that it’s possible to tackle the physical addiction part. Alcoholics replace their addiction with another (attending meetings), and smokers need to identify their weak times (after eating, first thing in the morning, while driving etc) and be ready to throw in a replacement if necessary. Quitting isn’t easy, but the more non-judgmental support a smoker has, the easier it can be. I wish your loved one luck.
New Age Bitch’s last blog post..What The Bitch is not.
Chris Wood responds:
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 11:06 pm →
Cheers for stopping by and it’s very nice to meet you too!
Chris Wood’s last blog post..Weightlifting With Old Me’s Ego
Irene | Light Beckons responds:
Posted: August 21st, 2008 at 4:55 am →
That ad was unbelievable! Now I was a naughty girl when I was younger … but the one thing I couldn’t make myself do was to smoke a cigarette (or anything that smokes, for that matter). Like you, I just couldn’t stand the smell and taste. I’ve never dated anyone who smokes - I just don’t think I can kiss someone who does!
Irene | Light Beckons’s last blog post..Gifted Children
Natural responds:
Posted: August 21st, 2008 at 5:02 am →
oh wow, now i can see the picture. you got to be kidding me, right. that was an ad?
Natural’s last blog post..Is Your Subscriber Count Showing?
Spiffy Baby Talk responds:
Posted: August 21st, 2008 at 10:13 am →
I was never a heavy even medium kind of smoker, so it was not hard for me to quite smoking what ever amount of sigs i was smoking. Reasons? Mostly my family. I want my children enjoy playing with me when they old enough.
danny
MomGrind responds:
Posted: August 21st, 2008 at 1:05 pm →
@ Chris: I think life just has a way of being stressful and since unhealthy options are so available, many people choose them.
@ Shelley: “this truly disgusting poster our principal put up in our lunch room with pictures of people’s black lungs and cancerous tongues.” – there are similar photos on the internet. I showed them to my kids.
@ Chris Wood: Thanks for the book recommendation, and GOOD LUCK.
@ New Age Bitch: I agree that it’s very important to be completely non-judgmental about smoking. As I said, I view smokers of victims rather than criminals. EXCEPT when they expose me or my kids to second-hand smoke, but that almost never happens anymore, at least not here in California.
@ Irene: “I was a naughty girl when I was younger” – OK, you’ll need to post about that.
@ Spiffy: Family is a very good reason for quitting smoking! I’m happy that you were able to do that.
Rita responds:
Posted: August 21st, 2008 at 2:09 pm →
I, too, have heard that giving up nicotine is considered much harder than giving up heroine. As a very occasional smoker, I am educated enough to know what cigarettes can do to a person. The occasional cigarette is my one vice, and done in private. I know it concerns my children (and my husband IS a smoker), but I still occasionally indulge, with the knowledge that even ONE is bad. You can not get anybody to quit smoking - for any reason. It has to be solely THEIR choice, and I have found that the more people “bother” smokers, the more intent they are to either lie, or just hide their smoking. (as a matter of fact, the second sentence of my blog today addresses just that.)
I have never had a sip of wine and gotten behind the wheel of a car. I do NOT abuse narcotics - legal or illegal. I guess MY 2 cigarettes a day are like other people’s 2 cups of coffee - though with perhaps more dire consequences.
Though concern for a family member is understandable, I can gurantee that such family member is aware of the consequence of smoking. Yet, I go annually for a (clear) chest x-ray, have low cholesterol, low blood pressure, watch my weight, exercise to my capacity and with the exception of a rare disability, am quite active. At my age, I am old enough to make my own decisions, and don’t expose others to the smoke.
Only one opinion, but one that I feel should be heard,
Rita
Rita’s last blog post..My Father, the Anchor
Rita responds:
Posted: August 21st, 2008 at 2:25 pm →
One more comment:
Go to ANY hospital. There is a secluded area, usually on a roof or in back on a terrace, where doctors and nurses take their “cigarette breaks.” I’ve been hospilalized enough to have been “invited” - at 3 different hospitals! Though you won’t find doctors shilling cigarettes any more, MANY doctors smoke. Nicotine is a stimulant, and with their crazy hours, smoking is rampant amongts the mdeical community!
Rita
Rita’s last blog post..My Father, the Anchor
MomGrind responds:
Posted: August 21st, 2008 at 8:32 pm →
@ Rita: I completely respect your position. I’m glad you made this comment. Personally, the most important thing I am taking from this is that “the more people “bother” smokers, the more intent they are to either lie, or just hide their smoking”. This is exactly what I’m worried about. I don’t want to NAG and make things worse. And I certainly don’t want to come across as thinking that I am “better” than this person, because I am most certainly not.
Jaden @ Screenwriting for Hollywood responds:
Posted: August 21st, 2008 at 9:18 pm →
That is one hell of an ad!
I just went to a funeral for a sweet grandma. From lung problems, she (70s) died shortly after her mother (90s), therefore, one can conclude she knocked off at least 20 years of her life from smoking. On the flip side, she was a wild fun woman (cigarette in most pictures) who did what she wanted. A lot of people don’t want to grow super old, as that of course is difficult as well. Three years of a painful lung death is no fun either. We all choose our own paths through life and death. We can’t tell someone else how to choose it. We just have to accept and love people as they are and for how they choose their endings.
I never tell people to quit smoking and I never say anything about it. All the information is out there for a person to see.
The best way is by example — ie. not smoking.
As for children, I think it is all about teaching the important taboo things very young before they try and get hooked. When I was a kid, my dad always made fun of smokers, ridiculed them and said they were like kissing ashtrays — so that was obviously a turn-off to me; that was my parent’s tactic.
Otherwise, an adult person’s want to quit has to come from within. The more you try to force a person to change, the more likely they are to defy authority. You can cut an adult person (or job) out of your life for your own healthy and safety, but you can’t change them.
Me personally, smoking doesn’t bother me, even though I don’t smoke. Still, my loved ones rarely ever smoke around me, just out of respect.
I miss stinky smoky clubs — smoke reminds me of a freer happier time with less laws and more freedom of choice.
Jaden @ Screenwriting for Hollywood’s last blog post..Write a Screenplay in One Month: Week Three (Prizes Announced)
MomGrind responds:
Posted: August 21st, 2008 at 9:28 pm →
@ Jaden: “I never tell people to quit smoking and I never say anything about it. All the information is out there for a person to see. ” This is very true. Maybe I should just back off. With my kids, I pretty much do what your dad with you. I hope it has a lasting effect on them.
Diana responds:
Posted: August 22nd, 2008 at 8:40 pm →
I’m not sure I’m quite qualified for answering this question. I mean, I helped a love one quit smoking, but I’m not sure it the most constructive way I could have gone about it. Though, it worked. And quickly.
I told my husband (when we weren’t yet married) it was me or the cigs. I was confident what his choice would be, I wouldn’t recommend it in just any situation.
Diana’s last blog post..An Open Letter To Teachers
J.D. Meier responds:
Posted: August 23rd, 2008 at 11:31 am →
This just in. My Mom has quit smoking. Laser surgery. Unbelievable. I thought cigarettes were a permanent fixture in her life. They’ve bee her best friend for years. I’m amazed.
J.D. Meier’s last blog post..10 Years Younger
Christina responds:
Posted: August 23rd, 2008 at 1:28 pm →
I’ve never been a smoker, but my uncle is. I’m having a hard time getting him to quit. But all I can suggest is CONTINUED support no matter what. I think smoking is a comfort for some, like my uncle. But it’s not impossible to quit. We can do anything if we put our minds to it!
Good luck with your family member!
Christina’s last blog post..Fix A Broken Heart [pic]
Dr. Cason responds:
Posted: August 23rd, 2008 at 10:40 pm →
I read once where Deepak Chopra said that he used to round on patients while smoking. He would literally stand at their bedside smoking a cigarette and flip through their charts. Yikes!
Have you seen post mortem lungs? That’ll get you to stop!
Dr. Cason’s last blog post..Ahhh Raw Fish…Gotta Love it
MomGrind responds:
Posted: August 23rd, 2008 at 10:48 pm →
@ Diana: Well, you did him a huge favor! He should be grateful.
@ J.D.: This is great! So, laser treatment for smoking can work. Interesting.
@ Christine: Thank you!
@ Dr. Cason: “Have you seen post mortem lungs? That’ll get you to stop!” I think that the power of denial, when it comes to addiction, is such that people actually convince themselves that they don’t smoke enough to be in such bad shape, that they can always stop before it’s too late etc.
Nikki responds:
Posted: September 3rd, 2008 at 6:21 pm →
There is a great product called NewReality that uses Creative Visualization and Relaxation (CVR) to help you quit smoking. The CVR program makes sure you focus on thinking, feeling and acting like a non-smoker which will keep you tobacco-free for life. Check it out at New Reality Today.
Marley responds:
Posted: September 5th, 2008 at 1:08 pm →
Yes, I am an ex-smoker. Unfortunately, there is probably nothing you can do. The smoker has to dig way down in their soul and want to quit. I also have a loved one that has numerous chronic health problems from smoking. He knows the cigarettes are killing him yet he continues to smoke. Best Wishes!!
Dave
MomGrind responds:
Posted: September 9th, 2008 at 8:18 pm →
@ Marley: “Unfortunately, there is probably nothing you can do. The smoker has to dig way down in their soul and want to quit.” I think you are probably right. Thank you.
Scarlet responds:
Posted: October 29th, 2008 at 7:28 am →
Hi Vered.
Yes, it’s shocking that they used to actually think smoking was good for you!! In response to your asking for tips on stopping loved ones smoking: My almost-mother-in-law used to smoke. She’s a lovely woman and I get on great with her. I’ve always been anti smoking…. a point of view cemented when I once saw a pair of lungs from a life-long smoker who had just passed away. They were ENTIRELY black, sticky and and really quite disgusting.
Apart from liking my almost-mother-in-law I would really like my children, when I have some, to know at least one pair of thier grandparents, (as my parents are considerably older this is a great concern of mine). So I set about convincing her to quit, and did so by presenting her with a steady and shocking stream of smoking facts (including photos); what it does to your body, how it can kill you, what second hand smoke does to others, etc. As well ar telling her how I felt. It worked! She changed her mind about smoking once presented with an outside point of view. She no longer smokes and is a very healthy woman. I hope this helps. X
Diana Rupert responds:
Posted: November 14th, 2008 at 1:36 am →
More people do smoke this days. I read an article said that none smoker are in more chance of having respiratory disease than those who smoke. Because smokers will blow the smoke out from their mouth, more possible that the smoke will be take by none smoker like children. It will also cause air pollution. But I’m curious why people do smoke when there is always a warning in a cigarette pack that: Warning cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health. I advise that if you are a smoker, better quit now.
Thank you
Gabriel H responds:
Posted: December 30th, 2008 at 6:48 am →
Hi,
I was a smoker for about 10 years and I quit smoking for more than a year now, and I found that the best way is to simply stop smoking. You don’t have to throw all your cigarettes and lighters, keep them in a safe place, so you will spare the stress of not having cigarettes near you. Don’t rely on patches or medicines, this is expensive and not efficient at all.
If you just stop as I say, you will feel very hungry for about one week, then after it’s more in the head. Just don’t smoke again for any reason. You’ll find that you sometimes secretely think “Just one, it cannot be bad” or “nobody is looking me, let’s smoke and nobody will know”. You will also dream about smoking. It will stop after about one to two months. But after one year, it is just a bad souvenir. I never think to smoke and certainly don’t want to smoke again.
MomGrind responds:
Posted: December 30th, 2008 at 9:40 am →
@ Scarlet: Thank you! Persistence pays off.
@ Diana: I agree.
@ Gabriel: This is GREAT! What an amazing accomplishment. What you describe sounds like going on a food diet - my husband did that a few years ago when he needed to lose a few pounds - you’re hungry for a few days, but then your body gets used to it.