[QUOTE]Originally posted by ultramagdan
[B]Don't smoke cigs but I do love a fine cigar while taking a walk. A long walk. I prefer a 45 minute to 1 hour cigar. I find that it keeps me motivated to keep on walking while I wait for the cigar to burn down.

I tried cigs for a while and dumped them. Chewed leaf for a while and dumped it. Cigars are nice and I smoke them when I can. Sometimes 4 X's a week and sometimes 1 every 2 or 3 weeks.

Beer, on the other hand is a different story. [/B



Dan, I'm with you on cigars...once a week, usually on Sunday eves with a fire in the fireplace and a little Yukon Jack on ice.

Skip

 

I have encountered many smokers who want to quit so they decide to turn to chewing tobacco to "lean themselves down". I have never liked smoking, but I grew a liking to chewing. I have been chewing for six years now, believe me you do not want to start. One dip chewing tobacco such as Copenhagen, Skoal, Kodiak, etc. is equivalent to three cigarettes!

 

Don't smoke, I've seen what it'll do to you. I do however enjoy the occasional cigar. Maybe once or twice a month.

 

My wife and daughter are allowing themselves one last day to smoke tommorow.
On the patch starting Monday.
They are gonna drive me nuts with this I know it in advance.
This time I've prepared a little something for them to help strengthen their resolve. I like to think that it's easier to quit once you start to veiw the habit for all it's really disgusting characteristics. Then think about the children in the family.
Here's one of my favorites.
Kissing a smoker is like licking an ashtray.
I really want to encourage them to make the break this time, this will be the third try for both of them. I have some inspirational stories too. This is true.
As a construction superintendent I landed a job at a local university hospital. At the time I smoked heavily. The scope of work was to Modernize the radiation treatment center. This was a huge cement room down in the bowels of the hospital. There were catacomb type corridors that wound around underground.
The hospital morgue shared the same floor and it became a daily thing to see hospital personel wheeling some poor stiff down the hallway to the loading dock to ship them off to the mortuary.
Anyway I was in the room working, smoking as usual. Smoke after breaks, with coffe, when I was thinking real hard, etc. all the triggers to get that nicotine level up. Anyway I noticed the room full of balds headed children ranging in ages from around 5 to 11 years old. All of them undergoing radiation treatment for cancer. I lived with this daily occurance for several months. I didn't quit until about ten years later but I allways thought about those kids.
Next week I'll tell you about one of my coworkers mother who had half of her tongue removed as a result of smoking. She lost the ability to talk, and eventually starved herself to death. Yes
this is one demon that you must slay or you may experience something you never want to even hear about. I won't tell anymore stories unless someone asks for it, But I will send out my support and best wishes and anything else that helps anyone kick this habit that wants to.
There is a trick I used and that is I convinced myself that whatever I decided to do was ok. If i chose to smoke that was ok if its what I wanted. When I started feeling bettter about quitting I congratulate myself, and maybe go buy a new fishing reel or something as a self reward. I accepted that it was ok for me to want a cigarette. I don't have to be totally in control here when your quitting, your mind does crazy things to get you to lite up! You'll verbally attack people you love, you'll go through unreal emotional upheavel at times. Of course it will lessen as time goes by, But the thing is you can quit if you WANT to and don't beat yourself up over it.
Quit one smoke at a time, one day at a time and you'll grow stronger every day.
Keep it up and remind yourself It's ok to want a smoke now and then, Victory comes from not giving in to that want.

 

I cant beleive that 50% of the people that voted dont smoke. I don't, but litirally 90% of my freinds do. I figured their would be alot more smokers....

 

ive been dipping cope for about 4 yrs.....i picked up smoking while drinking, then it started to be a daily thing, i realized it then began to cut back, now ive quit the smoke

 

Day 1 for the wife and daughter. Both of them are on the patch.
Both are showing signs of stress. Caught them ganging up on my grandson while I was out of the room. Trying of all things to make the 8 year old feel guilty about their stress. I got in the room just in time to break up the party and rescue him. I brought him in to the office here an checkecx out some new bows on the internet. Told him keep your grades up through the month an that little Bow tech "Rascal" is yours! Since I quit smoking now I try to keep myself occupied buying outdoor toys for the boys.
They would be my son, My grandson, and myself. We all got dirt bikes. We got a nice old ugly tin fishing boat. A mess of firearms and a bit of archery equipment. I'm looking at new bows for me an the little guy now. That's the real secret if there is one.
"Keep the ball rolling. If that don't work jump on the darn thing."
In 29.4 years of marriage she still don't take encouragement well from me. I still don't know how to do it without pissing her off. hey anyone out there got any clues for that dilema?

13 weeks and still waiting for the oldest boys bigggest toy.
F250 Lariet 4X4 SCREW, V-10 auto FX4 Moonroof. Yeehaaaaa!

 

Sit back and think about it real hard. You're breathing in smoke through fire on the end of a stick. Sounds dangerous to me

 

Franklin: Try reward. After she has been smoke free for one day, reward her with something. Same thing after 2 days, and so on. After a week, go on weekly anniversaries, then monthly, etc. Also encourage smoke free situations, as in restaurants, buildings, etc. If she has to smoke with coffee then, try tea. If she has to smoke with a drink, eliminate the drink. I know this can be difficult, but nothing worth anything comes without the price.

Oh, take her to the hospital, visit the radiation unit by just sitting in the waiting room. It will be a real eye opener. Read some of the literature in that waiting room. Watch the people that come and go. Maybe even volunteer in that hospital to work with cancer patients. It should accomplish what you are seeking.
Good luck!

 

I quit cold turkey on Oct 28th of 2002, I am just beginning to be glad that I did! For all you out there going thru it...

IT DOES GET EASIER !!

Just hang in there for about 10 weeks and you'll be amazed.. I hated it and was miserable to tears but suddenly one day all the pain and agony was over and I felt that I actually could live the rest of my life without cigarettes!

What got me through was just flat out absolutly REFUSING to have a cigarette. I yelled, and screamed and chewed gum till my jaws literlly ached. I cussed and kicked and banged my head against the wall while crying like a baby but I SWORE I would never never never smoke again and I did it!!

I still feel the urge once or twice a day but its over in like 2 minutes and I just laugh at it....not nearly enough to drive me back to that nasty expensive habit.

When I quit I was 3 packs of Marlboro 100's a day...

3 times $2.25 pack avg times 30 = $202.50

I will be spending that $200 bucks a month on MY truck now not Phillip Morris's !!

Done with cigarettes forever!!! Thank God!

 

When I quit I was 3 packs of Marlboro 100's a day...

3 times $2.25 pack avg times 30 = $202.50

I will be spending that $200 bucks a month on MY truck now not Phillip Morris's !!

Done with cigarettes forever!!! Thank God! [/B][/QUOTE]

Congratulations!

In NYC now cigarettes are $7.50 per pack. I don't smoke, and have'nt smoked for 25 years, but I still notice the cost once in a while. In CT I think that Marlboro Reds are about $3.50 per pack. I was surprised when my 19 year old son told me that vending machines were history. I was also surpised that in VA Marlboro Red were under $20 per carton. The cost of cigarettes is rising so rapidly that the black market is already generating tax evasion for the state tax stamp.

I don't care if someone smokes or not, but I don't think non smokers should not have to subsidize smoker related disease treatments for lung cancer and heart disease. You choose to smoke, then you should have to pay for the consequences.

I think that the cost of smoking will continue to rise mainly through increases in taxation. Smokers get used to it. The government has decided that they can tax you without recrimination, and they are probably right. What can you do except choose to stop smoking.

 

In todays world, smokeless is the only way to go if you must use tobacco.

 

Excellent Brien:
Avoid the adversarial.
You can't have a battle if you follow that strategy.
What to get her...............?


Where are the ladies on this site?
need ideas..................................?


Yes, .... condition........response!
What your saying here is that I should respond to her "Stress"
indicators with positive reward thereby neutralizing its negative impact on everyone.
Repeat as needed.

I allready cook dinner and do laundry so that's no reward.
30 years together right now I got no clue what she would like.
I'm not sure it's good to know.
A little help here people
Maybe I should take a poll?
Nah...................................!

 

Franklin: Take her out for a meal. It does'nt have to be fancy, just a cool, smokeless place. Go away for a weekend to a B&B out in the country, down to the seashore, or where ever you both like. Buy her a bike, and buy yourself one. Bike together. Great exercise for non smokers.

Get a small inexpensive piece of jewelry. A symbol of her stamina and determination. Just treat yourselves to small inexpensive rewards. It's not hard. Just look around and figure what is appropriate.

Good luck.......Brien

 

Tonight I will be preparing:
Fillet of Angus Beouf with baby asparagus in bernaise topped with crab. For her dining enjoyment.
A trip to the coast would be nice, except the kids are all going to Vegas this weekend and we get the house to ourselves. I think I'm on the right track here. I'll keep you posted and I'll spare the details after all this is a family site.