I am now a non-smoker!!

[free spirit]

To anyone that is toying with the idea of quitting, please please do it.

The world smells like it did when I was a kid! Food no longer tastes of pap! I can breath and my heart has stopped skipping beats!! It is so amazing, Im freeeeeeeee!

Also I read that most of the worlds trees that are felled is due to the tobacco industry using it as firewood to dry out tobacco leaves. Without meaning to sound like a tree hugger, I really like trees!

[Shamou]

Congratulation free spirit... that is fantastic...

Eons ago... I was also a smoker and I also was heavily into sports... and, less than two weeks after giving up cigarettes... I gained a full 10% increase in my cardiovascular activities... I could not believe it... it was amazing...

Keep up the good work...

.

[The David]

Congratulations. And there's nothing wrong with hugging trees.

[free spirit]

Thank you. My strategy is to tell as many people as possible, as I really dont do public failure well, so I thought I would post on here, as these forums have hundreds of members. Cant get more public than that!

Oh and I will tell if I fail, which wont happen, but just to preempt the question!

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by The David

Congratulations. And there's nothing wrong with hugging trees.

There are not cactus in your neck of the woods is there...???

.

[free spirit]

Originally Posted by The David

Congratulations. And there's nothing wrong with hugging trees.

Lol! Well you should see me of a Friday night, with my woody friends!

[gijsbert2002]

Good for you, quitting smoking is a big feat. Good luck on maintaining, but sounds like you're well on your way.

Concerning trees, your remark reminded me to a piece of lyrics of a dutch song:

"trees are so relaxed. They can talk,but they wont. They're just way too relaxed to do it."

[Lynn 007]

Congratulations My quit date was Feb.11.07 and I feel like a million bucks -banking close to it also. Ciggys were close to $10.00 per pack when I quit.

Although the smell of smoke makes me ill, at this stage I don't feel comfortable enought to call myself a non-smoker. Although I haven't touched one since Feb, I once quit for 3.5 years and got hooked back into it. So for me, I'll never be safe.

I used to wake up and light up but now I wake up and lace up.

I know what you're going through........ stay strong, tell the world and celebrate every day without tobacco.

[Excellent Lodestar]

Congrats to everyone who quit. How did you folks do it?
I've never smoked, but totally respect those who quit. When I found out how cig companies chemically alter tobacco to make it unbelievably addictive, I was floored. They make Cocaine cartels look like the Red Cross. Business as usual...

[Jes]

Congratulations! As they say in NA, though, remember that you're ALWAYS in recovery. Stay away from those bad influences! I've had less than a pack since New Year's, but if I wasn't around smokers every day, I don't think I'd have had a single one.

[The David]

Originally Posted by Shamou

There are not cactus in your neck of the woods is there...???

.

There is one in my bedroom, and I have been known to squeeze it from time to time.

Indeed, public failure is not good. I'm very ambivalent about abandoning my July Challenge. And it was nothing like quitting smoking.

[skinnyninja]

Good job on the quitting smoking. Now you have to stay vigilant. Remember that you can not even afford a single puff of smoke.

I used to worry that breathing in other people's smoke in a crowded room would cause me to "relapse." This is not the case though, as I learned that the nicotine is activated in the instant that it is burned (at the tip of the cigarette) and only lasts for a brief second or two. So all of that sidestream smoke (while it is still harmful) does not contain nicotine.

So never take another puff! Be honest with yourself: if you want to sneak in a single drag from a cigarette, picture yourself smoking at your old level of consumption (a pack a day or whatever it was). Don't kid yourself into thinking you can get away with just one. You can't!

And thanks for quitting.

[silicon toad2000]

well done, that's bloody hard work.
I've quit quitting, but im down to an average of about 3 a day.
I'm a social smoker now, I smoke when I visit a few friends that smoke and with my mrs of a nighttime.

[artic123]

For being courageous and steadfast in giving up smoking. You make the world a better place for everyone.

My heartfelt thanks,

Artic

[Angela]

Originally Posted by artic123

For being courageous and steadfast in giving up smoking. You make the world a better place for everyone.

My heartfelt thanks,

Artic

I second that, from the bottom of my heart. Congratulations on taking on this challenge -- you are a winner.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

My lungs thank you.

Well done. A great accomplishment!

[Sam988]

Originally Posted by free spirit

To anyone that is toying with the idea of quitting, please please do it.

The world smells like it did when I was a kid! Food no longer tastes of pap! I can breath and my heart has stopped skipping beats!! It is so amazing, Im freeeeeeeee!

Also I read that most of the worlds trees that are felled is due to the tobacco industry using it as firewood to dry out tobacco leaves. Without meaning to sound like a tree hugger, I really like trees!

congratulations!

[Ree]

Free Spirit, congratulations!! Years from now you'll be soooooooooooooo glad you quit! It's been 14 years for me and the good news, it's gets easier!!

[infinitethoughts]

When looking at social issues that are drummed into us, it's always good to keep an open mind and research them.
That said.
This is from a Doctor who was named the National Health Federation's "Doctor of the Year".
He has left the US, and now lives in Panama City, because he found the FDA was not for the consumer, but is controlled by lobbyists for the Pharmaceutical Cartels.
Amazon.com: The Health Benefits of Tobacco: A Smoker's Paradox: Books: Dr. William Douglass

Also I'm sure a number of you would be surprised to find out nicotine actually forms new blood vessels.
nicotine vascular growth factor - Google Scholar

Then you have a Angiogenix which is derived from the tobacco plant for heart cell regeneration.

Look into Quackwatch.com. Their whole agenda is under the guise of being "helpful" for your health, but anything that is "alternative health" gets attacked.
Dr. Stephen Barrett of Quackwatch Exposed In Court Cases.

Do cigarettes cause problems?
Yes, modern ones do, with all their additives and chemicals.
But natural tobacco, smoked in moderation, is a different story.

[Ree]

Originally Posted by infinitethoughts

Do cigarettes cause problems?
Yes, modern ones do, with all their additives and chemicals.
But natural tobacco, smoked in moderation, is a different story.

You know, I've heard this. We have friends who live in the mountains of North Carolina and they grow their own tobacco, process it naturally and roll their own cigarettes. They claim it is not anywhere as addictive is commercial cigarettes.

[karlos768]

sounds good im going to quit when i am 20 which is in 5 days so do you have any tips please.

I do have sheer determination on my side so it may just work this time but if not i have a hypnosis cd to help too.

[Carl Carlson IV]

Congrats! Now if only I could get my mom and sister to want to quit....

[Love]

Awesome! What was your technique?

[infinitethoughts]

Originally Posted by Ree

You know, I've heard this. We have friends who live in the mountains of North Carolina and they grow their own tobacco, process it naturally and roll their own cigarettes. They claim it is not anywhere as addictive is commercial cigarettes.

Interesting, Ree. Thanks for the post.

-----

Here's some interesting info I found. It's strange how we're told one thing, and in a lot of cases the opposite is true. This has to do with what really causes lung cancer.

"The British Medical Research Council in 1957 reported that the
death rate from lung cancer in 1955 had more than doubled since
1945 . Did it escape them that 1945 was the year of the atom bomb?
That radioactivity causes cancer is well established and scientifically
proven (unlike tobacco, which has never been so proven)."

"Dr. Paul Kotin, an American pathologist, calculated that a diesel
truck emits in one minute the same amount of benzpyrene as is contained
in 350,000 cigarettes."

"Another scandal is the attempted hushing up by the government of
cancer' being found to be alarmingly prevalent in the vicinity of petrochemical
plants - something which can no longer be hidden."

"In the latter half of the 20th century we have created a vast number
of new chemicals called petro-chemicals, developed for pesticides and
industrial chemicals . In 1940 the U.S. was producing one billion
pounds a year . By 1975 this had increased to 300 billion pounds . Epstein
says in view of these carcinogens, that in two or three decades, instead
of talking about a 1 in 5 incidence of cancer, we'll be talking
about 1 in 3, if not 1 in 2."

"Stark Injustice : By using smoking as a scapegoat, governments and
industrialists have been able to escape paying large amounts in compensation
to service personnel and civilians affected by radioactivity
and other carcinogen pollutants. To them the cost of the anti-smoking
campaign is well worth while."

Chapter 5 WHY SMOKING IS BENEFICIAL Page 27.

The Smoking Scare Debunked. Originally titled "Smoking is Good for You" (scanned PDF, 6.9Mb.)

[moltar]

Congrats for starting not to smoke!

[september]

I'm really glad to see both sides of this issue contributing good tidbits. I'm an occasional (read: maybe once in a month, maybe a few or a cigar at a party) social smoker - and somehow, I don't find it so addictive. Then again, I don't doubt that they are, considering my grandfather who died of emphysema. I think there's something to be said for natural tobacco, without all that crap in it.

All this aside, I'm really proud of every person in here who has felt themselves enslaved by their habit and has subsequently found the courage to kick it.

[fiar]

Congratulations!

I'm trying to work myself into quitting. The problem is, I learned that I actually like it in a number of ways which makes it hard to truly commit to quit.

I can feel that I am getting closer though.

[skinnyninja]

"The problem is, I learned that I actually like it in a number of ways which makes it hard to truly commit to quit."

There are benefits to smoking cigarettes. There really are--don't just discard smoking as being completely useless. There is a social aspect to it, for example, that I really miss sometimes.

But don't be fooled into thinking that you "like" the little head rush that the first drag gives you, because all you are "liking" is the relief of withdrawal symptoms. You aren't smoking cigarettes for pleasure, you are feeding your body with nicotine. That's what it is. A feeding. Just topping off the chemicals in your body so that you don't feel the discomfort of withdrawal. Don't give me that "I enjoy smoking crap." At least, that's what I had to come to grips with myself. I used to say "but I like the taste of these, and I like watching the smoke exhale, and I like blah blah blah." It's all crap. Pure chemical addiction. Feeding like a zombie. Be honest with yourself.

As an ex-smoker, I used to object to people and say "But cigarettes calm me down!" or "But cigarettes relieve stress for me." That is a half truth at best....all the cigarette does is relieve the withdrawal symptoms. They do NOT "relieve stress." If you could turn back time and quit smoking six months ago, you would be experiencing LESS stress at any given moment today. To the active smoker, it only APPEARS that the cigarette relieves stress, because smoking does alleviate the withdrawal symptoms (which happen to be incredibly stressful in and of themselves).

Nicotine addiciton is so powerful that even really intelligent people have a difficult time seeing the truth of what I just wrote. They might nod their head and say they understand, but they imagine that they might be different or unique somehow and that they must really like smoking much more than other people. Otherwise, how come it is so hard for them to quit, right? Wrong. It's hard for anyone to quit. It really is. But it's a great thing if you can pull it off.

I've got 1 year and 8 months of complete freedom from nicotine. Here is my formal take on how I did it right here.

[kaushal1]

Its good that u have left smoking as u r no more slave to ur desires. U have acquired an amazing self control. U should also feel that no more u r selfish.U have now started living in harmony with nature as no more u r playing sole in polluting it.

[Man of Kent]

.

hi there, love your thinking

"Stark Injustice : By using smoking as a scapegoat, governments and
industrialists have been able to escape paying large amounts in compensation
to service personnel and civilians affected by radioactivity
and other carcinogen pollutants. To them the cost of the anti-smoking
campaign is well worth while."

the truth is probably between the two, but 'Infinite Thought' is right