You Smoke?

[EmeraldDolphin]

--> Don't smoke... anymore! I started smoking as a teenager... back in the 70's EVERYONE I knew smoked... then I quit when I was pregnant & nursing my oldest son... then I started again... and quit when I was pregnanat & nursing my second son... then I started again... when my second son was a year old, I had to have surgery, and that's when I quit forever!! That was 17 years ago. For a really long time after that, when I would have a coffee, or a cocktail, I would want a cigarette... but I never did... then about 9 years ago, when my youngest kid... my daughter left the nest to start kindergarten, I had one last cigarette, and I felt so ICKY... so I've never had another again... never had an urge again either... but I used to weigh 115, and now I don't even remember what that feels like... BUT... I HATE the smell of smoke now, and if I go out to a restaurant or club, and I leave with my hair & clothes smelling like smoke I can't stand it!!
... when we went to Mont Tremblant in Canada we smelled and saw people smoking pot everywhere! It was a joke with us, we were waiting in line to get a small pizza, and by the time it was our turn we had the munchies and got a large pizza! :lol:

 

[wdwhoneymooner]

Used to. Camels or Kent unfiltered. For a while used to roll my own. Developed the "smokers cough" and hated it. The nastiest stuff comes out of your body when you smoke unfiltered stuff.

Substituted lots and lots of coffee when I quit (Was working @ a coffee shop). Drank so much caffeine it didn't affect me for a time.

Now I just eat all those Girl Scout Cookies that I bought earlier this year.

 

[tigsmom]

Originally posted by wdwhoneymooner
Used to. Camels or Kent unfiltered. For a while used to roll my own. Developed the "smokers cough" and hated it. The nastiest stuff comes out of your body when you smoke unfiltered stuff.

Substituted lots and lots of coffee when I quit (Was working @ a coffee shop). Drank so much caffeine it didn't affect me for a time.

Now I just eat all those Girl Scout Cookies that I bought earlier this year.

Oh yeah...that's MUCH healthier for you.:lol:

(passes frozen thin mints across the table)

 

[Beauty and the]

For those of you that think you don't smoke think again,we all smoke,everytime someone lights up within 50 metres, when they smoke,you smoke!

 

[EmeraldDolphin]

Originally posted by Beauty and the
For those of you that think you don't smoke think again,we all smoke,everytime someone lights up within 50 metres, when they smoke,you smoke!

yep... you are sooo right! I hate that too! like Scooter said, having a smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing section in a swimming pool... seems like most smokers I know don't have a whole lot of consideration for those of us that don't smoke... my dad smoked for years, and my mom never did, and a DR once asked her how much she smoked because it showed up in her physical that she smoked... also, I have a friend that worked in a Casino, and one of his co-workers died of lung cancer, and he never smoked a cigarette in his life... they said his lungs looked like he smoked 2 packs of cigarettes a day.

 

[Scooter]

Originally posted by Beauty and the
For those of you that think you don't smoke think again,we all smoke,everytime someone lights up within 50 metres, when they smoke,you smoke!

:lol: Let's not get carried away!

In a room with proper ventilation, or in an outdoor situation, second hand smoke poses little or no danger to non smokers.

Unless, of course, you have a cronic illness or smoke allergies.

If being 50 meters from smoke posed a serious health problem, we'ld all be dead by now.

Now...lets talk about LEAF burning!! THAT stuff can kill ya!:animwink:

 

[miles1]

Yes, I still smoke. And surprise, I know I am an idiot for doing so. I am ruining my health, and occasionally, that of others. I am setting a bad example for my kids. I am being used by a tobacco company to line their pockets, much the same as a drug pusher uses addicts, except its all legal.

I try my best not to offend anyone with my habit. I do not smoke in my own home. I never smoke in restaurants, and haven't in years, long before it became law. I always make sure I put my butts in some kind of trash recepticle, making sure they are completely out before doing so. I always smoke far away from the entrance to any buildings so as not to affect any passersby.

I try to quit at least once per year. This year I made it for about two months before a stress-out at work got me going again. They year before that it was three months, then my wife was in a serious car accident, and I ran for my crutch.

When I try to quit, I can count on gaining at least 10 pounds, unless I work out for one or more hours a day. In the first two weeks, I am only able to sleep for about two hours per night. It is nearly impossible to concentate on anything for 5 or more days, including driving safely. My wife says my whole personality changes, and not for the better. It even has an effect on trips to the bathroom, which I will not detail.

Am I looking for your pity? No. But in our society, we seem to view heroin addicts as victims, but nicotine addicts are lumped into a class of sub-morons. I want you to understand that we are intelligent people who are not out to personally assault you who do not smoke. You do not need to make rude comments to us when catch us smoking, we are fully aware of, and sorry for, what we are doing.

I have set a deadline of August 31st for myself to quit, and this time, by God, it is going to happen. If anyone out there wants to join me, just send me a message and we can co-miserate.

As an aside, it would help a lot if WDW would CLEARLY mark the smoking areas in the park. Last trip, I spent quite some time trying to find one on a map and when I thought I was successful, I was bruskly told by a CM that I was in the wrong area (by about 20 feet.) After all, I am just another sub-moron.

Sorry about the length of this rant, but I wanted to get this off my chest while I still have one. Thanks for your understanding.

 

[MouseMadness]

Best of luck to you, miles. :wave: Let us know how you are doing! I can't imagine how hard this is for people, my brother has tried and tried to quit, with no success yet. Good news... my dad was a HEAVY smoker... like, he'd light up last thing before falling asleep and first thing when he woke up... IN BED... and is no longer. It can be done!! Kudos to you! :sohappy:

 

[darthdarrel]

miles 1 have you ever tried the patch or that new oral medication, I think it`s called Zyban or something like that?

 

[miles1]

Thanks for the support guys!

Yes, I've tried the patch and wound up smoking with the patch on. It just seems to prolong the agony. I actually went cold turkey earlier this year and found it EASIER that way. Maybe because you break the nicotine addiction faster.

I have asked a Cardiologist who's a personal friend about Z***n and he would not recommend it. Has some bizarre side effects, and the success rate with it is not all its claimed to be.

 

[RickEff]

I tried the patches once, but I couldn't keep the bloody things lit.
:wave:

Good luck, Miles! Me too soon, I think. I have to psych myself up for it.

 

[wdwhoneymooner]

All the best, Miles! Quitting was hard for me too. And the inevitable weight gain stuck around for a while. If I wasn't ______________ down all that caffeine at the time I would have gained alot more.

 

[tigsmom]

To all of those trying to quit I wish you luck. I didn't have a hard time quitting...someone walked off with my last pack by accident and I just never bought another. I wish I could quit a few other addictions as easily. Do the best you can...one day at a time.:wave:

 

[DMC-12]

Originally posted by RickEff
I tried the patches once, but I couldn't keep the bloody things lit.:wave:

The secret is to soak them in gas for a bit :lol:

 

[darthdarrel]

Originally posted by DMC-12
The secret is to soak them in gas for a bit :lol:

Seriously though,those of you who are even contemplating trying the patch,Don`t smoke while you have the patch on!
A couple of years ago I was at work and this coworker decided that the patch just wasn`t enough, so she started smoking a cigarette, and all of a sudden her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed, she was instantly dead. and she was only 39 years old!

 

[DMC-12]

Originally posted by darthdarrel

Seriously though,those of you who are even contemplating trying the patch,Don`t smoke while you have the patch on!
A couple of years ago I was at work and this coworker decided that the patch just wasn`t enough, so she started smoking a cigarette, and all of a sudden her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed, she was instantly dead. and she was only 39 years old!

Hmph... I was kidding DarthDollyLover ... sheesh... it seems everyone is annoied by me lately

Sorry to hear about your co-worker

 

[darthdarrel]

Originally posted by DMC-12
Hmph... I was kidding DarthDollyLover ... sheesh... it seems everyone is annoied by me lately

Sorry to hear about your co-worker

lol Not annoyed by you Jer! but your comment was TRES Lame! :lol:

 

[miles1]

Originally posted by RickEff
I tried the patches once, but I couldn't keep the bloody things lit.
:wave:

Good luck, Miles! Me too soon, I think. I have to psych myself up for it.

Thanks again for the support. For me, its not a question of getting "psyched up", but rather p*ss*d off at myself and the tobacco companies. (Which in case you can't tell from my earlier rant, is what I am doing now.)

I mean who's in charge of our bodies, us or Phillip Morris?

:lol: :lol:

 

[Scooter]

I think alot of the problem with quitting is phychological...the other half is association...that is, having a cigarette with your coffee or having to smoke when you drink, or lighting up when you get on the phone or get in your car. You ASSOCIATE having a cigarette with these things. I would light a cigarette when I put my burgers on the grill and then flip them when my smoke was done...they always turned out perfect. Now since I quit smoking I burn them all the time.

As a man who smoked 3 packs a day and 5 packs a day on weekends for 25 years and then quit cold turkey..I can honestly say If I can quit.... ANYONE can.

The key is to not say things like "I'm going to quit after this pack" or "I'm going to quit starting next week" or "Quitting smoking is going to be my New Years Resolution" I tried that...It doesn't work

You need to say "I've had enough!! That's IT! I quit!!" And MEAN it.

Unfortunately something tragic usually happens before you do it. In MY case it took me waking up coughing my head off in the middle of the night waking up my whole family to say I've had enough.

I chewed the nicotene gum...it was nasty but it gave me that Nicotene fix I needed. Eventually I quit chewing the gum because it tasted so bad, but I quit smoking for good..and that was 8 years ago.

I still have a half a pack of cigarettes in my drawer...from the last pack I smoked. I keep it as a reminder ...and when I open my drawer I see it in there and I say...You kicked my butt for years but I finally beat you!!!! :sohappy:

Don't give up...you'll go through withdrawl stages...I was really grouchy for a while...but it went away and I don't even miss them smokes one bit anymore. Not to mention the $$$ I am saving.

Sure..I burn my burgers now...but I can taste them now... and when I kiss my wife I don't smell like an ashtray. I can walk up stairs w/o huffing and puffing...and If I'm lucky, I will live long enough to play with my Grandchildren, which is something my Father and Mother never got to do. You see they both died of Smoking related illnesses. My Mom died at age 57 from lung cancer, My Father died at age 59 of Emphysema related illnesses.

My goal right now is to live to be 60...I smoked for 25 years so the damage may be already done...but because I quit smoking I may just make it.

Good luck to you...I hope you make it too.:animwink:

 

[miles1]

Originally posted by Scooter


As a man who smoked 3 packs a day and 5 packs a day on weekends for 25 years and then quit cold turkey..I can honestly say If I can quit.... ANYONE can.

Yikes! At my height several years ago, I was at two or two and a half a day. But the fact that you overcame this is really inspiring.

It seems like each time I "quit", when I go back its a little bit less. I do about 1/2 to 3/4 of a pack a day now, and with lighter cigs. Hopefully this will make it easier this time.

You're right about the association thing too. My cues are always coffee, the car, and a beer. (At least s*x isn't one.)

Thanks again for the pep talk.