cantankerous Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I smoked for about 7 years (American Spirits) and quit cold turkey in October of 2009. I despise the smell of them now. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. Think of all the money you'll have to spend on something else, Jim. I wish you well, and good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim in Anchorage Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 I smoked for about 7 years (American Spirits) and quit cold turkey in October of 2009. I despise the smell of them now. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. Think of all the money you'll have to spend on something else, Jim. I wish you well, and good luck! Thanks. That's why I will have a "money not spent on smokes" cash drawer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 This is not about virginity. Slut. Sorry, wrong forum! Thanks. That's why I will have a "money not spent on smokes" cash drawer. Holy crap - these days, esp. in NYS - that's a lot of money you'll have in that drawer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim in Anchorage Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 Sorry, wrong forum! Holy crap - these days, esp. in NYS - that's a lot of money you'll have in that drawer! I'm looking at $20 a day. $600 a month. No Smoking Joe tax free smokes in Alaska. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 (edited) Jim, this is a subject near and dear to my heart, and i may preach a bit. I smoked a pack a day of Reds for nearly 23 years. I always wanted to quit, as I was one of these knuckleheads who started smoking once out of college..and had gone to college on a swimming and water polo scholarship. I tried everything for several years..cold turkey, the patches, some kind of anti depressant, then the Chantix. None of it worked, cause as much as I said I wanted to quit, I was scared and afraid of quiting.All the talk of dying, getting sick, smelling etc did not matter, I was scared more of quitting than all of that..that was in the future. Problem was, i felt my life could never be the same without smokes. How in the world would a meal ever be as enjoyable? Could i ever enjoy having beers with the boys again? Think how much better a smoke made a Bills game!!Golf was made oh so much better by the smokes. Poker or gambling without a smoke??? How could my morning ever be as good without that first smoke and cup of joe? What about that glass of wine and a great book after dinner out on the porch on a great fall evening..a smoke is half the pleasure right? Then I was recommended this book"The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" by Allen Carr. I said WTH as the book says right one the cover you will continue to smoke hen you read the book. It really delves into the way nicotine works, examines why I thought the way i thought, and works on your mental strategies for quitting. Once I realized why I smoked and what I would feel as I quit without nicotine replacement et al, and envisoned myself as a non smoker again, quitting truly was easy. B word for a few days, but nothing worse than hunger pangs. I can tell you this as testimony...I know 5 people that have read the book, and I know 4 of them are still quit after at least 3 years. One I am not sure about is Stevestojan from this board. Last time we conversed on the board, he had been quit for a few months.. Feel free to PM me to discuss..I really believe this book is a life saver http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=easy+way+to+quit+smoking&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7ADFA_enUS444&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=15243983538771499179# Edited November 30, 2011 by plenzmd1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Christ Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 (edited) I just wanted to reply with encouragement and with a story of how my mom smoked her entire life and I thought she would never quit. The DR told her that if she didn't quit she would die and she hasn't had another cigarette in atleast 5 or 6 yrs now. She tells me that she can't believe she couldn't smell the nasty smoke lol I told her I smelled it for 18yrs lol. I also was a tobacco person, mainly skoal. I quit 15 years ago and never think about it. I have some people around me that use and sometimes they ask about quitting. I just tell them, I know why they like it.......I liked it.......and I know how it makes them feel......and so on but I KNOW that I don't need it. It's easy to not smoke etc.......it's hard to get yourself to do it when you enjoy it though. Edited November 30, 2011 by Jerry Christ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I've never smoked, but I hope you find the encouragement that helps you quit. Good Luck! I am going to try and need some encouragement. I know too many people who have tried and failed over and over. did you give up sex????? Here's my $.02: I quit 20 years ago. Prior to that, I smoked for about 7.5 years, and was smoking about 2.5 to 3.5 packs a day. I quit cold turkey. What worked for me? I wanted to quit. Not wished, not hope, not desired. I was tired of waking up and hacking a up lung until I got that first cigarette smoked. I was tired of spending a big chunk of money on cigs. And I was tired of the way my clothes and I smelled. I wanted that habit gone. I looked at my smoking pattern, and figured out the times of day or activity when smoking really was enjoyable. (For me, it was that first cig of the day with a cup of coffee, smoking after eating or sex, and anytime I was drinking). The rest of the time I realized I was smoking because of habit and addiction, and not because I enjoyed it. When I quit, I modified my behavior during those times when smoking would have been enjoyable. I cut way back on the drinking for about 3 weeks. In the mornings, instead of waking up 2 hours before I had to leave, I would wake up an hour before I had to leave. So, instead of drinking coffee and smoking that first hour, and the second hour to get ready, I left myself only the 1 hour to get ready. I would buy coffee on the way to work, and skip breakfast (thus eliminating another one of those moments where desiring a cig would be strong. After about 3 weeks, the cravings stopped, and I haven't craved a cigarette since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 My father smoked for over 4 decades. Multiple packs (usually 3+) of Reds every day. Had a couple of minor heart attacks and quit cold turkey. I don't remember a single moment I spent with him growing up when there wasn't a cigarette burning. If that man could walk away from them cold turkey, any one can. I quit cold turkey, too. The biggest thing was changing the lifestyle. Stay out of bars for awhile. When you get out of bed, go for a walk, do some push ups, or some other kind of physical activity. Just don't do the things that you associate (mentally or physically) with smoking. It's really not as hard as you think. Getting through the first few days, while the physical part is kicking you so regularly, is the toughest part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I'd keep THE cigarette and run out and buy a fresh pack. That's where the discipline comes in. Really get more motivated by cash. Figured I would take that money I would have spent on smokes and on a daily basis put it in a drawer. Cash,not a # in a bank statement. Greed to watch the pile grow would be a HUGE incentive. Like when I used to get in fist fights with friends over monopoly because I would eject them from the game for being $1 short on rent. Same principle. Have a tangible talisman to motivate you. Too many people I know aren't disciplined enough with money, so that never even occurred to me...but the right method is whatever works for you. Or, I could introduce you to my aunt. Just diagnosed last week (Tuesday, before Thanksgiving) with cancer of goddamned everything, terminal, after smoking 3 packs a day since...birth, as far as I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in Chicago Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I am going to try and need some encouragement. I know too many people who have tried and failed over and over. Quit in July of last year after 21 years of smoking. Havent touched a cigarette since. You can do it. Just have to make up your mind and say to yourself that no matter what happens, you will not take even a single puff. Lot of psychology involved and your mind will play games with you. It does to this day but I am now used to these psychological urges (after a beer, with friends, after a fine meal, after the first rains....). Accept that these urges will keep occuring long after the physical urges are gone. Also acknowledge that there is nothing like 'just one puff'. I had quit several years back and used to do this - went back to smoking again. So this time - no puff. Besides the health benefits which you wont see in the short term, I am happiest as I am free of the slavery (stuck at airport for a long time ? Long plane ride ? in a tall building where you have to go outside ? - NO PROBLEM now) Good luck, you will be a much happier man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Good luck to all of you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I've never smoked, but I hope you find the encouragement that helps you quit. Good Luck! did you give up sex????? That's the first thing I was thinkin' when I read Cynical's post.... Being around smoke always gave me severe headaches ever since I can remember. That by itself was a very powerful reason to never try. I, too, wish JiA and anyone else good luck toward kicking the habit. That money pile sure sounds like a great motivational weapon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 It'll be a year in February - gradually weaned myself down to half a pack or less a day, then 3 or 4 cigarettes, then one or two, then smoked my last one Feb. 10th, 2011. Miised it a little at first - especially any time second-hand smoke wafted my way - now I despise the smell, and the filthiness of smokers using the world as their ash tray. My brother's stage 4 throat cancer and subsequent laryngectomy was a big factor, along with my own chest pains and early symptoms of emsphysema. When you see someone close to you have their throat slit from ear to ear to remove all the cancerous tissue - and then become totally dependent on an oxygen tank as they struggle for every breath - it drives home what a stupid, self-destructive habit smoking really is. Do it - quit today, now, for good. Best wishes for a healthy, smoke-free future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I'm looking at $20 a day. $600 a month. No Smoking Joe tax free smokes in Alaska. Ok, here's your motivation. $600 a month in to a decent investment in 20 years will be worth $300k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaattMaann Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 smoke pot instead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I'd keep THE cigarette and run out and buy a fresh pack. Really get more motivated by cash. Figured I would take that money I would have spent on smokes and on a daily basis put it in a drawer. Cash,not a # in a bank statement. Greed to watch the pile grow would be a HUGE incentive. Like when I used to get in fist fights with friends over monopoly because I would eject them from the game for being $1 short on rent. In that case, I have your solution: move to New York City. The combination of gross fiscal irresponsibility and we-know-better do-gooders has led to a cigarette taxes of nearly at $6 per pack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaattMaann Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 In that case, I have your solution: move to New York City. The combination of gross fiscal irresponsibility and we-know-better do-gooders has led to a cigarette taxes of nearly at $6 per pack. 6 bucks???? try 10 dude! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 6 bucks???? try 10 dude! He was talking about taxes, Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude. There is a combined City and State cigarette tax of $6.46 per pack on all cigarettes possessed for sale or use in New York City ($4.35 is New York State tax; $1.50 is New York City tax; $0.61 Prepaid Sales Tax). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I've quit smoking 4 times in my life, most recently 2 years ago. First 3 times, I just decided to quit and went cold turkey. Final (and hopefully absolutely final) time that I quit, it took a few attempts. Cold turkey wasn't working. Weening myself off wasn't working. Considered nicotine gum, but in the end tried cold turkey one more time. Willpower dude. That's all you need. You might be grouchy for awhile and may gain a few pounds in the short term. But cold turkey is my suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaattMaann Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 He was talking about taxes, Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude. There is a combined City and State cigarette tax of $6.46 per pack on all cigarettes possessed for sale or use in New York City ($4.35 is New York State tax; $1.50 is New York City tax; $0.61 Prepaid Sales Tax). welll dudeeeeeee how would I know that, no where in his post did it say "taxes are 6 bucks" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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