will this study get you to quit smoking?

[ExiledInIllinois]

What I hate about visiting NY are those terrible anti-smoking ads. I don't smoke so I don't need to see people with holes in their necks while I'm eating.

 

LoL... So true... But like I said, even before it was mandated... It got my mother to quit smoking almost 40 years ago!

[birdog1960]

Are you really suggesting that 10 years ago the perils of smoking weren't documented?

i'm suggesting we didn't have data to support the contention of reversibility in regards to expected lifespan...now we do. if you're asking was it enough to know that your clothes, car and breath wouldn't stink, you'd get less colds and the ones you got would last 1/2 as long, you'd have more money, you wouldn't burn holes in your favorite clothes, good food would taste much better and you could ski a long hard run without coughing or being winded 1/3 of the way down, then yes, yes it was. but turning back the clock might motivate a few others that those things didn't. Edited January 28, 2013 by birdog1960

[Gugny]

I am going on my ninth month of being smoke-free. I will celebrate when I hit a year. All I can say is that quitting is a very personal decision. Vulgar commercials, ridiculous taxes and public shunning are not effective. Speaking only for myself, I smoked a pack a day for nearly 25 years. For the last 9 years, I've wanted to stop. People think it's easy. People think those who smoke are idiots who are selfish and have what's coming to them. Wrong.

 

Most smokers know the dangers to themselves and to others. They just can't stop.

 

What helped me was a LACK of pressure from my doctor and a self-imposed alteration of my habit, I.e. not smoking near others. Then it was up to ME to decide it was the right time to stop.

 

Then I had the patch, which I got for free from NYS via the quit line.

 

But that's just what worked for me.

 

Everyone is different.

 

Most smokers want to quit. Most smokers know they stink when they come back from a smoke break. Most smokers will do what they can to keep the harmful effects from innocent bystanders.

 

Stop treating smokers like criminals. Recognize that the addiction is as powerful as a heroin addiction. And allow the person to find it within themself to quit.

 

Peace.

[C.Biscuit97]

If people want to smoke and kill themselves, knock yourself out. Just don't do it around me and I got 0 issue. just like if people want to be dumb and not wear a seatbelt. I'm all for thinning the population.

[Steve O]

If people want to smoke and kill themselves, knock yourself out. Just don't do it around me and I got 0 issue. just like if people want to be dumb and not wear a seatbelt. I'm all for thinning the population.

Problem is with the seat belts, the results are immediate. With smoking we all pay through higher health insurance premiums.

[Gugny]

One's choice to smoke and one's choice to not wear a seat belt cannot be compared. Not wearing a seat belt puts one person in harm's way ... the person not wearing it. Smoking affects everyone who can smell it.

 

As far as insurance implications, I recently read an article about the notion of just letting people smoke themselves to death. Smokers tend to live 10 years less than non-smokers on average. So one argument is that they're dead sooner, so they're not affecting insurance premiums as long.

 

However, on the flip side ... those whom never smoke and live that extra 10 years are potentially costing MORE money due to other illnesses, such as Alzheimer's.

 

In my opinion, insurance premiums should be based on one's "record" of doctor visits. I smoked from the time I was 18 until halfway through my 41st year. And I can count my doctor's visits on one hand for anything outside of routine check-ups.

 

On the other hand, I've got this disgusting slob at work, who lives on McDonald's and is morbidly obese. She had emergency bypass surgery few years ago and missed almost a year of work. Since then, she hasn't been back to work for more than a couple months before another illness had her out on short term disability. The latest is an amputated toe, because she's diabetic, but continues to drink McDonald's sweet tea to the tune of 4 supersize daily. Not exaggerating. She's been out for the last 2 months and I've seen her fat ass hobbling around the grocery store a few times.

 

Why do my insurance premiums cost the same as hers?

 

Instead of keying in on smokers ... the attention needs to be put on people who are frequent fliers at the doctors' offices.

[bowery4]

So if I quit now only 4 extra years? What if it takes me 4 years to die? just kidding.... it is really hard to quit been trying different things forever, quit once for 6 years too but been smoking for 30 even with that break. Yikes! IT IS DAMNED hard! If there was one thing that could make me quit, I wish I knew what it was.

[birdog1960]

guys, i'm not trying to make smokers out to be criminals and i know how hard it is to quit cuz i did it after many failed attempts. just pointing out that the survival instinct is one of the strongest in most people. that said, the quit success rate after a heart attack is only about 50% while its in the mid 30's for everyone else. i see the info in this study as a carrot and not a stick for smokers to quit.

[ExiledInIllinois]

guys, i'm not trying to make smokers out to be criminals and i know how hard it is to quit cuz i did it after many failed attempts. just pointing out that the survival instinct is one of the strongest in most people. that said, the quit success rate after a heart attack is only about 50% while its in the mid 30's for everyone else. i see the info in this study as a carrot and not a stick for smokers to quit.

 

+1. Bingo.

 

On that note.

 

IMO, the food thing/eating healthy thing is much more insidious when it comes to dealing with that as an obsession/addiction. Eating is a survival instinct... Even for some: eating themselves to death!

[Dibs]

So if I quit now only 4 extra years? What if it takes me 4 years to die? just kidding.... it is really hard to quit been trying different things forever, quit once for 6 years too but been smoking for 30 even with that break. Yikes! IT IS DAMNED hard! If there was one thing that could make me quit, I wish I knew what it was.

 

You quit once for 6 years. Try again.....only next time remember how dangerous it is to "just have one".

 

Those are words of encouragement. Like you, I am one of those people who really feels it when quitting(it's easier for some....harder for others).

I'm back on them again(long story)......but I'm planning to quit soon. I want to get all of my stars in alignment(so to speak) to give it the best chance.

 

One thing I found helped greatly was eating mints. I put on a little bit of weight when I last quit but the actual quitting seemed easier with eating a tiny mint every 20 minutes.

 

Good luck Bowery4

[Gugny]

 

 

You quit once for 6 years. Try again.....only next time remember how dangerous it is to "just have one".

 

Those are words of encouragement. Like you, I am one of those people who really feels it when quitting(it's easier for some....harder for others).

I'm back on them again(long story)......but I'm planning to quit soon. I want to get all of my stars in alignment(so to speak) to give it the best chance.

 

One thing I found helped greatly was eating mints. I put on a little bit of weight when I last quit but the actual quitting seemed easier with eating a tiny mint every 20 minutes.

 

Good luck Bowery4

 

I joined weight watchers when I quit smoking. I spend 15 bucks a week on weight watchers and I was able to drop 20 pounds while quitting. As opposed to spending 10 bucks per day and being heavier.

 

Good luck dibs and Bowery.

[LeviF]

Well I guess I've now officially quit. It was too cold to smoke last week, and I forgot to buy cigarettes this weekend. Woohoo. Smoke-free for six days (counting today).

[birdog1960]

Well I guess I've now officially quit. It was too cold to smoke last week, and I forgot to buy cigarettes this weekend. Woohoo. Smoke-free for six days (counting today).

cool! congrats! the others here are absolutely correct: don't try to "cheat"...ever. you'll likely waste all the effort you've already given. good luck.

 

I joined weight watchers when I quit smoking. I spend 15 bucks a week on weight watchers and I was able to drop 20 pounds while quitting. As opposed to spending 10 bucks per day and being heavier.

 

Good luck dibs and Bowery.

man, that's hard core. you have way more self control and will than you give yourself credit for. i heard a review on a book about changing habits that talked about strength in making changes being almost exponential: the first small success (say, quit smoking for 3 days) gives more determination and strength, entirely quitting (say, a year), much more and from there you have a big sack of will and self control at your disposable to tackle more things, sometimes simultaneously (like diet and exercise). just a theory. don't know how it could be proven. but what you're doing is extraordinary. Edited January 29, 2013 by birdog1960

[eball]

Is anyone really still looking for a reason not to smoke? Jesus.

[dpberr]

The difference between smoking and bad food is that smoking is a personal choice. You pay for the cigs and you smoke them. You know the consequences. It's like alcohol. It's out there. You choose to drink it or not.

 

With food, nearly everything is "bad" these days with high sodium, high fructose corn syrup, etc. in almost everything we eat. If you don't have a lot of money, you're spending it on the cheap junk food and unless you're incredibly mindful of labels, everyone is probably eating too much sugar and sodium on a daily basis.

 

You add in that kids don't get enough recess and gym time, and adults generally don't exercise enough to offset the bad food,and it's a big problem with a lot of choice removed.

[birdog1960]

The difference between smoking and bad food is that smoking is a personal choice. You pay for the cigs and you smoke them. You know the consequences. It's like alcohol. It's out there. You choose to drink it or not.

 

With food, nearly everything is "bad" these days with high sodium, high fructose corn syrup, etc. in almost everything we eat. If you don't have a lot of money, you're spending it on the cheap junk food and unless you're incredibly mindful of labels, everyone is probably eating too much sugar and sodium on a daily basis.

 

You add in that kids don't get enough recess and gym time, and adults generally don't exercise enough to offset the bad food,and it's a big problem with a lot of choice removed.

in a way they are the same. these products are thrust on the populace by design for the purpose of profits. the sellers well know the health implications and go right on poisoning us and until fairly recently were aggressively advertising to kids (in the case of junk food, they obviously still are). the choice to smoke is made much more difficult by the inherent addictive nature of smoking...it's almost a perfect product for the producers/sellers. the costs to society are enormous.but i agree the food issue is the scarier of the 2. last night, i made shish kabob from some "premium choice" sirloin the wife picked up out of convenience at walmart. when i pulled it from the freezer, it was an unnatural purple color, like a bruise. thawed, it was bright red and tasty looking. grilled with vegetables, it was the consistency of sponge although the flavor was ok. should have thrown it away but we were hungry. doing some reading on ageing and preservation of meats last night spooked me. in short, we won't be buying any more meat from walmart and will shop only at stores with a butcher on premises or at a farmers market where they dry age and freeze meat. but that costs, as you said...

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

The difference between smoking and bad food is that smoking is a personal choice. You pay for the cigs and you smoke them. You know the consequences. It's like alcohol. It's out there. You choose to drink it or not.

 

With food, nearly everything is "bad" these days with high sodium, high fructose corn syrup, etc. in almost everything we eat. If you don't have a lot of money, you're spending it on the cheap junk food and unless you're incredibly mindful of labels, everyone is probably eating too much sugar and sodium on a daily basis.

 

You add in that kids don't get enough recess and gym time, and adults generally don't exercise enough to offset the bad food,and it's a big problem with a lot of choice removed.

 

Some good advice - when at the grocery store, stick to the exterior and avoid the interior. Hit up the produce, butcher and fish and skip the processed foods. Also, get beer.

[Gugny]

cool! congrats! the others here are absolutely correct: don't try to "cheat"...ever. you'll likely waste all the effort you've already given. good luck.

 

man, that's hard core. you have way more self control and will than you give yourself credit for. i heard a review on a book about changing habits that talked about strength in making changes being almost exponential: the first small success (say, quit smoking for 3 days) gives more determination and strength, entirely quitting (say, a year), much more and from there you have a big sack of will and self control at your disposable to tackle more things, sometimes simultaneously (like diet and exercise). just a theory. don't know how it could be proven. but what you're doing is extraordinary.

Many thanks, man.

[BillsFanM.D.]

Some good advice - when at the grocery store, stick to the exterior and avoid the interior. Hit up the produce, butcher and fish and skip the processed foods. Also, get beer.

 

This is great advice. I read it and thought 'that's very true' and thankfully realized I already do it with a few exceptions here and there. Reminds me of 'old school' advice for diabetics...."If it's white...don't eat it."

[Dibs]

Is anyone really still looking for a reason not to smoke? Jesus.

 

LOL...that should be sooooo true....but...

 

I've met people who say "But I enjoy smoking! Why should I quit something blah blah blah.....driving is dangerous blah blah blah."

 

I usually reply along the lines of "You wouldn't enjoy it if you weren't already addicted to it."

 

Some people are just nuts.