If I Can Quit Smoking, You Can

Shadowfax-ST

As ridden by Pat
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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

Mildly amusing at times, but not enjoyable. To become addicted to a substance does not make an individual stupid, but I guess everyone has an opinion. I'm glad you got over your stupidness.:D
Thanks, Papa. The shame is that addictions are for ever; probably why I'm over-hard on other smokers to remind myself how thin the line is and celebrate others' success beating their habit.

I don't claim all addicts are stupid. Just smokers. :)

Given the addictions some overcome, smokers' whining is insignificant. We choose to smoke (yeah, I'm angry peer pressure and family smokers "forced" me, too, yada yada) and LEARN to smoke. Giving up is just choosing not to smoke and LEARNING not to smoke.

Other substances including alcohol have a chemical / physiological hold to overcome. Nicotine is similar, but withdrawal is far milder (on the whole, bless my step-mom for whom it's stronger than the Dr's threat she'll not live or loose an extremity). If you can just stop smoking that's great but if the addiction is strong then substitue products will help. You need the mind though. You need not to be so stupid.

The bit I rely on is how smokers will defend their smoking; "I enjoy it, you don't know how strong my addiction is, it's my choice stop being so arrogant, sod you", etc. It just proves my point and strengthens my own resolve. That and how smokers stink. They even stink the road up in front of me (yuck).

Now, smokers. Instead of getting your knickers in a twist thinking how to defend yourselves witily, why not turn your energies and residual cognative abilities to declaring a stop date here? If you've read this far there's hope for you, yet.

Good luck.




.
 

Blue STreak

Bob Meyer
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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

Sorry, but I have to disagree. I can't QUIT smoking, because I never started. :D

But kudos to you. Keep it up. :bow1:
 

Papa

R.I.P. - 2020/02/10
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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

Today is the day. I hope I don't turn into a 'roid free. :run1:
 
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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

Had my last one on Jan 2nd.
Quit cold turkey.It was just time.
I tried patches,chantix neither did it for me.
I just wanted to quit.The money being spent played a huge factor this time around as here in Oregon they added another tax to cig's.Putting a pack at over 4 bucks.

With that said I can also say I wish I was they type of person who could smoke one every once and a blue moon and be completly fine with it.

But because I have an addicting personality thats not going to happen.

Good luck everyone.


Sean:biker:
 
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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

Wow, times sure have changed. My 17 year old step daughter was hanging out with a couple friends from school a few weeks ago, and because she had a purse one of them asked her to carry his pack of cigs. She has never taken a puff in her life. The cops decided to harass them while they were outside the Dairy Queen parking lot where she works, and searched them. (the cops in the town of Castle Rock Colorado have way too much time on their hands). Yesterday she went to court for it, get this - $145 in fines, 5 hours of community service picking up garbage, she has to spend time helping the juvenile court service.
Wow. I and all my friends were smoking full time at 15 years old. There was a freaking smoking lounge in the high school! I can't remember how many cops saw me smoking and didn't bat an eye.
I guess it's a good thing smoking has become so unnacceptable, but for a first offense this punishment just seems way over the top, especially with no prior record of anything. I'm still scratching my head.
 

Shadowfax-ST

As ridden by Pat
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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

Wow, times sure have changed. My 17 year old step daughter was hanging out with a couple friends from school a few weeks ago, and because she had a purse one of them asked her to carry his pack of cigs. She has never taken a puff in her life. The cops decided to harass them while they were outside the Dairy Queen parking lot where she works, and searched them. (the cops in the town of Castle Rock Colorado have way too much time on their hands). Yesterday she went to court for it, get this - $145 in fines, 5 hours of community service picking up garbage, she has to spend time helping the juvenile court service.
Wow. I and all my friends were smoking full time at 15 years old. There was a freaking smoking lounge in the high school! I can't remember how many cops saw me smoking and didn't bat an eye.
I guess it's a good thing smoking has become so unnacceptable, but for a first offense this punishment just seems way over the top, especially with no prior record of anything. I'm still scratching my head.
Even with my attitude toward stinky smoking this seems a disproportionate punishment for carrying or concealing cigarettes by a minor (assuming this was the offence and you need to be 18 to even carry the things).

Appeal, I'd say. And reward the girl for NOT smoking. These oddly strong punishments are often awarded as a deterant; try publishing the Cops' and judge's names and see ithey'rere embarrassed at the attention...
 
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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

Well, it's a little more complicated. Yeah, the offense was possession of tobacco by a minor (who turn 18 in a few months). We were given the choice of going before a real judge or teen court - judgement by her peers, which she now has to serve jury duty on. We chose teen court because we were promised it wouldnt go on her record, and a real judge could get really stupid about this. We paid $90 a couple weeks ago for the teen court fee, but had no idea they were going to throw another $55 at her today.
To say I'm dumbfounded is an understatement. I'm betting most places the cop would have found no prior record and let her go with a warning after taking the smokes. My step daughter doesn't think like I do (good thing) but if this happened to me for this petty bull**** I'd have developed an attitude against "the system" as well as cops. I originally told her she'd have to pay for it out of her Dairy Queen income, but I think I'll pay the extra (unreasonable, ridiculous, unwarranted, unneccessary) $55.
 

Papa

R.I.P. - 2020/02/10
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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

Geeze, smoke police. Political correctness, please Big Brother, save me from myself.
 
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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

I stopped 11 years ago. Quitting is so psychological. The battle is to hold the line; smoking is something you don't do anymore. Ya you used to. Ya, it has it's appeal. Ya, you can do anything else you want. But you don't do THAT any more. They're not a friend.
 
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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

Deba just passed three weeks and her first MAJOR hurdle, writing her monthly ad without a cig. VERY hard (on both of us! :22yikes:)

I think this is one of her best attempts. Shows what you can do when ya set yur CLEAR mind to it.

(I quit for good sometime in 76, can't even IMAGINE smoking now.)
 
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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

I quit smoking a year and one month ago. I took the money that I was spending on Cowboy Killers and purchased a 2004 ST-1300. If I go back to smoking The bike will be sold. Now, all of you guy's know that if it's a cigarette or my ST, my ST wins every time! Hyponsis worked for me.
Some great comments here... I quit in about '70 by taking the money I would spend in 6 months on my 2 to 3 packs / day and buying Rollei camera. Same deal... If I start smoking the camera goes. Since then I started once "to help my (then) wife quit." :rofl1:! Didn't work but got me again. Quit that time by making myself wait before a smoke and think about whether I really was willing to become a smoker again tho satisfy that craving. That helped and have not smoked since ("72).

That said, I'm fully cognizant of the difference in various substance addictions and process addictions. I have no need to argue their powers or our "stupidities." What I have learned that is true for me is that when I behave in an "addictive" manner it is, 99+% of the time, to dull, block, or numb a painful feeling. Deciding to go with feeling them and not avoiding them was helpful (Life Saving in my opinion).

Speaking of life saving, when I had an acute myocardial infarction (95% blocked artery) in 2002, (30 years after the last time I quit.) I have little doubt that it would have killed me had I still been an active smoker.

So to all who wish to work on dealing constructively with any of their addictions, I'm behind you. If you ever need support, give me a holler. It's worth the struggle!

Rod
:old1:
 

MrB

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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

Figured I'd dig this one up in case someone was borderline quitting.
I quit cold turkey 14 years ago with my wife, we were at each others throats for a few weeks but then all was good. Started up again a few years ago for stupid reason, now using the cessation method with an e-cig. I'm at 2 weeks without a real one and it's going good. You gradually reduce the nicotine content in the e-cig juice until it's zero, then quit.
No worries (for me, at least) about getting addicted to the e-cig, it's a 1 lb., cumbersome thing that uses a li-ion 18650 battery. Went from last night to 5pm today without need of it's service. Didn't miss it.

A note about li-ion batteries. They are a great source of energy that charges quick and have a low self-discharge rate. HOWEVER, if allowed to discharge too far can become dangerous while attempting to recharge. Best practice is to pull them at 3.6 as there's not much energy left after that anyway. They have different specs, but generally do not discharge below 2.7 volts for the good batteries, 3V for the cheaper cells as that's when the trouble starts. (we can debate these numbers via PM if you are inclined).
They do a trick called "vent, with flame", and it's a doozie!
Here are some youtube examples showing the destructive power, look like they're intentional for demonstration. The reason it's more of an issue with the e-cigs than with your laptops, iphones, android phones, etc, is that they often use "unprotected" cells that lack the circuitry that all those other things have which prevent over-discharging the cells.

Oh yeah, first time around I used a great trick to get me disgusted with the taste of a cigarette: take a big drag, don't inhale, and swish it around in your mouth like a mouthwash for about a minute. Exhale.
Please report back with your impressions if you try it. For me it was a great kick-start to quitting.

But enough of this, now's a great time to quit! Join me, brothers, and spend your extra money on gear instead.
 
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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

I quit 8/20/12 two days before my open heart surgery. I have the e cigarettes 0% nicotine, and have never inhaled them. I was a 3 pack a day smoker for 56 years, and I have never wanted one since. All smokers smell the same to me now.
 

MrB

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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

3 pack a day smoker for 56 years
You sir, are one tough son of a gun!!! Yep, after quitting you can smell it a mile away.
Man, 56 years, I'm gonna guess you're the kind of guy who can do anything you put your mind to. Congrats on your upcoming anniversary!
 
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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

i use to smoke 2 packs a day for 13 yrs. my wife pushed me to quit feb. 2011 i have not smoked one since and dont plan on it. i had help with chantix that stuff really worked...
 

MrB

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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

i use to smoke 2 packs a day for 13 yrs. my wife pushed me to quit feb. 2011 i have not smoked one since and dont plan on it. i had help with chantix that stuff really worked...
Nice! A LOT easier when your spouse doesn't smoke. I smoked the "good" kind, (hahahahahaha) and the price around here is ~$5 a pack bought singly. We're down to 4 days a week at work so I really didn't have the money to continue smoking, but even if I did it's a waste of money. If you too smoked the expensive brands that's $300 a month for farkles! (Motoholic logic).
 
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Re: If I Can Quite Smoking, You Can

You sir, are one tough son of a gun!!! Yep, after quitting you can smell it a mile away.
Man, 56 years, I'm gonna guess you're the kind of guy who can do anything you put your mind to. Congrats on your upcoming anniversary!
Thanks you very much.
 
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I quit in the fall of 1981.

Story: In 1981 I was newly married (to a non-smoker) and we had recently moved to a new city. I was riding dirt bikes with a neighbor, and being a little competitive I wanted to at least be able to keep him in sight. I was getting winded a little on the tough sections. Imagine if you will a Friday night, 10:00 pm, just opened my second beer, hanging out with the previously mentioned neighbor, and I discover that I had one cigarette left. One. No more in the house. So I lit up and finished the pack. I also decided not to get any more. 11:00 rolls around and I really wanted to get another pack. Midnight and I really really wanted another pack. But I decided that if I could get through the evening without getting more then maybe I could quit. I made it to my milestone. Next day it was touch and go, but the non-smoking side won. Sunday it was a little easier. Since then I've fallen off the wagon a few times on hunting trips, but it was always easy to stop when I returned home. It's been close to 20 years since I lit up last. Some days I still miss it. On the other hand, I don't like to smell cigarette smoke. It was rough being in a bar band up until they passed the indoor clean air act.

One more confirmation that if you set you mind to quitting you can. Take it one day at a time... sometime it was one hour at a time. Good luck.
 
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