Calling all former smokers

[cowpuc]

I was doing about as much as Buddy. Ran the 1/2 mile and mile in high school. In 1967 ran mile in 4 min 30 sec. ( yep I'm a 1st Gen) Relized what they were doing to me and tossed them in trash. Haven't looked back. You have to REALLY want to do it.

 

Yammer has it mirrored in my life!! Exactly the same word for word only my sport was swimming and when I realised how much wind those Cancer sticks cost me I tossed them - it was TOUGH cause I really like smoking but I did it!!! Still miss them (and I havent smoked since 1978) especially after dinner!!

 

 

 

 

 

heh ... here in BC they recently passed a law that no establishment can openly display cigarettes. You go into a store and generally, behind the cash counter, is a wall of smokes... now the wall is covered. The idea is that if ya don't see them, you might not be inclined to buy them ... B/S! ... If you're a smoker, it isn't the visibility of the smokes for sale that entices you to buy a pack!

 

Now, I tried quitting a couple times ... hasn't worked...yet ...but frankly, all these "penny-anti" tactics are, IMHO, silly. If smoking is so bad for a person, then why not just make it illegal and be done with it. Smoking pot is illegal and it has nothing near the ill effects of cigarettes and the reason it's illegal is nothing more than the government can't come up with a "legal" way to profit from the growing, distribution, and sale of the stuff. Booze is legal just like cigs yet they do everything they can to dissuade people, rehabilitate smokers and drinkers, ...there's more money spent in that process than a person can imagine ... it's their only way of justifying the taxation of it.

 

ok, I stop now... the hair on the back of my neck is rising (and I have none)

 

 

It truely is all about MONEY!! It has NOTHING to do with health issues of people.. In the good ol USA the insurance companies RUN the nation.. They are the ones who decide what freedoms we get to keep and which ones we loose and it IS because of their LOBBY dollars!! Of course, BIG lobby dollars are there for Cigs and Booze or they would be longgggg gone!! To bad too, it should be a persons CHOICE as long as they are not infringing (like a drunk driver does when he takes an innocent life)..

Another thought here that hasnt been mentioned.. I broke my back in 2001 and had to loose 50 pounds before they would do the Neuro Surgery thing (its a good thing I wasnt a smoker as it alone would have taken my chances of recovery down by 50%!!).. I was in a wheel chair and with parallisys as a diagnoses without the surgery I lived on chopped chicken and mustard sandwiches and Wendys Chili for 7 months and lost the weight and am walking now.. Since then I have found out how wayyyyy overweight most of us are and how destructive to our bodies it is!!! Being heavy now kills over 60% more people each year them smoking does including teenagers..

I just thought I would toss that in to stir the pot hahahaha

'Puc

[Eck]

I had to quit... had smokers cough, then started weezing really bad,, went to Dr. found out I have Emphysema... I quit about 3.5 yrs ago and cant stand the smell of smoke..

Every year I have noticed I have shortness of breath worse then the year before...and its only going to get worse the Dr. says..

 

My Dad is dieing from Emphysema right now, Been on oxygen for past 10 years...he cant hardly move his body anymore with out gasping for air..something I have to look forward they say..

 

When I smoked, I enjoyed it I think, but then again, it was a habit, so I am not sure if I really enjoyed it or needed it.. but I did it.

 

Glad I stopped though...and if you can then do it.

[spear]

When I was a kid, both my folks smoked.

I am the eldest of 6 kids - ages 39-58.

We all smoked at some stage, mostly before we knew how bad it was for us.

I started at 14, gave up at 21 and haven't looked back. Went cold turkey after a good dose of URTI.

Now none of us smoke. Dad's 85, Mum is 80 and we plan on being around for a long while yet.

[pakidaho]

Can't recall how the song goes other than I realized my "retirement" plan may have backfired. I stopped smoking cigarettes more than twenty years ago and replaced them with cigars. My problem is I began to inhale cigars just like cigarettes. Got to a point where I would smoke three some times four a day. I stopped four years ago for about a year, and had remembered I had always wanted to grow my own tobacco and roll my own cigars. I managed to find a great connection for seed and cigar leaf, and headed back on the road. Grew some really nice tobacco here in good ol Idaho, which is amazing because the season is so short. Very low in nicotine or at least never gave me that tobacco buzz which I detest. Love my home grown cigars and nothing more pleasurable than sharing one with a fellow rider out on the road. Got to a point where I wheezed in bed at night and worried my wife was hearing me even with her ear plugs in...I snore too.. One day I thought I need to get one of those colds that force me to stop smoking and whala next day I was sicker than a dog. So now it has been about three months yet I love my cigars, miss them, but do not miss the wheezing and occasional shortness of breath. I have always wanted to "manage" my love for cigars, yet detest the habit. One thing I did to keep the habit strong unintentionally is take a few puffs and butt the gar, and go on through out the day managing to only smoke one or two, yet the habitual part was going out ever couple of hours for a puff. I did manage to have one on New Years, and I did enjoy it and have not missed it since. I figure though when I do get out on the road on a planned trip I am going to bring a few cigars. I may have an opportunity to share in a non habitual way.

When I met my wife I told her my cigars were my retirement plan... then I heard that song that says smoking dosen't always kill you. So she went to school and now has her Mastrers, I figure either way I win.

[Double D]

I smoked for 32 years and in February of 1998 my 2 year old granddaughter was sitting on my lap and said "Papaw, you stink". I told her that I would take care of that and I had her circle a date on the calendar for Papaw to start smelling better. She circle April 1, 1998. On that date I threw away my Winstons and have not had one since. I think it is a mind over matter thing. I did not have any withdrawal symtoms execpt that I ate alot of mints and still do.

[mechanic1]

I had stopped smoking in 1985 and started scuba diving, I say stopped because a guy told corrected me saying you only quit once, he is right. Then on Oct.23, 2003 my dad died of lung cancer,Heart problems. The day or two before he died were the worst, hardest thing in my life to watch him and could do nothing, Honestly thought about turning the oxygen off so it would be over sooner for him (and me too). That sounds bad I know, but there was no hope at all for him and I knew that, except maybe god and in that case it wouldn't matter what I did. During that time, I promised him and myself that i would quit smoking and not add any more to the risk of my sons being in that same position I was in. I try and make a point to do the things I say I will do and more especially to a dead or dying man. So, on Oct.26, 2003 When we buried my dad, I gave my cigs. and lighter to my aunt and have never smoked anything again. I intend to keep the promise.

I thank you for listening to my ramblings and hope that maybe it will be of benefit to someone.

 

P.S. Once in a while I sure do want one, but not so much any more and it don't last long, think it's mostly in my head. Always was.

[Dark Wolf]

Started dating my high school sweet heart about a year ago( after 28 years ) she did not tell me I could not smoke but if I did no kissy face, some things are just to important so I quit 3-1-08 cold turkey and have never been happier. Just do it.

[Highwayman]

I was a 2 1/2 pack a day man (Salam Menthol - hooked on menthol). I got a health scare and put them down, that was in 1971 (when I was a meer child). Health problem turned out to be sinus related but I had already quit. Got cravings for 20 years but that finally went away.

 

[McBrush]

Started when I was about 14 and by 24 I was up to 2 1/2 packs a day. A friend from work collapsed one day with a bad lung and they found traces of emphysema which is what my grandfather died from. I decided to 'quit' for a week as a sacrifice for my friend. Had 5 my first day and never had another one since. That was in 1979. A few things that helped me to quit were: I knew I couldn't give up 50 of anything per day, so I just gave up one, my NEXT one. Told myself that every time I reached for it, that THIS is the only ONE I have to give up. Then, I never said I was 'trying to quit'. I always said 'I don't smoke'. (Mind games really do work sometimes) Once some time passed, I kept telling myself that if I had just one, then I never really quit and would have to start all over again. It was very motivating to calculate how long I had quit and I didn't want to be back at square one.

 

What I found was that most of the ones I smoked were pure habit. Wake up, grab a smoke. Cup of coffee, grab a smoke. Get in the car, grab a smoke. You light one, I grab a smoke. Order a drink, etc, etc, etc... Turned out that about 4 or 5 times a day I really craved the taste and all the rest were simply habit. It took a lot of years for that to completely go away, but it got better pretty fast after the first 6 or 7 months. Like someone else said, I chewed the heck out of my pencils and pens for a long time!

 

Bottom line is that nobody will quit unless they really want to. Then it's just a matter of dicipline. (it's also really hard to smoke on a bike with a hemet on, so ride ride ride!)

[Stoutman]

I smoked for 10 years and tried to quit about 100 times. I made it on the 101st try. Smoked over 2 packs per day at the time I quit cold turkey.

 

I remember my Mom having her friends over for coffee when I was little. I would stand by the kitchen table and breath in all the smoke. By the time I was 18 I had the habit. Decided to quit after I got married and was trying to get through school with almost no money.

 

I still enjoy the smell of a someone smoking a cigarette. Can't stand the stale smell though.

[treeman]

started in 1955 ( Boot Camp Navy ) Had my last 1983 at about 43 years old. about 28 years. I just stop caring them with me took about 12 weeks to get off them.

[Guest ReinyRooster]

Smoked for about 20 years, then gave up the cigarettes cold turkey about 22 years ago. Still enjoy the odd cigarello but no cigarettes.

[Condor]

Quit cold turkey back in '89. 3 packs of Marboro 100's per day. Now I get down wind of a smoker and I can't breathe...

[Guest BluesLover]

Quit cold turkey 25 years ago when the wife told me she was expecting our first born.

 

Still get the odd urge to light one up now and again, but other than the odd cigar here and there, have stayed off of them.

 

Cheers,

[timk]

I quit about 30 minutes ago, but I don't think it's going to last.

[PBJ]

Okay Tom , Taters put this up as inspiration. She wanted you to see that alot of people have done it and won. Everyone is different and different things work for different people. But Taters stopped for one big reason and that is her health and her health is important because it means she going to be around a lot long for you. Thats what she wants too . She wantes to make sure that you're around alot longer you big lug! She Loves you that much and by staying off the cigarettes your showing her you Love her just as much. On top of that she needs your help, she's asking for it . Its very hard to start a new habit without someone else there to help them. It inspires them and the two of you can look to each other for the help you'll need.

 

I know you're tryng to lose weight but if you use smoking as a crutch then what happens when you finally lose the weight then try to stop smoking??? I'm not trying to sound holier than Thou here. I've done it all lost weight, gave up smoking and drinking too.

None of it was that easy but I took each one one day at a time. I lost 60lbs., I used to enjoy medicinal smoking on a daily basis, and I used to enjoy my Black Velvet quite a bit.

 

As i watched my ex descend into trouble I realized i needed to be a partner and give up those thing because i realized the problems they were causeing us and might cause or kids. I know your kids are grown but you have grandchildren now and they will be influenced by you.

 

Then theres us your friends here, In New York and on Venture Riders .We want you around a good long time. So if one thing didn't work try something else. Keep trying , don't giving up, you have a lot of people here rooting for you. Put down those cigarettes.

 

As Red Green says: We're all in this together! Your Buddy Phil.

[BoomerCPO]

I quit about 30 minutes ago, but I don't think it's going to last.

 

Keep the faith!

 

I smoked my last one 3 hours ago. I am all out and I refuse to go to the Store and buy more. I will take it 1 day at a time.....and today will be a long day.............sigh.

[Bluesman]

50 and still smokin'!

 

Bluez

[BIG TOM]

Okay Tom , Taters put this up as inspiration. She wanted you to see that alot of people have done it and won. Everyone is different and different things work for different people. But Taters stopped for one big reason and that is her health and her health is important because it means she going to be around a lot long for you. Thats what she wants too . She wantes to make sure that you're around alot longer you big lug! She Loves you that much and by staying off the cigarettes your showing her you Love her just as much. On top of that she needs your help, she's asking for it . Its very hard to start a new habit without someone else there to help them. It inspires them and the two of you can look to each other for the help you'll need.

 

I know you're tryng to lose weight but if you use smoking as a crutch then what happens when you finally lose the weight then try to stop smoking??? I'm not trying to sound holier than Thou here. I've done it all lost weight, gave up smoking and drinking too.

None of it was that easy but I took each one one day at a time. I lost 60lbs., I used to enjoy medicinal smoking on a daily basis, and I used to enjoy my Black Velvet quite a bit.

 

As i watched my ex descend into trouble I realized i needed to be a partner and give up those thing because i realized the problems they were causeing us and might cause or kids. I know your kids are grown but you have grandchildren now and they will be influenced by you.

 

Then theres us your friends here, In New York and on Venture Riders .We want you around a good long time. So if one thing didn't work try something else. Keep trying , don't giving up, you have a lot of people here rooting for you. Put down those cigarettes.

 

As Red Green says: We're all in this together! Your Buddy Phil.

 

 

Just threw my pack in the fireplace..better to stop now...just started to smoke again a couple of weeks ago..better to do it now while Im smoking 5 or 6 cigarettes a day rather than a pack and a half....one day at a time...one day at a time....

[Sailor]

I quit when I was 16. I took a look at the people I was with and asked myself why was I smoking, I didn't even like it. The answer was to make me look big. I figured if it took something that small to make me look big I was pretty small. I quit right then.

I have smoked a pipe but then I could no longer get the tobacco I liked so quit. I do enjoy a good Cohiba on special occasions, once or twice a year, but that is it.

[steppenwolf]

Quit in'88 after 25 years...still want one once in awhile and have nightmares about smoking but you have my permission to witch slap me if I start again.Wasn't easy and hated people who said "If I can do it so can you" Self Rightgeous ***holes.To me it was getting in the habit of NOT smoking. I can have coffee and beer and not want a smoke...lucky..plus a wife who would have kicked my *ss if I did..If I had to do it alone I would have failed.

[eazyduzzit]

Just threw my pack in the fireplace..better to stop now...just started to smoke again a couple of weeks ago..better to do it now while Im smoking 5 or 6 cigarettes a day rather than a pack and a half....one day at a time...one day at a time....file:///C:/Users/Jim/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif

I quit about 30 minutes ago, but I don't think it's going to last.

I smoked my last one 3 hours ago. I am all out and I refuse to go to the Store and buy more. I will take it 1 day at a time.....and today will be a long day.............sigh

Good luck to anyone who is quitting. It's hard to do, but if you can stick with it you'll be glad you did. It's great to be free.

[TxVenture]

I quit smoking about 5 yrs. ago. Thought yeah, things going my way. Well, last May got a surprise I didn't want. Was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer. Have went thru the chemo and radiation and hopefully things are looking up. I can't emphasize how much you don't want to go down that road!! My strength is finally starting to come back slowly and I am able to go to work a full week now which I hadn't been able to do for about 8 mos. Not only is the disease debilitating physically, but the impact on life in general is almost as bad. Just the economic effect is bad what with lost work time, and the cost of Dr. visits, prescriptions, etc.

I am not crying the blues at all, just relating my experiences and hopefully if just one person reads this and stops smoking, then it has been worth it.

Yes, I still miss having a good smoke after meals and a cup of coffee, BUT, it's not going to happen any more. I started out smoking "Old Golds" I pilfered from my folks when I was in high school, then went on to other brands of cigarettes. When I was in the Navy we would run out of the popular brands of cigs before the cruise was over and I took up a pipe. After I got out, I continued for a couple of years with the cigs, then went to a pipe only. Smoked "Prince Albert" thru a unfiltered pipe for probably 20+ yrs. before quitting.

Not gonna say, "if I can do it, you can also". Had that told to me so many times it got to be very aggravating to say the least. Just gonna say PLEASE STOP!

 

Don H.

[krome rose]

Two years last August because I spent $850.00 getting my teeth cleaned, and whitened by Zoom, and getting healthy gums again. I was tired of smelling bad, bad breath, unable to breathe, and wondering if every time I got a cold or congestion it was cancer, or if it was a cold that I wouldn't have to suffer with as long if I wasn't smoking.

 

Now we have money to go on Venture rides, or out for a bite more often.

 

Brandy

[Long Tall]

Quit on 10-3-08.....Used the Chantix for 5 weeks...Don't miss it now at all......Glad I did it....

 

George in Virginia

 

:banana: