Calling all former smokers

I am curious to know how many of our members have been smokers once in their lives and have since quit....due to health reasons or because it is not socially acceptable any longer.

Watching old movies or re-runs of all the shows we watched in the 50's and 60's always portrays people smoking. Especially the old sitcoms. Everyone smoked. Lucy and Ricky...Dick Van Dyke...Ward Cleaver etc. etc. etc.

I quit smoking in May, 08 and although I am very proud of myself...I miss it.

What are you're thoughts?

I spent 39 bucks and got hypnotized in 1990. Walked out and threw away a carton of kools. Was a 2.5 pack a day smoker before that since 72. Best money I ever spent. Saved enough each month to go out and buy a new car with that money. And it wasn't a cheap car.

I spent 39 bucks and got hypnotized in 1990. Walked out and threw away a carton of kools. Was a 2.5 pack a day smoker before that since 72. Best money I ever spent. Saved enough each month to go out and buy a new car with that money. And it wasn't a cheap car.

BuddyRich,

Thanks for the imput. Big Tom needs a talking to.

He quit with me back in May and has started up again. Not as bad as before...but never the less...smoking. HELP!

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.

Most of the grown-ups I knew when I was a kid were smokers. I started smoking at 10 years old. When I met my first wife who hated the smell of cigarettes I gave 'em up. I don't miss them at all.In fact I can't stand the smell of them any more and most of my friends are non-smokers.

buddyrich,

 

thanks for the imput. Big tom needs a talking to.

he quit with me back in may and has started up again. Not as bad as before...but never the less...smoking. help!

ex smokers.....give me a break, will ya hon!!!!! I'm dieting now.....

ex smokers.....give me a break, will ya hon!!!!! I'm dieting now.....

Ah ...but that is one of the oldest excuses....I know, I used it myself, once upon a time....

Change your life....quit smoking! Loose weight! Take a deep breath enjoy the air, enjoy the flowers, the trees, you are missing it all......

I quit 3 years ago. Smoked about 1 pack a day. What I really miss is my occassional cigar while riding, fishing, and golf. Otherwise, I don't miss the smokes.

Smoked for around 20 years or so, and turned it over to Jesus Christ in 1987 and never looked back. Becky did the same thing...

I had started smoking when I was 17 and quit when I was 23. I was a pack a day smoker. I originally started because at 17, I was already 6'5" tall and was showing no signs of stopping. I'd heard the stories about smoking stunting your growth, so I figured this might be a good way to curb my growth. My quitting was a result of two things. I had developed the "smoker's cough" and cigarette prices had just jumped from 55 cents a pack to a horrendous 75 cents a pack! That was an outrage that I didn't have to take!

Smoked for around 20 years or so, and turned it over to Jesus Christ in 1987 and never looked back. Becky did the same thing...

What Bob said, Smoked for about 25 years and asked the Lord to rid me of the habit

and he did. Thank you Jesus.

I have no desire.

What are you're thoughts?

My thoughts are that it would be nice if everyone you associated with was on the same side of this addiction. As a non-smoker who has friends that do indulge, it would sure would simplify a lot of things for me if they quit.....

I'd save on laundering my clothes, my car wouldn't smell when it gets fixed in their garages, they'd have a lot more money to buy me coffees, lunches and desserts, they might not have as many traffic accidents while driving in dense fog to go buy smokes, they could car pool with me to Venturerider meet and eats during the winter time, on and on...........BUT I'm sure it'd be simpler for them too if I just started smoking, then they wouldn't have to spend so much time complaining about all the money I have. So I guess it's six of one, half dozen of another....we all do what we want to do; I like doing laundry and getting my car fixed, they like breathing smoke and burning money.

This thread has been run before several years ago but it's always interesting and if it gives just one person a reason or the will power to quit it turns out to be a great thread.

I tried to quit hundreds of times. Finally in 1980 after smoking for almost 20 years I was able to smoke my last cigarette.

No health problems, just something I thought I should do.

I quit cold turkey.

I do have a new habit though. I am a Carpenter and since I quit smoking I carry a carpenter pencil around in my mouth like a cigarette so the ends are all chewed up.

Jerry

Just before I turned 14, when all my friends were starting to smoke, I got a brand new 125 Ducati Bronco. At that time a pack of cigs and a gallon of gas were about the same, as it usually has been over the years. I found that I could have a lot more fun on a gallon of gas that a pack of cigarettes.

Well, 44 years later I am still riding a motorcycle and a gallon of gas is probably less than half a pack of cigarettes(at least at the present time).

I dated a couple of girls that smoked, but married one that didn't.

RandyA

Two years ago last August and I can honestly say I don't miss it. For the first few weeks I missed that after dinner smoke, but now I can't stand the smell.

Never picked up the habit myself but wife smokes. She had it kicked once. Like Buddyrich she did the hypnotizing route and I can say that it did work for about 4 years. Then with all the added stress of rearing grandchildren full time she is back at it again. I complain but gets me nowhere. I hate the things never could understand the pull, plus the devastation that they do to your body. Should be banned for sale.

Never really was a smoker, but I chewed about a half tin a day for over 25 years. I quit Jan 1. It was really screwing with my sleep and my kids were on me about it.

I really miss it, but won't go back.

RR

Never picked up the habit myself but wife smokes. She had it kicked once. Like Buddyrich she did the hypnotizing route and I can say that it did work for about 4 years. Then with all the added stress of rearing grandchildren full time she is back at it again. I complain but gets me nowhere. I hate the things never could understand the pull, plus the devastation that they do to your body. Should be banned for sale.

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!

Furthermore, they also recently passed a law that says no one can smoke in a public area that is within 3 meters of any public building doorway or air intake and Vancouver went one step further and increased that to 6 meters. So, essentially, if you smoke, you really can't walk down the street without breaking the law! For a while when that law first came out, every security guard in every building was kicking smokers away from the building entrances... that was maybe 6 or more month's ago... now, they can't be bothered because to enforce it would take up too much legal resources, ...police, courts, fine collecting, etc etc.

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)

The Wife & I quit back some 14yrs ago. Done it Cold Turkey. The wife just about drove me back to smoking but the I purchased another bike and have been good ever since. The health benefits of buying a bike are amazing and a mans life becomes peaceful once more. LOL HAHA

 

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)

 

You are absolutely right! Make it illegal. But like you say the TAX, gotta have the TAX :mo money:without it were would the money come from to fund the next lame brain scheme.

I've also given them up, about 8 years ago. I keep telling everyone it took me thiry years to quit. I was a pack and a half a day smoker, did it cold turkey. It was rough for a bit but then smoothed out. I still get a craving now and then, mostly for a gooood cigar, but I know not to touch. One, is one too many, a thousand not enough! I honestly don't know how my wife put up with the smell all those years.

Stopped on Aug. 1, 1990. Missed it for about 2 years. But did it because I wanted too. Since the rest of my family smokes, it makes the holidays a real "thrill"

My wife quit like 10 years ago, but it was extremely hard for her. She quit cold turkey because of a medical issue which came with an "OR ELSE" clause in the treatment. I was (am) very proud of her. She's very strong when she needs to be.

I, on the other hand, was still smoking up until February 2 of 2007. I was an idiot smoker. If I got a slight cold or a sore throat I'd just switch to Kool or Salem for a day or two, then go back to My usual Marlboro reds or on occasion..Pall Mall regular un filtered. I was always a situational smoker. You know, morning coffee, mid-morning coffee, luch, after meals, after/with a cold beer, on a trip. I enjoyed smoking as long as I didn't have run anywhere. I already knew I had COPD and was trying to cut down...I was down to a half a pack a day from 2-2.5 packs a day. Long story short.......I got a cold on Friday and by Sat. in was in my chest and I literally could not breathe. It was like fast onset pneumonia or something. I've never been so scared in my life; I seriously thought I was going to die before I could get it straightened out. In the wee hours of the night, I had a couple of serious discussions with my Creator and "made a bargain". I told Him, if He would only cut me some slack and recover, I'd never put another to my lips. Finally got to the Dr. and they put me on IV steroid of some kind and some heavy duty antibiotic and I gradually returned to some semblance of normal. Have stayed good to my word since. I've wanted one on occasion, but my agreement and a vivid memory are sufficient to keep me away from them.

That my story for what it's worth!

I found it very easy to quit smoking. I must have quit dozens of times. The hard part was not starting again! I've managed to go a few days, sometimes several weeks, and once went two years between putting one out and lighting the next one. Last one I put out was about 3 1/2 years ago. I always went cold turkey. Figured if I couldn't do it on my own, it probably wouldn't last. Sometimes I still want one... but I know what having even one would lead to. You do have to be ready to quit. If your head and heart aren't into it, you'll be lighting up that next one before long.

Good luck!

Growing up in a smoking family, I had to try it. Guess I was about 8 or so. Coughed and sputtered for a while but I was determined(same as stupid I think). I was about 11 or so before I was hooked pretty good. Had a full time job after school and the guy down at a local shop didn't care who bought what as long as you paid for it. Smoked until about '95 and decided I just didn't need to be doing it anymore. Prices were going up and they had just told us we couldn't smoke in the building anymore so I gave it up. 40+ years was enough! Hard, you betcha! but I started out chewing on those little Bandit thingys. Terrible tasting... yuk.. then I got some nicotine gum. I'm not much of a gum chewer.. so that didn't last long. A couple weeks had passed tho and I found I could actually get through the day. Got some hard candy, peanuts and some trail mix and just kept on going. Do feel better and don't cough like I used to. Might even allow me to live 10 minutes longer.