I have stopped SMOKING!

“I had to stop smoking cigars recently. I'm not exactly what I would qualify as a "smoker", but smoked a few nice quality cigars per week until recently.

My medical insurance company sent me a letter saying that if anyone in my family used ANY tobacco products, then they would raise our medical ins premiums. Since I was the only one who used any, I went ahead and gave up the cigars. I haven't really missed them much, but when I want to sit on the porch and chill I kind of start wishing I had one.

This is a trend that is growing across the nation. Since I work at a hospital I've heard that this rule was coming but didn't know it would affect me personally. Also, I've heard that healthcare ins companies will soon start charging more for those that are overweight...just something to think about.

:D”

“its great to hear of all the successs you folks are having! Good for you, it gets easier I promise.”

“Mike, That's kinda like me. I only smoke the pipe about twice a week, usually while I'm in the garage roasting coffee. I like the occassional cigar too for a change of pace. That sucks about healthcare lumping all tobacco products in the same boat. I really don't think one can equate cigars and pipe tobacco to cigarettes...I've never felt a craving, I've even gone months between smokes.

I tell ya what, if you still have cigars lying around I will make the supreme sacrifice and take them off your hands so that you may be spared any temptation. I even have a humidor where they can be properly detained before being disposed. :-D

Seriously though, my brother smoked cigarettes for about 15 years and during a routine checkup the doc told him that his blood oxygen level was pretty low. That scared the #$%@ out of him and he quit cold turkey. That was about 7 yrs. ago and AFAIK he hasn't touched one since.”

“that's crazy about medical insurance... i agree as well... all tobacco products shouldn't be lumped together. i know some people who smoke a few cigars per YEAR... although i guess they have some qualifications with the insurance.”

“Ya know when ya get that overwhelming urge to smoke? And ya sit there and take some deep clean thing breaths waiting for it to pass knowing fully well these urges only last about 30? Yeah, well it don’t phucking work! After 30 seconds of clean thing breaths I still want top kill a bag full of kittens.”

“heehee...Nigal... it don't work I know! That's what they say, but it never worked with me either...

I started to do something to keep me busy, to get my mind of things.

Hmm...you quit? when?
Actually I never knew you smoked”

“What do you mean by that? What the phuck are saying? You looking for a fight? I’ll tear your arm off and beat you to death with it!!!! Err, what? What happened? What I just say? I think I had an outer body experience and I’m not certain but I think my head just spun around. LOL!

It’s been two days. I’m on the patch which helps a lot but I still find myself thinking some very negative thoughts and I have to really pull in the reins and get control. The biggest test is the fact I have a $5 bill in my pocket. Nothing weaker than a johnsing smoker with cold hard cash. If the only way I’d have was to go pick up cans along the hiway to get money for tobacco it’d be a lot easier. Haha!

Yeah I smoked from age 12-24, quit for like years, had one innocent cigar on a trip and this kicked off a 3 year struggle that ended Saturday.”

“Yeah, I had tried that before, but my cravings lasted about 30 hours, not 30 seconds.”

“That's a lot of deep breathing. I'd end up hyperventalating after 30 minutes.”

“yesterday was my month anniversary for quitting smoking : D

nigal, you can do it!!!”

“You can do it Nigal!

Good for you Scorchfire!

After awhile you won't miss it anymore. It's a long while, but it does happen.”

“Nigal... that was cute. heeheehee

of course you can do it again! Once in a while I smoke cigars by the campfire,but I never lust after a cigarette...maybe it's different with women because we in general really don't smoke cigars all the time.”

“Scorch,
how is your non-smoking going?”

“I read in the paper that Philadelphia is trying to ban smoking in restaurants and bars. The industry doesn't like it, but I think it protects workers and is a great idea. I think New York City did that, but I'm not sure.”

“several cities have done that in CO.”

“cali did that and I think parts of florida have as well...”

“All of FLA has. My brother in law was oe of the people who really pushed it through there.

There's talk of it happening in MI too. I hope it does; we're one of the most unhealthy states in the union. I'm tired of seeing butts everywhere and would love to be able to go to a bar without sticking afterwards.”

“if your getting sticky at the bar, your probably drinking too much Sass


:D”

“In 2 days it'll be my 2 year aniversary. 2 years ago June 1st...I stopped smoking.

even worse...I am way longer then 2 years on this board. THAT'S scary!!!
last edited: 5/30/05 4:29:09 PM”

“In new york state smoking is banned in all indoor establishments-the bars cried about it-still are -but it has been a great thing for us non-smokers--”

“and an even greater thing for those of us that recently quit!”

“maine is smoke free in indoor establishments, too. it's way cool!

ps. congrats gem! what a great accomplishment.”

“I haven't had a smoke since January the 2nd!”

“I have not smoked since last Wed. due to the fact I ahve been sick as a dog.
but I plan on keeping it that way.”

“Sorry you're sick Mapes. Glad you're not smoking though, keep it up! =)”

“I'm going on 3 months, but it still hurts, I want one bad, WHAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA, give me a cigarette you bastards!”

“gosh bison. it's still that bad?
wasn't bad for me at 3 month anymore. what was bad is that i felt secure enough to think that one cig can't hurt....

tsk...don't make that mistake. I know i keep repeating this...but it's true.”

“Indiana sucks if your a non smoker >:(”

“Bison, It's been 2 years and 5 monthes for me and I still have moments where I want one bad! I know I can't let myself have one, or one puff even. If I do I'll be smoking again, a pack a day in no time.”

“see..that would kill me... still wanting one BAD after 2 years?

great sass!!
and great bison of course too. I know if someone is strong enough it's you!
now stop the crying! lol

roam, you still don't smoke either right? yeahhh!!!

WE ROCK!!!!! ALL OF US!!!”

“yep! this October makes 5 years. Hard to believe.

And Yes, Gem.... I was already posting here and Double Yes, that's skeery as all get-out! (and I'm still a newbie... ) *VBG*



I can't help but wonder how many lives might have been saved if the tobacco companies had only come clean when they found out how dangerous their product was..... all those years ago.”

“i wish you could get my daughter to quit smoking. she was in the hospital for some day surgery and the doctor came out afterwards to tell us her problem was erosive gastritis(caused mostly by stress). he then went on to tell me that here lungs were more like that of a 62 y/o instead of a 22y/o. she also has asthma and being a nurse you would think she would get the connection. for the life of me i cannot understand why she even started smoking. she saw her grandmother, aunt and uncle all die from smoking related cancer. what can i say to her, it really broke my heart to hear the doctor tell me that!”

“roam, you still don't smoke either right? yeahhh!!!

WE ROCK!!!!! ALL OF US!!!”



damn skippy!”

“ouch.

I wish I knew, Cyndee.”

“tilt, can you tell i am really aganist smoking? many , many moons ago when i was dating i wouldn't even date a guy that smoked.”

“i won't date a woman that smokes - no way.

No matter how pretty she was or nice to me she is, i couldn't stand to be around her.”

“whooohoooo!!!!! awesome roam.
but hey...really now....you would NOT date a women that smokes? really??

I am not that bad yet...i mean my friends still smoke in my car, I even have a special ashtray for them...but they do have to keep the window open. lol”

“nope, I would NOT

it would be a tremendous temptation, and I don't need that.”

“true, i haven't thought about the temptation part...but temptation isn't really bothering me. I don't wanna smoke anymore for various reasons...so... I don't.

Not saying that I will never be tempted. could happen..but i deal with it when the time comes.

I am pretty strong willed in certain situations like smoking, dieting, climbing that damn peak...

not so strong willed when it comes to other stuff thou.”

“hmmmmmmmm

other stuff???

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm”

“no!! not that!!!! sheesh...roamy... i mean everything else, like going to the mailbox, like...well, like EVERYTHING else! tsshee tsshee...

you're funny!”

“good luck to all you quitters in progress out there, I'm with you (literally) haven't had one since 8/04. I don't consider not smoking that long to be any big deal. I did it for 15 mo.s about 3 years ago and then did my best impression of an idiot and started again. I'm exposed to it in my house. Most of my friends smoke. But I got this crazy idea that if you combine exercise [ie:hiking] with an attempt to stop that it might make stopping a little easier. So far it has helped by giving me a goal. But I have learned: warning: anything can trigger a relapse: you will truly always miss the cigarettes: the first one you have after six months or more of abstenence will be better than...; it is so easy to start again. BE CAREFUL You may not have "just one".”

“yes, I quit last year on June 1 - a year ago today and did great for about 3.5 months - I started a serious exercise program and set major goals. But I had a couple of relapses. The key is that I didn't let the relapses, even though they lasted about a month or so each time, get me completely off track.

Today, I can run 5 miles, I've lost weight, I feel GREAT, and i'm in better overall health and in better shape than I've been in 20 years.

And I feel better about myself than I've felt in a long time too. Quitting smoking did as much for my mental health as it did for my physical health.”

“hmm, I can't say I feel better...
I can't say I look better...

I am healthier I guess because of not smoking,
I smell better.
oh...and I guess I now age slower, which should save me the money on a face lift. heeheehee...j/k of course.


I did have my lungs tested once, and they where still below my age, so I wasn't doing to bad before I quit. I know there lots of other factors like lung cancer, etc... but hey...we all have to die sooner or later.

Health wasn't really my biggest concern when I quit.”

“I smoked for over 20 years - and over a pack a day for the majority of that time. I tried to quit a couple of times along the way and knew that it would take some heavy duty lifestyle adjustment to make it stick.

Health wasn't really a big concern, but I had come to realize that my smoking habit was seriously inhibiting my ability to do the things I wanted to do: hike, climb, date pretty girls younger than I, etc.
last edited: 5/31/05 11:04:19 PM”

“Congrats all! I never knew you smoked Roam. It is so surprizing to me how many backpackers I have met who smoke. I mean it just seems really weird. People who are health concious, environmentally concious and do lots of physical activity you would think wouldnt treat their bodies so badly!”

“1 week today

it is getting harder because i am starting to feel better.

really dont want to start again, so when i think about it i inhale real deep and start to cough, its working so far”

“go for it maple.

If I can quit - anyone can quit.


I've decided that i have an addictive personality - at least to some degree. And I really liked smoking - enjoyed it in fact.

It just was having such a negative impact on my overall life that it had to go. Now I wish they would just make cigarettes illegal and get them out of stores.”

“Hang in there Maple! You can do it!

Roam, I totally think the same thing. Every smoker has some sort of addictive personality. I guess that is why I have been able to be around so much stuff and occasionally do it but not want to make it a lifestyle.”

“maple...don't start again. you did it once, you can do it again!!!

2 years for me today in about 32 more minutes. lol”