Well, seeing as I am trying to get a job as a Border Patrol Agent, and I need to get back in shape so that I can run the mile and a half that is required to pass the physical fitness test, I've been trying to quit smoking. Been doing quite well, going from a pack a day down to about 5-6 a day at most, but still having troubles quitting entirely. Was down to nothing but a cigar a day for a few days, but ended up buying a pack and starting to smoke cigarettes again, leading back up to 5-6 a day...

Anyone have any pointers to help me quit? What worked for you guys? I've already removed the stressful situations that caused me to go up to a pack a day from the half pack a day I used to smoke, but thats only temporary. Anything you guys can suggest is greatly appreciated, I can't do this crap anymore after 12 years of it (started when I was 11). My sinuses and lungs hate me already..Not to mention I can't really afford it either...My wallet will thank me as well

Thanks,

-Brian

[This message has been edited by Xerces_Blackthorne (edited 03-08-2009).]

Don't buy anymore. Worked for me. Not hanging around people that smoke until smelling it doesn't influence you helps also. If you get a craving, have something to do to take your mind off of it. A game to play, work on your car, something. Something to snack on. Want a cigarette? Have a piece of licorise instead.

I woke up Jan 12th, just over 2 years ago, and decided I had enough. I threw what cigarettes I had left away, and just chose not to smoke anymore. Haven't had one since that day. It wasn't easy, but if your determined to do it you can.

I believe if I did it anyone else can. I'd say good luck, but you don't need it. Here's to success!

[This message has been edited by Khw (edited 03-08-2009).]

Patches and Willpower.

Khw, did the same thing. Woke up with a swollen throat and said enough was enough. Smoked another one, threw away my lighters (poor zippo ) and crushed the pack...oddly enough it didnt work to break what was left...pulled em out and broke em in half, then threw them away with the rest of the crap...

I've tried the patches, they don't work worth crap for me...hence the reason I am going cold turkey...main thing is, I need to find something to do with my hands....can't really work on the car, nowhere to do it, and nothing to do right now...

Probably doesn't help that my g/f smokes, as well as everyone around me...main reason I am staying at my moms right now, since she quit and no one else here smokes...plus its less stressful here than where I am currently living...

Us guys always have something nearby to play with lol

Grab a pack of sticky notes and write all sorts of things that will inspire you

Put them on EVERYTHING

I just stopped in 1985..I got nauseated from a chain a smoking night at my mother's place (she was a chain smoker). I never went back. At that time a pack was $1.35 which I felt was too much to spend. Now at $5/pack it is way too much. I wish I could get my older brother to quit as he goes through a cigarette every 10 minutes during waking hours. I stop at JRs when I drive north and will drop $270 for 10 cartons. Last year we picked up 30 cartons. I can think of lots other things to spend that much money on. Considering that cigaretts ate $45/ carton in NY (the last I knew) he did save big bucks.

Brian, I quit smoking in 1981 after 15 years of a pack a day. There were not any patches then. My main help was that I took up running. I replaced a bad habit with a good habit. Still running to this day. And if I fell off the wagon and had a cigarette or was with the guys and had a couple beers and smoked a whole pack of them the next day I forgave myself and started over. Eventually I was through with them.
Larry

I haven't seen anything on the news but taxes are going up on cigarettes.

If you disagree with something legal, tax it until everyone stops.

Guns, alcohol, high fat foods are next.

I'm going to stop just not to give them any more money.

http://www.taxfoundation.org/blog/show/24296.html

Federal Cigarette Tax Increase Signed Into Law; Raises Taxes on Families Earning Under $250,000

by Joseph Henchman


President Obama yesterday signed into law H.R. 2, a 4-1/2 year reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program (formerly State Children's Health Insurance Program). The bill is estimated to fund health insurance for the existing 7 million beneficiaries, and expand it to a net further 4 million at 300% of the poverty level with the most favorable federal matching funds. (I say "net" because it takes into account children who currently have private insurance, and a smaller number who have Medicaid, who will be induced to drop it and enter the more generous government program.) It had passed the House by a vote of 290-135 and the Senate by a vote of 66-32.

The "pay for" for the reauthorization is a hike in the federal cigarette tax from 39 cents per 20-cigarette pack to $1.0066 per 20-cigarette pack, effective March 31, 2009. As my colleague Gerald Prante and I noted, a politically popular and expensive program should never be funded by a small, low-income, politically unpopular minority like cigarette smokers. Just because the government needs revenue to fund some general spending program that has broad benefits doesn't mean that an arbitrarily selected group of people should pay the tax. Popular, expensive, broadly available public programs should be paid for with broad-based taxes on income or consumption. In our paper, we run through many of the non-revenue reasons for raising cigarette taxes for S-CHIP and find them wanting.

As some have noted, this law breaks President Obama's campaign pledge that "no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase...not any of your taxes." According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 95.8% of tobacco expenditures are made by consumer units (people spending together) who earn under $150,000 a year. Essentially all of this tax increase will be paid by families earning less than $250,000, and probably those earning substantially less than that.

So far, the mini electronic cigarette is working for me. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, here's a video review of it.



http://www.e-cig.org/

The biggest advantage of the e-cigarette (other than the fact that you're not inhaling smoke), is that you can choose the level of nicotine that's in your refill. You can start off with a regular nicotine refill, and work your way down to a zero nicotine refill; at which point, all you're getting is the flavor of the vapor. Speaking of flavor, you can get flavors like: Marlboro, menthol, cherry, apple, chocolate, coffee, etc.

The site sells the kit around $150. If you shop around online, you can find the same kit for around $50. I got my kit from an ebay store for $50, which was the same kit shown at the site, plus it included an additional 20 refills.

1st ! you HAVE TO WANT TO QUIT !!!!! no other way around it!!!

2nd. stop drinking ( we know smoking and drinking go together) after sex...well try not to OR go for seconds

3rd The doc GAVE me free samples of welbutrin ( generiac to Zyban) worked like a charm! but only used it AFTER the mind set to quit.
4th...very important!!! see #1

eat candy, keep hands busy, don't think about it, see #1, easy on the drinking,sex,after dinner

Don't hang around with smokers or in smokey places. Substitute chewing gum at the times you would smoke.

Those are coming from a non smoker but i think they would be good.

(I didn't read the other replies yet)

well, what worked for me was surgery. had my wisdom teeth removed. between the knock out gas, and the pain pills - I was basicly unconcsious for a week. and, when I came to - the nicotine was cleared, and I didnt go back for almost 2 years.

That proves it, wisdom teeth make you smoke!

I quit a pack a day for over 35 years, just over a year ago.
Here's how I did it:

1. I took Chantex.
2. They made me so nauseous (not their intended purpose) I promised I would never smoke again if I could STOP taking the pills.

Worked perfect.

I quit smoking about 4.5 years ago. Like mentioned above, you have to build up enough willpower to do it. The greatest quit-smoking program in the world is useless, if you decide to light up another cigarette.

So, the big question is: how do you build up the willpower? The specifics will depend on each person. So you'll have to do some creative thinking. But IMO, if you make the decision and actively work toward the goal, then you're halfway there.

I've gotten to the point where I can't even stand the smell of tobacco smoke any more. It bothers my sinuses. I no longer date women who smoke, because the tobacco smell on a woman is repulsive.

So yeah, you can do it. Plenty of other people have. You just have to put your mind to it.

You can always have all you teeth pulled out and chunks of you jaw removed. It worked for me.

quote Originally posted by Pyrthian: well, what worked for me was surgery. had my wisdom teeth removed. between the knock out gas, and the pain pills - I was basicly unconcsious for a week. and, when I came to - the nicotine was cleared, and I didnt go back for almost 2 years.

lol - I guess I took the wimps approach....

I quit a 3+ pack/day habit 2.5 years ago cold turkey. My reasons were not for health but more of saving $250+/month.

Quitting cold turkey was not difficult for me. You have to want to quit and it can't be a half-assed desire.

I cleared all ashtrays out of my home. My wife stepped outside to smoke. And, I removed all packs of cigarettes from my sight.

That was for the first 10-14 days. After that, I had to step out into the smoking area with my buddies that smoked. The physical addiction and all nicotine was washed out of my body. The psychological addition remain for MONTHS!

Disclaimer: I quit after Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery. Every time I had a bad nicotine fit, I'd pop another percocet. Nic fits while stoned are not a difficult battle to fight.

Well im not you (I dont smoke) but i do know that it is much easier to break a habit if you are put into a different "environment". If you have a regular routine then that habit will be part of that routine.

For as long as it takes, sleep somewhere you are unfamiliar with, change hours at work, drive a car you never drive, change things up. If you succeed make sure to prepare yourself for going back to your normal routine, the urges can easily come back.

Thanks guys I'll be sure to try these ideas out

At the moment though, I've fallen off the wagon bought another pack today after I finished lunch Thats the real issue, I'm so used to routinely smoking after a meal that I actually crave nicotine when finished eating...same with waking up in the morning and before I go to bed, got into the habit of smoking then (broke that habit though already, so its been a small victory)...

quote Originally posted by Xerces_Blackthorne: Thanks guys I'll be sure to try these ideas out At the moment though, I've fallen off the wagon bought another pack today after I finished lunch Thats the real issue, I'm so used to routinely smoking after a meal that I actually crave nicotine when finished eating...same with waking up in the morning and before I go to bed, got into the habit of smoking then (broke that habit though already, so its been a small victory)...

Then, IMHO, you do not want to quit smoking. You are not serious about quitting. You can't quit if you keep falling for the "it's part of my routine" bit. You need to break your routine. You need to remove yourself from your routine. You need to stop yourself from plopping down the money to pay for that pack of cigarettes.

For the most part, I've been doing pretty well considering...I do want to quit, and its not so much the fact that its part of my routine, more along the lines of the nic fits that get to me...I've tried the patches, the gums, the lozenges, etc to no avail. Hence the cold turkey approach...

I'm going to try the E cigarette and see how well that works, I can get one on ebay for about 20 with 10 refills, or one with 55 refills for about $47.

I'm in for one hell of a rough road with this aren't I?

quote Originally posted by Xerces_Blackthorne: For the most part, I've been doing pretty well considering...I do want to quit, and its not so much the fact that its part of my routine, more along the lines of the nic fits that get to me...I've tried the patches, the gums, the lozenges, etc to no avail. Hence the cold turkey approach... I'm going to try the E cigarette and see how well that works, I can get one on ebay for about 20 with 10 refills, or one with 55 refills for about $47. I'm in for one hell of a rough road with this aren't I?

With that post.....YES.

Quitting cold turkey is kind of like the Yoda Quote: "Do or Do Not. There is no try."

That E cigarette is probably just flushing your money down the drain.

Sorry to be so hard on you with my posts. Cold Turkey is the only successful way to quit in my book. Many have quit with Chantix or other drugs. Some have quit with the patch, but I think cold turkey has the highest success rate.

quote Originally posted by Xerces_Blackthorne: At the moment though, I've fallen off the wagon bought another pack today after I finished lunch

Then throw them out now. You waste your money enough times you won't do it anymore.

I quit smoking 2 years ago and I used the patch. First go have your car (if you only have one) proffesionally cleaned inside and out second do not drive home the same way you have been going; you know where all the stores are on you old route and it is habit to pull into the same store. Eat lunch at places that don't alow smoking. Avoid smokers and place that alow smoking. Change all your routines. My Chevelle sat in the garage for 8 months with no work being done beacuse I loved to smoke while I worked on it. When you go to a store (wal mart et al) stay away from the lanes that have smokes in them. If you smoke while playing on the computer leave the computer alone. Write down your triggers (what causes you to want to smoke) and next to the trigger write down what you plan to do to keep from smoking at that time. When you feel the urge to smoke (nic fit) sit calmly and breath deeply, close your eyes and focus on why you are quiting. The biggest thing I learned when I quit was that you are not just quitting smoking you are going to have to change your lifestyle...every bit of it. Get a non-smoker who really would like to see you quit and ask them if you can call them when you are fighting the urge. Ohh and one last thing. If you do light a smoke forgive yourself for slipping don't beat your self up just start fresh again. Hope some of this helps.

Shelby

quote Originally posted by aceman: That E cigarette is probably just flushing your money down the drain.

That e-cigarette is working fine for me.

I quit cold turkey some time ago, and didn't smoke for about 3 or 4 months. The first two weeks were HARD, but the next two weeks weren't so bad. After the first month, I no longer had the urge to smoke.

My downfall was when when summer rolled around, I started playing pool & going bowling with my friends. We'd be at the bar, and they'd be there smoking. I'd be there with them, and I kinda felt like the odd man out; as I didn't have my normal flavored cigars to smoke. Over time, I ended up getting flavored cigars and it wasn't long before I was buying packs of my usual "flavored" cigarettes again.

Today, I have my e-cigarette; and I have flavored cartridges that go into the e-cigarette which have zero nicotine. Now I can go out with my friends, and they can smoke all they want. If I feel like I need a "hit", I just take a few puffs off my e-cigarette. I get the flavor like I used to get from my flavored cigars, but without the harmful smoke that I used to get from them. The added bonus is because the cartridges I use have zero nicotine, I'm not smoking something that makes my body think that I "have to have another". I "smoke" whenever I'm going out with my friends as that's my habit, but I'm not smoking any other time. I can smoke whenever I want to smoke, and I'm not doing any damage to by lungs.

EDIT: The beauty of the e-cigarette, is that you can start off with full nicotine cartridges; then move to lighter nicotine, to zero cartridges as you no longer need your nicotine fix.

[This message has been edited by Deabionni (edited 03-10-2009).]

Oh, and the truth no one is telling you.

We all still want one, during some part of every single day.

My advice, when you feel like smoking, just take a 5 min. break from your day and think. Relax. Take you mind off the task at had for a few min. then get back to it. That or chew gun, or use sunflower seeds. Replace one habit with another less distructive one.

“Topic: Trying to quit smoking cold turkey. Anyone have any tips? “

How did you ever get hooked on

“smoking cold turkey” ?

Well you asked

Steve

------------------
Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't.
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 03-10-2009).]

quote Originally posted by DR650SE: Relax. Take you mind off the task at had for a few min. then get back to it. That or chew gun,

Oh, for heavens sake, don't do anything that drastic!

quote Originally posted by 84fiero123: “Topic: Trying to quit smoking cold turkey. Anyone have any tips? “ How did you ever get hooked on “smoking cold turkey” ? Well you asked Steve

For you Steve, the title should read "Trying to quit smoking using the cold turkey method: lol, maybe I outta be more specific next time for the sarcastic ones

Well, back on the wagon again today...gonna chuck the last half of the pack that I bought and start quitting again...woke up with a swollen throat again this morning, now I remember one of the main reasons for quitting...

Just curious how this is going?

quote Originally posted by Deabionni: Today, I have my e-cigarette; and I have flavored cartridges that go into the e-cigarette which have zero nicotine. Now I can go out with my friends, and they can smoke all they want. If I feel like I need a "hit", I just take a few puffs off my e-cigarette. I get the flavor like I used to get from my flavored cigars, but without the harmful smoke that I used to get from them. The added bonus is because the cartridges I use have zero nicotine, I'm not smoking something that makes my body think that I "have to have another". I "smoke" whenever I'm going out with my friends as that's my habit, but I'm not smoking any other time. I can smoke whenever I want to smoke, and I'm not doing any damage to by lungs. EDIT: The beauty of the e-cigarette, is that you can start off with full nicotine cartridges; then move to lighter nicotine, to zero cartridges as you no longer need your nicotine fix.

You do know that the E-cigs use Propylene glycol to create the vapor and that the FDA hasn't tested it.

Propylene Glycol is used as a
less-toxic antifreeze.
As the killing and preserving agent in pitfall traps, usually used to capture ground beetles
To de-ice aircraft
As a working fluid in hydraulic presses
As a solvent used in mixing photographic chemicals, such as film developers
As an ingredient, along with wax and gelatin, in the production of paintballs

Inhalation
Low hazard for usual industrial handling. May cause respiratory tract irritation.

Chronic Inhalation
May cause reproductive and fetal effects. Laboratory experiments have resulted in mutagenic effects. Exposure to large doses may cause central nervous system depression.

Chronic ingestion
May cause lactic acidosis and possible seizures.

It was said before, you gotta want to quit, or you will go back. I did. Twice. Thirteen years ago the last time. No tapering off, no 'light' smokes, no substitute device, no chemical suppressants. I was 'just' a pack a day guy. I woke up one day and said 'enough' and declared it to my wife. She had wanted to quit too. Now she is a rabid nonsmoker. You know the type.

Yes, you will want one from time to time, it gets less frequent with time. RESIST. I had a brief urge a couple weeks ago, outta nowhere.

Forgive yourself.

I'll never be a habitual smoker ever again...

[This message has been edited by USFiero (edited 06-04-2009).]

I've been 1 month now cold turkey


The reason why i quit is that i was just fed up with living my life around a pack of smokes. Everything i would do would involve how many smokes i had on me and if i had a lighter? and if i didnt - did i have cash to buy smokes? - was there a store near by? I smoked for 8 years straight (started young) and i quit cold turkey and all the people that work for me smoke, and smoke right infront of me - they didn't stop either, every day that i've been smoke free, they've been right in front of me smoking...

A) I admit to myself that no matter what my brain comes up with, im not going to smoke...so my cravings just give up
B) Give yourself a reason - my reason was a bad one, but for a good cause - someone i knew was (in my opinion) the worst person in existance - liar, cheater, ugly, fat, poor, smelly...i hated him and still do and i wanted to make myself as much UNLIKE him as possible - he was a smoker - i do not ever want to turn out like him - so i quit smoking and i've also started to lose a little weight...that was my reason - find yours and you'll never go back.


The best thing i did was just admit to myself that whatever little reasons that my cravings came up with why i CAN have a smoke

Eg.

"Cammon, you've gone like 5 days without a smoke, one is a LOT better - if you have only one every 5 days, then whats the big deal - thats way better than 25 a day! Just take a few drags, it'll make the cravings go away for now and no one will know - whats the big deal"

or

"Fu*k it, i can do whatever i want - everyone dies eventually - i'd rather die well fed and full of smoke than skinny and smoke free - i can get hit by a car today and die - im not gonna worry about dying from smoking"


These are just some of the things that would come across my mind when i was (and still am) quitting - i was able to strand right in front of people smoking right in front of me and not have a smoke (sure! i wanted one). I just told myself "No matter what i think or come up with, its not going to happen...and thats it"


1 month - cold turkey - and no smoke

Hope it helps

I quit smoking cold turkey about 30 years ago. I used to smoke two packs a day and smoked for over ten years. I still have "smoking" dreams from time to time, but I don't have any cravings for them anymore.

Well, I failed miserably lol... Still smoking, albeit not as much. Switched to the Blu E-Cig and have to say its helped me cut back on how much I smoke with normal cigarettes. Instead of half a pack a day with normal cigs, I can now make a pack last me about 4-5 days since I bought the Blu.

So I'm slowly getting there. Using Light cartriges with the Blu that have a lower mg level of nicotine than a normal cig (Marlboro has 7mg per cig, the Blu cartrige is about 4.5mg for the equivalent of 15 normal cigs)

One step at a time I suppose

I quit cold about 23 years ago, which is good or I'ld probably not be here now. It is a hard thing to do. I did it when I got married. I was off work for 4 weeks (smoked alot at work) moved into a new house with a non-smoking wife and went on a two week vacation. the change helped.
It was still hard though, for about 10 years after quiting, every cigarette I saw, I wanted. It really does require commitment. I know some people have had really good luck with medical based/supported attempts to quit. You could check with your physician if he/she knows of a good program in your area. Any way, Best of luck to you.

[This message has been edited by GTMN (edited 06-04-2009).]

I and another Fiero fanatic went to a hypnosis thing, I really went to support him. I like my tobacco habit. But I did quit for a while, the problem is, I like my tobacco. So sue me. He's still smoke free, I keep encouraging him. I think he's gonna make it.

Good luck to you, cause if you don't really want to quit, you won't.

Ron

[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 06-04-2009).]

If you think about this logically, the easiest thing in the world to do is "nothing". Quitting smoking now means you don't have to do certain things:

1. You no longer have to drive to the store to by smokes.
2. You no longer have to stand out in the cold.
3. You don't have to be self conscious about the odor of your hair and clothing.
4. You no longer have to drop ashes in your car
5. You no longer have to drop $5+ per day

Change up your habit patterns to avoid certain times that you smoke. For example, if you light up each day going to the mailbox, do something to break that cycle. Walking the dog? Taking out the trash? Watering the lawn? These are the times I tend to light up without even thinking about it. You now MUST be conscious of these times and resist the temptation.