I recently saw a bumper sticker on a car that made me stop and think. It read, “At least I can smoke in my car.” Out loud, I said, “Not if you have small children in the car with you.” Yes, you heard that right. I live in Louisiana. We have recently passed a law forbidding anyone from smoking in cars carrying children under 12. All restaurants are smoke free, as well. Also, you cannot be within 20 feet of a public entrance to smoke.
I understand why people smoke. I, too, used to smoke. By the time I was 15, I was a chain-smoker. I smoked at least a pack a day, sometimes more. Cigarettes relaxed me. They complemented a meal. Cigarettes and coffee just go well together. Especially at three in the morning while I’m trying to write.
I have been smoke free since July 8, 2000. The day before my 24th birthday. I was in New Orleans with my daughter. She was in the hospital for a heart surgery. While she was in surgery for four hours, I went downstairs to have a cigarette. There were about three other people in the courtyard smoking as well. One person seemed to stand out more than the others. He was not much older than me. His department tag read “Respiratory”. I shook my head and laughed to myself. I didn’t even finish the cigarette. It was then that it dawned on me what I was doing to my health, and to those around me.
I would love to hear comments from you. A couple of questions from me are
1. Do you currently smoke?
2. If so, have you ever tried to quiet? Why or Why not?
3. How long have you smoked?
4. If you have never smoked, do you know someone who does?
^_^ YEAH!! Yippy, Yes, I quit in may of 2004, I started when I was 11 years old, but didn't inhale till' I was 14 Lol. ya, well I never could stand the smell of smoke, so it didn't even make sense that I smoked myself. It stinks so bad I can't even go into a house where people smoke. I can't even take it when i walk down the street and I get a wiff of smoke by a passing car. Ya, it's that bad. don't know how I did it all those years with a terrible smokers cough and all too. I knew from quiting before that it was all in the mind, as soon as I felt an urge I would say to myself "I DON"T SMOKE" and mean it! the urge would go away, and after the first three days it was a sinch.
but where I work now we have helped a few people, this technique of not entertaining the thought of smoking is one way, and then there is breathing techniques where you take a long deep breath through he nose, hold it as long as you can without choking of course and then letting it out slowly. Doing this a few times every hour stops the non-stop compulsive thinking. For real try it on anything ^_^
so, when a person has decicded to quit and they must be sure or it won't work, they have got to NOT entertain the thoughts of a cigarette. like if a thought comes to mind don't start 'seeing' yourself smoking one and saying to yourself: 'oh, just one more' or anything like that, or begin to talk yourself out of it you know, because those thoughts is exactly what intensifys the urge, it becomes emotional! the moment you give in to the thought you have intensified the urge. So with that said I am going to bow out Lol! thanks MA Great subject.
have more to say but don't wish to be long winded. HA too late I already am Lolololol!! :D
Posted: Jun 15, 2008
First of all, nice artical.
Smoking is always a hot button for sure.
I started smoking when I was like 15, stealing one here or there from my dad, and gradually increased till I was smoking probably a pack and a half a day by the time I was 20. I enjoyed those coffee/smoke/writing times as well, along with the post-meal puffs, yes... But most of the smoking became that annoying tugg of habit, a comfort for the nerves. When I was 25 I still smoking a pack an a half, or so, when I got the flu real bad, with a terrible cough. The cough lasted for like three weeks, and I knew that smoking was the cuplrit. Whenever I got sick I couldn't stand to smoke, so I said to hell with this, and stopped cold turkey. That was ten years ago, and I hate to say that recently I've been having a few here and there. They're a pesky thing cigarettes. The best wisdom I have for anybody is to never light one up.
The no-smoking policy is well intended, but also one of those slippery slope issues of rights and freedoms vs health risks. I do believe that children and non-smokers should be protected from second hand smoke, but at the same time I believe that an establishment should be able to choose whether or not they allow smoking, because people do have the freedom to choose to get up and leave.
A very well written article, that definitly gets you thinking.
Posted: Jun 15, 2008
A relevant article. Speaking for myself, I have never been a smoker, although I have smoked a couple of times just to see what it was about smoking which attracted people to it.
Since many of my friends and colleagues are smokers, I have often wondered what made them want to smoke – was it the nicotine kick, was it the feeling of heat and smoke in the respiratory passage, was it the soothing that the repetitive action of the hand to the mouth produced, was it peer pressure, was it any or all of these combined, or more? I did not enjoy the experience (2 or 3 times, maybe) whenever I had tried, and so just did not pursue further (would I have continued had it been enjoyable, despite knowing the side effects? I doubt it.)
Some of my friends have tried to quit, because they knew of the health hazards – most of them have been unable to; some due to plain lack of will-power, some due to continued high stress, some due to lack of family support, some for reasons unknown.
I also have friends who do not want to quit, because they feel that life is anyway too short to be bothered about this and that, when we all have to die someday due to some reason or the other.
There is only one person I know who was a heavy smoker, and has been able to kick the habit completely – my sister. She started smoking during her adolescence, as a part of being a rebel (my parents are strongly anti-smoking). The habit got set in, and she continued it over some 10-12 years, despite my repeated remonstrations (I am a fitness freak). She finally stopped smoking four years back when she felt that she no longer needed to rebel against anything, and that she wanted to preserve her health. That was also about the time when she decided to settle down in life, get married and have children. I think she started feeling responsible towards herself, to those around her and towards life in general. And she was happy as a person.
I think that being happy and having a good family support is really the key in being able to kick the habit (unless you have a will of adamant, and can do it on your own). All the ones who I know have failed have been either unhappy or stressed by other factors, and always fell back on smoking to escape.
I don’t want to smoke because I am a fitness freak, love my unwrinkled skin, love my cardiorespiratory reserve, love to smell good, love the fresh air around me, love my friends and family, and I love life. Also, I can buy more books and music with the money that one could otherwise spend on smoking.
Posted: Jun 20, 2008
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