Kicking the habit - any suggestions?

[Dr Mordrid]

US govt studies show ~21.5% of high school students and ~21% of adults smoke and it's dropping fast; 20% since 1998 and ~4.2% in 2005 alone.

[Sasq]

I think were still at >70% for men here.
makes quiting somewhat hard. then again, were getting a tax hike on smokes 1st july, so..

[Dr Mordrid]

How much does a carton cost there? Here in Mich. it's VERY expensive; $50-$60+ USD. In NYC it's almost $80 USD.

[Fluff]

£5.29 a pack here so $10 USD maybe 100USD a carton if that is for 200. Of the lil white things.

Need to stop too. Pack a day.

[KvHagedorn]

I agree about the women smoking thing.. it's utterly foul. Ruins my impression of her right off. Same with tattoos and any but the most conservative piercings. I would find her picking the booger infinitely more attractive.. cmon, everyone does that. The alternative is a clogged nose. Yuck.

[Jessterw]

Sorry, but if I saw a woman digging for emeralds in public I'd find her far more unattractive than one I might see smoking. I find nothing unattractive about a woman who partakes in a fag, though, as with all things, there are limits. I think what I find more unattractive is there where and how someone smokes.

If we're eating dinner and you lite one up across the table from me, well, I'm likely to snatch it and put it out in your drink. It's just bad etiquette.

I used to smoke, so I can't hold judgement against someone else who still does. Simple as that.

[Sasq]

Sorry, but if I saw a woman digging for emeralds in public I'd find her far more unattractive than one I might see smoking. I find nothing unattractive about a woman who partakes in a fag, though, as with all things, there are limits. I think what I find more unattractive is there where and how someone smokes.

If we're eating dinner and you lite one up across the table from me, well, I'm likely to snatch it and put it out in your drink. It's just bad etiquette.

I used to smoke, so I can't hold judgement against someone else who still does. Simple as that.

and even the dinner thing is locational

then again, meals here are a little different.

[Jessterw]

Well yeah, the odd man out is the one who isn't smoking at some dinners there

Then again, so is the non-drinker, but can't say many have that problem

[KvHagedorn]

Sorry, but if I saw a woman digging for emeralds in public I'd find her far more unattractive than one I might see smoking.

It's all in the method.. find a girl who looks charming when picking her nose, and you've found a mate for life.

I find nothing unattractive about a woman who partakes in a fag, though, as with all things, there are limits.

I don't care whether her previous partners are gay or not, but yes, if there are too many of them, it certainly gives one pause..

[Brian Ellis]

Cigarettes, Whiskey and Wild Wild Women
(Tim Spenccer)

cho: Cigarettes, whiskey and wild wild women
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane;
Cigarettes, whiskey and wild wild women
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane;

Once I was happy and had a good wife
I had enough money to last me for life
Then I met with a gal and we went on a spree
She taught me smokin' and drinkin' whiskee
(CHORUS)

Cigarettes are a blight on the whole human race
A man is a monkey with one in his face;
Take warning dear friend, take warning dear brother
A fire's on one end, a fools on the t'other.
(CHORUS)

And now good people, I'm broken with age
The lines on my face make a well written page
I'm weavin' this story -- how sadly but true
On women and whiskey and what they can do
(CHORUS)

Write on the cross at the head of my grave
For women and whiskey here lies a poor slave.
Take warnin' poor stranger, take warnin' dear friend
In wide clear letters this tale of my end.
(CHORUS)

[omegaRED]

I quit cold turkey ~5 months ago, on jan 1st actually. Been smoking for about 10 years before, a pack a day, more when stressed. I relapsed and lit up 3 or 4 cigs one night when i was pretty drunk, about 3 months ago, but i regretted it the next 3 days. Sore throat, dreadful stench, awful taste in my mouth... Blehhh...

I`ve been clean since, and as time passes, i`m noticing i`m getting more and more intolerant towards smoke and smokers. As i quit, i could sit in the company of smokers, and it didn`t bother me, in fact, i liked it... But now i can`t stand it anymore.

Dated one girl who smoked after i quit, and kissing her was not all that pleasant. I prefer non smokers now

[Sasq]

Once a smoker, always a smoker, you are just abstaining.

[ZokesPro]

Both my parents combined have tried almost every solution there is to stop smoking. Hypnosis, laser treatement, the patch, nicorette, cold turkey, regular gum, etc.. So far the best way for them was and is cold turkey.

When my dad is diagnosed with emphysema he quit, cold turkey. He went almost a year without smoking and got right back in, said that it was stress that made him start again. I don't think he's quite prepared in his mind to quit but the chemicals in cigs are so powerful it has a strong grip on him.

My mom on the other hand, she lost her husband a year ago and it's really hard on her, so just the stress of that situation makes it hard for her to stop. But she quit 4 months ago and she's still going strong.

My girlfriend, an occasional smoker had quit for a good 6 months, but when she had the mis-carriage, she started smoking again, she says it helps her deal with the stress.

See a pattern here? Stress pulls you right back into your addiction, you need to find another solution to dela with your stress otherwise you'll turn out like everyone else.

So the best advice I can give you, is to manage your stress with something other than cigs, and be strong, you can kick it but you have to be very strong, stronger than the crap they put those damned things. You can do it .

P.S: I'm not a smoker, never was never will be but this is what I've noticed by looking at others. I can imagine that it's extremely hard to quit.

[Dr Mordrid]

I'm still paying for my dads smoking with my asthma. YES...I'm certain it was the major factor in causing my asthma and making it worse. He smoked a nasty, black, shriveled up cigar commonly referred to as a "dog turd" because of its appearance

Once I left home for college the number of attacks/year went down at least 98%.

[GuchiGuh]

I've been a heavy second hand smoker since the day I first stepped foot in Taiwan. I think its not normal to not smoke in that country.