Please Remember...

Smoking is kule! Set yourself on fire!

And remember, folks...Give a man a fire, and he's warm for a day. Light a man on fire, and he's warm for the rest of his life.

Smell like crap, reduce your resperatory effectiveness, die at an earlier age, and stay the heck away from me and my air space!

Don't forget your skin dries up like an ole prune and your teeth go yellow. I prefer too see what can be done with a big thick cigar mmmmmmmm the possibilities.....

Liona, your response brought me my first real pleasure today.

I smoked for 32 years, have quit for over 6 months now, still doing nicotine patches and lozenges and even with a nicotine lozenge in my mouth I still want a !@#$%^ cigarette!

In the event there are any youngsters reading who can stop before they get too hooked -

DON'T START SMOKING!

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY STARTED SMOKING, IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO START QUITTING!

(This public service service announcement brought to you by a disgruntled ex smoker.)

First off, congratulations on quitting!!!

I'm afraid that desire for a cigarette will stick with you for a very, very long time (at least, I HOPE it eventually goes away). It's your body's conditioned, addicted reponse to the sights, sounds and smells of smoking.

I quit smoking (tobacco) almost 6 years ago (May 24th, 1999) and I still have a desire for a cigarette under certain circumstances. Walking down the street, a car passes with a person smoking, I smell it and want one. Go to the bar for a beer after work, smoke-filled room triggers the reaction, etc etc etc. I would estimate that every day I have an urge for a cigarette at least once, more often when the stress train rolls into town.

To quit, I went to counciling offered through work before and during the quitting process and used the Nicitrol inhaler. At first I tried Zyban but had a severe allergic reaction to it (it gave me seizures, uncool).

I think what it really comes down to is willpower.

Best of luck in staying off the nicotine.

-Ghoti

Hee! No problem...That quote is one of favorites, from Terry Prachett, I believe.

Our company is becoming a smoke-free workplace in April, and there are posters all over the center to motivate people to quit, A lot of my co-workers are having to get off the cigs, so I'm seeing firsthand what you had to go through.

My only beef is that they're giving workers who smoke up to $300 to help pay for stop smoking programs, Nicorette, et al...

I completed the best anti-smoking program ever...100% effective: I never started.

I want my $300.

if you think your lungs are bad think about what it does to the inside of your computer. i smoke and have 4 cats. i call the hazmat team when i need to open my case.

Marijuana:
1. Smells better that tobacco.
2. Reduces stress, and may prolong lifespan (regarding stress related conditions.)
3. No nasty physical addiction.
4. Is just as illegal to smoke in government buildings.
5. Increases hunger levels in people who are not prone to eating.
6. Makes movies much more interesting.
7. Can cause cancer...but you won't worry as much about it.
8. Makes you look much cooler than smoking ciggarettes.
9. and...um....wait...shit, I forgot the next one....

Amen, and pass that thang over here.

-Ghoti

.... wait, what were we talking about?

No idea. LOL

-Ghoti

Congrats Suezanne - I smoked for 30+ years also and quit in May of last year so I'm coming up on my one year anniversary soon. Yet still, there are times when when one of my smoking friends light up that want to grab it right out of their hand and puff away.

I am still on the gum and lozenges too - but I only tend to use them when I go to places (like bars & clubs) where a lot of people are smoking and I'm tempted.

Now I'm trying to lose the 20+ pounds that I put on when I quit smoking.

Oh well... it's always something.

I am disappointed. I thought this was gonna be a thread about ham.

I gave up pot smoking long ago. Smoking it made me sleepy and paranoid and hurt my head and gave me a headache the next day of immense strength far beyond the powers of ibuprofen to deal with, and was much more unpleasant than a normal strength hangover.

Not that that's what it was like it first. At first it was nice, it made the Moody Blues and Pink Floyd and Emerson Lake and Palmer and such soooo neat. Listening to Firesign Theatre I think actually required that you be stoned first.

I have never heard of anyone else having the adverse reaction to pot that I did.

My former spouse was much more pleasant after a few joints. The more the better. More joints that is, not more spouses.