How Americans Became Addicted to Cigarettes

Good story on how Americans became addicted to cigarettes.  Now decades later, how are our youth still becomming addicted knowing everything we know about the damage it does to our bodies and others that we love ? Thinking about the billion dollar industy we spend on healthy living, health foods, healthy spas, gyms and supplements, I find it very hard to know that althougth we have many advertisments and have educated our young, they still choose to take up this ill serving habit - this is from someone who smoked for 33 year !  I would appreciate and like to hear your comments and thoughts on this subject.

Brians Story

Brians Story is not everyones story but the fact remains that SMOKING KILLS.  When we are smokers the habit is so bad that we justify it with "it won't happen to me" or "I feel fine".  It doesn't matter if this story happens to you at 33 or 73 - the fact is - Some form of smoking diesease will happen to you if you continue to smoke.  I smoked for 33 years.  I was at the doctors the other day and saw a brochure on COPD.  I have quit smoking for 4 1/2 years so of course I think I'm cured, but I asked the question anyway.  "Doctor, I said,  do I have any chance of getting COPD?" He stated " Of course you do - you were a smoker for many years, but we will continue to keep an eye on you and there is a good chance you won't get it since you have quit smoking".  The fact is the lungs recooperate, but I have done damage to my body. The good news is, there is a chance and hope.  Try quitting today if you can, get help in any form that is confortable to you.  You can do it !  I did it after 33 year, my mom of 77 did it after smoking for 62 years !  You can do it too !  I want to quit smoking NOW - Show me how .

Beware of Rationalization When You Quit Smoking

It is normal when you quit to have thoughts of smoking cigarettes.  People even dream of smoking cigarettes.  I know one morning my dream was so powerful, my throat felt sore and I thought I actually smoked a cigarette in my sleep!  Yes after you quit you do go through some powerful thoughts.

What happens when you become obsessed with the thoughts of cigarettes thoughout your day ?  Many people do and it is something to become aware of.  You might start thinking about your cigarettes and how much you are missing them.  It may seem like you are spending your whole waking day thinking about cigarettes, when in the past you never gave them a second thought.  Soon you might find yourself rationalizing why you should give in to that cigarette.  If you had resolved yourself to quitting because it was good for your health you migh say to yourself " I don't think one cigarette will be that harmful to me ".  If you believed you quit because you might get lung cancer from cigarette smoking.  Now as that urge becomes so powerful, you are thinking to yourself " Millions of people have lived to a ripe old age who smoked and have not had cigarette induced illnesses".  Or what about the person who's cravings are so bad and quit heavy smoking now believes because he / she reduced the amount of cigarettes they smoke daily it no longer is a threat to their health and does not want to quit all the way. 

The rationalizations go on and on.  Do any of these sound familar ?
Cigarettes cost too much  - It's only money
I quit this time, I can always quit again
The tension is unbearable
It isn't worth the hassel
I can do it later
I'm just to weak
I can't do it
Which part of you wins?  The non-smoker will will if you are mentally ready to combat the rationalizations with your resolve to quit when these reationslizations pop into your head. 

If one of your reasons was to quit to become more health here is one example of how you can combat these retionalizations or games your mind plays with you :  During your workday you feel stressed and suddenly get an uncontrolable urge to have a cigarette.  You say to yourself  " This just isn't worth it " and want to light up.  You instantly have to be ready with another statement such as " You better believe this is worth it because millions of people do die from cigarette related illinesses and I want to live a long smoke free life "
This will be a life long process, because your mind may always want "just that one cigarette".  I know I do but I have to tell myself, if I have just one, I will be a full fledged smoker again and I know that's what I don't want - so I know that I cannot have "just one".

Every Cigarette Is Doing You Damage

When I started smoking we didn't realize how bad it was for our bodies.  After a half of decade, the results were in and there were tobacco warning labels on cigarettes, non-smoking sections in restaurants, articles on second hand smoke, and the list goes on and on  With all that you would think I would not have been addicted enough at that time to quit and more importantly saw fit to quit on my own,  The fact remains, that our minds are powerful.  It is true our minds can conquer anything if we want it to.....we simply have to want it bad enough.  If you truly want to quit, watch this video and put some thoght into what it is doing to your body.  Watch it more than once, and associate it with your morning or evening cigarette.  You may not be one of the people who has a stroke in their 30's but sooner or later the effects of smoking will catch up with you.  So as you go along wih your quest to Quit Smoking ....ask yourself "Was that last cigaretre really that important to me ?"

Tips to help you Taper Down Your Smoking Habit

Last week we talked about what type of cigarettes you smoke, when and why. You should of kept a record so that you know more about your smoking habit and which cigarettes you want to start to STOP smoking each day. In addition here are some tips that will help you:

1. Do not carry your cigarettes with you. Make it hard to reach for a cigarette.

2. Put your cigarettes in “out of the way” places. Make sure you have to walk to get them, downstairs, in a basement, in a room where you don’t spend much time, make it inconvenient for you to reach for them.

3. Change Brands. If you smoke non-menthol, change to menthol.

4. If you enjoy a drink or coffee with your cigarette, taper down on that drink. For instance do not have coffee after dinner and eliminate that “cigarette and drink” fix you get. Just while you’re tapering down.

5. Start smoking a litter later each day. If you have to have a cigarette first thing in the morning, try and do a few things first, like take your shower and get ready before that first cigarette.

6. Quit smoking earlier each day. If the last thing you do at night is smoke than tell yourself you will stop smoking 1 hour before bedtime and increase the time as you go along.

7. Give up smoking in certain places. For instance, if you light up in the car, stop smoking in the car.

8. Stock up on cigarette substitutes like hard candy, mints and gum. In addition you might try a smoking cessation product.

9. Before you reach for a cigarette, read your reasons for quitting. This may delay or eliminate your need for a cigarette.

10. Go for a walk immediately after meals. By substituting a bad habit with a good one, you are retraining yourself.

11. Put away all ashtrays, lighters and matches so that you will have to get them out every time you want a cigarette.

12. Take fewer and smaller drags from each cigarette you smoke.

13. Practice taking deep breaths and telling yourself you are a non-smoker

14. Put yourself in “non-smoker” situations, i.e. sit in non-smoking sections of restaurants, visit non-smoking places such as movies, libraries etc.

15. Give up your “going to work” and “going home” cigarettes

16. Give up smoking on the phone

17. Write down 5 additional places / ways you can taper your smoking habit by giving up cigarettes


Good Luck and Remember becoming a non-smoker is a Choice ! You can do it !

Tough smoking laws Impacting Tourism

The Tourism Bureau of Taiwan said it would coordinate establishing smoking rooms at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. This was after a Japanese Tourism Association complained that the strict smoking ban kept Japanese tourist away.

The airport did create two outdoor smoking terraces in January after complaints, and considered setting up indoor smoking rooms with air filtering equipment. Liu His-lin, chief secretary of the bureau said this could not be accomplished unit legal issues were resolved. The previous plan to set up nine indoor smoking rooms also was aborted after anti-smoking groups said it violated the act.


There are many smokers in Japan and according to report by travel agents and related industries, the Japaneese may have decided not to visit due to the strict anti-smoking laws. Since Japan is one of the main sources of visitors, Liu bureau being a government agency is in charge of local tourism promotion has a responsibility to coordinate and help resolve this issue.

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Attack Your Smoking Habit

How did you do on keeping track of your type casting your smoking habit? Were you surprised or did you pretty much know your smoking habits? Whatever you discovered, now you can take these results and start attacking your smoking habit. Your goal will be to develop a “plan to quit smoking”. You know you’ve heard the saying “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” Well that holds true for quitting smoking. What you want to do is pick a quit day and starting that day decrease your cigarette intake by one cigarette. It doesn’t matter what type of cigarette it is or what time it is, it just matters that you decrease it by one. If you start on Sunday, by Friday you will be smoking 6 less cigarettes a week. You may also enlist in a smoking cessation product to help you get less nicotine in your body as well. Some people have decrease their cigarette intake by more than one the first few days, but the minimum that you should do is one a day. It is up to you, but you must keep consistent in your efforts.

What should I start with you say? There are no rules or magic. You should do what will offers you the greatest success. You can start with the “Pairing Cigarettes, the Must Have Cigarettes” or a combination. Some people start with cutting out the cigarette after their morning coffee. I know that was one I thought would be hard for me but despite my love for a coffee and cigarette, I had my coffee without the cigarette and conditioned my mind I did not need to “pair” them together to get the enjoyment out of my morning coffee.

Look at it this way, you did not initially start smoking a ½ a pack or a full pack a day, no your habit started gradually. So doesn’t it make sense to quit gradually. That is the way I did it. I found by using a smoking cessation product, decreasing my cigarette intake daily and changing my thought patterns I could finally be successful at quitting. So far it has been going on 4+ years that I have been smoke free. The hardest part was just starting and once I did I had to keep at it. Day by day, just one day at a time, sometimes just hours at a time. Remember I smoked for 33 years so it wasn’t a cake walk for me to quit smoking. I know it won’t be for you either, but I also know you can do it !

 Beat the Habit w/ Revolutionary New Alternative to Smoking - Premium Electronic Cigarettes

Who’s Keeping Score ?

One of the best ways to find out how to change a habit is to learn how much of a habit we have. In other words what type of a smoker are you. Most of you already know, but keeping track of it and actually seeing it in black and white will give you a better idea of what you are really dealing with and how to effectively stop smoking. I think you will be surprised of your findings.

First off there are several types of cigarettes we smoke each day. See how many of these fit your smoking style. There are :

# 1. Cigarettes we must have. These are the cigarettes that our body physically aches . We would do anything to have one. Get up in the middle of the night and go to the liquor store, smoke old butts, and smoke one after another if need be. You might even feel panicky if you don’t have a cigarette. These are the hardest to quit and many times why we go through withdrawal symptoms. But once resolved to quit we get through the withdrawals and this is one reason why I know I will never pick up not even one cigarette again, I simply do not want to go through the withdrawals again.

#2. Smoke out of habit. These are cigarettes we light up out of habit and do not even think about it. Sometimes we may have two cigarettes going at once. These cigarettes will be easy to give up, because we really don’t even have a need for them, it is purely out of habit. To create a new habit you only have to change your will (mind) and repeat for 30 days. Just think 30 days to a whole new lifestyle!

# 3 The Stress Cigarette. Every time I was under stress, the first thing I would reach for was a cigarette. The fact is taking deep breaths or going for a walk would of relaxed me more. Many times reaching for the stress cigarette was just another excuse for having another cigarette. Now, when I am under stress I often take a deep breath and every once in a while if I do get a cigarette urge I push it aside and the thought goes away in 5 minutes or less. (there is light at the end of the tunnel).

#4 The Pairing Cigarette. You’ve heard of pairing wines with food? Well many (most, including myself) smokers “pair” smoking with a pleasurable experience such as drinking coffee, after dinner cigarette, after sex cigarette, going out for drinks etc. Because most smokers do associate smoking with pleasurable events it makes it harder to quit those types of cigarettes, but not impossible . Think about it that would be like saying non-smokers cannot enjoy dinner, sex coffee or drinks. We simply have to acknowledge those times when we smoke and train our mind to find the same or more pleasure without the cigarette. Again, one day at a time, with the 30 day rule you will be able to conquer this one too!

#5 Looking Good Cigarette : Some people, mostly younger people like the way cigarettes make them look and feel. They like to lean over and have their friend light their cigarette, it feels romantic. They also like the feel of the cigarette, matches, lighter etc. This type of smoker can easily over come these habits with replacement romantic gestures or things to hold in their hands.

Now that we have identified the types of cigarettes we smoke each day, the next step is to keep track of the time of day you smoke , the type of cigarette it is (#1 – 5) and how important it is to you scoring it One – Three. One being least important, Three being most important. Do this for one week. By the end of a week you will have a pretty good idea of what type of smoker you are and where you can start cutting back.

Why Should I Quit ?

If you don’t know why you are quitting chance are you will not be successful at quitting smoking– this time. It is important to make a list (however short or long) of reasons to quit smoking. It can be for one reason or many the important thing is that you do have at least one reason. I smoked for many years and couldn’t/wouldn’t quit quite frankly because I didn’t really have any reason to. I liked to smoke and enjoyed it. Many of you do to and perhaps you do not have a reason. But if you are reading this you probably have been thinking lately that smoking is bad for you, someone in your family wants you to quit, you want someone to quit smoking or you are at least thinking about quitting smoking.

In order to get started you need to have a compelling reason. List things that are important to YOU. I know you have heard many people say “Think about the money you can save if you quit smoking” Well for some of you that might be on your list, but for others … Well...it just doesn’t hit home. I know for myself it didn’t matter how much it cost, I would sacrifice food for a smoke ( pretty sad, huh?) Here are some of my reasons I quit :

1. I was out of breath when I choose to run or do any physical activity

2. My teenage son started smoking and said he could since I always had

3. I was embarrassed to kiss my boyfriend with “ashtray” mouth

4. I considered the health risks of smoking and birth control pills combined

5. It was interfering with my work since every hour I had to go outside and have a smoke

These are just a portion of why I knew I had to quit. Alone, one of them was not compelling enough, but combined made me think “Are these cigarettes really worth it and who is controlling my life, me or the cigarettes?”

In addition that year I had gone and visited some sales reps I had know for over 20 years. They were about 15- 20 years older than me. We had many good times together, both on a business and personal level. This was a personal visit and since I was no longer in the same business I had been out of touch for a few years. Upon meeting them at a fairly nice restaurant, they were already seated. I was taken aback at Brian the husband who was several years older than his wife. He was hooked up to an oxygen tank and was breathing through the clear tubes that were hooked up in his nose. They had both smoked all their lives. When I asked what happened they explained to me that the cigarette smoking had damaged Brian’s ability to breath without oxygen being hooked up to him. It really got me to thinking if I wanted that type of retirement. After smoking for over 33 years, within six months I quit smoking - within one year Brian had passed away. This story is graphic, but true and the sad part is it happens every day to people who think, it may never happen to them. If you are serious about quitting smoking make sure you help yourself by making a compelling list of why you want to quit. Remember your brain will believe what you tell it – Drown it in good thoughts !
I want to quit smoking too

Is Nicotine Replacement Therapy Without Counselling Less Effective ?

According to a study published by the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Using nicotine replacement products without professional counseling to accompany therapy may not be as effective as nicotine replacement products plus counseling for patients who wish to quit smoking.

Studies included individuals from random telephone survey conducted over 3 years in adults living in Massachusetts. There were 787 individuals included in the baseline study. During the first follow-up, 321 individuals reported that they had quit smoking in the past 2 years.

Relapse with or without counseling by a professional while using nicotine replacement product was not affected at the first follow up.

The likelihood of relapse was lower in individuals who reported abstinence of 6 months or more, and higher in individuals who had heavy dependence.

Relapse between the first and second follow-up interviews was more likely in patients who used nicotine replacement products without professional counseling. Relapse was not affected by nicotine replacement products use with professional counseling .

HOSPITAL POLICY SNUFFS SMOKERS

Students smokers who plan to enter the medical field should kick their nicotine habit as soon as possible.
Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga are beginning to do a nicotine screen in addition to other drug tests on all new hires.

Although current employees will not be affected, new applicants who smoke cigarettes or use other nicotine products will not be hired, even if they are using gum or a patch to quit smoking. It is suggested that students who plant to enter the medical field should kick the nicotine habit as soon as possible in order to ensure a position in the medical field.

This initiative is in a effort to maintain and promote healthy living in all aspects of the hospital stated hospital representatives.

Older smokers did not have the information that younger smokers have with regard to the health problems smoking causes since several decades ago smoking was widely acceptable and there was not as many studies done. Several decades ago, smoking was commonplace, and smoking was virtually permitted in almost any public place. Although times have changed and both groups have been made aware of the health risks, the addiction can still be very hard to eliminate.

Older adults are at a disadvantage, not only have they had a longer history of nicotine addition , their mindset is different. The era they grew up in was likely unaware of the health implications related to smoking and they have been ignorant to it. That ignorance puts them at a disadvantage in today’s job market where smokers are being denied a job, at least at Memorial Hospital.

It is a fact that insurance costs are higher for individuals who smoke. The increased cost of insurance may be one of the factors that’s driving this policy change at Memorial Hospital. Even if employees paid the extra cost, eliminating smokers altogether would decrease paperwork and overall insurance costs for the hospital. .

The hospital could take into consideration the “human side” of this situation and instead of banning the smokers all together, could hire them under the condition that they would quit smoking on a time line. This way everyone would have an equal chance of employment and a chance to recover from their addiction.

5 Reasons to Quit Smoking

 5 Of all the many reasons to quit smoking I always did have a fear of cancer or worse yet getting a disease that the doctor would just tell me “it could have been prevented only if you would of……. “ and you can fill in the blanks. Well as it turned out after not having taken birth control pills for 30+ years I decided to take birth control at a ripe old age. I knew at my age and the health risk associated with smoking and the birth control that would leave me at very high risk. It turned out to be a major decision in my life. Whatever your reasons are, and however long it takes, you should be aware that smokers are more at risk for the following should you not decide to quit smoking :

• COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
COPD makes breathing extremely difficult. . Emphysema and chronic obstructive bronchitis are included under COPD. Smoking is attributed to 80% of the patients who have COPD. People who have never smoked, hardly ever have this disease. Treatments include medications, oxygen therapy, surgery and pulmonary rehabilitation. I remember that in my younger years I had a sales representative who was about 15 years my senior. Long after our business association we remained friends. I had a occasion to visit out of state where he lived and was shocked to see him on oxygen. He, his wife and I were always so full of life and very active in business and business gatherings. I remember how saddened I was to see how difficult it was for him to breath. Since I was still smoking I also thought to myself “that could be me in a few years. It took me another year to finally quit smoking

• Heart Disease
Smoking is the leading cause of coronary heart disease along with atherosclerosis which is a buildup of fatty substances in the arteries. Over the years, Smoking consistently lowers your blood pressure, lowers stamina for exercise and increases the tendency for blood clots. If the arteries that supply blood to the heart become severely narrowed, decreasing the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart, especially during times of increased activity additional strain on the heart may result in chest pain. If 1 or more of the coronary arteries are completely blocked a patient may also suffer a heart attack.

• Stroke
My Aunt was a smoker all her life, and worse than a heart attack I believe is a stroke. Her quality of life was never the same and she could never walk or talk again. I must say, I still continued to smoke after that for about another ten years ! Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of strokes and heart attacks. Smokers are 3 times more likely to suffer a stroke than non-smokers. The good news is if you quit smoking early, your risk of a stroke is drastically reduced.

• Lung Cancer
Cigarette Smoking is directly linked to the increase numbers of patients who suffer from lung cancer. Furthermore smoking is responsible for 90% of all cancer deaths. Being responsible for more cancer deaths than colorectal cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer combined in both men and women.

• Oral Cancer
Common symptoms of oral cancer include white or red patch of skin in the mouth or under the tongue, a lump in the mouth, throat or tongue, a sore throat that doesn’t go away within a normal period of time and difficulty in swallowing or chewing. All forms of tobacco addiction increases your risk of oral cancer.

I am concerned about my health risks and want to quit smoking now

ALTERNATIVE CIGARETTE ALLOWS SMOKERS to SMOKE ANYTIME, EVEN in PUBLIC WHILE HELPING SMOKERS QUIT

An alternative cigarette called Smoke Assists allows smokers to smoke without inhaling harmful chemicals or releasing second had smoke into the atmosphere. This new product may revolutionize how and where we smoke!

The e-cigarette has an atomized filter that gives the smoker the flavor of nicotine without any harmful effects. This realistic cigarette emits water vapor instead of smoke, leaving ones clothing and surrounds free from the smell and harmful effects of real tobacco. A cartridge lasts approximately the same as a pack and a half of cigarettes.  Yes, I want more information.

7 Smart Tips if you want to Quit Smoking for Good

When I made the decision to quit smoking and the key word here is “I” , I intellectually knew the top 3 benefits would be : 1. lower risk of lung cancer, 2. breathing better 3. lowering my health insurance premiums (my family’s health was also a big bonus ). It was still one of the most difficult things I did in my life. Here are some things I took into consideration :

1. I Quit for myself : Over the years it didn’t matter how many times other people told me I needed to quit, the fact of the matter was, if I didn’t want to – I wouldn’t succeed and I knew it. If you have a loved one that does not want to quit right now – be patient and understanding. There will come a day when they are ready, and don’t give up hope – My mom was 75 before she quit!

2, Considered Quitting Cold Turkey, but I couldn’t . After 33 years and several packs a day, although my mind wanted to, my body resisted. I initially used the help of a smoking cessation product, for a short time until my body adjusted to minimal amounts of nicotine, once done, I never looked back. I knew that it would only ever take one puff and I would be a full fledged smoker again. If you are the type that can quit cold turkey, you should only have a short time of intense withdrawal symptoms then your body will rid itself of all nicotine. After a month or two those intense cravings should go away.

3. Don’t have “just one puff” or put yourself in a situation where you will be tempted to have a cigarette As previously stated, having one puff is like undermining all the good work you have done thusfar – at least for me it would have been. When you smoke you will reintroduce the nicotine back into your system and it will make it that much harder to give it up again. Also, in the beginning I tried not to put myself in situations where I would normally have a cigarette. I passed on that morning cup of coffee, going out for a drink with the girls and changed my habits after dinner.

4. Try electronic cigarettes If you feel the need to have something in your hand or mouth, you can avoid all those carcinogens by using electronic cigarettes. They don’t have tar, or any other carcinogens found in regular cigarettes and tobacco. They will satisfy your cravings, and are healthier than any of the more common forms of nicotine.

5. Deal with stress naturally Before I quit smoking iIt was always natural for me to grab a cigarette and light up when I felt stressed. Now I had to pick another way to deal with my stress. I picked simply “deep breathing” I noticed this would calm me down because I had to really concentrate on taking deep breaths and as I was doing so I was doing “self talk” and creating a more calming atmosphere for myself.

6. Eat regularly By eating regularly, you keep your blood sugar level up and this will help you to avoid low blood sugar or feeling too hungry. e. If you’ve quit smoking, it’s very important to eat regularly in order to avoid feeling too hungry or encountering low blood sugar situations.
Many smokers smoke in order to deal with stress. However, think back to a time when you weren’t a smoker, maybe when you were fourteen or fifteen. You faced difficult and stressful situations, and dealt with them without resorting to nicotine. You could do it then, so surely you can deal with stress now that you’re older and more mature, without needing cigarettes as your crutch. It may seem difficult at first, but over time you’ll find that you’re actually able to deal with stress better without cigarettes.

7. Let Your Family and Friends Know You are Quitiing Smoking This helps in a variety of ways. . Your family and friends can give you support and encouragement when you need it. It will also help them understand your mood swings that you might experience, now that your “old friend is being taken away from you”. In addition many times when people “tell” others who are close to them of their decision to quit, they do not want to let their friends and family down, it helps them be more determined to quit.

Many say smoking is as addictive as heroin use, it certainly was one of the most difficult things I ever had to quit doing. At the same time, it was very rewarding to Kick the Habit and now tell everyone, when asked
 I Don’t Smoke!

Be Supportive to a Friend who Has Decided to Quit Smoking

Helping a friend quit smoking is basically Not bugging them, but finding out what is motivating them and then supporting their decision to quit smoking. I know that when I wanted to quit the last thing I wanted to hear was people nagging me about quitting, or ex-smokers telling me all about how important it was to quit.

Most people have success quitting smoking when they have decided on their own to stop smoking. Some quit smoking cold turkey, while others use hypnosis or decrease their exposure to nicotine through nicotine cessation products which decrease their cigarette consumption. That being said here are some ways to encourage a friend or family member who is deciding on their own to stop smoking:

1. Whenever successes are talked about be positive and uplifting. Go ahead and talk about your own successes.

2. Recognize that mistakes or setback will be made, again share your experiences, so your friend doesn’t feel alone. Let them know this is normal, but don’t dwell on them and assure them they can still be successful.

3. If their quitting strategy differs from yours – support their choices ! What worked for one person doesn’t always work for everyone.

4. Let them know what helped you stay away from smoking situations which could defeat your success in quitting smoking .

5.Listen, Listen, Listen first and foremost be their friend!

I Want To Quit Smoking Now