Quitting smoking (nicotine, diet, stop smoking, addict)

[HurricaneDC]

Anybody got tips on quitting smoking? I'm a very light smoker, maybe three smokes a day at most (usually only one or two). I started smoking in September 09, quit in December 09 and that lasted for a few months. I often had cravings or 'triggers' for a cigarette though. I picked up the habit again in early April this year, and I tried quitting again a month ago. That lasted about a day since I learned I had an unpaid debt and I was too stressed to stay quit.

Now I legitimately want to quit. I love smoking, but I am starting to fail to see how the "benefits" outweigh the costs.

Also, if anybody has tips on how to convince someone else to stop smoking (namely, my father), that'd be much appreciated. I love my father dearly, and the biggest thing I fear is to see him die a painful, slow death from lung cancer. He's smoked for years and still looks about 8 years younger than he is (he's 50) but still.

[legalsea]

Originally Posted by HurricaneDC

Anybody got tips on quitting smoking? I'm a very light smoker, maybe three smokes a day at most (usually only one or two). I started smoking in September 09, quit in December 09 and that lasted for a few months. I often had cravings or 'triggers' for a cigarette though. I picked up the habit again in early April this year, and I tried quitting again a month ago. That lasted about a day since I learned I had an unpaid debt and I was too stressed to stay quit.

Now I legitimately want to quit. I love smoking, but I am starting to fail to see how the "benefits" outweigh the costs.

Also, if anybody has tips on how to convince someone else to stop smoking (namely, my father), that'd be much appreciated. I love my father dearly, and the biggest thing I fear is to see him die a painful, slow death from lung cancer. He's smoked for years and still looks about 8 years younger than he is (he's 50) but still.

After a 40 year habit I finally was able to stop in April 2009 by smoking electronic cigarettes. I have not had a real cigarette since.

Essentially, with an electronic cigarette you have an 'atomizer' (heater element), a cartridge with stuffing, and a rechargeable battery. You will need to purchase 'e juice', which is a liquid (basically the same stuff that makes 'smoke' at rock concerts, etc) with nicotine in it. You drip the nicotine onto the stuffing in the cartridge, then smoke as usual. You get (depending on the model) a nice burst of 'smoke', and it takes care of your nicotine urge.

Believe me, they work. My lungs have vastly improved since I stopped the real smokes, as well as my exercise tolerance.

As for 'triggers' (which was always my downfall in trying to quit previously), when my father died in July 2009 (about as big a trigger as you can imagine) I still did not resort to real cigarettes, but simply kept puffing away at the e-cigarette.

I also enjoy adult beverages (another frequent downfall). However, I can now drink as I wish and simply puff away at my e-cigarette.

There are plenty of online retailers that you can buy from (see the different discussions on the link below). Many malls have a kiosh (if that is the name) that sell them, but at greatly inflated prices. I actually buy from a Chinese manufacturer (who sells to most USA retailers). My brand of choice right now is the Joye Ego. I buy my juice from either Johnson Creek Smoke Juice or Alien Visions E-Juice.

Finally, my brother-in-law was a confirmed smoker. He literally would spend his days at home smoking and watching television. He finally tried the electronic cigarettes (I think he was impressed at how I did not go back to real tobacco with the death of my father) and now says the smell of real cigarette smoke sickens him.


Here is a link to a forum that discusses them:

E-Cigarette Forum

The Chinese firm I buy from:

Wholesale & Retail Best E-smoking Supplier

Any questions let me know.

[Tober138]

I also recently was able to quit a pack a day habit with the use of e-cigs. Yes it is a type of nicotine replacement (like the patches or gum) but it "feels like" smoking, which for me helped me deal with the psychological cravings (like having a cig in my hand at a bar). But nicotine alone is a heck of a lot safer for your health than nicotine plus the thousands of chemicals in a regular cig.

In addition, you can adjust the level of nicotine in an e-cig so if you are looking to wean yourself off of the nicotine, people have done that by slowly decreasing the amount of nicotine in their e-cigs over time. That's my final goal.

I will second checking out the forum that leagalsea linked. A lot of information and advice there.

I should point out that there is not really much in the way of clinical data to support the use of e-cigs as a smoking cessation method (and they cannot be marketed as such), but there is a ton of anecdotal evidence from people who have used e-cigs to quit smoking for good (myself included).

[legalsea]

Originally Posted by Tober138

I also recently was able to quit a pack a day habit with the use of e-cigs. Yes it is a type of nicotine replacement (like the patches or gum) but it "feels like" smoking, which for me helped me deal with the psychological cravings (like having a cig in my hand at a bar). But nicotine alone is a heck of a lot safer for your health than nicotine plus the thousands of chemicals in a regular cig.

In addition, you can adjust the level of nicotine in an e-cig so if you are looking to wean yourself off of the nicotine, people have done that by slowly decreasing the amount of nicotine in their e-cigs over time. That's my final goal.

I will second checking out the forum that leagalsea linked. A lot of information and advice there.

I should point out that there is not really much in the way of clinical data to support the use of e-cigs as a smoking cessation method (and they cannot be marketed as such), but there is a ton of anecdotal evidence from people who have used e-cigs to quit smoking for good (myself included).

Tober138: Thanks for adding information for the original poster (and anyone else reading).

My brother-in-law started out using a higher level nicotine (18 mg) and after a month he had cut back to zero nicotine. He still uses the e-cigarettes, since he likes the taste and 'smoking' motions.

Also agree that while these are not marketed as a 'quit smoking' device, they should be! I tried gum and that nasty pill (I can't recall the name) all to no avail.

I will add that my exercise tolerance, including working outside in the 100 degree heat, has gone way up.

[HurricaneDC]

I've heard of using e-cigarettes as a replacement or cessation tool, and I might consider them if this attempt at quitting fails. I'll also recommend them to my father.

The only thing that makes me wary of them is how they haven't been put through the FDA if I'm not mistaken.

[Tober138]

Originally Posted by HurricaneDC

I've heard of using e-cigarettes as a replacement or cessation tool, and I might consider them if this attempt at quitting fails. I'll also recommend them to my father.

The only thing that makes me wary of them is how they haven't been put through the FDA if I'm not mistaken.

This is correct, these devices are not FDA approved (although real cigarettes are approved by governmental agencies so....). And there is some wrangling going on with the FDA over these devices (again, check out the e-cig forum and you can find a lot of info there as well).

[rayneinspain]

Originally Posted by HurricaneDC

I've heard of using e-cigarettes as a replacement or cessation tool, and I might consider them if this attempt at quitting fails. I'll also recommend them to my father.

The only thing that makes me wary of them is how they haven't been put through the FDA if I'm not mistaken.

True, no FDA testing as yet, but in the 7 or so years since they've existed, not one death or illness has been attributed to their use. If I can find it, there has been a study done on them in New Zealand. I'll post when I locate the link.

FWIW, I was a nearly 31-year, 1-1.5 pk/day smoker and quit smoking analogs (tobacco cigarettes) after my first 510 eGo battery charged 5 weeks ago. I have early COPD and had been on inhalers the last 2 months I smoked.

My breathlessness, coughing, and use of inhalers stopped during the first week. If these things are bad (which would be odd, since all ingredients from legit USA ejuice suppliers are food grade and...FDA approved!), I'd be very surprised.

I also would have never got my 64-yr-old mother started on them 2 weeks ago. Her use of tobacco has not stopped completely, but she went from over a pack a day to maybe a few cigarettes per week. She also has seen major improvements in her lung function and has not had to use her at-home nebulizer at all, and her inhaler use is down considerably.

Also, since she and I have COPD (hers is severe), we both vape VG-only liquid (vegetable glycerin), as PG (propylene glycol) tends to be harsher on the throat and lungs for many people with the condition.

And as a final thought: tobacco cigarettes are FDA-approved, and we all know they're lethal.

EDIT: Here is the New Zealand study, which tested one e-cig model:

http://www.healthnz.co.nz/DublinEcigBenchtopHandout.pdf

Absolute safety does not exist for any drug, but relative to lethal tobacco smoke emissions, Ruyan e-cigarette emissions appear to be several magnitudes safer. E-cigarettes are akin to a medicinal nicotine inhalator in safety, dose, and addiction potential.

[texdav]

I quite i 97 by using the patches and it was fairly easy IMO. I recommend that you go thru the entire program form strong to mild and make sure you do not runout. By 6 months I had a x-ray and my lungs were already clear.It actaully took about a year to really tell a difference in tatse of food and regain sense of smell that was noticeable. I alos recommend that you make a diet change because its easy to over eat and gain weight as I saw in others before I started the program.By on eyear you will start to smell the stale smoke on people clothes while standing next to them easily.

[rayneinspain]

Originally Posted by texdav

I quite i 97 by using the patches and it was fairly easy IMO. I recommend that you go thru the entire program form strong to mild and make sure you do not runout. By 6 months I had a x-ray and my lungs were already clear.It actaully took about a year to really tell a difference in tatse of food and regain sense of smell that was noticeable. I alos recommend that you make a diet change because its easy to over eat and gain weight as I saw in others before I started the program.By on eyear you will start to smell the stale smoke on people clothes while standing next to them easily.

Congrats! And great tips, too.

My mom tried the patch, but unfortunately she was allergic to the adhesive and also experienced some side effects (nicotine overdose, I believe). However, one of her friends used it successfully about 5 yrs ago.

[yankeegirl313]

My last day of smoking a cigarette was Aug. 8th. It has been 10 days, today!!
I am using the pill chantix to help me. It seems to be working great with taking away the cravings and withdrawals.