# 6th annual plea to stop smoking **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 3, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837 "2009-12-03T13:19:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/41 "2010-01-05T19:28:44Z")
It’ll be two years for me in nine days. It’s the best thing I ever did for myself. I am a much happier, healthier person now. ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/42 "2010-01-05T23:59:17Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > I smoke tobacco pipes. At most twice a week, sometimes as little as once a month. I don’t inhale, I don’t smoke cigarettes, and I’m not addicted to nicotine (clearly, as show by my infrequency). While there’s no solid research on exclusive pipe smokers, everything I’ve read tells me that this very low level of non-inhalation smoking is very likely to be harmless. Heck, even if I had two cigarettes a week I wouldn’t worry. > > I understand people’s anti-smoking drive, especially when it’s personal, and I understand and comply with smoking bans. But there are a sizable number of people who enjoy tobacco just like I do - whether pipes or cigars - who end up getting lumped in with the worst of tobacco users. We have to abide bans that were never aimed at us, and eventually will fall under ever-expanding sin taxes that can double the price of pipe tobacco. Actually, I think pipe smoking may be a good way for cigarette smokers to begin to wean themselves off cigs and eventually stop smoking altogether. As you pointed out, it’s got to be at least a little healthier since you don’t inhale. Also, (a big factor, I think) is that a pipe has to be cared for, cleaned, allowed to cool, therefore it takes more motivation to actually want to smoke it. When I was smoking pipes exclusively I would actually sometimes go, “I want to smoke but, meh, I’m too lazy to clean my pipe. Forget it.” What’s more, it’s not exactly handy to carry a pipe around and light up in a bar with buddies. Hmmm…maybe I start to quit by going back to my pipe. ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/43 "2010-01-06T19:46:25Z")
I did it. I quit last night. And I’m not “quitting” and I’m not “trying” - I’m just done. I am no longer a smoker. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/44 "2010-01-06T19:54:09Z")
Horn honking to follow: [I haven’t had a cigarette in almost 9 years.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=1337669&postcount=24) ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/45 "2010-01-06T22:00:34Z")
/me happy dancing around My friend Phillippa is trying to quit, I just gave her a grab bag of the patch and a bunch of stick candy [she hates carrots and doesnt want to chew on pencils] Hopefully it will work!!! ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/46 "2010-01-07T00:05:03Z")
> [@ShelliBean](#): > > I did it. I quit last night. > And I’m not “quitting” and I’m not “trying” - I’m just done. > > I am no longer a smoker. Woohoo! Congratulations. Wishing you a long life of being done. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/47 "2010-01-07T02:10:18Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > I quit two years ago this Halloween. I quit drinking too, so I’m not in danger of slipping up and having one with a beer. > > I’m working on Hubby, encouraging him to quit. Wish me luck! 🙂 Good on you for being able to quit while the hubby is still smoking. I couldn’t have done it alone. Smoke-free for three years in February! ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/48 "2010-01-07T08:23:22Z")
1 year smoke free today. ---
**Author:** ![Random\_Design](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58f4c7/32.png) [@Random\_Design](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random_Design)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/49 "2010-01-07T08:37:09Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > he said “This isn’t life, its not living. I’m just waiting to die.” sorry to say but that’s all I’m doing now anyway. Don’t have the wherewithal to try dying again, so the least I can do is smoke… I’d really hate to live much past 75. Or past tomorrow. But definitely not 75. _shrug_ ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/50 "2010-01-07T09:00:21Z")
Big congrats to everyone who has quit. Dying usually isn’t pleasant, but that is a seriously unpleasant way to die. Thanks to the OP for sharing an obviously painful story to try to help. ---
**Author:** ![Rack-a-Bones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rack-a-Bones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rack-a-Bones)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/51 "2010-01-07T19:03:58Z")
I’m hoping to finally quit in the next few months after spending the last 4 months or so just gradually cutting back. Slight hijack: anyone know any good toothpaste/tooth polish for getting the gunk off the teeth? Of course I’ll hit up the dentist but I was wondering if anyone had any good results from any OTC products. I can’t seem to get in touch with the single mom who has the secret to white teeth for less than $5. Plus I don’t think my dentist wants me to know about it. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/52 "2010-01-07T19:24:53Z")
5 days clean now. So far, I’ve: - got more energy - woken up easily and in a good mood - had my sinuses open significantly - saved $35 - can taste food again! It feels amazing to quit! Just STOP smoking! ---
**Author:** ![Gomi5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8491ac/32.png) [@Gomi5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gomi5)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/53 "2010-01-07T21:11:06Z")
Day six here! I smoked my last cigarette at 10 pm on January 1st (wanted to finish my pack, dontchaknow :rolleyes: ), and have been good since. I’m using patches, and it hasn’t been too bad really. Things I thought would be triggers aren’t, things I didn’t think would be triggers are. Driving is a lot worse than I thought it would be, but having coffee is fine. Weird. I haven’t had any alcohol yet. I think that’s going to be quite a test. I’m proud of all of us! 😃 Oh! My husband also quit. And we haven’t killed each other! ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/54 "2010-01-18T05:18:50Z")
Grats to all those who have quit and especially the noobies! You’re going to really enjoy being a nonsmoker! Except, of course, when you have to sit next to someone who is or walk through the smoker gauntlet in front of the entries to non-smoking buildings. It’s been about 19 months since I quit and I feel great! I didn’t even slip once, which frankly surprised me a great deal. I have, even recently, experienced a tinge of wistfulness at the idea of smoking again, but not enough to be worth doing anything about it. I used Wellbutrin to take take the edge off. It was very effective at making it easier to deal with the physical and mental withdrawal. As for distraction techniques, you’ve got to find what works for you, but it took me a lot of switching to keep up the distraction. For awhile, candy worked. Then I got tired of candy and I’d drink water until I stopped thinking about smoking (that’s usually when you feel like you’re going to drown :)). Then I would just challenge myself to get through the next x number of minutes before I considered what to do about my craving. I’d keep adding more minutes or hours or whatever until I found myself engaged in something else that had my attention. Then I used my progress to talk me out of backsliding because you know, then I’d have to start all over again and that would just suck. Eventually, I realized that my triggers no longer triggered. I could finish eating and do absolutely nothing without going out of my mind. I could drive and enjoy the fresh air and twiddling my finger on the steering wheel without reaching for my non-existent pack in the console. You gotta find what works. And there will be many things that can work. ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/55 "2010-01-18T09:10:28Z")
_ **removed full quote of spam post** _ Why are you shilling for e-cigs? That’s not stopping. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837/56 "2010-01-18T12:19:28Z")
> [@Gleena](#): > > Why are you shilling for e-cigs? That’s not stopping. Well, it’s not smoking, technically. But yeah, it’s not impossible (I used to think it was) to give up the nicotine addiction, so why not? Why line somebody else’s pockets? I do like the part about how e-cigs “are healthy.” Well, as a delivery system, it’s less unhealthy than others, but I’d disagree that it promotes health. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6th-annual-plea-to-stop-smoking/519837.md?page=2)