When can I start calling myself a nonsmoker? Now would be nice.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

So I guess I finally decided I wanted to quit. I totally didn’t want to quit, then I really didn’t want to quit, then I kinda didn’t want to quit, and then I maybe didn’t mind the thought of having more money and my clothes not smelling smoky anymore. I kinda didn’t care for cigs all that much anyway, so why not quit while the quittin’s good?

So, I smoked my last cigarette at 10:25 am Tuesday (I didn’t tell anyone about it because I didn’t want to jinx myself or feel guilty if I fucked up). Now it’s Friday afternoon. Can I call myself a nonsmoker yet? I’ve been trying (and succeeding) not to think too much about it. I’ve also been focusing on how the benefits outweigh the negatives when I get a craving, which has prevented me from backsliding so far. But really I haven’t gotten all that many cravings. Not as many as I expected. I am pretty cranky. But I like that I don’t cough as much anymore, and my bedroom smells better.

I’ve also been telling myself that it’s okay to fuck up, as long as I *at least *don’t smoke inside anymore, which I never intend to do again because that makes it WAY too easy to smoke more and more, and made my stuff smell worse. Although I haven’t fucked up, I think that telling myself it’s okay to fuck up has made quitting easier.

I’ll be able to spend more money on other stuff I like now. I might even be able to afford my own apartment after my annual review/raise in February (given that I’ll be paying lower health insurance premiums, too). I’m finding it a bit more difficult to focus on stuff, but I expected that. I’m also sleepier, but that’s okay because when I’m asleep I can’t smoke.

Also, when can I start going out without worrying about booze tempting me to backslide? I would like to go to a nice Pepe’s cantina I discovered this week as a reward for myself (I’ve never gone to a bar by myself before so it’d be a fun, atypical activity), but I’m afraid that if I have a couple rum and cokes I might run straight for a smoke during/afterward while my inhibitions are down. Because everyone knows that even self-proclaimed nonsmokers still smoke when they drink. :frowning:

75 smoke-free hours and counting, yay for me. If I don’t go to the cantina, I’ll probably have some celebratory sushi for dinner, because it’s payday and for once I don’t have to run out and spend $50+ on a carton after work :slight_smile:

2

Insurance companies don’t consider you a non-smoker until you haven’t had nicotine in your system for 2 years. Note that nicotine includes Nicorette and nicotine patches.

This information is from my friend who quit smoking 3 years ago, but still chomps on the gum like a fiend. He tried to get a reduction in his life insurance rates and this is what his agent told him.

3

Congrats for quitting! :slight_smile:

4

It’s been almost 7 months for me and I still don’t consider myself a non-smoker. I’m a smoker who fights every day to not smoke!

Isn’t not smelling like smoke awesome? That’s my favorite part. That and the $$$$$$$!!

It is pretty weird going out and doing stuff that previously involved smoking. The first time I went to a concert I said to my friends “this is what you losers do between sets? Just stand here? Jesus!”

Good luck! Keep going!

5

Varies by carrier.

Anyway, at the point rach, you’re technically on a smoke break.

6

Start calling yourself a nonsmoker now. Sometimes positive reinforcement is the edge you need to stay a nonsmoker.

If someone persists you can clarify to recent nonsmoker but stick to your guns.

7

I totally consider you a non-smoker now! You don’t smoke.

8

Going for drinks will be the hardest. When I quit, back in the days of Ronald Reagan (and the second coming of Pierre Trudeau), I could never go out to a bar on the weekend and NOT smoke: it was impossible. However, come Sunday morning and right through till Friday evening, I was a non-smoker. I was like this for a couple of years before I finally said to hell with it and quit entirely.

Congratulations on taking the first step.

I’m sure your colleagues appreciate your new fresh scent.

9

How do they know?

10

They test your piss.

11

Jeez MOL, sometimes I wish you’d just come out and say what you mean instead of hiding behind all these flowery euphemisms you continue to challenge us with.

12

I think you can start calling yourself a non-smoker any time after quitting. In fact, the little mantra that helped me psychologically when I quit was, “Why would I smoke a cigarette? I do not smoke. I am a nonsmoker.” Good luck staying quit- it’s one of the most important things you will ever do.

13

Whether you are a non smoker now depends on your commitment. I can’t say you are a non smoker without knowing. However, the self-doubt you display by asking suggests that you are on probation at best and are not a non-smoker yet. For you, we’re going to say 2-3 years of abstinence.

14

:smiley:

I’m not sure how long nictone shows up in a urinalysis, but also all of the insurance companies I work with also request that you self-report your smoker status. So if someone happens to know how long nicotine will continue to show up in testing, I suppose they could inaccurately report previous tobacco use and none would be the wiser.

15

Apparently it’s from 3-4 up to 20 days depending on the level of tobacco use.

16

[QUOTE=rachelellogram]
Also, when can I start going out without worrying about booze tempting me to backslide? I would like to go to a nice Pepe’s cantina I discovered this week as a reward for myself (I’ve never gone to a bar by myself before so it’d be a fun, atypical activity), but I’m afraid that if I have a couple rum and cokes I might run straight for a smoke during/afterward while my inhibitions are down. Because everyone knows that even self-proclaimed nonsmokers still smoke when they drink.
[/QUOTE]

I quit ten years ago. Since then I only had a cig about six months after my quit date and I was extremely drunk. After that, I really didn’t drink more than one or two drinks at a bar for at least two years because I was worried about back sliding.

Focus on the positives. You’d be amazed at how smelly your clothing and jackets get. I found a jacket I owned when I was a smoker six years after I quit. I finally had to throw it out since I couldn’t get that smoker smell off of it.

17

Wow, that’s it? I say long-time ex-smokers start fibbing about when they’ve last had a cigarette. Although, if it’s really been that long, I’d say you’re fine with most insurance companies.

18

Granted, those figures are referring to a urinalysis test. Nicotine may show up in a hair follicle test for up to a year.

19

Insurance companies don’t use hair follicle tests. Some might, but major carriers underwrite A LOT of policies, and using hair follicle testing would be ill-advised.

20

What were they testing for when they did a saliva swab from me: HIV?