Smoking

[Pam]

I was just watching Adam Sandler on GMA talking about how he recently lost his dad to lung cancer from smoking. He was urging everyone to quit now. My hubby is a smoker and I would love to see him hang up his cigarettes one of these days. I was wondering how many Pet Talkers smoke now, gave it up, enjoy it and have no intention of quitting, etc. Also any stories of how you kicked the habit would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Delf]

No way, it stink SO bad.
Yök!

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

Neither Andrew nor I are smokers. Never have been. My 19 year old brother smoked since he was 15. He recently quit about 6 months ago. I am very proud of him. My other brother has never been a smoker either.

My father, sadly, has been a smoker since he was 15 as well. He hasn't quit and has no intention of quitting either. He smokes up to 3 packs a day My mother hates it. She has developed respiratory problems due to his smoking and finally started making him smoke on the balcony if he insists on smoking.
My grandfather (dad's father) had so many health problems because of his smoking habbits. My father hasn't learned from that even though he lost his dad to it.

[Tonya]

I've quit cold turkey more then once because I can't stand the smell. Seeing Mike's grandma in that hospital bed this weekend is enough to keep me from ever smoking again.

My step-mom quit with the patches. It made it really easy for her.

[catnapper]

I am so repulsed by smoking! I am also allergic to the second hand smoke it creates. One whiff and I have an instant headache and my lungs start collecting mucus... so incredibly gross. I can't remember the last club or bar I went to... we choose our restaurants carefully so that I don't have to sit in the smoke.

I know I'm going to get bashed over the head for this but... here I go plunging in with both feet:
Since I have to deal with their addiction, shouldn't they be responsible for my asthma inhalers? Pay for the day's work I missed because my lungs were so full that I was hanging over the toilet throwing up mucus? Can I mucus on them since they smoke on me? I know I'm sounding very sarcastic and I mean to. Why do we non-smokers have to deal with their addiction? We should all take cue from California and ban smoking!!! woohooo!

Ok, I'll get back to normal now. I honestly don't know what would possess someone to start! Its expensive. Everyone knows the risk, and most people have a family member die of smoking related diseases. Every smoker I know wishes they could quit. All of them have tried one plan or another and failed because their addiction was that strong. I will not condemn a person for an addiction - they cannot help what their body craves. What I can condemn is that they took that first puff however long ago... there's enough information out there that should have penetrated their brains to be significant enough to have stopped them and made them say "no thanks." I know it did me - long before my allergies.

Whew, steping off my high-horse now. Please understand that I am far from perfect. I have my own weakenesses - though mine never waft over to a stranger's nose and into their bodies.

[Randi]

I smoke, and I enjoy it. However, I'm keeping it down to about 15 a day. I'd like to get down to 10. When I'm visiting non smokers, I can keep it down and I feel it's good for me.

Sometimes I put a patch on and I can avoid smoking until late afternoon. I could not imagine having a drink in a Bar without also having a cigarette.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Nope, I don't smoke.
But my grandma does, and my grandpa used too; but he quit.

[amoore]

I voted but my vote was not accepted because mahayana voted in his name, but from this computer we are on the same internet account, Since we are on the same computer we can't both do polls on here, even though we are using our own Pet Talk User name! Only one at a time can vote on a poll. Weird huh?

[micki76]

I smoked as a teen, but quit just after my Mom died from lung cancer at the age of 47 when I was just 17. My Daddy passed away from emphysema this past September. I really don’t see how anyone who’s ever watched someone die from a smoking related illness can still smoke.

Their smoking did this to them:

My mother couldn’t speak or write. She was in bed most of the time and was in extreme pain. Her lung cancer spread to her brain and she could barely speak or walk.
Daddy couldn’t do anything for the last 2 years of his life, he stayed home in his recliner or was in the hospital. He was hospitalized around 38 times in the last 2 years of his life. He was miserable. He even had trouble eating due to the scar tissue from surgery to remove a small lung cancer.

I quit cold turkey and for me that works. I’m very strong willed and when I set my mind to do something, nothing can stop me.

[anna_66]

I quit once for 2 years and 2 other times for 1 year.

I've found now that I'm older, it's much harder to quit. At least I manage to only smoke about 1/2 pack or less a day.

[PJ's Mom]

I quit almost a year ago.

Silly thing is, I miss it.

[Kiia]

I used to smoke. It will be 7 years this year that I quit. I basically quit cold turkey. I gave in to the cravings for the first few weeks, and I worked with people at the time who used to smoke around me. Eventually I just said, that's it, enough is enough. I chewed alot of gum and had baby carrott sticks when I had a craving. I hated the wheezing when I was doing any sort of exercise/sports.

My grandfather had lung cancer caused from smoking, he had to have one of his lungs taken out. My grandmother had this terrible, terrible smoker's cough, everytime I heard it I cringed. I felt so bad for them. My dad still smokes, I really wish he would quit. He tried a few months ago, but ended up going back.

I wish I never would have started. It stinks so bad, especially on a rainy/humid day the smell is just 10x worse. After going to a club or restaurant, I can really smell it in my hair, it stinks.

[Kater]

Originally posted by DoggiesAreTheBest
My 19 year old smoked since he was 15. He recently quit about 6 months ago. I am very proud of him. My other brother has never been a smoker either.

Could you clarify something - do you mean your 19 year old brother or 19 year old son? I'm assuming brother since you said "other brother."

I do not smoke and will never start. I have been very lucky in that I did not grow up around smokers, in fact, I can't think of a single person in my family that smokes.

[G.P.girl]

I think smoking is a discusting habit. no one is my house smokes, but my dad smokes in secret. he though i didn't know that everytime i left the house he would smoke,then hide the ashes and butts..but i think he's trying to quit. i'm trying to make my uncle quit, but he won't quit all by him self. he won't use any patches or those gum thingies. he says he's waiting for a message from god to help him stop

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

Originally posted by Kater
Could you clarify something - do you mean your 19 year old brother or 19 year old son? I'm assuming brother since you said "other brother."

You guessed right: it's my brother! I fixed that. Thanks for pointing out to me! I would have been confused as well seeing that it would be impossible for me to have a 19 year old SON! (I am only 23)