Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times.

I stopped smoking (full-time, at least) many years ago and started vaping. I'd still go back and forth a lot, and when drinking I'll kill a pack real quick sometimes. I used to have those big cloud chugging devices, but those never really did it for me for months straight, and I'd always be sneaking cigs here and there when it was convenient. Then I switched to the newer 'SALT NIC' vapes, and never feel the urge to smoke a filthy cigarette, even when there are gin and tonics involved (there are still always exceptions). Salt nic is more like a little Juul device, so the nicotine level is super high compared to those clouds you see people blowing. Once I started on the 30mg strength salt nics, I don't even think of smoking. And you can 'light up' anywhere with them, including cinemas, and nobody even notices.

Switching to vaping isn't really 'quitting' I guess, but I doubt it's even close to as harmful to your body as burning tobacco is, and I never feel shitty from it. Don't quit smoking, just trade your addiction for something less unhealthy.

Seriously though, mad respect for those of you who have stopped completely!

popping in wrote: ↑Sat Oct 10, 2020 9:32 pm Just went 67 hours. Back to 0. Last 6 days 1,0,1,0,0,1. Aiming for 77 this time...

It's definitely not as bad after the first 4 days or so.

If you can go that far, then you can stop, easy peasy!

All you need to do now is stop thinking about cigarettes. If the thoughts of having 'just one' enter your mind, then kill that quickly by reminding yourself that you don't smoke.
I don't know if you ever saw Fred Flinstone having discussions with his conscience. He would have a little devil Fred on one shoulder and a little angel Fred on the other shoulder. That is what it's like, and the only way to beat that devil is to listen to your little angel telling you that 'you don't smoke, move on and keep your self occupied with other things'.

Coming back to this thread to describe your urges is self defeating.

Stop thinking about cigarettes! You don't smoke anymore!

Other gems of advice from this former smoker:

It helps to make changes to what you consider your 'normal' routine.

At the start, during my cutting back period (which for me was about 7 - 10 days), I made a rule that I was no longer allowed to smoke inside (note that our house was huge with several floors, and front and back windows and doors were permanently open, so not a single smoke filled room). While that is a good rule for the health of the whole household, it makes smoking a cigarette a bit of an inconvenience by forcing yourself to go outside all the time.

Make changes to your most vulnerable to smoking periods. For me that was morning coffee and evening beer.
The old routine was to get out of bed, make a cup of coffee, turn on the laptop, then for the next 30 minutes read CEO while sipping slowly on my coffee and smoking 2 cigarettes. (Two cigarettes within 30 minutes of waking up = not good).
Have a shower and get dressed, followed by another coffee and 2 more cigarettes.
Moto to work (about 10 - 15 minutes), go inside, turn the laptop on, go outside and have another cigarette while chatting with colleagues.
It's now only 90 minutes after waking up and I've had 5 cigarettes.

During the cutting back period, the 4 cigarettes at home with coffee were abolished. The new morning routine started with straight into the shower followed by something to eat, which took my mouth and stomach a long time to get used to. But I had to force myself. This was like a replacement therapy.
The first cigarette of the day was the one I had when arriving at work. After the first week, this was pushed back to about an hour or more after arriving at work.

Evenings were mainly spent sitting on the balcony drinking 4 or 5 cans of beer over a 3 -4 hour period (slow drinker), chain-smoking.
It wasn't until my cutting back period that I realized how many cigarettes I smoked in the evening. It worked out that half of my daily cigarette consumption was during that 3 -4 hour period.
The new routine was that instead of sitting on the balcony I would stay inside and find something to do on the laptop or go and hang out downstairs with the missus.

Identify your most vulnerable to smoking periods and make changes to what you call your 'normal' routine. Whittle it away slowly, you may surprise yourself.

I smoked my last cigarette on 30 June 2019. If I can do it, anyone can!

pissontheroof wrote: ↑Sun Oct 11, 2020 8:47 am I don't know if you ever saw Fred Flinstone having discussions with his conscience. He would have a little devil Fred on one shoulder and a little angel Fred on the other shoulder. That is what it's like, and the only way to beat that devil is to listen to your little angel telling you that 'you don't smoke, move on and keep your self occupied with other things'.


I think your thinking of homer simpson

I think it is much easier to quit smoking if your packs of 20 cost CA$12-$15, as in parts of Canada now. The rising price was a big help back in 2001 when I quit and lasted 5 and a half years. (Yes, Aussie prices are triple that now, apparently.) Alas, I started visiting SEA in 2004 and by 2006 I was at the smoking altar again, largely due to the giveaway price of something like 60 baht/US$2.00 in Thailand.

A few months ago I cut back to a lighter brand successfully. I do not smoke in my apartment. I have to work on the beer cigs now. It helped when I quit drinking for a while during the 2001 quitting stage. Hmmm . . .

Great thread by the way.