Maggots - We need your support...

[rightcoast]

Best of luck...I know you both can do it. Just think of how much better those hikes will feel, not to mention all of the other health benefits.
Its hard. I started smoking in 1995, was up to over a pack of Camel Filters a day for quite some time. it took a while, then i started to realize that I was no longer the slightly above average athlete i once was in high school. It really started to affect my running, esp. supplemented with other kinds of smoke in my lungs. Because of this, i started to cut down quite a bit, to the point where a lot of people didnt even know I smoked. Then only when i was drinking, I would smoke like a chimney, like 15 butts in a night out, hence I would feel like hell the following day.
3 Weeks before i went to Utah this year, i just said to myself, this is dumb, i dont even need this burden in my life, im done. I gave my last pack away and decided i was done. I had some bad cravings at the beginning, but im so damn happy i quit. I feel it all the time, hiking, running, and especially surfing, im a little more confident that I can get through being held under for a while now.

After my rant...good luck, youll be super happy you didnt have that butt

[13]

Hang in there, SheRa & duph...

It gets easier. And easier. And easier. You just gotta get over the initial "hump" of withdrawal, kind of like when you're hiking up a steep face to start off, then you reach an gentler slope. It's exactly like that -- you just gotta focus on getting there, and once you're there, you can sit back and relax a little more, but still keep plodding towards your goal.

One of my friends and his girlfriend claimed that having sex took their mind off of trying to get their next fix... I think they just liked shaggin'.

[gimpy]

good for you guys. save your lungs for better things quitting cigs for me was mostly about my oral fixation/nervous energy thing. chewing gum, toothpicks, straw, ganj stems, straws, and construction pencils are now relentlessly stuck in my mouth and chewed up.

[stompinlines]

Some are better visual learners.

[iskibc]

I'm digging this thread, mostly because I have the desire to quit chewing, but don't have the ultimate motivating factor at the moment. I'm a stubborn person. It usually takes a life changing event to convince me to switch my habits. I hate change. I live my life every day feeling comfortable in my familiar surroundings. Change ruffles my feathers like no other, but for some reason when it happens, I feel refreshed and good. I try to avoid change. Even the simplest things bother me, like: change in workouts, change in sleep, change in weather, change in work schedules, change in my eating schedule, etc.
I don't like dealing with it at first, but when I do I'm glad. Anyway, I can't go longer than a couple days without a chew. I get the shakes and I get very cranky. Usually by the second day my body notices this "change" in lifestyle and that's what brings on the mood swings and such. Every time I try to quit and go through these mood swings and shakes, I remind myself that change is good and I will feel better when I get over the first stage. Just have to make it over the first hump. Of course I haven't been able to do that yet. It's a battle that will probably be fought until something major happens. I hate to regret that, but it's part of the truth.
It's a mind game. I know the addiction is disgusting and has major repurcussions, but for some reason it keeps yanking away at my self-control.
I'm addicted to substances that alter my ways of looking at things. Tobacco helps with stress (I think), alcohol makes things simple and relaxing, powder/bc releases tension and puts me in a mind state that I strive for to be permanent, etc.

Mir & Matt, I'll help you quit. You should have no problem. Just think of how fast you will be chugging up those peaks. Look at it as another big challenge, almost like a difficult ski descent. Once you accomplish your goal of quitting, you will be satisfied and proud of yourself, just like if you were to conquer that tough ski descent. Cheesy, yes, but you have to relate your quitting of smokes to something that is a motivating factor in your life.
Whoa, I just rambled on like no other. Must be the oxygen rich air here in Maine. Now only if this place got a lot more snow....

[Arnold Babar]

Originally posted by gonzo
I really really like that. I am going to look him up. The past few years that has pretty much been my philosophy.

John Barth: novelist, professor of English/creative writing Johns Hopkins. I recomend his 1958 work, The End of the Road. Other works: The Floating Opera, The Sot-Weed-Factor, Lost in the Funhouse, Giles Goat-Boy, Chimera.

"'But the greatest radical in any society is the man who sees all the arbitrariness of the rules and social convention, but who has such a great scorn or disregard for the society he lives in that he embraces the whole wagonload of nonsense with a smile. The greatest rebel is the man who wouldn't change society for anything in the world.'", The End of the Road.

[Crinkle]

words of encouragement: "U CAN DO IT!!!!"

[Pillars]

I saw something on TV the other day about people being in debt, and the speaker said that one way to pull yourself out of it is to quit smoking. He said that if you've smoked a pack a day for 30 years, than you've spent around $50,000, and for what? To kill yourself in the long run?

Just think of all the money you'll be saving and all the new gear you can reward yourself with. That'll make it easy.

[Snow Dog]

Originally posted by GT40
I believe you guys can do it.

My dad smoked for 25 years, and it was very hard for him to quit. But he did. He was then able to hike and excercise like he was 20 years younger. Quitting really improved the quality of his life.

Just think about how good the mountain air will smell.

Good point.

Hey M&M -- just think of the peaks you can bag once you stop hacking up black phlegm.

[Buster Highmen]

1) Start off slow. Defer that first smoke of the day until lunch, then 2:00, then 4:00, then after dinner, etc. Keep in mind that your desire will subside. Knowing that things will get easier makes them easier.

2) Once you've got it down a bunch, but are still having cravings, get a bag of shitty weed. When the desire to smoke becomes too much for you, roll up a reefer and smoke it down.

-now a smoker of strictly O.P.s after a couple of beers.

[grrrr]

I smoked for a while when I was much younger. Camel unfiltered. John Waynes. Coffin Spikes.

I woke up hungover one morning when I was still a volunteer fireman to roll out to an early morning car crash. It stunk, as all such crashes do, of gasoline, alcohol, blood. I was jonesing for a cig, and I found a pack in my turnout coat pocket. Lord knows how long it had been there. I lit it up. It was foul. I started retching. I puked. I felt like shit. I quit smoking. The end.

Maybe I should write a self help book. Barf your way to a smoke free life.

Good luck guys, you'll be much happier when you've quit.

[DaveTV]

1) Start off slow. Defer that first smoke of the day until lunch, then 2:00, then 4:00, then after dinner, etc. Keep in mind that your desire will subside. Knowing that things will get easier makes them easier.

I don't subscribe to this, maybe it works for some. Cold turkey. 2 days of nicotine withdrawal. Drink lots of OJ and exercise your brains out. You come out of the tunnel the third day, it's all in your head after that.

[Dr. Crash]

Good luck quitting smoking. I smoked from 13 to 28 years old, up to 3 packs a day and never less than one. And I quit six years ago and haven't touched a cigarette since. It is doable

Here's how I quit, in case it works for you. I kept cigarettes in my pocket. As a matter of fact, I still had cigarettes in my house for a long time after I quit. The trick that works is that if you have cigarettes on you, there is no "oh my God I quit I have nothing I'll die." No, you have cigarettes, and of course you want to smoke them. But you just say no to each urge, one at a time. Much much easier. I also used simple visualizations, like associating the cigarette with a big gray dark cloud / whatever, and associating not smoking that one with bright light and being free. Seeing those two possibilities every time I was making a choice about whether to smoke that one or not. Whatever works for you. But the key is to say no to the cigarettes one at a time. It is still difficult but much much easier. Also, the physical need lasts 72 hours. After that, it's all in your head. Just remind yourself at that time that the hard real physical need is gone, and that you're just playing tricks on yourself trying to convince you that you need that cigarette. The heck you do

Now the one thing *not* to do: don't use peanuts M&Ms as the food to compensate for your need to keep your fingers / mouth busy. It is not pretty on your waist. Don't ask how I know

Best luck to you guys.

drC

Edit: I wouldn't go with Buster's #2 point. If you quit, you quit. You won't become a non-smoker. You'll be an ex-smoker. That's a big difference. I still have some cravings though I am down to maybe 1 or 2 a year (yeah!), but I know one thing: I am not touching anything with smoke / nicotine. One time would be enough to make me a smoker again, and that time is not worth that.

[SLCFreshies]

Good luck. Quitting smoking is one of the hardest things I've seen people do. But universally, everyone who succeeds feels infinitely better after they quit. Now is the time to quit when you're younger. It's always so sad to see people who decide to quit when it's too late, like after they get cancer, or their first huge heart attack, or when they get short of breath just walking across the room. KEEP WITH IT!!!

Here's a little patient info sheet that you may find helpful if you're not a visual learner and like reading stuff.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTRODUCTION — Cigarette smoking is a major cause of disease in the United States. More than 400,000 deaths occur each year as a result of cigarette smoking, all of which are preventable with smoking cessation. In addition, exposure to second-hand smoke (passive smoking) is estimated to cause 40,000 deaths from heart disease each year.

Quitting and staying away from cigarettes is difficult, but not impossible. Over 3 million Americans quit smoking every year.

BENEFITS OF QUITTING SMOKING — Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. People who quit smoking before age 50 have one-half the risk of dying over the next 15 years as people who continue to smoke. In addition to the benefits to smokers, smoking cessation is important to the nonsmoking population since, as mentioned, passive exposure to cigarette smoke also is associated with a number of adverse health consequences.

Cardiovascular disease — Cigarette smoking doubles the risk of developing coronary heart disease, and smoking cessation is associated with a rapid decrease in the risk of cardiovascular disease. After one year of smoking cessation, the excess risk of dying from coronary heart disease is reduced by about one-half and continues to decline with time. In some studies, the risk of heart attack diminished to the rate of nonsmokers within two years of quitting smoking.

Pulmonary disease — Smoking is associated with an increased risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. While much of the lung damage caused by smoking is not reversible, smoking cessation halts the decline in lung function to some degree, and many smokers with a chronic cough and sputum production note an improvement in these symptoms during the first 12 months after stopping smoking. Several rare lung diseases such as eosinophilic granuloma and respiratory bronchiolitis may completely resolve with smoking cessation.

Cancer — Cigarette smoking is responsible for almost 90 percent of cases of lung cancer. Smoking cessation reduces the risk of lung cancer within five years of stopping smoking, although former smokers still have a higher risk of lung cancer than never smokers. Smoking cessation may also reduce the risk of other cancers, such as cancers of the head and neck, esophagus, pancreas, and bladder. Stopping smoking remains beneficial even after a diagnosis of one of these cancers, since it reduces the risk of getting a second cancer and may improve the chance of survival from the first cancer.

Peptic ulcer disease — Smoking cessation decreases the risk of developing peptic ulcer disease and increases the rate of healing from the disease.

Osteoporosis — Smoking increases bone loss and is a risk factor for hip fracture in women. Smoking cessation begins to reverse this excess risk after about 10 years. Increased bone loss has also been noted in male smokers, but the degree of resultant excess fracture risk is less clear.

Other diseases — Smoking also causes or contributes to many other conditions. As an example, pregnant women who smoke have increased risk of babies with low birth weight and birth defects. Smoking also causes skin wrinkling and sexual dysfunction. Smoking cessation likely benefits these conditions as well.

HAZARDS OF SMOKING CESSATION — Generally, any potential hazards of smoking cessation are far outweighed by the benefits. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to prepare yourself for some possible adverse consequences of smoking cessation:

Symptoms of withdrawal are common among patients attempting to stop smoking. These generally peak in the first three days and subside over the next three to four weeks. Episodic craving for cigarettes, which can be intense, may persist for many months. The cravings will go away even if you do not smoke. Withdrawal symptoms may include insomnia; irritability, frustration, or anger; anxiety; difficulty concentrating; restlessness; and a decreased heart rate.

Some people who stop smoking experience mild depression, although it can be sufficiently severe to require counseling or antidepressant therapy or may lead to a return to smoking. The key to preventing relapse is early recognition and treatment of depression. It is important that you report any symptoms of sleeplessness, emotional irritability, sadness, inattention, or other signs of possible depression to your health care provider for prompt evaluation.

Weight gain is commonly associated with smoking cessation because people tend to eat more once they quit. Typically, people gain 2 to 5 pounds in the first two weeks, followed by an additional 4 to 7 pounds over the next four to five months. The average weight gain is 8 to 10 pounds. An exercise program and dieting reduces the amount of weight gain, but even with the small amount of weight gain that sometimes occurs, the benefits of quitting smoking clearly exceed the negative aspects of weight gain.


PREPARING TO QUIT — Once you decide to quit smoking, the first step should be to set a quit date. This is the day you completely quit smoking. Ideally, this date should be within two weeks, although occasionally choosing a special date (like a birthday, anniversary, or the Great American Smokeout) can be helpful.

Gradual reduction in smoking is occasionally successful as a means of quitting, but generally quitting "cold turkey" is more successful. Some people chose to switch to a brand of cigarettes that is lower in tar and nicotine as a prelude to quitting, but frequently this causes you to inhale more often or more deeply, counteracting the effect you are trying to achieve.

In addition to setting a quit date, here are some other steps to take in preparing to quit:

Tell family, friends, and coworkers about your plan to quit, and ask for their support.

Avoid smoking in your home and car and other places where you spend a lot of time.

Review any other attempts you have made to quit. What worked? What did not work and may have contributed to relapse?

Prepare to deal with nicotine withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety, frustration, depression, and intense cravings to smoke. Recalling previous quit attemps may help you anticipate these symptoms. If you do not smoke at all, withdrawal symptoms usually become very manageable within a few weeks.

Prepare to deal with things that trigger you to smoke. Examples include having smokers in your household or workplace, getting into stressful situations, and especially drinking alcohol. If you have a vacation from work coming, it may be easier to quit during that time, particularly if you are accustomed to smoking during work breaks.

Talk with your doctor about the method or methods of quitting smoking that are best for you. Behavioral approaches and pharmacologic (medication) approaches are the two main methods of quitting smoking. Within each of these categories there are a number of choices. You can use one or a combination of methods.


BEHAVIORAL METHODS OF QUITTING — Behavioral approaches to smoking cessation can be done on your own or in individual or group sessions.

Problem solving/skills training — As mentioned, when preparing to quit smoking you need to identify situations or activities that may increase your risk of smoking or relapse. Once you have identified your "danger situations," you need to explore coping skills. Strategies to enhance coping may include making lifestyle changes to reduce stress and improve quality of life, such as starting an exercise program and learning relaxation techniques. Vigorous exercise may not only enhance your ability to stop smoking and avoid relapse, but also reduces the weight gain that can occur with smoking cessation.

Try to minimize the time you spend with smokers. If you live with smokers, consider negotiating with them to not smoke in your home or car.

Keep oral substitutes (such as sugarless gum, carrots, sunflower seeds, etc...) handy for when you get a craving to smoke. Do not allow yourself to think that having one cigarette will not hurt, as one typically leads to many more.

The key to successful quitting is to have as much information as possible about what to expect during your quit attempt and how to cope. You can use self-help materials such as pamphlets, booklets, videos, or audio tapes. Or, you can get information from your health care provider, a counselor, a telephone hotline, the internet, and support groups. Some medical centers have patient resources or learning centers where you can get self-help materials. For a list of sources on the internet, see "Where to get more information" below.

Social support — Social support can be very helpful in quitting smoking and staying off cigarettes. Social support systems may include family and friends, your health care provider, a counselor, a telephone hotline, and support groups. In addition to getting encouragement, it is important to have someone with whom you can discuss any problems that may be occurring due to quitting smoking, such as depressed mood, weight gain, lack of support from family and friends, or prolonged withdrawal symptoms.

(continued below)

[SLCFreshies]

Group counseling — Group programs are offered by a number of commercial and voluntary health organizations. They typically include lectures, group interactions, exercises on self-recognition of your habit, some form of a tapering method leading to a "quit day," development of coping skills, and suggestions for relapse prevention. The cost can vary from nothing to several hundred dollars.

Hypnosis and acupuncture — Hypnosis and acupuncture are commercially popular stop-smoking methods. Although scientific support for these two methods is weak, they may help people who have failed with other techniques.

PHARMACOLOGIC METHODS OF QUITTING — Nicotine replacement therapy and bupropion are the most commonly used medications for smoking cessation.

Nicotine replacement therapy — In the absence of nicotine, a smoker not only loses the good feelings nicotine induces but may also develop withdrawal symptoms. These include:

Depressed mood
Insomnia
Irritability, frustration, or anger
Anxiety
Difficulty concentrating
Restlessness
Nicotine craving
Decreased heart rate

Nicotine replacement therapy is designed to ameliorate these symptoms while a smoker deals with the behavioral aspects of smoking cessation. Nicotine replacement therapy appears to be safe, even in people with known cardiovascular disease. However, using nicotine replacement along with smoking is not recommended. Many smokers are able to quit without using nicotine replacement therapy, although it is available to virtually anyone who desires it.

Nicotine is available in several forms: as a gum (nicotine polacrilex), patch (transdermal system), nasal spray, or inhaler. On the whole, none of these nicotine delivery systems is significantly superior to another, and all appear similarly effective [2]. However, individual smokers may find one form particularly effective. Combinations of these therapies may be helpful in some people.

Nicotine polacrilex (gum) — Nicotine gum contains nicotine bound to a polacrilex resin that allows release of the nicotine with chewing. For most people who smoke one pack per day or more, use of 2 mg nicotine gum on an as-needed basis produces blood levels of nicotine less than 40 percent of those associated with usual smoking. As a result, withdrawal symptoms generally are not prevented by gum use, but the intensity of discomfort is often reduced. In addition, since peak blood levels of nicotine are much lower with gum than with a cigarette, both the feelings of well being and the addiction potential of nicotine gum are less than those of cigarettes. Nevertheless, many smokers have become chronic gum users.

When used with an intensive behavioral program, nicotine gum may increase rates of quitting up to twofold. Without a behavioral program, quit rates with gum have been lower. Treatment is generally recommended for three to six months.

There are disadvantages of using nicotine gum. Some people have a low oral pH that reduces the absorption of nicotine. In addition, swallowed nicotine can cause gastric side effects. Swallowed nicotine that is absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract is largely broken down by the liver and is therefore relatively ineffective.

Transdermal nicotine systems (patch) — Transdermal nicotine delivers nicotine to the blood through a patch placed on the skin. Several dosage formulations are available. The highest (21 to 22 mg/patch) delivers nicotine at a rate that sustains a blood level about half as high as that found in a thirty cigarettes per day smoker. Withdrawal symptoms are reduced in intensity, but not eliminated, with the nicotine patches.

The combination of intensive behavioral programs and nicotine patches has produced very favorable smoking cessation rates. Use of the patch tends to double the quitting rates associated with whatever behavioral intervention is used. The patch may be more effective than the gum when an intensive behavioral program is not used.

Treatment with nicotine patches is generally recommended at "full dose" for four to six weeks. Some brands of patches include a tapering period of several additional weeks. Longer use of nicotine patches does not generally improve the chance of quitting.

Delivery of nicotine at night may be associated with sleep disturbances, particularly vivid dreams. On the other hand, use of nicotine patches at night results in increased morning blood nicotine levels, which may help combat difficult early morning withdrawal symptoms in some smokers. The slow rise in blood nicotine levels with patches is believed to be associated with a low risk of addiction.

Nicotine nasal spray — Nicotine nasal spray delivers a liquid solution of nicotine to the nose. Compared to the patch and gum, the nasal spray produces a relatively rapid rise in nicotine concentration in the blood that more closely mimics changes seen with smoking. However, nasal irritation is common, occurring in 94 percent of people during the first two days of use, and continuing in 81 percent of people after three weeks of treatment. While studies have clearly demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of the nicotine nasal spray, it has a greater chance of prolonging nicotine dependence than the other nicotine replacement therapies.

Nicotine inhaler — The nicotine inhaler has proved to be a safe and effective smoking cessation method. It is made up of a mouthpiece and a plastic cartridge that contains nicotine. Nicotine is released when air is inhaled through the device. Because most of the nicotine is deposited in the mouth and delivered to the body through the mucous membrane in the mouth, nicotine absorption is relatively slow. Use of the nicotine inhaler on an as needed basis produces blood nicotine levels that are roughly one-third of those which occur with usual cigarette smoking. Irritation of the mouth or throat is common, particularly during the early stages of use.

Bupropion — Bupropion is a pill that has been available for use as an antidepressant in the United States since 1989. A sustained release formulation of the medication (Zyban) is licensed for use as an aid to smoking cessation.

Bupropion is usually taken daily for three days, then increased to twice daily two weeks before the quit date; it is typically continued for 7 to 12 weeks. Bupropion may be more effective than nicotine replacement therapy, and combining the two may be even more effective.

Bupropion is generally well tolerated, but it may cause dry mouth and insomnia. Rarely seizures have occurred in association with the use of bupropion; the drug is not recommended in people who have a preexisting seizure disorder, head trauma, heavy alcohol use, anorexia nervosa, or bulimia.

RELAPSE — Most smokers make many attempts to quit before they achieve success. Keep this in mind when attempting to quit for the first time. If you do not succeed, do not think of yourself as a failure, but learn from your attempt and try again. Try to figure out the reasons your attempt failed. Determine whether you were using your cessation methods correctly, then explore solutions to use in your next quit attempt. Consider trying different cessation methods.

Most relapses occur in the first week after quitting, when withdrawal symptoms are strongest. Try to mobilize all of your support resources (eg, family, friends) during this critical time. Reward yourself for not smoking; use the money you saved by not buying cigarettes to treat yourself to something special.

If you have other conditions that might affect your ability to quit, such as depression or alcohol or drug dependency, get professional help for them. Talk with your doctor, and consider individual and group counseling.

WHERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION — Your doctor is the best resource for finding out important information related to your particular case. Not all smokers are alike, and it is important that your situation is evaluated by someone who knows you as a whole person.

A number of sites on the internet have information about smoking cessation. The National Institutes of Health, national medical societies, and some other well-established organizations are often reliable sources of information, although the frequency with which they are updated is variable.

Listed below are several web sites that have self-help materials for smoking cessation:

National Library of Medicine
(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/)

CancerNet
(http://rex.nci.nih.gov/NCI_PUB_INDEX/PUB_INDEX_DOC.html)

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
(http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/)

American Lung Association
(http://www.lungusa.org/partner/quit)

American Heart Association
(http://www.americanheart.org/)

QuitNet
(http://www.quitnet.org)

Agency for Health Care Research and Quality
(http://www.AHCPR.gov/consumer/index.html#smoking)
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[shamrockpow]

I can relate to all the other smokers out there and I wish you guys good luck. I quit for the second time in January of this year. I've had 2 cigarettes since then and regretted it each time. Stepping down really is a key. Last time I used the patch, but this year I just went down from around 12-15 a day (and 3 packs most weekends) down to 8, then 3 or 4 and finally 2. The first step was really the hardest, but when I got to the point that I could limit myself to one or two every day I ended it and was so happy. Since then I've really only had the desire to smoke when drinking heavily and smoking the mary jane. As a result I've definitely dropped from regular marijuana smoker to occasional and the ban on smoking in Boston (and Utah in general) has really helped since I don't have to be confronted w/it every time I go out drinking. I feel like summer will be the hardest, nothing like sitting outside on a warm night and having a smoke and a beer, but it's for the best. I actually went to the track yesterday and ran some 800s and now I really have the desire to run a 5 minute mile in the next 2 months - something I couldn't even imagine doing when I was smoking

I like Dr. C's idea of having cigarettes available. When you do that you realize how stupid smoking actually is. Who's stronger? You or the butt? It shouldn't even be an option. Be tough and kick tobacco's ass!

One more thing: a big key was letting all my friends know that I was serious about quitting. If I started to chain smoke during the step down period, they'd remind me and usually shame me. It also can help when you're being a complete asshole for what appears to be no reason, but you're actually just cranky cause you missed your fix. A couple of my smoker buddies gave me shit, but I know they really wished they were doing the same thing.

You can do this Shera!

[Aldo]

Quitting is easy! I do it all the time. The key is NOT to tell everyone about it, less drama, less attention, less time thinking about it. Lay off the herb, that'll only lead you right back in. Get on your bike, go out and do something. Don't sit around talking about it!

If you can ski some of those lines, this should be child's play.
Good luck.

[DaveTV]

Just pull the plug and tough it out - climb a couple fourteeners, that'll flush the nicotine out of your system and motivate u to boot!

[Dr. Crash]

Originally posted by Aldo
Quitting is easy! I do it all the time.

Dude, if you are quitting all the time, you haven't quit. (That was a funny intro.)

drC

[powstash]

Originally posted by gonzo

Plus, you guys hike all the time! How the f**k can you smoke butts and do that shizzle?

Not that I want to give a plug for those that smoke, but I ski with this guy from time to time that bar none could out ski, out skin, out climb, out enduro any of us here on the board and without fail after each skin up some peak here in the wasatch he'll light a hand rolled cig. Unbelievable.

As for quiting Shera, it'll make all the difference next year when you're boot/ski compressing all those lovely slopes in Silverton so you can get your real fix....skiing Silverton pow for free!

Edit: gonzo's vocab

[Arnold Babar]

Damn! I feel so blessed that I couldn't handle cigs the first time I tried 'em. Was drunk, got the spins, never had the urge to try again. Same was true of dip, just couldn't handle it at the time. Never had that problem with the weed, though, and well, that's another story.

[Arnold Babar]

Oh, by the way. YOU CAN DO IT!!!! Ain't nothin' to it but to do it. Good luck!

[Mrs Roo]

Miriam,

I won't give you all the "smoking is bad" stuff 'cos you already know that.

Each time you want a cig, stop and ask yourself why. When you can honestly answer that question you'll realise that you don't actually want one for any sensible reason, because you don't need one.

Successful quitters in the UK recommend a guy called Allen Carr. He's written a book on it that you can probably get on Amazon.

You can do it!

[char]

Everytime I feel like I need one I go for a run.

[Hacksaw]

SheRa, You guys can do it. The first month is the hardest. Think about all the $$$ you'll save by not smoking, that you can put twords ski trips.............. I can hear the roterblades turning now.....
Cheers,
Halsted