I am not a smoker, but as a medical professional maybe I can help.

Studies show that the most effective way to quit smoking is to pick a day and quit cold turkey. I usually recommend a birthday or anniversay or holiday. Sure, u will go through withdrawls, but after that u SHOULD be ok. The second most effective method is tapering the # of cigs/day. I ask my patients to taper by 2 cigarettes every 3 days. The least effective method is nicotine gums/patches. That is also the most risky way to quit. There have been many instances of a person on patches who restarted smoking and suffered a massive Heart Attack. since nobody would profit from quitting cold turkey, it is not advertised-- unlike patches/gum. U see first they sell you a highly addictive substance, then they sell u the product to TRY to get off ot it. Talk about conflict of interest.

 

^ WOW. great input. thank you!!

 

I quit cold turkey several times, Each time I would start up again within a few months. I was doing 2-3 packs a day, and annoying everyone around me.

The last time was 1985- after a trip to the emergency room, I stopped again. This time it stuck. My success can only be attributed to my wife, who helped me tough it out.

 

tritium_pie,

I think cold turkey is the best way to quit. I tried tapering down slowly, but that didn't work nearly as well...when I went cold turkey, the first few days kind of sucked, but I was ultimately successful.

That having been said, the best advice I can give you about the smoker in your life is to leave them alone. Don't bug them to quit smoking. When I smoked regularly, and even now, I found nothing more irritating than others telling me what to do. There were people who would get in my face about smoking cigarettes, and I never listened to a word they said because they were so obnoxious and self-righteous. It is absolutely 100% true that the person has to want to quit - if this person is even remotely like myself, then other people getting on their case about it will only piss them off and achieve nothing. So, don't pressure this person at all, let them decide if they want to quit, and let them do it at their own pace.

Once the person decides to quit, *then* there's things you can do to help. Suggest activities that aren't associated with smoking, hang out at places where few people smoke, and be a little more patient around them in the first few days, since they'll likely be more irritable.

Also, I don't believe the nicotine patches and gum are very helpful. I tried the patches, but they made me feel kind of dizzy, so I stopped after 1-2 patches. They didn't really stop the cravings, much, either...the patches deliver a steady stream of nicotine over a long time, whereas the cigarette addiction cycle consists of acute, sharp spikes of nicotine intake - hence, there's no satisfactory nicotine rush from the patches.

Finally, if your friend doesn't want to quit smoking, then please don't try to force him/her to. Every single one of us has detrimental habits, and we all decide what risks we deem acceptable. Smoking cigarettes may not be an acceptable risk to you, but if your friend finds it acceptable, then that's their right...this is a personal decision.

Oh yeah, one last thing that just came to mind. I've found that people tend to have a harder time quitting when they take the mentality that they'll never smoke another cigarette for as long as they live. That puts a lot of pressure on the process, and kind of screws with the mind. For me, I never took that mentality, and I still smoke a cigarette here and there, especially when I drink alchohol. It's the regular smoking - the addiction - that's truly harmful, so that's what I focused on eliminating. Your friend should focus on breaking the addiction, but don't place additional pressure by thinking he/she should never have another cigarette again...honestly, it can be a enjoyable activity at times, and taken in moderation, has little impact on health in the long run.

 

I agree cold turkey is the way to go. It's all about your mental strength and will power.

It's also much easier to quit together with your friends. Good luck.

That being said, I have not really quit yet.

 

thanks to all for your input.

paying heed to your collective advice, I want to find a passive way to convince this person to try to quit. I think by being healthy around her (I eat healthy, work out, etc.), and then when she smokes passively distancing myself physically and kinda stopping any affection for a little bit, will subconsciously show her that smoking kinda gets in the way of the flow of our relationship. she'll figure it out, and won't ever feel pressured by me. opinions?

I don't believe in good and evil per se, but if there ever was a corporate evil, selling an addictive product that people have to consume to feel "normal" (not even feel good, but just normal?!) and to the detriment of their health-- is disgusting in the extreme.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by THEOLDMAN
When I last smoked cigarettes were 35-50 cents a pack.

 

In 1996, a 49 year old friend of mine told me in January that he didn't feel good. He went to the doctor, was diagnosed with lung cancer and on March 13th, less than two months later, he was dead. He was a heavy smoker. I was a light smoker, on and off, never hooked. But I decided it was stupid, bad for me, made me smell, and cost too much. Haven't had one since that day. You just have to realize what you are doing, and stop.

 

I smoked for 10 years. I LOVED the feeling of rolling my own, holding that precious little burning stick in my fingers. That first drag of the day after you get up and that last tantilizing inhale before going to bed. I can still sense that wonderful aroma when I opened up the tobacco pouch and sensuousness of the initial "light". I delighted in the circles that I used to blow, to watch them dance across the air till they melted into the surrounding space. The warmth near my face as I puffed on that glowing ember of fire on a cold and chilly day. Ahhhhhhhhhhh!
Then, I met the woman of my dreams, who said she would never hook up with a man who smoked. And since I wanted to "get me some", I finished off that last can of tobacco and have never touched another tobacco product since - COLD TURKEY! It's been about 27 years now and I'm married to that woman. I can't remember the last time I "got me some". It might have been a BAD trade!
I REALLY FEEL LIKE A SMOKE RIGHT ABOUT NOW!

 

my parents have been nonsmokers for 24 years...my mom says she still has cravings.