Would anyone be interested in a "Smoking Cessation" Group?

[Enraged_Ape]

I'm surprised that one hasn't already been created.

Quitting smoking would be the best thing that any current DU smoker can do for themselves, their families, and for the Democratic/progressive cause. Here's a little link to some info on how much money tobacco companies give to Republicans vs. Democrats. It's a significant chunk of change:

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.asp?Ind=A02

The forum I envision would not be a means for bashing smokers who want to continue smoking, in private or in public. That choice, alas, is theirs to make. Nor would it serve as a general "addiction support" forum, though maybe such a group would be helpful too. (Your thoughts on this are encouraged.)

This forum would only provide support and advice for those who are currently quitting smoking or who wish to quit. I've seen some DUers in the past provide a lot of helpful support to people who have announced they are quitting. This would just provide a more organized place for people to go, and it might attract some DU surfers who have thought about the idea but never followed through.

[dave123williams]

1. I could certainly use the help...cough...

[Enraged_Ape]

34. MISSION STATEMENT: Please read!!

The purpose of the DU Smoking Cessation group is to provide support, encouragement, and advice to DUers who have quit smoking (or who wish to do so), thereby enjoying the many health, financial, and progressive benefits of becoming a nonsmoker.

-------

I just need someone to agree on the above mission statement, then I will get with the admins and get a forum started.

[dave123williams]

52. Agreed.

[Worst Username Ever]

2. I've been quit for two months and I would support this group.

Truly, you never quit, you are always addicted. So I am hoping I can keep it up...

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Count me in

I have never used internet support to help me quit before. So I am game.

[onager]

4. Good idea.

n/t

[Itsthetruth]

5. Good Idea

eom

[masshole]

6. I enjoy smoking

As stupid as that sounds it's true.
I have to find some reason not to want to keep smoking.
Something more than the health aspect. I'm a lousy self-motivator.

[lukasahero]

7. I could use the support.

Count me in.

[Itsthetruth]

8. Yes With Both Hands

Recommend for the greatest! Needs one more vote.

[proud patriot]

9. in a week it'll be 3 months for me

:hi:

[burythehatchet]

29. 2 weeks tomorrow

this is going to be a tough week.

[slor]

10. Ok Ok...I need to quit too...

count me in.

[johnaries]

11. I've never smoked Cessation. Where can I get some?

Sorry... feeling feisty today! :grin:

[jonnyblitz]

12. that would be cool. i am on year 6 of no smoking and I STILL

have the occasional cravings. I would be looking in on that forum if it were to occur. :hi:

[AlCzervik]

13. yes i would, i need to quit

[arwalden]

14. I'm Nearly THREE Years Smoke Free...

... but I'd be interested in seeing this group form. I'd be willing to drop by and offer advice and support. This sounds like a GREAT IDEA!!

-- Allen

PS: We bought our pop-up RV camper with just ONE YEAR'S worth of savings from NOT SMOKING!!

[jonnyblitz]

19. I pick up cigarettes for my friends on occasion and gasp at the

price. I forget how much they cost when I last smoked 6 years ago..

[arwalden]

35. The Price ALONE Was The Reason We Quit...

... up until the point that they reached $45.00+ per carton, I actually had no desire to quit... no motivation at all. But $90.00 a week = $360.00 per month... and it doesn't take long to add up to some BIG MONEY.

I'm still amazed to see people buying them a pack-at-a-time from the convenience store. Close to $5.00+ a pack.... amazing!

[unhappycamper]

15. I was lucky enough to get into a smoking cessation drug trial last

fall. I've been off the butts since 12/12/2004.

I would be happy to join a group with youse.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. I heard about that drug

What is it? Is it on the market yet?

[unhappycamper]

22. I think there's been two or three trails for various drugs.

The drugs they are testing are CB1 blockers. The trial I was in used rimonabant - we had a 30% quit rate, which is excellent.

Here's a few links:
http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2004-03-10-4
http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/riskfactors/a/rimonabant2.htm

Bottom line: this stuff really works. I've been smoking for over 40 years & considered myself addicted.

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. Great news

I am also a longtime smoker.

[frankly_fedup2]

16. I'll try; however, I am trying to give up caffeine now as well as

chocolate and overeating. Might be too much at one time; however, I would like a group. I wish we could start a group regarding people trying to lose weight. So when you get a craving, someone is there to help you through it. Kind of like TOPS (taking off pounds sensibly. It doesn't have to be here. I have a board and I could add it to my Democrats board. The board is private membership only but free. That way I can keep out the cockroaches from the right, but if one slips by, I will be able to squash them like the bugs that they are BAWAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH!

I found this site on quitting smoking a month or so ago.

http://www.philipmorrisusa.com/en/quitassist/steps/keys.asp

[BigBearJohn]

17. I quit 1000 times before success. Would be willing to share my experiences

[Sewsojm]

20. Great idea, count me in!!

[Spencer10]

21. I need it!

I live in a City that has banned smoking in all restaurants, clubs, etc. and it's really hard on a smoker. Besides that, all of the non-smokers who see you smoking anywhere act like you are pond scum and feel quite justified in directing ugly remarks to you. The whole climate around smoking has changed so much in the last 10 years, and I'm so tired to feeling such shame in my life. I feel like I'd get more sympathy if I were a recovering drug addict. What part of DU would this forum be located in? I'm relatively new here and have a lot of trouble finding my way around still.

[frankly_fedup2]

55. That would be great BigBear. May put a fire under some of our arses. (nt

[graphixtech]

23. my mother just quit

a month ago, after a lifetime of smoking.
Sadly, she was diagnosed with lung cancer.
We are devastated.

Today she is having this test to see if it
has spread.
http://health.allrefer.com/health/ct-ct-scan.html

Not to preach and my only word on the subject:
If not for yourself, then for your loved ones.

[Jersey Devil]

24. Absolutely! I just quit (again) this past Sunday

Well, I've been cheating, but only a little.

[elehhhhna]

25. I need to. But I dread it.

[Bluebear]

26. It sucks but it can be done

I never thought I could get off them but I did much to my amazement.

[Donailin]

42. i dont want to gain the weight

and i know i will. it's a hand to mouth addiction, smoking.

I do want to quit, I can't imagine myslef as a non smoker. I actually dread the thought.

That's how evil nicotine can be.

[elehhhhna]

46. I could USE the weight.

I have NO excuse.

I fear going postal (figuratively). And I've quit before! Once cold turkey no problem for a year. Once on the patch for 6 mos. then started sneaking.

[frankly_fedup2]

56. First, I have to say this to you with the love of a fellow patriot . . .

I hate you for needing to gain weight (in a loving way, of course).

Now that this is off my chest, my mom has quit up to 7 years and started back. My dad stopped when he had a heart attack and thank Heaven he did not go back to them.

The thing about quitting is this: Unless you are killed in an unfortunate accident, you are still going to end up on a breathing machine. Once the lungs are damaged, they are damaged. Remember that BS they use to feed us about how the lungs could "heal" themselves once you quit. (Sorry this is negative. If anyone knows anybody else this did not happen to, please tell me, prove me wrong).

However, the good does outweigh the bad, but your lungs do not heal themselves.

[Enraged_Ape]

28. MISSION STATEMENT : FOR YOUR APPROVAL

The purpose of the DU Smoking Cessation group is to provide support, encouragement, and advice to DUers who have quit smoking (or who wish to do so), thereby enjoying the many health, financial, and progressive benefits of becoming a nonsmoker.

----

That's what I have so far. Does everyone agree? Should it contain more? Less?

Thanks for everyone's support, so far. I think this could really take off and should help a lot of people.

[Enraged_Ape]

32. Self-kick for the mission statement (Post #28)

:kick:

[arikara]

30. I successfully quit 5 years ago after many many attempts...

Two things helped to make it stick this time. The city that I live passed no smoking laws so that you can't even sit and have a smoke with your coffee in a restaurant, which was one of my favorite pleasures. People started getting really rude about smelling smoke too. So what I did was I picked a date in the future and worked on my own head for a couple of months, telling myself how much I hated the smell and how I was disgusting everyone around with the stench, how much I just hated smoking and how much I resented giving my hard earned money to the cigarette corporations. By the time my quit date arrived, I was happy to give them up and have never wanted to smoke another one. I hardly even had any cravings because the smell and taste repulsed me so much by that time.

[bpeale]

58. Zyban

i know others have troubles with zyban, but i have to tell you that if it wasn't for zyban, i would never have been able to quit. not only did i quit after one week, but i don't even get the periodic cravings to smoke either. i have remained quit for 5 yrs now. it's as if i had never smoked.

barbara

[goodboy]

31. what a coincidence, I just started the patch (again) today!

I quit a few times for over a year on the patch.

[Enraged_Ape]

33. MISSION STATEMENT: Please read!!!!

The purpose of the DU Smoking Cessation group is to provide support, encouragement, and advice to DUers who have quit smoking (or who wish to do so), thereby enjoying the many health, financial, and progressive benefits of becoming a nonsmoker.

-------

I just need someone to agree on the above mission statement, then I will get with the admins and get a forum started.

[seventythree]

36. agree

[napi21]

37. I have to put up with the gov't, the southern findies, and NOW DU?

If you want to quit, that's fine. Do it! I'll even give you kudos for your success, but for goodness sake, don't bring it onto DU!

I somke in my house, in my car, and sometimes even in a parking lot. I don't have any kids at home, I worked for 26 years and took 2 sick days.

I don't want to quit, and I resent all the rightous people constantly telling me I need to!

Oh, BTW, I also have a living will that says NO artificial means of life support is to be used, so you shouldn't have to worry about paying for my potential illnesses!

[Enraged_Ape]

38. Fine. Whatever. Don't join it, then.

And I promise I'll stay out of the smoker forum. No prob.

[napi21]

39. Fair enough. n/t

[jonnyblitz]

40. did somebody force you to read this thread?

too funny. this must be a parody post otherwise it makes ZERO sense. I can't believe you even posted it. Are you afraid we were going to try to make a new rule that no smoking is allowed while posting on DU? :crazy:

[Window]

43. Funny!

LOL @ your post. I was thinking the same thing.

[Window]

44. Funny!

LOL @ your post. I was thinking the same thing.

[napi21]

45. Not at all. I'm just tired of the stop smoking syndrome infecting

everything! I actually spend way too mcuh time reading and posting on DU. I enjoy my time here, and the majority of the members are terrific people with ONE GOAL...to get Dems back in power. That's my goal too, and I hate that unrelated smoking issues get in the way.

[Window]

41. Great idea.

Please count me in.

[elehhhhna]

47. Anybody try hypnosis? Your story here:

[bast_rising]

48. Might We Also Have a "Harm Reduction" Arm?

For Those, like Me,

Who can't just take the plunge immediately, but would like to reduce the risk of uncontrolled indulgence?

Bast

[Violet_Crumble]

49. Definately....

n/t

[bamademo]

50. Almost there. Wellbutrin 300mg XL

Wow. Makes me totally forget about it. Down to about 4 a day. I can even drink wine and go without. Count me in. I'm tired of having no breath and I'm smoking as we speak. :smoke:

[slutticus]

59. Tisk tisk...You shouldn't drink while on Wellbutrin/Zyban!

:)

Seriously...it can be really bad. At least it was for me.

[Bake]

51. Whatever ... (puff, puff) ... 'scuse me while I light another one

Right now, in my circumstances, if I tried to quit smoking I'd go nuts. And I don't need to go nut. Down the road, I may join you. Until then, best wishes and good luck to all trying to quit.

Bake

[noiretextatique]

53. count me in

especially since my dad might have lung cancer.

[jojo54]

54. Yes, please!!!!!!!

I've been trying to quit for 3 weeks now. At least I've gotten it down to about 5 coffin nails per day, but I want MORE! More is less, I mean.

Keep us up to date.

[Itsthetruth]

57. So How Do We Accomplish This

So how can we organize a "Smoking Cessation" forum on DU?

I would imagine that most DU'ers would have to support the idea before it could become a reality.

It might not jive with the stated purpose and objectives of DU.

[katinmn]

60. The Group is already up! I was glad to stumble across it.

See y'all over there (those that are interested, that is).


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=326

[BigBearJohn]

62. Ok, I added my own suggestion to the thread to help those quitting

[Trajan]

61. Count this MANY-TIMES quitter ....

...and current Bundle O'Nerves smoker .. in ......

I support the establishment of a "Smoking Cessation" Group .....