DU Smokers?

[Autonomy]

Are you a smoker or non-smoker?

[mike_c]

1. I smoked tobacco for about ten years, but I quit it 25 years ago....

eom

[HCE SuiGeneris]

2. Smoked for 30 years--- quit 2 1/2 months ago Yeah!!!!!

[mike_c]

3. congratulations!

Man, that takes determination!

[HCE SuiGeneris]

4. Ty Ty.. DU helped immensely, and a much better

release than smoking :-)

[Autonomy]

6. I quit for 3 years once

but have been back to smoking for about 4 years and can't seem to quit. Going to give it another try very soon! Once I got past the first month or so, it was smooth sailing last time.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

9. made it for 6 months..22 years ago-- then started with

those wine-tipped Colts, big mistake. I am done done done this time I :think:

[VaTF1]

18. I smoked for 31 years

Only when I was diagnosed with relapse/remiss MS, did I have to quit. You'd be surprised the "wake-up" call you get when your life is endangered by other factors, outside of your control.

[beam me up scottie]

5. Ah how clever.

Distract everyone from the epic DU racism wars by rekindling the epic DU smoking wars. :thumbsup:

[Autonomy]

8. I'm not that clever

I don't know anything about either of these "wars" you're talking about. Sorry. Haven't been putting that much time into DU since the elections.

[beam me up scottie]

12. ROFL!

"Since" the elections?

I used the word epic for a reason.

The smoking wars have been going on for a lot longer than that.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1314153

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

24. Next topic: African-American nicotine addicts.

:hide:

[walldude]

7. I smoke American Spirits.

I had a friend who quit and he switched to AS's and said it was much easier to quit after he weened himself off the chemicals. So I switched. They are alot more expensive but they burn much slower so I ended up smoking less. I aim to quit next year. I promise that when I do I won't say something as asinine as "they should be illegal".

[Oeditpus Rex]

14. Buy it by the can

That's what I do. After the initial expense of an injector (about $15), tobacco and tubes cost half the carton price.

[NuttyFluffers]

23. i've noticed the same

burns longer, and the nic fit is nowhere near as strong. it really might be that the cravings are interdependent on the artificial chemicals of more processed cigarettes. i found many a time where i'd go a few days or weeks and have no cigarette craving and no ravenous appetite from lack of smoking. i'm curious how much in savings per pack comes from the overhead of getting an injector...

[noamnety]

10. illegal? or illegal in public spaces?

Kind of a push poll there, in that it doesn't provide a reasonable option for those who are accepting of smokers, but don't tolerate smoke.

[ornotna]

11. Former smoker

Today is day three. So far so good. Wish me luck.

[beam me up scottie]

15. You can do it.

Are you using anything to help?

The pill worked great for me.

[madmax]

19. The pill??

Chantix by any chance? I got my Rx filled today, my quit date is December 5. Oh man, I really hope this works. Been smoking for 40 years.

[beam me up scottie]

22. My doctor prescribed Welbutrin.

The insurance wouldn't pay for the brand name Zyban so she got around it by using the old name.

I didn't sleep for a month, but I felt good.

And I never had a single physical withdrawal symptom.

The habit itself was tough. I walked everywhere, stayed out of bars and became addicted to See's espresso hard candies.

My doctor suggested chomping on cinnamon sticks, no sugar plus it gives your hand something to play with.

Snapping the rubber band on the wrist is a good trick too, takes your mind off the craving.

[madokie]

26. I smoked for 20+ years and when I finally decided to quit it was the easiest thing I ever did

I decided that the next cig I wanted I would just put it off and maybe smoke one the next urge, the urges would go away in a few moments and in three days time I was going several hours between urges and that is when I knew I would never smoke cigarettes again.

[dflprincess]

30. My former insurance company caught on to the Wellbutrin trick

doctors were doing and required that the doctor sign a statement that the drug was being prescribed for depression and for no other reason. This put the doctor in a position of having to commit fraud and the patient with a record of being treated for depression.

My current insurance company does pay for smoking cessation and I just filled a prescription for the Nicotral (sp) inhaler. This gives you a quick hit of the drug and something to play with. I am waiting until I take my vacation at Christmas time to start it; past experience tells me I have an easier time quitting when I'm not at work for a few days. Hopefully, this time I'll have the sense to remember I'm one of those that can never ever think "just one" won't hurt (more past experience).

The first time I used Zyban, it worked like a magic bullet, but I fell off the wagon not long after I stopped using it. The second time I tried it, it just didn't work.

[ornotna]

27. Food

:rofl:

And I am determined to do it. It's going well so far, I feel very positive about this try. I can feel it in my bones that I will succeed. The cravings are minimal to nonexistent so far. I will not smoke again. Thanks for the positive words. :hi:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

17. You can do it... sub lots of fruit (sugar/fructose helps) and

other good habits. I waited a week before having a glass of wine... and did that in the company of my brother who has never smoked.

[ornotna]

28. Thanks for the tip

It's going to work. I know it. :hi:

[Conan_The_Barbarian]

13. I seem to find myself

with a cigarette whenever I get drunk enough... it always seems like a good idea at the time.

[rainbow4321]

31. Pretty much how I re-started not too long ago

Went out w/ a group of friends, had a few too many of "whatever they are drinking" and a few more of "hey, ever you ever tried...?" and shortly thereafter lit up a borrowed cigarette. Poof. Worked my way up to roughly a pack a day in the last month or so...after dinner smoke, walking the dog smoke, the I-can-open-the-window-that's-right-by-the-computer smoke (obviously tweaking my "I don't want to smoke in the house" rule). Amazing how quickly they all start to add up.

[Union Thug]

16. Weed only checking in. I smoked cigarettes for about 5 years

and then quit them once and for all.

Now, I smoke pot nightly to help me sleep.

[haydukelives]

32. Never smoked cigs

I smoke pot because I like it

[Skittles]

20. I used to smoke and will always want to smoke

I just thought, being young and stupid and smoking wasn't so bad - but being old and smoking was really pitiful ..... so I quit

[G Hawes]

21. It's probably safe to assume that

the vast majority of current DUers (i'm guessing that there are probably somewhere between 3000 - 5000 current, active members) have not responded, but still, if this poll is indicative of DU as whole, the results are still interesting.

(and yes it's late and i'm tired and i'm going to bed now, but still... )

night, all.

[madokie]

25. august 14 '77 I smoked my last cig

i started puffing on them back in early grade school

[Jim Warren]

29. pipe smoker

Natural Virginia's.

Tobacco is medicine.

[Catchawave]

33. LOL...the way my night is going

Yeah, I smoke AND a PETA member AND I voted for Bush in 2000.

May as well take all my attacks at once :toast: < love my toddys too :)

[mentalsolstice]

34. Non-smoker but (somewhat) tolerant...

I was a social smoker in high school and college, but never picked up the habit. My mom smoked, so I've been substantially exposed to second-hand smoke. I'm 45 and I haven't smoked "tobacco" in the last 25 years (wink, wink). I really only mind smoke in very closed situations or when I'm eating. OTOH, my spouse is a former 1-2 pack-a-day smoker, both parents smoked, and he's much more intolerant than I am. We have a joke...if he'd lit up on the first date, I would've told him to take it out to the back porch. If I had lit, I would've been quick history.

I'm all for no smoking in restaurants, stores, etc., or very separate spaces...if someone comes to my house, I have ashtrays, and I'll direct them out to my very pleasant back porch...