Originally Posted by TheEnd
Have you ever known anybody who smoked so much that they didn't remember what they did the night before, smoked a ciggarette and killed someone in a car accident, smoked a ciggy and attacked someone in a in a violent rage, or tried to kill themself after smoking a ciggarette? Well if you have, your're one a in a millon.
I have personally seen a friend's husband who had most of his tongue removed from cancer...leaving him unable to speak or eat solid food...continue to smoke. My mother has had several patients over the years smoke through trach holes in their necks. People smoke despite literally suffocating with COPD. People also repeatedly expose their children to second hand smoke, in cars and houses, exposing them to very real health risks. Pregnant women smoke, resulting in low birth weight and other more serious (sometimes fatal) damage to their babies.
Repeatedly sucking toxic smoke into your lungs despite known dangers is indeed a serious addiction. One that is often minimized.
I believe the same procress for quitting an addiction can be applied across any substance, and even any process or behavior as well.