Pete55

It's the nature of the drug.
Nicotine is addictive, so a cig. will ease the crave.
Alcohol by it's chemical nature, the craving commences after the first drink,take the 2nd drink and it increases more. Then we crave a cig.

Ok, I now don't drink, so how come I'm having a hard time with cigs and trying to use the steps hoping to also quit smoking?

I can not smoke and endure the crave-waves cold turkey, but takes alot of preperation with or without the steps. Lots and lots of water, put the ashtrays away, years of practice infact. Lots of improvising, nothing worked.

Most I ever gone was 2 weeks.
Then my father comes over, sees I have no cigs and he thought I had no money to buy cigs, so he bought me 2 packets of my favourite cigs and a packet of tobacco.
I said "Thanks" and gave up quitting.

-------,

Patches.
It's been 3 weeks now, I have not bought a packet of cigs, but weaned myself off by buying 1 or 2 cigars a day and wearing patches.
Yesterday I went without a cig and patch.
Today no patch, but 2 cigars over 14 hours.
The craving is not there, but the memory of, "want of tobacco taste first thing in the morning" is, but receding.
What seesms to be working for me is to not fight or stress over it, use the patches.

ongoing...,
Tomorrow I will strive to not buy a cigar, but if I do, it's one cigar, $2.00, better than one cigarette packet, $14.00 for 25.

If I need to go out at 3.00 am for a $2.00 cigar, so be it, but buy 1, not 2, just 1.

ChikkaB

Finally quit for good after 25+ years of hard smoking. Been smoke-free going on 10 years now. Used the Allen Carr Easy Way book, it really did work.

Secret weapon: have at least one friend who you can connect with anytime you get a craving. This is what the friend needs to do for you: when you say " I REALLY want a cigarette right now!", your friend needs to say "I absolutely believe you". That's it, nothing else, just "I believe you". That simple validation makes the cravings go from four alarm to a tickle.

aussieblue

I started smoking at age 11 smoked till I was 21 quit cold turkey it was very hard for the first 3 months but I haven't gone back I am now 50 but to this day I still have dreams where I am smoking .

BullDog777

I quit smoking about 3 and a half years ago after doing it for 15 years or so. i did it for my daughter. it was pretty hard, and i put on weight, but it was time to quit. now, i'm working on the weight loss part of it. after that, i'll be vise free.

ste

A terrorist organization was already caught buying truckloads of cigs in NC, and selling them in IL, to fund their operations. Not well publicized for obvious reasons. Where does the tax money go? Not to recovery or health programs.

Bugs (or other animals) won't bother tobacco, it has a natural insecticide (poison).

Here in Russia domestic cigs are about $0.75 a pack, "western" about $1.50. Vodka about $5.00 a liter. Any more, the pensioners will revolt. So much for "free trade". In the Russian airport "duty free" shops, they all cost much more.

Sorry dbearw, had to vent, and yes I'm a sorry smoker.