"Wanna go smoke?" "Nah, no thanks."

[Jessica Leigh]

I can't even tell you how many times those words have been spoken in my life this week.  I can't even begin to tell you how hard it is.  I can tell you though, it's a true story.  I have actually been saying no.  After enrolling and attending the Tobacco Cessation Program through Reid Hospital "Learn to Live Tobacco Free" I was told I needed to make a quit date.  So I did.  That date has come and gone....and I'm happy to report....I stood by it, and quit.  The day before even.

Valentine's Day was to be the day, so I purposely let myself run out of cigarettes late Sunday night.  I smoked the last one around eleven and immediately took a shower, put on pajamas straight from the dryer, and applied a nicotine patch.  Although it is not recommended I also popped a piece of nicotine gum, just to get me through that moment, and then got rid of it.  That's something I learned in this program at Reid, that you can actually overdose on nicotine...so you need to be very careful.  Since Sunday, I have applied one nicotine patch each evening before bed, and have chewed two pieces of nicotine gum during the day when my cravings are at their worst.  The rest of the time I stick with plain old sugar-free gum. It's working,  and so are the tips I'm receiving from my program facilitator and fellow quitters in the program.

I won't lie...it sucks.  I want to smoke.  I miss it.  Not that it's so great, goodness no, I hated that I was a smoker, but I enjoyed the break.  The act of smoking wasn't what I hated.  I liked the taste (I know, gross) and I liked the smell of one burning (gross too).  I liked stepping outside with a friend, or co-worker, chatting and smoking.  I liked having a beer and a cigarette when I was out with friends.  I liked sitting outside in the morning, enjoying a cup of coffee and a smoke while I listened to the world waking up.  I just hated the way I smelled afterward.  I hated the way I felt afterward.  I hated the fact that smoking controlled me.  I HAD to have a cigarette.  I know now that I don't HAVE to have one...I just sometimes want one.  Sometimes I want one REALLY REALLY BAD.  I'm pushing through, I'm fighting it.  I feel like I've been a junkie for the majority of my life.  I'm thirty six years old and I've been smoking since I was sixteen.  I have deprived myself of food on many occasions just so I could afford a pack.  It's shameful...but if I can't admit where I have been wrong I'll never see why I need to change. 

I highly recommend the "Learn to Live Tobacco Free" program offered at Reid Hospital.  It's really helping me in a way I wasn't aware I needed.  It's a support system, a learning tool...a God-send if you will.  I'm in a small group of people that openly shares with one another why we smoke, how we feel before we reach for one, how we handle stressful situations and how we are coping with our attempts at living smoke-free.  We have been given so much helpful information, from a list of what is in cigarettes (rocket fuel, and rat poison are only two of the very toxic ingredients), to stress management tips, to breathing exercises.  It's an encouragement to not feel so alone.  To hear that others are also struggling, that we are trudging along together, and that if we slip and smoke a cigarette we aren't complete failures...well, that really helps.  

Seriously, if you are tired of stinking and throwing away money on cigarettes and damaging your health, I encourage you to look into this program.  You won't regret it.

[Misato Katsuragi]

You know I don't like smoking but I was thinking about ordering CBD products, I've heard about their benefits. But is it actually a good solution for people struggling with pain? I want to try, but I also wonder what is cbg because some people recommend it over CBD, and I can't make up my mind to choose what's the best. Can you recommend something to me?

[Greg Bjorg]

I don't smoke either. This activity is not for me

[Leslie Lee]

Everything you need to get real relaxation you can find here. This is a really cool solution for vaping enthusiasts and if you know how cbd works then it's much more enjoyable to vape with delta 8 and various wonderful flavors https://mjcbdd.com/products/mj-delta-8-vape-juice. I am sure for many of you this can replace cigarettes, so a few breaths before bedtime guarantees good relaxation.

[Felix Koter]

Love seeing people stop smoking, as I also went through a similar procedure with the help of CBD. Whenever I felt the urge to pick smoking back up, I went to Aifory.com to get some oil. Buy CBD products if you're thinking about dropping the cigarettes, as they help your mental health tremendously during this period.

[Daniel Coulson]

Congratulations! I also stopped smoking this year, and CBD oil was a big help for me, to be honest. The cravings got the best of me when I was unable to take it.

[Lisa Klein]

Congrates on not smoking.  I am a recent quitter myself with the help of Chantix.  It is very hard esp when the cravings hit but I am managing.  Each day gets easier.  Good luck and I hope you stick with it!!

[Alexa Lane]

Love. Go Jessica!

[Chris Larsen]

Rather than saying just no thanks, say "I don't smoke". I found that helped both myself and my wife. I have been smoke free two years today, and my wife has been smoke free for just over 3 years. You can do it.

[Judi Willett]

I'm so proud of you!