I'm glad somebody reopened this thread, otherwise I would most certainly have missed it!
A few great points have been raised, but here is my story!...
I tried my first ciggy at about 8 or 9...used to nick them from my Mum and smoke them up on top of our shed (my hidey-hole!)..by the time I was 14 I was on 15-20 a day.
At 21 I was hospitalised for the SECOND time with Bronchal Pneumonia; first time was a reaction to anaesthetic during an appendix operation at 15...
I sufffer acute bronchitis EVERY winter, and lose time at work because of it.
My 71 yr old mother is permanantly attached to an oxygen tube due to emphysema.
At 24 I was getting through about an ounce of hash a week, and at 28 I was seeing off the best part of 2 bottles of Bacardi a day.
I am now 51, I cant get out of bed without a coughing fit to kickstart my lungs, but have knocked the dope and the booze on the head..still like a drink now and then, but never to excess (mainly because of the job, been driving professionally for 20 years or so!)
I STILL smoke about 20-25 a day, but mostly roll-ups (Old Holborn).
What would I pay for an EASY way to quit? well, my left testicle is something I would willingly give!
I have tried and tried and tried...everthing from nicorette gum and patches, acupuncture, hypnosis, just about everything!
After major throat surgery about 6 years ago, I was out on the balcony at the hospital having a crafty drag within minutes of coming round after the operation.
I must have SOME willpower, because giving up the booze and the weed was pretty easy, but for some reason, I just can't quit the cigs!
Just as a footnote, have you (the smokers) ever noticed that the people who shout the loudest on the anti-smoking soapboxes are those that managed to give up? I feel that it is only an egotrip for them, sort of saying...LOOK AT ME, I'm really clever!!!, _BUT_ it is ALSO them trying to remind themselves that they have given up...I'll bet 80% at least of ex-smokers really get the craving from time to time, and some find it harder to resist, so they have to rant and rave as an outlet to their craving, otherwise they could quite easily slip back into it!
I just hope that any body who HASN'T started yet will read this and think again before taking that first drag...the ONLY sure way to stop is to never start in the first place!