Anti-Smoking Ordinances...What's your opinion?

Private interprise should be able to hire whoever they like. My husband works as an adjuster for a company who will fire an employee if they see him smoking.....now they don't care if you smoke at home or unseen....but if "management" sees you smoking, you are done. This guy owns the company....so shouldn't he be able to do as he pleases?? So I guess he has the right to make the rules?? The answer to this question is a fine line between the rights of each party. If government didn't gain revenue from the tobacco industry, smoking would probably be against the law. and then have you ever considered what the whole nation quitting would do to the economy? people living longer....more social security payments....more employment needed....more aged care facilities. what about all the jobs related to the tobacco industry? what about all the state taxes collected on tobacco?? We tend to forget and think only the big tobacco company is the one benefiting from the making of smoking products. not so. and is overeating next on the list.....it's a health hazard to the "doer" also?? If caught eating french fries you loose your job? Haven't there already been suggestions about lawsuits against fast food joints for contributing to health damages?? How far could this thing go??? As adamant as some people can be, it could go a LONG way if turned loose. now don't tar and feather me....I wish there were no such THING as smoking.....but it's been going on forever. gonna be hard to turn that all around. and somehow as badly as I now hate smoking, I can well remember how I felt about all this when I did smoke. It really WAS my right to smoke in my own space....after all, it's legal...??? my assesment is...however this plays out, one side is gonna be upset! don't let it all drive ya to smoke LOL Katy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/4/2002 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1474 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 58,987 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $8107 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 192 [B]Hrs:[/B] 8 [B]Mins:[/B] 24 [B]Seconds:[/B] 48

Day 41 and still have cravings

My daughter had a go round with the symptoms you discribe. She visited a doctor who fortunately understood about quitting smoking....she was put on medication for anxiety for a while and the symptom disappeared....after several months she weaned off the meds. If she becomes extremely upset she sometimes displays this symptom..(her throat tightens and she says she feels discomfort in swallowing) I advise you to see your doctor.....I bet this is related to stress and anxiety, brought on by quitting? congratulations on your quit....hang on for life....most all withdrawal symptoms pass with a little time Katy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/4/2002 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1516 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 60,652 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $8338 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 197 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 41 [B]Seconds:[/B] 35

Calling all x chain smokers??

here are a couple of heavy smokers....hubby and myself....and yes, withdrawal was tough.....I used patches and he went cold turkey (he was actually sick for a few days in the beginning) If you are cold turkey quitters, the nicotine has left your system....if not you are on some weaning program with a NRT? Lots of quitting is 'mental' it's an attitude......you have to make the free will choice to quit and then commit to stick with it....once done, you must always 'try' to dwell on the positive of the quit. Don't let yourself dwell on the urges to smoke when they come along. get busy and distract yourself. Talk to yourself....about how quitting is what you CHOOSE. Direct anger toward the addiction. Isn't it crazy that we let ourselves be controlled by a bunch of rolled up burning weeds? I am still apalled that I could have ever found that smoking made any sense what ever? It was just me feeding an addiction....I don't know why I could never see through that. At about two months you are still young in the quitting business....and believe me....the early days, weeks and months are the hardest.....it DOES keep getting better.....and finally you no longer think about smoking. Hubby and I both agree that smoking doesn't cross our minds these days....even when we are faced with a smoker lighting up...it's just like it no longer registers as something I would want to do. (all that registers is the stink of stale smoke and I don't like that at all) Stick with your commitment and believe that your thoughts of smoking will decrease over time and finally leave. congratulations on the best gift you could ever receive!!! your quit! katy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/4/2002 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1516 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 60,652 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $8338 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 197 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 42 [B]Seconds:[/B] 51

Talking it out to try to make sense of it all...

If you are involved in all these things, then ask someone to coffee, to lunch, to dinner??? ask a church member to go with you to exercise? ask an exercise person to church? Surely with exposure to all these people you can strike up a conversation and get someone involved in some activity with you? Ask people about movies....try to find one that you AND someone else wants to see....then meet and go together? or are you interacting with a lot of people but feel like no one is a 'close' friend?? We all know that rarely happens in a short time. Perhaps you are being impatient or trying too hard?? keep shuffling it up and dealing it out.....things are bound to get better....probably when you least expect it! :) Where the heck to you live.....are you close to any of US? ;) katy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/4/2002 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1514 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 60,583 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $8327 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 197 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 25 [B]Seconds:[/B] 34

Are smoking friends really on our side???

These smoking "friends" are addicts, and as such they would be more comfortable with you if you would just give up and smoke. Your quit makes them feel threatened. I don't actually know a smoker that doesn't wish they were quit.....oh yeah, they will tell you they 'want' to smoke....they 'love' to smoke....etc. you and I both know that smokers are nicotine addicts and smoking is ONE thing....feeding that addiction. You justify it with I 'love it' and I 'want to smoke' cause you HAVE to keep feeding that monkey. It runs your life. The only way out is to break it off totally. When your friends offer a smoke, say yeah...take it and then crush it.....smile and say "oops, I don't know what came over me"....a couple of time of this and I bet they quit offering smokes. I feel that real friends are supportive and wouldn't do this. Katy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/4/2002 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1518 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 60,722 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $8349 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 198 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 14 [B]Seconds:[/B] 31

What would you say...

Instead of telling them what it will do to "them"???? tell them what it did to YOU.... you have a good start with what you wrote [i]It is annoying like a little sister or brother, always screaming for attention and for you to feed it. It wont leave you alone. [/i] I can promise you the longer you do it, the worse it gets...my days were endless slots of either feeding the beast or planning on when I would do it next. sometimes I was craving even while I was smoking. It was really sick. and then there is the filth and smell....that is another whole story. we all know that lecturing the smoker won't work....but perhaps talking about 'self' and where smoking took you could help. Katy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/4/2002 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1518 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 60,722 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $8349 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 198 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 15 [B]Seconds:[/B] 25

Living with a smoker

Olly....many here quit with a smoker in the house.....it does make it a bit tougher, but it can be done. Keep in mind the quit is for YOU, it doesn't matter what your mate/parent is doing. Hopefully you can both have a smoke free area in the home....a quitter really does need that....a room where they can feel safe and "away" from the temptation as well as some of the smell. I quit with my hubby still smoking.....I didn't nag at him and I didn't even demand that he smoke outside....I just removed myself from the room if he lit up. Within a week, he quit smoking in the house....within 3 months he quit smoking!!! smokers watch quitters......so do your best to set a good example....and remember that nagging at them will only make them more determined. Just concentrate on YOUR quit and make the comments about YOU....with a bit of luck, these smokers in your life just may decide if YOU can do it, so can they! Katy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/4/2002 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1509 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 60,392 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $8299.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 196 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 19 [B]Seconds:[/B] 19

Sudden urges

focus on what you are "gaining" by not smoking.....it's only positive! The negative thinking is coming from the junky in you. We have quite a time beating that junky into submission. When you hit 3-4 months it's like hitting the 'wall' for some. Missgivings creep in, craves seem to come out of the blue.....it's anothe of the addictions last ditch attempts to wear you down, confuse you and drag you back to the pit. when those urges hit, face them down.....face them with the FACTS that you now know about quitting.....not smoking leads to a much cleaner, relaxed type of living. Quitting is something you will NEVER be sorry of....let the power of being in control build in you. SEE that you are in control! and lastly.....are you rewarding yourself??? do you have a reward schedule??? do you spontaniously treat yourself some days??? Be giving it a try. and smile....stand straighter.....these feelings are gonna pass....and you can hurry them on out the door if you shift your thinking ;) You have a wonderful quit started....hang on to it for dear life (literally) Katy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/4/2002 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1510 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 60,432 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $8305 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 197 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 31 [B]Seconds:[/B] 3

THE "JUST ONE" BLUES

reward yourself after you smack the junky up the side of the head! You are doing great! Katy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/4/2002 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1510 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 60,432 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $8305 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 197 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 31 [B]Seconds:[/B] 16

EWWWWWW That Smell....

second hand smoke is one thing.....but thinking that the stale smoke smell that clings to smokers is dangerous is just silly in my book.......they stink for sure, but I don't believe that will hurt YOU. You know as a smoker, that you don't smell it....now you realize what non smokers put up with. I drove a smokers car the other day just to run an errand.....it was full of air freshners and this gal is a clean freak....but that vehicle smelled horrid.......no way around it....freshners or no...it smelled horrid.....I thank my lucky star that smoking is in my PAST! Your nose over-reacts to the stench when you first quit.....later it gets back to getting things in perspective.....stale smoke is always gonna stink, but not like it does to a new quitter. Give your nose time to adjust Katy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/4/2002 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1510 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 60,432 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $8305 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 197 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 32 [B]Seconds:[/B] 17