I need to hear a battle cry from the ladys or I'm going to put you in the same catagorie as the men ???? [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/20/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 172 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,096 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,720.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 39 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 20 [B]Seconds:[/B] 53

Bless you for your intestinale fortitude but me I'm dust on the wind the best you'll get from me is good luck. :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/20/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 172 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,096 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,720.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 39 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 15 [B]Seconds:[/B] 57

Though Bear's point is well taken here, I believe we all are accountable for our own actions. By smoking we indorsed it. By quitting we withdraw our indorsement but must always admit we once indorsed it. Only if we understand why we once indorsed it in relation to why we no longer indorse it can we, the accountable, make a difference. We can blame our governments and corporations but that won't solve this problem. They were only doing what we wanted them to do, what we encouraged them to do. When we smoked our views were different. Most of us are able and capable of taking this message to our governments. It's that alone that has gotten us this far. We're starting to turn this around. The smokeless numbers rival the smoker's numbers. Politically we are now contenders where the fight has mostly been moral up to very recently. This problem didn't come about overnight and won't be solved any quicker. Those that look for quick solutions to this problem are only chasing ghosts. This problem perpetuated one person at a time and snowballed. One new addict led to others, then more and so on. That's a very good strategy for turning this monster around. Take one of those addicts and provide the necessary education and support to get them to withdraw their indorsement by quitting one at a time and maybe they can inspire others to quit and the others inspire more. The problem: How do you get a smoker to want to quit and how do you get a smokeless person to not indorse smoking by not starting? The solution has been to use the media to educate and use economy by raising the cost. As opinions change so do attitudes and behaviors. The cost alone will influence many and not just of smokes but of all the calateral expenses that surround smoking. Two very effective plans are working to make smoking too expensive, taxes and lawsuits. Taxes alone will not narrow margins and reduce proffits to make the production of these products less desireable. The lawsuits on the otherhand have been very effective in increasing the cost of doing business, in a business that is still legal. I don't believe smoking should be made illegal. We don't need another law like that. We have been blessed with free-will and we shouldn't legislate it away. If we erradicate tabacco without fixing the root cause then something else will take it's place and that something else may be worse than tobacco. Let's be patiently active in this solution and be very sceptical of all quick fix solutions. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/15/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 177 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,540 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $743.40 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 28 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 9 [B]Seconds:[/B] 39

Here's another one I believe that it will be women that are going to hold the world society accountable for its actions not men.Men are to busy engaged in pissing contests and saying my things bigger than yours to ever do anything of any conseqence.So rise up you beautiful people and do your thing "here's to the ladies I love you all " ;p [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/20/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 172 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,096 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,720.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 39 [B]Hrs:[/B] 6 [B]Mins:[/B] 58 [B]Seconds:[/B] 7

Got the answer we,ll start our own revolution. " FOR THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE " what do you think it has a certain ring to it. :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/20/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 172 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,096 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,720.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 39 [B]Hrs:[/B] 6 [B]Mins:[/B] 54 [B]Seconds:[/B] 42

Aloha, I admire you determination here but I agree with Lainey, nothing is going to change while those who are in charge are lining their pockets and I don't see a solution to that in this day and age it is out of control. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/21/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 171 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,420 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,111.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 24 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 23 [B]Seconds:[/B] 33

Aloha, it all comes down to money and the greed comes before the good of human kind. Unfortunatelt I am old enough to know that it wasn't always that way. It used to be that governments governed for the people, now its pretty much each man for himself and screw the people. We all need to send petitions, lobby, picket and basically set up camp on the politicans doorsteps before they would even open an eye. And they don't need to subsidize farmers either, they can 'pay' them to grow other crops instead of, like they have done many times before. It is so very frustrating. Sometimes you honestly have to shake your head and wonder if anyone in politics ever has the balls to use the brain in their heads, or to stand up for what is right instead of lining their own pockets. No wonder our world is in such a mess. :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 186 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 4,650 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,962.30 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 22 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 29 [B]Seconds:[/B] 8

things have gotten worse in Hawaii. A bill just passed this year reduced the share of tobacco settlement funds to 12.5% [quote] Twelve and one-half per cent shall be appropriated into the Hawaii tobacco prevention and control trust fund under section 328L-5 [/quote] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/22/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 169 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,760 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,149.20 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 23 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 3 [B]Seconds:[/B] 45

ok...another possible solution, even for those in states where the settlement money has been given away: Petition your legislators to use tobacco taxes for smoking prevention and cessation programs...put the money where it's suppose to go! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/22/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 169 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,760 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,149.20 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 23 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 1 [B]Seconds:[/B] 47

and up again..... Problem: A recent study from Yale University, published in the October 3, 2002 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, reveals the big lie: Almost none of the tobacco settlement money has been spent for health care or prevention-cessation programs. By comparing state tobacco control program expenditures with settlement payments for 2001, lead author Cary Gross M.D. and colleagues conclude less than 6 percent of the settlement funds were directed to tobacco-related programs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended states spend from $5 to $15 per person, or roughly 20 percent of the settlement money, on tobacco control programs. The Yale University researchers found most states arent even spending half that amount. Only Arizona, Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, and Mississippi spent more than the CDC recommendations on tobacco programs last year. According to Bill Core, executive vice president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, only about 4 percent of the settlement monies paid out for fiscal year 2002 will be spent on tobacco prevention and cessation, compared with a high of 9 percent in 1999. Core said, I think it is fair to say that even prior to the economic downturn most states were not even close to living up to the promises that were made. Solution: Now I know that it is presently up to each state legislature to allocate the monies. Unfortunately, as of 2002, 15 states had already sold their rights to the multimillion dollar yearly payments to solve other budgetary problems. It seems that if your state still is collecting the payments, that is one avenue to try to make a difference. Petition your legislators to use the money where it is supposed to be used. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/22/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 169 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,760 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,149.20 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 23 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 1 [B]Seconds:[/B] 24