Ive smoke camel lights off and on for 7 years now and I think its time to quit.  I want to hear what quiting methods have worked for you and how long you've been on the wagon.  I want to quit while Im young so maybe I can recover a little from this damage.

ETA if you pick the pie incentive program you have to post pics of the incentive otherwise your an interweb liar.  

I quit using Chantix.

Just stop. Thats how I did it.

Quoted: Just stop. Thats how I did it.

+1 That's what I did.  I was stronger than my addiction.

The times I've stayed on the wagon the longest, I quit cold turkey.   It's hell.  I'm not trying to discourage you, but you need to be prepared if that's the way you go.  I think the reason I quit for so long is that I didn't want to go through that again.  The tobacco company representatives who testified before Congress that nicotine isn't addictive were sorry lying sons of bitches.

I also quit once for a few months by using nic gum.  I liked that method because if you're having a nic fit, you can get a fix in a hurry.  The patches didn't work for me.


"It's easy to quit.  I've done it lots of times."

Cold turkey-be hard-best fucking thing I ever did for myself. Be strong at about two weeks.

Zyban, April 2001.

Worked great; best $100 I ever spent.

Quoted: Ive smoke camel lights off and on for 7 years now and I think its time to quit.  I want to hear what quiting methods have worked for you and how long you've been on the wagon.  I want to quit while Im young so maybe I can recover a little from this damage.

Ok this may be dumb but here it goes.

I never let my parents know. I had this fear of it. So one year, 1995, we were going for a roadtrip to IL an I figured well shit, if I will be near them on the trip I wont be able to smoke. So it was time to quit. Now I could have just told them and kept going and thats where it seems lame. I guess I figured quit and let it be. However my plan was this. Have my last smoke with my Mom at the same time making it known that I smoked. That is what I did. I had a pretty fresh pack, went inside where my mom was smoking, lit up and had my last smoke w/ my Mom.

She was in shock. When done, I threw the pack on the floor, stomped the shit out of it, and took it into the garage. I then stuck it in the vice, cranked it down, and beat the FUCKING SHIT out of it w/ a hammer. That was the end. I let that beat up fucking dicusting cancer causing peace of shit pack sit there for about two weeks before getting rid of it.

That is all.

Started smoking weed.

Prostitutes. Booze. Fighting and fast cars.

Shooting shit.


Always in that order too.

I quit some ten years ago.  The only thing that worked was cold turkey.

I honestly thought I was going to have to fight the urge each and every day for the rest of my life.  Once I got through the first 6-12 months things got much, much easier.  Sometimes, however, I'd dream I was smoking and I'd wake up with the worst cravings.

Thankfully it all went away and after a few years it was no longer a temptation.  Problem is, I replaced one hand-to-mouth habit with another...  

I tried a bunch of times before I finally quit.
The trouble was that I really WANTED to keep smoking, so it always failed ... eventually.

About once or twice a year I'd open the pack to grab a smoke and hesitate, stare and the cigarettes, and truly hate smoking.
I'd be pissed at how much of a hold those fucking things had on me and how much money I spending on doing something shitty to myself.
I decided that those were my 'out' opportunities and that I would try to quit the next time that happened.
It happened while I was driving.
I crushed the pack, and threw it out the window.
Twenty minutes later I was regreting that decision and wanting a smoke ... but I had committed.

I never liked the gum, and the patches gave me really fucked up dreams, so I used a little bit of chew to get through the bad cravings.
I wasn't worried about ggetting hooked on the chew cause it's fucking gross to me.

I started putting my cigarette money in a jar every day.
That became the ammo fund.
Deal was that if I slipped and had a cigarette the wife got the jar of money for shoes or whatever.
Smoke = no shooting.
Watching the money grow and knowing that my range time hung in the balance really helped to get me through some tough times.

It was really hard for 4-6 months.
From 6-12 months it was much better, but every once in a while I'd still get blindsided by a really powerful craving to smoke, and I had stopped carrying chew a long time before.
After about 18 months I was totally free.
I doesn't even bother me to be in a bar with smokers now.
That was a really tough one.
VERY difficult for a smoker to not smoke while drinking beer with friends.

Good luck.
It's worth doing.

Quoted: Quoted: Ive smoke camel lights off and on for 7 years now and I think its time to quit.  I want to hear what quiting methods have worked for you and how long you've been on the wagon.  I want to quit while Im young so maybe I can recover a little from this damage. Ok this may be dumb but here it goes. I never let my parents know. I had this fear of it. So one year, 1995, we were going for a roadtrip to IL an I figured well shit, if I will be near them on the trip I wont be able to smoke. So it was time to quit. Now I could have just told them and kept going and thats where it seems lame. I guess I figured quit and let it be. However my plan was this. Have my last smoke with my Mom at the same time making it known that I smoked. That is what I did. I had a pretty fresh pack, went inside where my mom was smoking, lit up and had my last smoke w/ my Mom. She was in shock. When done, I threw the pack on the floor, stomped the shit out of it, and took it into the garage. I then stuck it in the vice, cranked it down, and beat the FUCKING SHIT out of it w/ a hammer. That was the end. I let that beat up fucking dicusting cancer causing peace of shit pack sit there for about two weeks before getting rid of it. That is all.

Yeah my parents found out when I took the first drag off my ex's in the garage for the first time in 8 months and got busted (first time I quit).  I was so pissed.

Practice is the key. It's taken a while, but I've found I can quit some 15-20 times a day.

I just got up one day and didn't smoke.



5sub


Course I only smoked three + packs of Winston Light 100's per day.

Quoted: I just got up one day and didn't smoke. 5sub Course I only smoked three + packs of Winston Light 100's per day.

I know what your saying I have woken up, especially late in the afternoon sleeping in, and just dont smoke.  I used to like the dizzy feeling I got from the legendary first smoke of the day but now its disconcerting and uncomfortable.  Seems like I could use that as an incentive too.

Quoted: I quit some ten years ago.  The only thing that worked was cold turkey. I honestly thought I was going to have to fight the urge each and every day for the rest of my life.  Once I got through the first 6-12 months things got much, much easier.  Sometimes, however, I'd dream I was smoking and I'd wake up with the worst cravings. Thankfully it all went away and after a few years it was no longer a temptation.  Problem is, I replaced one hand-to-mouth habit with another...

The patches worked well for me, but I had absolutely insane nightmares while I was using them. After the first few times, I realized that you don't want to put a patch on right before you go to sleep.

Wellbutrin (generic Zyban)

I was a smoker for like 14 years.  Worked great for me.  Been 2 years now.  I'm amazed I quit, I was at 1.5 packs a day and I didn't even want to quit.  Just tried for shits and giggles.

Quoted: I quit using Chantix.

+10000000 Same here, after a 20+ year habit.

about 1 year now since I quit....cold turkey..no aids.

Smoked 1-2 packs a day for about 12 years.

Decided one morning when I woke up that today was the day to quit.

At lunch time I went out and bought a box of the patches . I used the high patches for 2 weeks instead of 6 or whatever, then used the small patches for 2 weeks.

I still had cravings for about 3 months after eating, at stressful times, and would have a rare craving for about a year after quitting. I liked the smell of smoke for the first year, but after that can’t stand it. It has been 4 years since I quit.

The first few times I tried to quit it was because "Its a good idea" or " I better quit for my health"
I quit for logical reasons but the true desire was not there. I knew I needed to, I knew it was the right thing to do and at times, I really wanted to. All during theose years I kept failing.

First time was when I enlisted in the Army. Didn't really have a choice. You cannot smoke in Basic. I then started smoking again in Jump School just after Basic/AIT (OSUT). I probably would have done ok but alcohol was a factor in my inability to stay off em. For some reason I quit again after Jump School and stayed of for almost a year. Up until Iwas at an Oktoberfest in Munich. After a few gallons of good quality Germen beer, I was buying a carton that night. I then smoked for many years, only getting worse and worse.

I tried about a dozen times in the years after I got out. Never successful for more than a week. Every time I cut back I would end up back on the wagon, smoking more than ever. I got to the point where I smoked so much that it made me feel ill after about a pack pack and a half.

Now I hated it. I hated being a slave to such a stupid ass habit and addiction. There was nothing intelligent about smoking. It was degrading and it was no longer the health risks, although it was making me feel ill. It was the fact that my ass was being kicked by an addiction. That pissed me off to no end and I truly hated my addiction.

I knew what I needed to quit. I knew that drinking to the point of a buzz was over for me in my life. I can never refuse a cig when I am pretty buzzed. I also knew there was no way I could quit if I had the ability to continue smoking.

The worst part was 3 days. I knew if I could go 3 days I could stay off em. I hated it enough unlike the previous times I did it merely for the logical reasons to quit. I figured I would need to have my brother drop me off on an island in the keys and leave me there for a week. For damn sure I would roam the entire island looking for a butt and I would probably just swim for it to get one.

I prayed all the time to get off them but the addiction never went away. I prayed I would be able to safely be away from them. No sight or smell of them, no access to then and something preferably to take my mind off them.

Prayers answered.

My appendix burst and the infection was pretty severe. I was in the hospital for 8 days. It was perfect. I never saw one, smelled one and sure as hell couldn't get up and go get one. Every time I wanted or craved a cig, I hit the call nurse button and I told them I was in pain. They popped me with Demerol and I pretty much slept or vegged away for 4 days straight before they cut off the Demerol. I don't recall having any withdrawals as I was wasted as hell the entire 3 days of the worst part of nicotine withdrawal.

On the 8th day when I got out the first thing I did when I got in my van was toss the pack in the visor out the window.

I haven't had a smoke since 99 and I never will again. I don't drink to the point of having anything more than an accidental ever slight buzz. I know I am still addicted. I know that if I take but a drag off one, I will be  right back where I was. I would rather die than do that again.

Quoted: Smoked 1-2 packs a day for about 12 years. Decided one morning when I woke up that today was the day to quit. At lunch time I went out and bought a box of the patches . I used the high patches for 2 weeks instead of 6 or whatever, then used the small patches for 2 weeks. I still had cravings for about 3 months after eating, at stressful times, and would have a rare craving for about a year after quitting. I liked the smell of smoke for the first year, but after that can’t stand it. It has been 4 years since I quit.

One of the things I asked a co-worker, after smelling another who just smoked, was 'Did I smell that bad?'........they answered 'yes'. It is pretty gross. I hate the smell of my Mom after she smokes. Just bad.

Quoted: Sometimes, however, I'd dream I was smoking and I'd wake up with the worst cravings.

happens to me still. Once ina  long while. I wake up craviung but it goes away within a half an hour. Its  good reminder as to the power that addiction has. I truly think once addicted always addicted.

My 6 year old daughter asked "why do you smoke daddy" (I never smoked around her or in any of the cars only outside)

I couldn't think of a reason I was willing to tell her, I put the one I was smoking out and tossed about a carton and a half in the trash, I haven't smoked since.

It wasn't some monumental force of will, I guess it was just time. I was a major asshole to everyone for about a week or two, lost a good employee and pissed off some customers but all I had to tell my daughter was that I didn't any more.

ETA - I didn't drink any alcohol for about two years because I knew I would screw it up. I smoked for about 20 years.

I quit using Chantix. Smoked for 30+ yrs. and quit 10 days after starting the program. Will be 6 mos. since my last smoke tomorrow night. I still occasionally think about them and sometimes get an urge but it is not anything close to a craving. I have to say I feel much better since I quit. No more coughing my ass off and just generally feel better.

Good Luck quitting.

I used nicorette (sp?) gum to quit back when you needed a prescription for the stuff. I had tried over and over to quit, but everyone else around me smoked and I'd catch myself with a half finished cigarette in my hand before I even realized I was smoking the thing. The gum worked well for me 'cause the harder you chew it, the more nicotine it releases, so you can control how much it's giving you by either chewing or just keeping it in your mouth without chewing it. The feeling was enough like having just finished smoking a cigarette that it was just enough help for me to be able to get my hands used to not holding a cigarette all the time without automatically reaching for another one.

I had been smoking for about 15 years or so at that time (1990) and had been smoking 1 to 2 packs a day for a while at that point. I haven't had another one since then though. After about a month or two of using the stuff, I slowly switched to chewing regular gum in place of the nicotine gum. I kept the habit of chewing (regular) gum a lot for a long time after that, but after the first year or so it got easier to do without. Anyway, the gum worked for me... I guess everyone is different though.

*On a lighter note... Did you guys ever see or read "Quitters Incorporated"? It was a Stephen King short story. If I remember correctly, it was originally in the same book of stories as "The Mist". - Anyway, for some folks, I think that's just about what it would take to get them to quit.

Quoted: *On a lighter note... Did you guys ever see or read "Quitters Incorporated"? It was a Stephen King short story. If I remember correctly, it was originally in the same book of stories as "The Mist". - Anyway, for some folks, I think that's just about what it would take to get them to quit.

I was on a road trip in a car I couldnt smoke in and it drove me f'ing nuts!

I smoked the low tar and nicotine cigarettes for a week or so then just quit. This way you get your body used to having less nicotine in your system. The first few days are rough but it slowly gets better. I was so grumpy when I first quit, my wife told me to start smoking again.

Regardless, you need willpower.

I used the patch the first time (it does take quite a bit of willpower) and quit for almost 2yrs, no smokes at all.

This go 'round I used Chantix... I stopped smoking 1mo into the pills and stopped taking the pills after 7wks. I have stopped smoking regularly, but will nick one if I'm drunk (never more than one).

I stopped taking Chantix because it made me crazy... There is actually going to be a class action suit because of the "hidden" side effects, I want no part of a suit.

I became overly emotional about stuff, had serious thoughts about killing myself, and awful depression. Remember, I have quit before using the patch and only experienced irritation. Everyone I know said I was acting very strange (crazy was thrown around) after about 2wks of taking the pills. However, they damn sure made me quit, so they work. I'm not the only one who has expressed a "mental change" while on them, one person we know started having thoughts about killing her husband!

On the flip side... My ex is taking them and quit smoking after 7days and has reported no emotional or mental issues.

ETA: It took a week to wear off.

Quoted: Regardless, you need willpower. I used the patch the first time (it does take quite a bit of willpower) and quit for almost 2yrs, no smokes at all. This go 'round I used Chantix... I stopped smoking 1mo into the pills and stopped taking the pills after 7wks. I have stopped smoking regularly, but will nick one if I'm drunk (never more than one). I stopped taking Chantix because it made me crazy... There is actually going to be a class action suit because of the "hidden" side effects, I want no part of a suit. I became overly emotional about stuff, had serious thoughts about killing myself, and awful depression. Remember, I have quit before using the patch and only experienced irritation. Everyone I know said I was acting very strange (crazy was thrown around) after about 2wks of taking the pills. However, they damn sure made me quit, so they work. I'm not the only one who has expressed a "mental change" while on them, one person we know started having thoughts about killing her husband! On the flip side... My ex is taking them and quit smoking after 7days and has reported no emotional or mental issues.

For some reason the new fad is to beat nic addiction with antidepressants and psychotropic drugs.  Not really a good plan as I dont think we have researched far enough into them to give them to people who arent planning on killing themselves or other people.  Look at the fiasco we have created with anti-biotic.  

I hadn't thought about it in a long time, but it was 18yrs this month.
I remember hurrying to finish up a project so I could get back to my office and have a cigarette(you could still do that back then). And then when I was sitting at my desk smoking, I noticed that I was really feeling sick from it.
Once I realized how hard I had worked to hurry up and smoke and then realized that I wasn't really enjoying it, and in fact was feeling very ill from it, I quit. Right then. I put out the cigarette, and threw the pack, lighter and the ashtray into the garbage and quit. Never relapsed.
Well, maybe 4~5 cigars on special occasions over the years.

Quoted: Quoted: I quit using Chantix. +10000000 Same here, after a 20+ year habit.

+1 Worked great, but I wasnt really ready.

I quit because I needed to save money to go back to school.

The pill worked great, but I wanted to smoke, but after the pill cigarettes tasted like shit, so now i chew Skoal.

Quoted: Quoted: Regardless, you need willpower. I used the patch the first time (it does take quite a bit of willpower) and quit for almost 2yrs, no smokes at all. This go 'round I used Chantix... I stopped smoking 1mo into the pills and stopped taking the pills after 7wks. I have stopped smoking regularly, but will nick one if I'm drunk (never more than one). I stopped taking Chantix because it made me crazy... There is actually going to be a class action suit because of the "hidden" side effects, I want no part of a suit. I became overly emotional about stuff, had serious thoughts about killing myself, and awful depression. Remember, I have quit before using the patch and only experienced irritation. Everyone I know said I was acting very strange (crazy was thrown around) after about 2wks of taking the pills. However, they damn sure made me quit, so they work. I'm not the only one who has expressed a "mental change" while on them, one person we know started having thoughts about killing her husband! On the flip side... My ex is taking them and quit smoking after 7days and has reported no emotional or mental issues. For some reason the new fad is to beat nic addiction with antidepressants and psychotropic drugs.  Not really a good plan as I dont think we have researched far enough into them to give them to people who arent planning on killing themselves or other people.  Look at the fiasco we have created with anti-biotic.

Well it makes sense, they treat druggies the same way, and cigs are a big time drug.

It have me problems, but I have always gotten a 10x response to any sort of pills.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Regardless, you need willpower. I used the patch the first time (it does take quite a bit of willpower) and quit for almost 2yrs, no smokes at all. This go 'round I used Chantix... I stopped smoking 1mo into the pills and stopped taking the pills after 7wks. I have stopped smoking regularly, but will nick one if I'm drunk (never more than one). I stopped taking Chantix because it made me crazy... There is actually going to be a class action suit because of the "hidden" side effects, I want no part of a suit. I became overly emotional about stuff, had serious thoughts about killing myself, and awful depression. Remember, I have quit before using the patch and only experienced irritation. Everyone I know said I was acting very strange (crazy was thrown around) after about 2wks of taking the pills. However, they damn sure made me quit, so they work. I'm not the only one who has expressed a "mental change" while on them, one person we know started having thoughts about killing her husband! On the flip side... My ex is taking them and quit smoking after 7days and has reported no emotional or mental issues. For some reason the new fad is to beat nic addiction with antidepressants and psychotropic drugs.  Not really a good plan as I dont think we have researched far enough into them to give them to people who arent planning on killing themselves or other people.  Look at the fiasco we have created with anti-biotic.   Well it makes sense, they treat druggies the same way, and cigs are a big time drug. It have me problems, but I have always gotten a 10x response to any sort of pills.

A few people have problems with Chantix but very few. The side effects I experienced were strange dreams and a "don't give a shit attitude". I also had stomach upset. You definitely want to eat something when taking your dosages. There are other side effects but I can't remember them. For the most part they are not all that bad with some exceptions.

In three months I think I experienced 3 or 4 weird dreams. Maybe something of a don't give a shit attitude but that isn't necessarily all bad. But it would upset my stomach if I didn't eat something when taking a pill.

Cold turkey.

Just make a copy of this and hang it on your wall to remind you what will happen to you

Cold turkey is the only way I was able to quit. I chewed so much of that nicotine gum I thought my teeth were going to fall out. After I quit I had some bad depresson and anger issues, but it's all getting better now. Just stay strong and think of how great quitting really is. I've also found out that I can't just "socially" smoke. I love to drink and smoke and thats normally how I'll start smoking again. Be stronger than the cigarette!

Quoted: It's been 33 days for me, and I quit cold turkey.  I had a pack a day habit for about 15 years.  I've quit dozens of times, but my mind wasn't in it.  I never liked the taste or smell, and frankly thought the habit was disgusting, but the addiction itself is the butt kicker.  It wasn't until I noticed my heart was adding extra beats and I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs without being winded, that I finally said 'It's them or me'. Cold turkey, haven't looked back.  It's tough though, as The Mr. still smokes. You can do it, you just have to make the choice.

Good for you!  Keep at it!  

The hard part is going to be this next month.

Quoted: Quoted: Just stop. Thats how I did it. +1 That's what I did.  I was stronger than my addiction.

Yes. The only way. Wake up each day and say to yourself "I will not smoke TODAY." Dont worry about tomorrow.

Quoted: I quit using Chantix.

Same here, never thought it would work. Best part was no pressure, you don't have to quit  right away. That and while it may sound odd, I told family and friends not to encourage me to quit. Even encouragement was a reminder. After about three weeks I almost completely lost the urge and had stopped smoking. Another two weeks on the pill and I was done, with very little urging at all. Now I'm at little over 6 months with no Chantix and no smoking and other that a few stress cravings I feel really good.

Quoted: Cold turkey is the only way I was able to quit. I chewed so much of that nicotine gum I thought my teeth were going to fall out. After I quit I had some bad depresson and anger issues, but it's all getting better now. Just stay strong and think of how great quitting really is. I've also found out that I can't just "socially" smoke. I love to drink and smoke and thats normally how I'll start smoking again. Be stronger than the cigarette!

That's a good point about the drinking/smoking thing. I forgot to mention in the other post how I handled that when I quit. At that time, I had recently seen a friend stop and then start again because he got drunk and lost his cool one night and started smoking before he realized what he was doing. I think he had quit about 6 or 8 months before that happened to him. He had to start all over with quitting (he eventually did quit again permanently though)... at any rate, after seeing that happen to him, I decided that while I was quitting I'd have one beer (and _only_ one) every day for the first month or so. The point being that I figured that if I could get used to the feeling of holding a beer without having a smoke in the other hand, then on the rare occasion that I might actually really get drunk, I wouldn't accidentally have a cigarette while in a pickled state.
Apparently, it worked, 'cause a few months later I tied one on at someone's birthday party and felt no special need to smoke. - I rarely ever drink anyway, but hey... I knew the situation would eventually come along, and I wanted to be sure it was covered.

Like you, I am not one of those people who can socially smoke. I can have a social drink with no problem at all, but for me, cigarettes are like those potato chips... you know, "ya can't have just one". It's been 17 years since I had a smoke, but I promise that if I had one, I'd smoke a whole carton. - But what the hell... a man's gotta know his limitations, right? But what the hell... the thought of it keeps me from doing it, so I guess that's good.

There is only one way to quit smoking.

That way is to stop putting cigarettes in your mouth and lighting them.

If you keep putting cigarettes in your mouth and lighting them while telling yourself that you're "cutting back", or you're going to wear a patch, or you're going to see a doctor, or you're going to do anything except not smoke cigarettes... you aren't quitting, and you aren't serious about quitting.

Looking for some cute way to tell yourself you're sort of quitting while you keep smoking just isn't going to work.

I quit cold turkey about 15 years ago.

I am too honery to fail so it was pretty easy for me.

Find a way that works for you and best of luck.

Quoted: The patches worked well for me, but I had absolutely insane nightmares while I was using them. After the first few times, I realized that you don't want to put a patch on right before you go to sleep.

I had the exact same experience (well, more like very intense dreams, not really nightmares)--but the patch did help with the cravings

and by not smoking I saved enough money to buy my first AR

Quoted: Zyban, April 2001. Worked great; best $100 I ever spent.

Screw Zyban!  That shit turned me into a total zombie, and when I quit taking it, I would lose my temper at the drop of a hat and get crazy mad.  I wouldn't recommend that shit to anyone.  Maybe Zyban affects people differently, but it definately didn't help my situation any.  JMO.  I used 'Commit' lazenges and they did help with the withdrawals.  Smoked ( atleast 2 packs a day ) for about 20 years steady.  Haven't had a smoke in over a year and a half.  Hardest damn thing I've ever had to do but worth it.