I have finally signed up and went to the 'support group' meetings my workplace have set up for us all.
We shuffled along the corridor of OCU Health, smelling suspiciously strongly of perfume/aftershave and polo mints, to the taunts of "dead man walking" from our 'supportive' colleagues ;) :rolleyes:
  In the past Ive tried to give up somewhat half heartedly, and always trying to just use my willpower...which of course failed miserably! But having been to the meeting and had a talk by a doctor and a counsellor Ive realised it was the worst thing I could do,and no wonder I failed... so Im on the patches.. and theyre Brilliant!!! :D so far I havent even had a craving :D its wonderful not having that internal battle all the time fighting the desire to have a cig... why did I not do this a long time ago??
We were given samples of the gum to try, also the new 'Microtabs' little mini tablets which you suck like the lozenges..Bleeeuuugh they were horrid prickly sensation,yuck.
I quite liked the Inhalator, may get one if it starts getting harder (will I look a bit Bet Lynch though?? ) WE tried the new Nasal spray too.. didnt like that either all of us sat there with streaming eyes, prompting more jokes along the lines of "can we use this stuff instead of CS gas!!" we were told the success rate stats for Zyban were nominally higher than NRT (nictotine replacement treatment= patches etc) so we all decided we didnt want the Zyban option.
  We had to blow into a little breathalizer (to measure the Carbon monoxide etc in our expiration) it went from green to amber to red and if you were really bad it went red and an alarm sounded The doctor thought it was great he was getting a chance to breathalise Police Officers!! :D
  I was relieved my reading was green :) but then the Nurse made me do it again! she asked me when I'd last had a cig and I said 5 minutes before walking through this door!!! :D so she made me do it again :rolleyes:.. it was still green though :) to which the rest of the group heckled me saying "your not smoking too much -your obviously not smoking enough! get out!!" :D
   It was really motivational listening to everyones reasons for giving up, one big burly roughtie toughtie Officer said he was sick of lying to his seven year old then big fat tears plopped down his cheek.....
What I found most useful was we were given a booklet where you write down when youve had a cigarette and rate that cig from 1-10 in order of how much you wanted and really needed it, when you do that its amazing how many cigs you have that you dont need!! (well of course we dont need any of them but you know what I mean! need need-need ;) ) there were so many times I would go to the smoking area at work, finish my cig just as a colleaugue arrived.. and I'd say "oh I'll have another with you" then we'd get gassing and someone else would pitch up and I'd have had about 4 before I knew it!! (dreadful isnt it)

Anyyyyway.. I gues the whole point is if your thinking of giving up I'd definately recommend joining a group, the info you get is great, but the camaraderie and banter and friendship really carries you through, we have all set up an email group @ work so we can all keep in touch, and are arranging prizes.. our Chief Commissioner is giving us a prize of Tea at the Ritz for the best giver upperer!! and amongst ourselves we are arranging days out etc :D

Go on...give it a go!!
After 5 years you now have only half the chance of getting a heart attack compared to a smoker
After 10 years your chance of getting Lung cancer is now half that of a smoker but your chance of having a heart attack is now the same as that of someone who has never smoked!
Imagine lying on your premature death bed.. and wishing you'd listen to me ;)

That really is great Husky Gal. So glad to hear that you are feeling positive about giving up.
Hope your success continues and you hard work pays off.
All the best
Anna

Good woman yourself, HG :)  Keep at it!

Apart the obvious health benefits, think how much extra cash you'll have for shoes, handbags and all manner of lovely laydee things :D

Sounds like a social gathering mor ethen a group of smokers wanting to quit!!!! :D  However I think they are the best, if you can have a laugh :D

Good for you for going...So can you be finished by july the 1st of is that pushing it!!! :D

GO ON SMOKERS....YOU CAN GIVE IT UP!!!

Well done Liv

Just think how much nicer you will smell :D :D :D

Lucy
xx

Well done Olivia - think of all the money you are saving too.  It is a long time since I gave up but my husband went through it on his own.  I was not allowed to say anything at all just pretend it wasn't happening - crazy I know but he had to deal with it in his own way - he did use patches briefly but the best help for him was the pretend ciggie that you sucked.  He just had to have something in his hand and mouth.  When he went for a refill he was so disgusted at the price :-) that he just continued with the empty tube.  Anyway he stuck at it.  Its been about 8 years now.  That is after 45 years odd of smoking and in later years very heavily.  You can do it I am sure with that positive outlook. 

Good on you HG, good luck!!!!!!!!

Hi
Thought I would post this for you  

Just some of the things found in a cigerette

There are a round 4000 chemicals All of these substances are found in cigarettes.

Arsenic: used in rat poison.

Acetic Acid: vinegar, hair dye and developer.

Acetone: main ingredient in paint and fingernail polish remover.

Ammonia: a typical household cleaner.

Benzene: rubber cement.

Butane: cigarette lighter fluid.

Cadmium: found in batteries and artists' oil paint.

Carbon Monoxide: a poisonous gas found in car exhaust, as well as from other sources.

DDT/ Dieldrin: insecticides.

Fiberglass: a material often used to make the hulls of boats, as well as for fiberglass pipes. Small particles of fiberglass are found in some cigarettes and chewing tobacco. Fiberglass is included in these products in order to cause tiny cuts in a smoker or chewer's mouth, throat and lungs to ensure faster delivery of nicotine and other chemicals to the blood stream.

Formaldehyde: used to embalm dead bodies.

Hexamine: a major ingredient in barbecue lighter fluid.

Hydrazine: used in jet and rocket fuels.

Hydrogen Cyanide: used as a poison in gas chambers.

Lead: a highly poisonous metal that used to be found in some paints.

Naphthalenes: used in explosives, moth balls, and paint pigments.

Nitrobenzene: a gasoline additive.

Phenol: used in disinfectants and plastics.

Polonium: radiation dosage, equal to 300 chest x-rays in one year.

Satiric Acid: found in candle wax.

Styrene: found in insulation material (Styrofoam).

Toluene: embalmers glue.

Vinyl Chloride: ingredient found in garbage bags.

When I worked at Shelter my manageress used to give up from time to time.  She put the money she'd use on ciggies away and then treat herself to a good piece of jewellery every so often so she had something to show for it and brag about!

So pleased for you Liv, I wish my sister would give up.   We never knew my grandad as he died from lung cancer in his 50's - heavy smoker all his life.   Why die in pain from something you could prevent?

Well done HuskyGal hope you keep it up.  I gave up 10 months ago now after smoking for many, many years!!!!!!! I had said time and again that I would stop but never then last year at the Navan show (after getting the RGS) I had a heart attack, so I really had a good reason to stop but not one I would recommend.  Now my husband has at long last stopped he's 2 months without them now so he's doing really well.

Thanks all! :)
Be on standby with the emergency chocolate wont you!!.. so far Ive been amazingly calm (OH (in anticipation) is walking round the house in full Riot gear though..:rolleyes:)

*gulp!* erm..thanks Annie!! (amazing isnt it with those 'ingredients' theyre readily available in shops)
Well done to your Hubby Valhav, thanks for sharing your story too..what a scare that must have been for you both.

Where's Paula??? Paula..how are you and your Hubby doing with the quitting??

You can do it HG, I did so anyone can, was a year in May, May 13th to be precise, use the money you save to have a treat, I have my nails done every four weeks as my treat.  Good luck, I'm not going to lie that it's easy, but it is possible and somedays even now I think 'oh i could just...' but then I think 'no' and carry on and it passes over and those moments are even few and far between now.  x

I've got your room ready and have fired up the ole hot tub just for quitters. you might have to share but he showered first and will budge over I promise

You can start putting all that fag money away for a fall preview Choo treat. :-D ooh, or maybe the red ones...

I am so glad you are getting help through your support group and physical aides such as patches. There is no reason to have to go it alone. If they made patches to lessen the desire for sweets I'd paint myself with them :-D Good luck! You have the strength of CD behind you!

Hey no problem hehehe just returning a favour to another giver upper, sounds like your doing great every hour is a bonus wishing you all the best with your quit Annie

I'm HEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! :-D :-D

And I STILL haven't had one!!! It's 5 weeks today....OH hasn't either. Taken over as managers now though and this week I could have killed for one with all the stress but I didn't!!!! :-D

Well done YOU!!! Easy once you know how isn't it??!! I've been busily chewing the ends of pens just to give myself something to do.You CAN do it and once you get to 5 weeks you just might start to think you've done the right thing lol!!! The thing that is keeping me going is how much money I'm saving!!! Dogs are going to be getting new show leads and all sorts I've saved so much!!! We've already saved about £250 in these 5 weeks. How scary is that???

Keep going and I've got plenty of emergency chocolate here that I'll share with you!!! ;-) :-D

Its a great idea having a suport group to join when you,re trying to give anything up well done you
I know I probably couldn.t have lost all my excess weight without the support of my slimming group we all keep in touch by text if anyones missing from class or is really struggling and we do a role call every week to make sure everyones accounted for and hasn,t sneaked of to thorntons without telling us.
good Luck HG and all you other giver uppers out there you know you can do it go for it.

im joining you again,HG,:  rolleyes: :D i did pretty well last year , lasted about 5 months, but sadly started again :rolleyes: anyway, now ive passed my test & got my car, i need money to put petrol in it !!! i cant afford  ciggies & petrol, so im gonna stick on a patch & chew the gum and join you ladies in the smoke free zone :)

(OH (in anticipation) is walking round the house in full Riot gear though..rolleyes)
Oh another house who has this gear :-D

How's everyone getting on??

I was a little miffed that on walking into a restraunt on Sunday and Proudly announcing (for the first time in 20 years) "I would like a Non smoking table please!"
..the Waiter deadpanned "Eeets all nun smirking" (He was French you see.. :D and Julie Andrews was nowhere in sight)

Much nicer isnt it?? Anyone else been out in the new smoke free areas??
A few of our local pubs are closing for refurbishment  as the stale smoke smell is very noticable now (horrid really isnt it???)

Again a little miffed to find our Work place has chickened out and we still have a smoking area outside (the whole reason I gave up was because the smoking area was going!!! :rolleyes:)

Anyyyway.. Main thing Im still not smoking and as yet..still not wanting one :)
I even did that affected cough thing non smokers do when a man walked past me on the train station today puffing away, and theatrically wafted the smoke away with my hand like the Queen waving :D :D :D

Well went to our under cover shopping centre that had a big board saying no smoking and also a notice on the wall right by a table near the snack bar where they were all smoking.

OK so it is the law, but who is actually going to enforce it.  Will we have new smoking wardens, or will the traffic wardens issue tickets to smokers!

Weeeeeeell.  Went to a non violent conflict resolution course the other day and the instructor mentioned that when she did the course herself a year or so ago amongst the trainees were people charged with the policing of it in Scotland when it was introduced.  So, if England is following suit, not only are they taking on inspectors they are preparing them for any aggro!
Well done HG.  Keep it up.  If you collapse and start using the outside area you would have to give up the Regal waves and as an ex smoker myself I know what a smug pleasure they are :)

We have been in our local for a celebration drink (BTW do you know we are moving :D ) and what a turn around

The Pub was full of people and food was perhaps at the level of a typical Sunday lunch Smokers all being good and we were perhaps a tad smug and we told them :D :D They are all being very good and are accepting it

I am sitting here and don't smell like an ashtray after spending an hour in our local

A good day all around

Lucy
xx

Hurray for you HG. I can just see your affected wave now - remember your 3 T's :-D

I might even go out again!

Our smoking ban has been in place a year now, and it is so nice to come out of places and not smell like the ashtray!
However the smokers will congregate right at the door and that can be awkward.
Karen ;-)

>A few of our local pubs are closing for refurbishment  as the stale smoke smell is very noticable now (horrid really isnt it???)

I'll be happy going back into pubs again, now that I won't have to bath, wash my hair and change my clothes when I come home. :) I think it's brilliant!

Giving up smoking is one of the few things I've never regretted doing, although it wasn't one of the easiest!
*18 years and counting!*

It's been 9 months tomorrow for me :D Well Done Liv x

Ditto JG  I can bare the hair and clothes smell.

Feel the same JG. :) Its over 15 years for me now!

Local paper said smoking wardens were out and about, so I suppose everyone has them now.

I gather a nightclub owner is smoking in his club, and says Cherie Blair has been taken on to challenge this act. Wonder how that will go!

http://lifestyle.aol.co.uk/health/healthy-living/stop-smoking/club-owner-defies-smoke-ban/article/20070703014209990001

>Local paper said smoking wardens were out and about, so I suppose everyone has them now.

Smoking wardens ???????   Who's paying for them?

We are of course :)  No point in introducing new laws unless you make provision to police it.  Never mind, think of the money the NHS (our money again) will be saving :)

What is the point of taxpayer's money going towards smoking wardens? Another pointless waste of money that's typical of this labour government.  :rolleyes:

Public places, i.e. pubs, restaurants, places of work etc, etc will reinforce the ban anyhow; we don't need the expense of smoking wardens. :rolleyes:

> Never mind, think of the money the NHS (our money again) will be saving.

Really?  Jury's still out in my mind on that one.  We'll see......

That's like saying we don't need traffic wardens because the street occupants would "reinforce" parking restrictions :D 

Well, street occupants won't get fined if they don't comply.  :-D However, in light of recent events in London and Glasgow, smoking wardens and bans is way way down the list of priorities in my book. 

I read a report recently that smokers raise eight billion pounds in revenue for the government and cost the NHS one point six billion - so if everyone gives up smoking there is going to be a huge shortfall in revenue :)

Hands up all those who think all that 8 billion goes to the NHS ... ;)

*Wry Smile* :D

I think most of it is probably going to the Houses of Parliament to build the smoking area that is "needed due to the stress of the job"

>Smokers raise eight billion pounds in revenue for the government and cost the NHS one point six billion - so if everyone gives up smoking there is going to be a huge shortfall in revenue.

So how do they make up the shortfall???  Higher taxes I guess, much higher taxes, having to fund smoking wardens :rolleyes: :-D  flood defences due to climate change and the cost of maintaining better security because of terrorist threats.  Great, can't wait....

>Smokers raise eight billion pounds in revenue for the government and cost the NHS one point six billion - so if everyone gives up smoking there is going to be a huge shortfall in revenue.<

That refers only to the NHS cost of smoking disorders. More money will be saved from the ECONOMY than just the NHS costs.
In calculating the true financial saving if everyone stopped smoking you have to take into account the following:
1.The NHS expenses as previously stated
2.The cost to the economy as people have time off work for smoking related disorders
3.The cost to businesses of the multiple fag breaks that smokers seem to be allowed to have (surplus to normal breaks)
4.The DSS cost of paying sickness benefits, carers benefits, and care homes etc
5.The fact that those on long term sick do not usually pay tax, and dead people certainly dont
6.The cost of providing smoking facilities/shelters outdoors

I'm sure there are many other things that I havent thought of. But its just really to emhasise that smoking does not only impact on the NHS, so the above calculation of financial shortfall is totally inaccurate.

Interesting points, however, I find it hard to believe that if everyone stopped smoking people would stop getting ill. 

Its swings and roundabouts, if people die younger, they are not getting a return for the tax they have contributed.

I agree about cost savings for providing smoking facilities/shelters outdoors, however, I find it hard to believe that in this day and age where the emphasis is on targets that businesses allow their staff multiple fag breaks outside their normal break times.

We know that stress is one of the biggest and obvious disease causer there is and there is more than plenty of that in the western world at this present time.  Huh, no chance of a ban on stress then?!! :-D

Fact is that smoking does kill let alone make people ill.  If banning smoking in public places causes any number of people to finally give up smoking then surely that can only be a good outcome?  That would mean fewer people developing cancer, heart disease and emphysema amongst an array of other illnesses and we haven't even touched passive smoking related illnesses.  That means that our children wouldn't follow the sheep and start smoking and that means saving someone's mum, dad, brother, sister, daughter, son etc from early and often lingering and painful illnesses and deaths.

Anyone who thinks that smoking should be an individual's right will be in support of this captive smoker continuing their habit http://www.local6.com/news/4405879/detail.html

A few years ago there was a big campaign against the animal labs that had Beagles rigged up to machines that made them breath in cigarette smoke.  Of course that was considered cruel and the practice was stopped. If smoking is ok then even if you don't agree with the Beagles being rigged up to the machines you would support the Beagles continuing what must now be their nicotine addiction.  If given a choice and the dogs chose to smoke would that still be ok?

Obviously, if people didn't smoke then the experiments on animals to find medicines to combat the diseases caused by smoking wouldn't happen in the first place. A good reason in itself to ban smoking once and for all.

Ah but that would mean people living longer and needing their pensions. 

I work in a hospital and many of the staff nip out for a fag an hour.....including the matron  ! It seems to be accepted. MY boyfriend works in an office and says its common practise there too.
As far as illness goes, there is hard evidence that stopping smoking improves health. That is why insurance companies penalise smokers by hiking the premiums. OK so some people will still get ill....but not of smoking related illnesses.

>That is why insurance companies penalise smokers by hiking the premiums.

Shame they don't reduce them when people give up. :(

Oh I'm not saying smoke doesn't play a contributing factor in ill health, I'm just saying that I don't believe it is the one and only cause.  People will still get ill. 

IMO Modern man is not near as hardy as his anchesters.

Whether the savings induced if everyone gave up smoking is sufficient to make up the shortfall in the economy if everyone stopped buying cigarettes,  I suppose is something we can only speculate on at this present time.  

Taking an example of heart disease; when healthy native populations moved to America and adopted the American lifestyle they started developing heart disease.  This is what science proved and the American diet was blamed.

However, upon further studies it was found that when native populations kept their traditional culture, stayed in their original environment and were fed the American diet, they did not go on to develop heart disease.  Can't be the American diet then!!

Multiple, multiple factors play a part in the origins of disease IMO; doctors often say that particular conditions concentrate themselves in particular parts of the country.  Why?  Environment, genetics no doubt but resonance and lifestyle plays a part too.  Any one thing, i.e. smoke, diet etc as a separate entity plays a small part IMO and how small or large a part I suppose depends on the person/condition itself.  

Life expectancy trends http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~japhill/handout4.pdf 

>Multiple, multiple factors play a part in the origins of disease IMO; doctors often say that particular conditions concentrate themselves in particular parts of the country.

According to the experts you are absolutely right.  There are a variety of factors that will determine your health.  One is the area that you live in and according to statistics this is linked to class.  The poorer you are the more likely you are to smoke. http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/news/newsarchive/2006/october/17801978 

Smoking is an unnecessary health risk and clearly not the only one. However, unlike most self-inflicted health risks smoking also affects people who do not want to smoke or be subjected to its effects and until now pubs, nightclubs and many workplaces didn't give non-smokers to option to avoid the risks imposed upon them by people who want to smoke. That is now considered unnacceptable and IMO much fairer.

>Nearly one in five (22%) of all cancer deaths are from lung cancer

Lung cancer is the most common killer of all the cancers.  As it unequivocally linked to smoking so the ban is best for everyone, especially if it encourages people to want to give up. http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/mortality/cancerdeaths/

We have had it a while now up in Scotland but welcome it now down south for when we come down to the shows as we often nip to the local establishment when we arrive the night before ;-)

Out local indian/lounge pub has had a brown water paint affect for years and a few weeks ago painted the whole place cream not only does it look lovely and fresh, but it is so much more welcoming and bright.

I myself have returned to going out for a quick one with my other half.

I even did that affected cough thing non smokers do when a man walked past me on the train station today puffing away, and theatrically wafted the smoke away with my hand like the Queen waving :-D :-D :-D

LOL :-D

Can go to bingo tonight without leaving stinky!

Wonder what a bingo hall looks like without layers of smoke!

Hurray to all the giver uppers (non smokers sorry this isn't for you L.O.L ) I really am trying not to be a born again smoker couldn't stand them when I smoked.... probably because I really wanted to give up but couldn't
It now makes it so much easier for the people giving up to go out....couldn't go out before  incase that awful smell wafted by....shh I keep telling myself thats what it smells like...I wish ) so well done to everyone
Haven't tried the wave yet, but the effected cough is a scream ....I've already been told to .... off charming people  L.O.L
From A none smoker..... Janet

Hope you don't mind but let my friend write this, my friend wanted to tell you how she felt about giving up....I think I depress her because for the first time ever I have found this quit  (lost count what number this quit is :rolleyes: ) quite easy..... big sigh of relief ....Annie