Once upon a Time, back in our teens, many of us, for one reason or another, started smoking.
Remember that?
Encouraged (not always) by our Family & Friends, we gave it a try and, quite often, got hooked on it, even though your first fags were tough, you coughed & spluttered, but it was “the Thing”!
I remember Woodbines, fags in 200 packs for 10 Bob, in the MN, myself, my wife & some of our offspring smoking Cigars & Pipes, as well.
The point of this Topic?
Yes, It’s time for most of us to congratulate ourselves for giving up. We should have a “National No Smoking Hero day”!
The Media, actually, helped us get “off it”.
The threat of Cancer was known &, increasingly, understood.
Your post made me think Ted and I was surprised I dont know a single person who now smokes plenty used to smoke but as well as it being bad for you it doesn’t seem to be socially acceptable either these days
I’ve never been a smoker but yes why not give everyone a pat on the back with their own Heros day…good idea
I stopped on 21st March 2009 after forty years on two packs a day, the best thing that I’ve ever done, and I’ve never had a single puff since that day.
I don’t really know how anyone can afford it these days though, must be over a tenner a pack now? Back in the day when abroad with the army we had a weekly ration of 260 cigarettes for 17/6d, no wonder we could all afford to smoke… lol
And yes, let’s have a national “Celebrate not smoking day”, I would certainly join in…
Considering my lack of willpower on other things, I am grateful that I don’t actually like smoking
When i was a boy & teenager most people smoked, and to be a non smoker was the exception
As I moved into my early 20s and left home and was going out more with friends I smoked a few cigarettes, just to join in
I would buy a packet of 20 on a Friday or Saturday, and by next weekend there might still be 4 or 5 left in the packet
But things were changing; the tide was turning against smoking, and it was not only acceptable, but also preferable to be a non smoker, so I simply stopped
So it is 40 or 50 years since I had a ciggie, and I can’t say I miss them
I’ve said before about it, started smoking at 15 (or maybe earlier ) when I could buy my own, smoked like a train couldn’t see the point in it otherwise, anyhow aged 20 had a collapsed lung, a few wise words from the doctor convinced me to give it up, so nigh on 45 yrs later I’m an ex smoker, the first 40 were the worst .
Both my husband and I gave up smoking at the same time in 1984. My mother had her first stroke at the time and her doctor told us her smoking habit was likely the biggest culprit for her condition. That was enough for us to consider our own smoking habits. We found giving up smoking quite easy as we had a very good reason and we both did it together - that is why I have always told people you must really want to give it up in the first place.
So, yes Ted, I’ll willingly join your “National No Smoking Hero Day”.
It’s 17 years since I quit and never looked back. I would have walked through snow drifts to buy cigarettes if I ran out.
I am really glad I quit and absolutely hate the smell of a smoker but I was watching The Teacher recently and she smoked a lot and I did actually briefly wonder what it would be like to have a smoke. Obviously I wouldn’t start again because they are about £12 a packet now!
Yet another story of mine
stop smoking the “cold turkey” way. Embassy packet of 20 was 27 1/2p or there abouts
I used to smoke about 20/30 a day . Then one Christmas time I went down with a terrible cold, and of course no urge to have a smoke. When that was near its end I remembered I had not got any cigarettes and but that time I had not smoked for at least a week.
Now me being the most stubborn person on this earth I thought to myself " if I went for a week without one can I stop for at least another day?"
So day by day I fought the need to smoke and then week by week and month by month.
Now the catch is I think I have kicked the habit until offered one or do some hard work and taking a break. Hard to refuse and hard not to want but having gone for so long without fighting the need was still there
To completely kick the habit I recon took about 3 years before stopping thinking about it.
That was true for me too. Most men smoked when I started work. When I retired in a workforce of about 70 there were two smokers,
I gave up in 1983 as a smoker of 30 to 40 a day when cigarettes where getting close to $1 a packet or $9 for a carton of 200. I have no idea what they cost now because they are not allowed to be advertised or be visible in shops.
The number of adult smokers in Australia is less than 15% of the population. The tobacco companies had a go at getting vaping off the ground but nicotine is only available on prescription which stymied their plans.
We have given up leaving our homes, postponed medical procedures and diagnostics, going to work, going to school, travel, seeing elderly loved ones - and have gotten ourselves vaccinated and masked because 375,000 people died in the US last year (2020) from Covid.
Tell me about it! I don’t smoke, anything that’s lovely to eat is forbidden and I barely drink. I only have to look at a cake and i gain pounds. I have much slimmer friends who say they eat a whole tub of fancy ice cream while watching TV. It’s just not fair.
I thought to myself " if I went for a week without one can I stop for at least another day?"