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Smoking and How To Quit
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Community stories

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Camilla from Florida (United States)
May 23, 2012 9:06 a.m.
I quit on May 22, 2011. It was the best decision I ever made for myself, my husband, and our future children.
Rebecca from Missouri (United States)
May 7, 2012 11:44 a.m.
Ok, I am going to quit... again. I am 32 and have smoked out of habit since I was 13.. Very sad, I know. Besides the smoking, I am absolutely healthy and really am thankful for it. I even jog!! I know, how the heck does a smoker manage that? Well, Im not a fast runner (10 min mile) and smoke on average a half a pack a day. I am prtty sure my habit has formed out of "practices." I of course, can and will get the nic fits, but mine is more behavioral. I drive... of course, I want to smoke. Im bored, I want to smoke. I just got done eating a good meal,I want to smoke. I just need to make those moments pass by w/o one of those cancer sticks. I know its going to be hard but I need to do this. For me and the life I want to live. I have one or maybe two left in my pack and thats it...... One day and one moment at a time.
Louise from Canada
May 5, 2012 6:35 p.m.
Hi to everyone! My name is Louise. I quit smoking on January 31, 2012. I was very sick with pneumonia and had to make a decision. Today is 96 days smoke free. I'm very proud of myself. You need to make a decision and have will power! I'm feeling like a new woman today. No more coughing, no more ashtrays to clean, and my teeth are white!
Upendra from United States
April 30, 2012 4:31 a.m.
I am stopping from today and I do not intend to remove anything from my surroundings. I MUST stop even with all the ashtrays/butts/whatever, still around me. The ONLY help I am going to take is my Will Power. If THAT can't make me quit.... NOTHING will !!
Camille from Washington (United States)
April 27, 2012 10:16 a.m.
My name is Camille and this is day 4 of not smoking. I started to get pains in my leg and bad breathing attacts and I truly have to say all that has went away since I quit, I have realized that all you have to do is never pick up that first cigarette and the rest is history. Good luck to everyone who is struggling with quitting.
Andrea from Michigan (United States)
April 10, 2012 10:10 a.m.
Hello, my name is Andrea. I decided to quit smoking on Easter Sunday this year! I have been wanting to quit for quite a while. I realized that it was finally time. I realized how unattractive it is, how much money I could save to go on vacation, and most importantly, I realized how much my body would appreciate it. I want to live a life, travel, start a family and be happy. I don't want to live on an oxygen tank like my grandmother did until the day she died. I want to be beautiful from the inside, out. I love myself and I want to be able to love someone else as well, with all of my strength and energy. In order to do that I have to be healthy. I started smoking when I was 17 and in college, I am 32 as of today. This is day 3 being cigarette free. I feel more empowered and stronger than ever. This is just one step toward greatness. Thank you for your time!
Martha from Illinois (United States)
April 6, 2012 7:17 p.m.
I quit on April 1, so far so good. I have quit several times in the past, but this time I am going to do it. After smoking all day about a pack and a half, I would walk up the stairs at night to go to bed and my heart would pound so hard and fast. Well that has been scaring me for awhile so I decided to quit this time for good. I am 58 years old and started smoking at 15. I talk to my dad alot, he passed away 5 years ago and I know how happy he is that I am quitting...my kids, my family, everybody is supportive. I am doing this for real this time. NO MORE CIGARETTES FOR ME EVER!!!
Dee from Pennsylvania (United States)
March 2, 2012 9:56 a.m.
I quit smoking on November 28, 2011 its been 95 day and I am just now starting to feel like a new person. I started smoking at the age of 15 and I am 49 now so that is 34 years, but they dont tell you the things that happen to you after you quit, like chronic sinus problems that last about 3 weeks leg problems chest pains among other things. But it is all worth it because every time I smoked I was damaging my body so it will take time to get back to normal, and the funny thing is I don't remember not smoking so this is a new experience for me. My mother died of lung cancer at the age of 68 and my father has copd chf and a host of other things from years of smoking amd I feel that if I quit smoking now I will be able to enjoy life ,and not be tied to a disgusting habit that I used to call my best friend. For now I go through every day with the urge to light up but it passes and I get to the next day so someday when I become a grandparent my grandkids will never see me smoke!
Zenith from Texas (United States)
January 17, 2012 4:19 a.m.
i picked up cigarettes again after my husband died a year ago to help deal with the grief at night........and i just saw some very graphic images from australia on youtube of mouth cancer, etc, and it scared me. i also read an article that said that just one cigarette can cause a heart attack, and cigarettes affect every organ in the body. One-third of all hospital patients are there because of cigarettes. what a nightmare!

i love myself too much to continue hurting my precious body this way and risking losing the quality of life i have. it is time to start listing all of the things i am grateful for instead of mourning what i have lost. life is for the living. and that is ME!!
Lisa from Wyoming (United States)
January 15, 2012 4:07 p.m.
Today is day 14 without a cigarette. I have been smoking for 33 years and lately, I have noticed more headaches, gasping for breath at night and terrible coughing. Something inside me told me it was time to quit. I have tried to quit before but failed because I would have that one cigarette after a period of days, thus setting me back to square one. This time, no matter what, I will not have that one cigarette! I have had the help of 7mg patches and nicotine gum. I will soon run out of patches and then I will do the gum, slowly weaning down to 2mg. I feel great! All I can say is hang in there, it gets easier and it can be done!
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Content last updated May 23, 2012.

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