I quit smoking yesterday.

[J. Hova]

This is going to be fun.

I started smoking around 16 (21 years ago).  Back then, most of my friends smoked and I was the youngest of all of them, so getting cigarettes was never a problem.  Both of my parents smoked but my mother quit shortly after I started.  I've always had a complicated relationship with smoking.  I'm of fairly high IQ, and am very cheap, yet I had no problem plopping down money for something that literally I'm paying them to kill me.

I've tried quitting a few times in the past with various methods (patch, gum, lozenge, the old school blu e-cig, etc.) with varying results.  My best result was with the e-cig about ten years ago, shortly after my father passed and I was completely nicotine free after three months.  I then fell off the wagon and have smoked ever since, save for a few days here and there.  I've been thinking about quitting again for a bit.  I had actually circled a date on the calendar of April 1, 2020, but I have no idea why my stress level went super high leading up to and through that date to present.  

I bought a vape box a few years ago and wasn't too impressed.  I found it in a drawer a few weeks ago and started rebuilding it and it was just dead to never work again.  One of my friends told me about how much better the modern boxes and juices are and all of that, so I started researching and decided to pull the trigger.  All told, between the box, extra batteries, coils, and starter juices, I'm into it for about 150 USD.  That isn't too bad when cigarettes are going for 10/pack and you smoke between 1/2 and 1 pack a day.  

I think I stand a pretty good chance of quitting this time and staying smoke free.  I remember in my past attempts, when I smoked that last cigarette, it was like I was saying goodbye to an old friend, this time it was like telling a toxic person in your life to go piss up a rope or kicking a bad roommate out on the streets.  My plan is to go slow.  I bought some pretty strong juice as far as nicotine levels go, plan on staying at that level for 3 months, buy some more of that level plus the next level down, mix that, stay on that for a month or two, move down to the next level, stay at that for a month or two, etc. until I'm at nicotine free levels.  Then I'll just work on breaking the habit of vaping itself with no nicotine.  All in all, I'd like to be off everything by the end of the year.

I will say one thing, I'm highly impressed with how much better vaping has gotten in the past few years like my friend said.  I'm not climbing the walls or practically rocking in the corner going through hardcore withdrawals like I remember.  Is it as satisfying as smoking a real cigarette?  No, not really.  Is it good enough?  Absolutely.  Do I think that it will get better as time goes on?  It should.

I just thought I'd share that for anyone who might be thinking of doing the same thing and I might update this as I make progress or have setbacks during this journey.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

I’m not gonna rain on your parade, but I’m back to basically doing both, which is a whole new level of dumb. Cigarettes are just better as a stress reliever.

But you know what, I gotta quit the cigarettes, so I’m gonna join you and stick to my vape as best as possible. Now, I do have a fresh pack of cigarettes…so I’ll be doing both for a bit.

[Fade is a CodyCryBaby]

I remember in my past attempts, when I smoked that last cigarette, it was like I was saying goodbye to an old friend, this time it was like telling a toxic person in your life to go piss up a rope or kicking a bad roommate out on the streets.

I can’t describe how accurately I feel that haha.

I hadn’t smoked since October until recently. Even now..it’s like..”blegh” but the sumbitches are so addictive. Anyway, glad to hear you’re going your way about it. Definitely inspires me to tell those toxic bastards to go piss up a rope.

[Deleted]

Been 5 years for me now.

My best advice? Still go outside. When you would have a smoke or feel stressed, go outside and take 5 minutes just to chill.

The second best? Make yourself eat and drink healthy. Your brain will be craving that hit and will push you to have fatty/carby foods and booze if you let it.

Good luck man, it's definitely possible.

[Zombie Mod is not a ghoul.]

good luck with it, as that last cigarette smoked is a bastard to keep as the last cigarette smoked.

not sure how long I've been vaping instead of smoking (multiple years now.) but still get the urge to smoke when I get the smell of certain tobacco brands or on a night out, thankfully I haven't cracked but have been tempted the last couple of years due to various reasons.

[J. Hova]

Mar 29, 2022 17:50:53 GMT -5 @flaminghalo said:

Been 5 years for me now.

My best advice? Still go outside. When you would have a smoke or feel stressed, go outside and take 5 minutes just to chill.

The second best? Make yourself eat and drink healthy. Your brain will be craving that hit and will push you to have fatty/carby foods and booze if you let it.

Good luck man, it's definitely possible.

Yeah, I'm planning on not drinking for quite a while as that has been where I've cracked in the past.  If that means that I don't drink for a year, so be it.  It does help that over the past few years all of my friends except two have quit smoking as well and one I wouldn't bum a smoke off of if my life depended on it (he smokes these things that I swear are the swept up remnants of what was left on the tobacco factory floor). 

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Mar 29, 2022 17:10:29 GMT -5 J. Hova said:

This is going to be fun.

I started smoking around 16 (21 years ago).  Back then, most of my friends smoked and I was the youngest of all of them, so getting cigarettes was never a problem.  Both of my parents smoked but my mother quit shortly after I started.  I've always had a complicated relationship with smoking.  I'm of fairly high IQ, and am very cheap, yet I had no problem plopping down money for something that literally I'm paying them to kill me.

I've tried quitting a few times in the past with various methods (patch, gum, lozenge, the old school blu e-cig, etc.) with varying results.  My best result was with the e-cig about ten years ago, shortly after my father passed and I was completely nicotine free after three months.  I then fell off the wagon and have smoked ever since, save for a few days here and there.  I've been thinking about quitting again for a bit.  I had actually circled a date on the calendar of April 1, 2020, but I have no idea why my stress level went super high leading up to and through that date to present.  

I bought a vape box a few years ago and wasn't too impressed.  I found it in a drawer a few weeks ago and started rebuilding it and it was just dead to never work again.  One of my friends told me about how much better the modern boxes and juices are and all of that, so I started researching and decided to pull the trigger.  All told, between the box, extra batteries, coils, and starter juices, I'm into it for about 150 USD.  That isn't too bad when cigarettes are going for 10/pack and you smoke between 1/2 and 1 pack a day.  

I think I stand a pretty good chance of quitting this time and staying smoke free.  I remember in my past attempts, when I smoked that last cigarette, it was like I was saying goodbye to an old friend, this time it was like telling a toxic person in your life to go piss up a rope or kicking a bad roommate out on the streets.  My plan is to go slow.  I bought some pretty strong juice as far as nicotine levels go, plan on staying at that level for 3 months, buy some more of that level plus the next level down, mix that, stay on that for a month or two, move down to the next level, stay at that for a month or two, etc. until I'm at nicotine free levels.  Then I'll just work on breaking the habit of vaping itself with no nicotine.  All in all, I'd like to be off everything by the end of the year.

I will say one thing, I'm highly impressed with how much better vaping has gotten in the past few years like my friend said.  I'm not climbing the walls or practically rocking in the corner going through hardcore withdrawals like I remember.  Is it as satisfying as smoking a real cigarette?  No, not really.  Is it good enough?  Absolutely.  Do I think that it will get better as time goes on?  It should.

I just thought I'd share that for anyone who might be thinking of doing the same thing and I might update this as I make progress or have setbacks during this journey.

What juice are you using?

[J. Hova]

Mar 29, 2022 19:10:59 GMT -5 Cranjis McBasketball said:

Mar 29, 2022 17:10:29 GMT -5 J. Hova said:

This is going to be fun.

I started smoking around 16 (21 years ago).  Back then, most of my friends smoked and I was the youngest of all of them, so getting cigarettes was never a problem.  Both of my parents smoked but my mother quit shortly after I started.  I've always had a complicated relationship with smoking.  I'm of fairly high IQ, and am very cheap, yet I had no problem plopping down money for something that literally I'm paying them to kill me.

I've tried quitting a few times in the past with various methods (patch, gum, lozenge, the old school blu e-cig, etc.) with varying results.  My best result was with the e-cig about ten years ago, shortly after my father passed and I was completely nicotine free after three months.  I then fell off the wagon and have smoked ever since, save for a few days here and there.  I've been thinking about quitting again for a bit.  I had actually circled a date on the calendar of April 1, 2020, but I have no idea why my stress level went super high leading up to and through that date to present.  

I bought a vape box a few years ago and wasn't too impressed.  I found it in a drawer a few weeks ago and started rebuilding it and it was just dead to never work again.  One of my friends told me about how much better the modern boxes and juices are and all of that, so I started researching and decided to pull the trigger.  All told, between the box, extra batteries, coils, and starter juices, I'm into it for about 150 USD.  That isn't too bad when cigarettes are going for 10/pack and you smoke between 1/2 and 1 pack a day.  

I think I stand a pretty good chance of quitting this time and staying smoke free.  I remember in my past attempts, when I smoked that last cigarette, it was like I was saying goodbye to an old friend, this time it was like telling a toxic person in your life to go piss up a rope or kicking a bad roommate out on the streets.  My plan is to go slow.  I bought some pretty strong juice as far as nicotine levels go, plan on staying at that level for 3 months, buy some more of that level plus the next level down, mix that, stay on that for a month or two, move down to the next level, stay at that for a month or two, etc. until I'm at nicotine free levels.  Then I'll just work on breaking the habit of vaping itself with no nicotine.  All in all, I'd like to be off everything by the end of the year.

I will say one thing, I'm highly impressed with how much better vaping has gotten in the past few years like my friend said.  I'm not climbing the walls or practically rocking in the corner going through hardcore withdrawals like I remember.  Is it as satisfying as smoking a real cigarette?  No, not really.  Is it good enough?  Absolutely.  Do I think that it will get better as time goes on?  It should.

I just thought I'd share that for anyone who might be thinking of doing the same thing and I might update this as I make progress or have setbacks during this journey.

What juice are you using?

I got a couple of custom ones done by the local vape shop, one is just a menthol and the other is a wild berry ice.  I have a couple I ordered online that came highly recommended by a friends, Betty by Pinup vapors and another one that is escaping me.

[Feyrhausen]

Good luck. I quit 19 years ago and it is worth the pain of quitting. The only downside of quitting is realizing how nasty it is and being unable to deal with being around it anymore.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Mar 29, 2022 19:29:40 GMT -5 J. Hova said:

Mar 29, 2022 19:10:59 GMT -5 Cranjis McBasketball said:

What juice are you using?

I got a couple of custom ones done by the local vape shop, one is just a menthol and the other is a wild berry ice.  I have a couple I ordered online that came highly recommended by a friends, Betty by Pinup vapors and another one that is escaping me.

I’m guessing you’re in the US? We probably can’t get the same stuff.

Never did like the house blends the vape guys push.

[Deleted]

Former smoker from the age of 17-35 (I'm 41 currently).

If you really want to quit I recommend two things:

1. Always have something for your mouth and hands to do (giggity). Have a large supply of jolly ranchers to suck on, starburts to chew on, gum, or even just sip on water constantly. DO NOT let your hands and mouth get bored, you will want to smoke a cigarette.

2. Remember that line from Clerks: Of course we're all gonna die. But that doesn't mean we have to lay down our hard earned money for it.

[J. Hova]

Mar 29, 2022 19:59:29 GMT -5 Cranjis McBasketball said:

Mar 29, 2022 19:29:40 GMT -5 J. Hova said:

I got a couple of custom ones done by the local vape shop, one is just a menthol and the other is a wild berry ice.  I have a couple I ordered online that came highly recommended by a friends, Betty by Pinup vapors and another one that is escaping me.

I’m guessing you’re in the US? We probably can’t get the same stuff.

Never did like the house blends the vape guys push.

That's correct.  Luckily, the shops around here seem to be pretty decent.  There were a ton of them a few years ago and it seems like the good ones survived while the others went out of business.

[J. Hova]

Mar 29, 2022 20:30:53 GMT -5 @therealoblivion said:

Former smoker from the age of 17-35 (I'm 41 currently).

If you really want to quit I recommend two things:

1. Always have something for your mouth and hands to do (giggity). Have a large supply of jolly ranchers to suck on, starburts to chew on, gum, or even just sip on water constantly. DO NOT let your hands and mouth get bored, you will want to smoke a cigarette.

2. Remember that line from Clerks: Of course we're all gonna die. But that doesn't mean we have to lay down our hard earned money for it.

I completely agree with that.  The last time I quit, I gained a lot of weight.  I used to chew gum all the time and have started to get myself to start that up in preparation for this.  

[Ultimo Gallos]

Good luck.

I started smoking when I was about 14 and by the time I was 21 I was smoking 2 packs a day of Camel Non Filters. That went on until the day I turned 33. Woke up that day,July 10th 2007,had 7 cigs left in the pack. And the price hhad just jumped from 4.50 a pack to 7.50. I decided that day I was gonna finish those 7 and that was it.

And that was when I quit and it stuck. Many times before then I had tried. And longest I could go without smoking was maybe 4 days.

Now it's over a decade since I had a cig,and yea sure sometimes i will get a craving for one. But that craving lasts maybe a minute and it is gone.

One majopr change was from when I was 22 until I quit smoking I stayed between 170lbs and 180lbs. I stopped smoking and all of the sudden I ballooned up to 275. Back down to 211 or so now. But it is much harder for me to lose and keep weight off.

[Ultimo Gallos]

Mar 29, 2022 19:41:50 GMT -5 Feyrhausen said:

Good luck. I quit 19 years ago and it is worth the pain of quitting. The only downside of quitting is realizing how nasty it is and being unable to deal with being around it anymore.

I figured that would happen to me. Nope,about half my friends still smoke and it rarely bothers me. But most of the ones that smoke ,only smoke outside and might go thru half a pack a day.

First few years after i quit I had to no goto bars or casinos. All the smoke in the air would make me crave a tasty tasty camel non filter.

Most worst craving since I quit was 4 years ago. Was at some friends Halloween/Birthday party. I rarely drink,but wasn't DD that night so I got fairly shitfaced. And for about 30 minutes I really really wanted a cig.

[Sam Punk]

Happy for you, brother!

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Mar 29, 2022 20:48:47 GMT -5 Ultimo Gallos said:

Good luck.

I started smoking when I was about 14 and by the time I was 21 I was smoking 2 packs a day of Camel Non Filters. That went on until the day I turned 33. Woke up that day,July 10th 2007,had 7 cigs left in the pack. And the price hhad just jumped from 4.50 a pack to 7.50. I decided that day I was gonna finish those 7 and that was it.

And that was when I quit and it stuck. Many times before then I had tried. And longest I could go without smoking was maybe 4 days.

Now it's over a decade since I had a cig,and yea sure sometimes i will get a craving for one. But that craving lasts maybe a minute and it is gone.

One majopr change was from when I was 22 until I quit smoking I stayed between 170lbs and 180lbs. I stopped smoking and all of the sudden I ballooned up to 275. Back down to 211 or so now. But it is much harder for me to lose and keep weight off.

My grandfather quit smoking when they raised the prices to 45 cents a pack. No damn way he was laying out that kind of cash to smoke. Believe he had his first cigarette when he was 4. In case you wanna know what 1928 was like.

[Nr1Humanoid]

Just like Will Smith on Saturday, huh?

[Evil Homer]

I quit smoking at the beginning of the pandemic, when I started working from . Havent looked back since , now Im disgusted by the smell of it

[Deleted]

Mar 29, 2022 20:43:13 GMT -5 J. Hova said:

Mar 29, 2022 20:30:53 GMT -5 @therealoblivion said:

Former smoker from the age of 17-35 (I'm 41 currently).

If you really want to quit I recommend two things:

1. Always have something for your mouth and hands to do (giggity). Have a large supply of jolly ranchers to suck on, starburts to chew on, gum, or even just sip on water constantly. DO NOT let your hands and mouth get bored, you will want to smoke a cigarette.

2. Remember that line from Clerks: Of course we're all gonna die. But that doesn't mean we have to lay down our hard earned money for it.

I completely agree with that.  The last time I quit, I gained a lot of weight.  I used to chew gum all the time and have started to get myself to start that up in preparation for this.  

Don't beat yourself up if you put on weight again. Being chubby sucks but you can work it off later. One thing at a time...