Health reporter Karrey Britt wants to get you involved in her reporting. Follow along in our new health section.
Two of my co-workers will be participating in the Great American Smokeout on Thursday. Another co-worker has been smoke-free for one week.
Woo! Hoo!
If you have any advice for them, please share. I really want them to be successful at kicking the habit for good.
Also, if you plan on participating in the event, let me know by sending an e-mail to kbritt@ljworld.com.
As a community, I think we can make a difference.
Comments
Ignorant_Yokel 8 years, 7 months ago
Is a "smokeout" like a "cookout" but with cigarettes instead of hamburgers?
billbodiggens 8 years, 7 months ago
It's kinda like a "cookout" except nobody invited has any fun. It is mainly for nonsmoker crusaders to run around feeling important.
Nick Krug 8 years, 7 months ago
It's been about a year and a half since I last smoked. Whenever I got the urge to I would go to the park and shoot baskets for a half hour or 45 minutes. It really helped and I developed a wicked jumpshot!
Good luck to anybody trying.
Nick Krug
Flap Doodle 8 years, 7 months ago
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srothschild 8 years, 7 months ago
I quit smoking about 16 years ago because I had just gotten married and we were planning a family. I did pretty good for a couple of years, and then our second son was born, my job got crazy, etc. I picked up the habit again. Would quit, re-start, quit, re-start. Then I quit for good (I hope) when we moved to Kansas from south Texas. I couldn't take standing outside in the cold weather to smoke. So, it was a combination of having kids and being a wimp about the cold that made me quit. I don't have an exact date of when I quit because I don't want to focus on anniversaries. Good luck. I know it's not easy, but it's one of the best things you can do.
gordo08 8 years, 7 months ago
My first daughter was born last January and I quit the day she came home. It was difficult since I smoked about a pack a day for 8-9 years, but at the end fo the day my will to quit was stronger then my desire to smoke. All in all it was the best decision I made, and at least I know that if god forbid my daughter ever picks up the habit it won't be because she saw dad doing it.
Karrey Britt 8 years, 7 months ago
Thanks to everyone for sharing their success stories. I hope this helps those who want to quit.
Susan Roberts 8 years, 7 months ago
I could never quit -- never even wanted to try -- on the Smokeout day. No one can tell you when to quit; you have to decide for yourself. I quit (nearly four years) ago by chewing the gum, then I had to kick that habit, too. Those were a rough couple of days, but now I refuse to smoke because I don't want to go through that again. I still want to smoke, often. But when I think of the money I've saved in four years I feel better. To anyone who wants to quit: Keep trying! It took me 20 or 30 attempts, probably. (Once on the Family Feud the bonus round question was "How many times does a smoker try to quit before being successful?" The No. 1 answer was 3 or 5 or something ridiculously low. I figured the 100 people questioned were all nonsmokers.)
Shaun Hittle 8 years, 7 months ago
I'll be an LJWer joining in as well. Two more days of smoking....then lights out. Hopefully putting my name out there will keep me honest. Newscenter staff, berate me if you see me out in the cold lighting up!
And Krug, a "wicked jumpshot?" Let's call it "serviceable."
Shaun Hittle Reporter
jonas_opines 8 years, 7 months ago
My advice: don't listen to the media onslaught carrying on about not smoking. The more they talk about smoking, the more you want to smoke.
Anyway, is "stop smoking, everybody else is doing it!" really the message we should have?
Karrey Britt 8 years, 7 months ago
jonas opines. Here's just a few reasons why everyone — smokers and nonsmokers — should care: • Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the U.S. • Cigarette smoking accounts for about 443,000 premature deaths, including 49,400 in nonsmokers. • Thirty percent of cancer deaths, including 87 percent of lung cancer deaths, can be attributed to tobacco. • Smoking also accounts for $193 billion in health care expenditures and productivity losses.
passionatelibra 8 years, 7 months ago
I quit in January of this year. Unfortunately, I started again a little over a week ago. My new quit date is this Thursday.
Since I started back up I've had headaches every night and heartburn has returned. I forgot that I used to get those when I smoked before :o(
somedude20 8 years, 7 months ago
We can help by letting them "bum" a smoke on Thursday cause I am sure they will be out!!!
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