101 tips to help Quit smoking

[Andy Hamilton]

Here in the UK in just a few weeks time there is going to be a smoking ban in all areas of work with more than one person. I imagine this means that many people are going to try and quit. Back in the 1970's about half the adult population smoked that must mean there are some ex smokers around on here, so how did you quit?

1. Read Alan Carr's Easyway to give up smoking.
2. Eat a packet of cigarettes - My grandad tried this when he was a teenager, he gave up, well he gave up almost 70 years later.
3. Eat sunflower seeds as they are supposed to reduce the cravings.

[Shirley]

4. Visit Scotland - we've had a ban in operation for a while now. No smoking in pubs etc - no rules against smoking outside them though.

[Milims]

5 Black pepper oil in a burner is said to reduce cravings

[ina]

6. Just stop. That's how I did it.

[chadspad]

7. Buy herbal tobacco - my hubby managed to give up using this. U can buy it online. It stinks awful but is effective. Its made from rose petals and all things natural.

6. Just stop. That's how I did it.

Me too Ina - but u definitely have to be in the right frame of mind or u cant do it!

[Silver Ether]

8) think of all the TAX you wont be paying ...

[the.fee.fairy]

9. Get the flu...you won't want to smoke, and if you hav flu long enough, you'll have to force yourself to smoke again.

Well, that's the theory, but i'm a quite happy smoker thankyou very much!!

[chadspad]

10. Spend time with your parents in their house once u havent smoked for a couple of days to get that awful smell on your clothes and realise u never want to smell like that again!.
11. Let your son spend the night at his grandparents and have all his special blankies stinking of fags when he returns.

[magnuscanis]

4. Visit Scotland - we've had a ban in operation for a while now. No smoking in pubs etc - no rules against smoking outside them though.

It's a similar situation here in Wales.

Being able to breathe when you're in the pub is definitely a good thing, as is coming home with your clothes and hair not stinking of smoke. On the downside, you now have to make your way through crowds of smokers and clouds of smoke to get into or out of the pub.

- Magnus

[the.fee.fairy]

see, i used to work in pubs and i've got issues with the smoking ban.

Firstly it was sold to 'improve the helath of staff'. If you don't want to passive smoke, don't get a job in a pub!!
Secondly, it is likely to mean that people are either going to down their drinks so that they can go outside to smoke, or its going to be that people will leave their drinks to go outside for a smoke. Either wy, it is endangering their health - they're either going to be ingesting alcohol too quickly, or leaving their drinks open to being tampered with.

Also, i went to Ireland a while ago, and, being trained to smell and taste, i found that all the drinks tasted of chemicals - even bottled drinks. It took me a while to work out why, and then i realised that its because the pubs smelt of chemicals - all i could smell in them was the floor cleaning fluids, and the disinfectants in the toilets. Whilst stale smoke is not a nice smell, it does mask the unpleasant solvent odours.

Personally, i think a better law to bring in would have been to make a certain room smoking - one that can be closed off an given good air extractors, then people can smoke in the smoking room, and not in the non smoking room. It gives choice to people, something that is slowly being eroded...

Edited to add:

As a pedestrian, i will stop smoking when people stop driving! I get a good lungful of exhaust fumes every time i walk to work/wait for a bus. I find the smell of exhaust fumes on my hair and clothes as offensive as people do smoke, so...stop driving and i'll stop smoking!

[glenniedragon]

11. Get pregnant- not a cheap alternative, or necessarily healthier!
12. Brush your teeth every time you fancy a smoke, even if you do succumb it tastes awful

kind thoughts
Deb

[Thomzo]

13. I never smoked so haven't had to quit but this is from friends I've known who have. Try to break the link between smoking and other activities. Don't smoke and drink for instance. That way you won't automatically reach for a cigarette when you have a pint.

Zoe

[red]

I was going to say 11 Deb! bit drastic tho....

bring on the ban I say!

I'm not really qualified to give answers, as I have never smoked, but I would have thought:

13 visit pubs with no smoking, or after the ban, and it wont be so tempting.

14 set yourself up with a treat you will buy yourself with the money you have saved

15 let yourself have all the other comforts you want.. coffee. chocolate etc etc.. to make breaking the habit easier

16 avoid smoking friends until you are free of it - seems they never like a quitter and want you help you back into the fold....

17 tell friends, family and lovers that you are quitting and sorry in advance for any moodiness, and please put up with you for a while

[possum]

Stop Eating tomatoes.

(I'm not a smoker, but the tomato is related to the tobacco plant and eating tomatoes can make the cravings go on longer)

[Bonniegirl]

18) Chop yer 'ands orf..............ya won't be able to hold one!