Quit Tobacco Program

Submitted by Jay Roney, Training Officer, DAJD

I was a smoker for 33 years. In ten years, I had tried to quit smoking about 8 times. I at one point was trying the patch and the medication at the same time, which did not work.

So the last time I decided to try to quit (over three years ago) I talked to several persons on the matter. One thing I did find out was that while on the patch I was okay. But about 6 weeks later when I was not on the patch I started to get heavy cravings.

Then here comes the reasoning that always comes to mind: “Well, one cigarette won't hurt.” Yes it will.

When I decided to quit I dropped that from my vocabulary. One will hurt. Each time I made myself believe that I would soon be buying cartons of cigarettes. Also what one person from the county (thanks Miss Taylor) suggested is that I should use each level of patch for 3 weeks instead of 2. 

And this time I quit with a good friend. Like he said, we were both too pigheaded to be the first one who admitted “I didn't make it.”

Another tool that really helped me out a lot was the words from a doctor.  He said “if you get a craving and you smoke a cigarette, the craving will go away. If you get a craving and you don't smoke a cigarette, the craving will go away.”

So with all this vast knowledge and help, it has been 3 1/2 years that I have been a non smoker. That is good I think from smoking for 33 years since I was 13.

Submitted by A.M., DNRP

I would like to share my quitting experience with others. 

I had smoked for more than 20 years, about a pack a day, when I decided it’s time to try to quit.  I tried patches, but they irritated my skin badly; I tried prescription drug, but I experienced side effects that were just too unbearable for me. 

I was not strong enough to do it cold-turkey and so I decided to start with cutting down first.  When I was down to 8 cigarettes a day in 2 months, I no longer carried the cigarettes with me to work, and that helped me down to 4 cigarettes a day.  I then picked my son’s birthday as my quit day. 

I chewed nicotine gum when I had the urge to smoke.  Since I was not able to eat or drink when I chewed the gum, by chewing longer than suggested on the box, I managed not to gain any weight. 

It has been 5 months since I last smoked and I feel great!!  I can breathe much better now when I exercise.  I no longer wake up with bad breath and my dentist told me that my gums are much healthier than before.  

The benefits of quitting are actually for real, not just talks!  I now just chew regular gum when I experience the occasional urge to smoke and it works. 

It’s a long road ahead, I know, but I am confident that I can call myself an ex-smoker for life!  If I can do it, you can too!