i am from india. just read your web site and thought if i can contribute a little to it. i am also one of those who stopped smoking after 2 years of hardcore smoking and doping. my inspiration or mentor who helped me stop smoking is my girlfriend. she is the one who really brought in front the reality of smoking, like how it affects the general health. all i want to say is that before thinking of quitting smoking, you need to have a very strong motivation and determination to hold out to your promise. secondly, for some time till your mental state becomes stable, stop watching anything that reminds you of smoking or presents you with a view that smoking is good. also, try to stay away from those friends who smoke... bring close those who appreciate you. believe me, the appreciation you get for quitting smoking is really great and keeps you on the path you have chosen. this is a part of what i observed during my experience. i hope this can be useful to others, also.

b-bye, julius

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(2)
Alice,

Have quit smoking now for about three months and wanted to let you know that I used aerobic exercise as an incentive, i.e., used it as a bench mark to how bad I was with breathlessness and nausea during previous activities. Am sure this is not unique, but think it may appeal to those who are quite vain (like myself) and are used to being good at sports, etc.

I got into heavier smoking due to a period of apathy following unemployment.

Used stopping smoking also as something that I could actually properly control in my life whilst waiting/searching for work. A heart monitor is also a handy tool for monitoring the improvement in your fitness and heart rate recovery as you get into a smoke free way of life.

Sam

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(3)
Dear Alice,

I am a recent non-smoker (smoked for 15 years) and am in my early 30's. The motivation for me is and always will be the additives that are in cigarettes and the deviant way big tobacco has manipulated, profited, and covered up. I am a bit stubborn and feel rather violated and angry that I have been a statistical money making pawn. I use this anger daily and keep a list of the chemicals/additives and how bad they are for motivation just in case!

Good Luck, here's to good health.

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(4)

Dear A concerned Mother,

I'm a college student, 22 years old. I started to smoke when I spent a semester in a foreign country where smoking is much more common and accepted than in the US. I quit when I got home because I was concerned about what my parents would say about the habit.

I guess my quitting experience was a lot easier than most since I only smoked consistently for about 5 months, but just the fact that I developed a certain reliance on cigarettes in such a short period of time really demonstrates how psychologically and/or physically addictive cigarettes can be.

A lot of people on my college campus in the US smoke, so it's been hard not to start up again. Exercise has helped me a lot. So has reminding myself of all of the throat colds I got when I smoked! I also looked at some pictures of smokers' lungs vs. healthy lungs, and asked myself which ones I wanted.

Finally, something that I try to remember is that quitting a decade-long habit is extremely hard. I have such admiration for people who have been able to quit, but I don't want to be someone who has to make that decision in the future because it will only get harder. I hope your son can make the same choice.

Best of luck to the both of you.