Smoking

[- DRA -]

I'm sorry Denny, but I completely disagree. Any physical addiction can be broken in 10 days. Your body is made to adjust. I have been addicted to many things in my lifetime...and it's always the same. You create a "path" in your mind that tells you that you need a smoke. What takes time is programming your mind that you "don't" need that smoke. The experiment goes like this...if you take out all the cigs you smoke out of habit, not "need", your consumption is almost cut in half. You answer the phone....light up. Driving in the car...bad traffic...light up. Get angry and need to calm down...light up. We train ourselves to take this action when these things happen.

I truly wish your reasoning was right. Sadly, it is not. The addiction to nicotine affects several different systems in the body. The body cuts back on its natural production of several neurotransmitters and hormones. It also cuts back on the receptor sites that monitor the levels of each component. It may take up to FIVE WEEKS or longer for the body to resume its normal production of these chemicals at the appropriate levels and to reactivate the receptor sites. I don't deny that some "classical conditioning" takes place as smokers become addicted to nicotine. But there is a physical reason for the "habit." As the body becomes more "tolerant" of nicotine, it requires more and more nicotine to produce the same level of satisfaction.

Yes, believe it or not, we do. But if you've done your research....you'll see that the cigarette companies are guilty of putting other chemicals that are very addictive into the tobacco. Niccotine in and of itself...isn't that addictive....it's like caffine. As sad as it is...those addicted to cigs can identify with other addicts like cocaine. "one more won't hurt"
We feel out of control without the "calming" effects of a cig in your hand.

my two cents and a nickel change

I thought I had done research on this subject . . . quite a bit of it, in fact. What addictive chemicals do you think are added to tobacco? The only additives that I am aware of are those that enhance the effects of nicotine - - increasing its tendency to become even more addictive.

I did not know the history of nicotine until it came up in a toxicology class. I was stunned when I first heard that it was (and still is) used as an insecticide.

Nicotine is HIGHLY addictive. Although its chemical structure is similar to caffeine (only mildly addictive), it has totally different effects on the body. One major difference is that nicotine triggers the dopamine reward system - -as do cocaine and the opiates (morphine and codeine). The resulting strong addiction is explained in your own words, "We feel out of control without the 'calming' effects of a cig in your hands." The calming effect is only temporary. The body does not continually maintain the high levels of dopamine and other neurotransmitters and hormones that nicotine promotes production of, so more nicotine must be consumed to maintain the abnormally high levels. The "calming" effect you refer to is caused by your body's temporary satisfaction - - enough nicotine is "on-board" to satisfy the cravings - - at least for a few hours, anyway.

My intent is not to anger you. Have you spoken with your doctor about smoking? Have you spent time on the American Heart Association or American Lung Association websites? I just finished a book by "Chick" (C. Everett) Koop, a former Surgeon General. It reinforced what I have learned about this deadly habit. I have compassion on those who smoke. I desire a better way for them. I desire that no one has to go through what my mother went through. I did not know that lung cancer can kill a person within 6 months after initial diagnosis. My doctor, who is also a Christian and a dear friend, said that this is frequently the case - - it was also that way with his own father . . . a smoker. I also do not desire that anyone has to endure two radiation treatments a day for 40 days, followed by surgery to remove the larynx (Adam's apple) and to open the trachea via a stoma . . . like my father did. I don't suppose you would be interested to hear about the thickness and stickiness of the phlegm that he coughed up. The phlegm that could only be suctioned after spraying it with a fine mist of normal saline. The same phlegn that once completely blocked his airway for a couple of minutes before his efforts to expel it and mine to suction it were successful.

There is good news to the story of premature death (about 12.5 years per person according to the CDC - - Centers for Disease Control ) caused by cigarette smoking. A good degree of recovery can be obtained by the body as it goes about healing the airway and delicate lung tissue that is damaged. Personally, if I was involved in smoking and was serious about quitting, I would consult my doctor and plan a course of action that would allow me to gradually taper my consumption of nicotine over a few months. I would also be aware that as the nicotine levels tapered down and the body's metabolism slowed, that there would be a tendency to gain weight unless I consumed fewer calories than when I smoked. I would also frequently pray for strength and God's help through this difficult period.

 

[larry lunchpail]

i quit for a whole year then started again. i have some patches and im quitting again tomorrow.

those patches give you crazy dreams! i love em.

 

[- DRA -]

i quit for a whole year then started again. i have some patches and im quitting again tomorrow.

those patches give you crazy dreams! i love em.

Great news, Larry. You have already shown that you can quit. You have that inner strength to fall back on. Keep us informed on how you are doing.

May God bless you in your efforts,
. . . Denny

 

[larry lunchpail]

thanks and thanks for your large post above, i found it very informative. i found it very sad and urgent as well. things ill keep in mind as i quit.

 

[HadouKen24]

I've got a suggestion.

If you're trying to quit smoking cigarrettes for health reasons, but can't seem to muster the willpower, you might want to try switching to smoking a pipe. (NOT inhaling the smoke.) Of cigarrettes, pipes, and cigars, pipes have the absolute lowest health risk. The tobacco is less processed (one of the BIGGEST problems with cigars and cigarrettes is all the additives) and the smoke doesn't flood your lungs. Both cigars and cigarrettes lower your life expectancy by a number of years, but pipes don't. Or at least, not nearly as significantly.

 

[Plodzilla]

Plus, pipes give that added air of cultured intelligence.

 

[KittiK]

Also increase chances for mouth cancer guys....but it does look better than dipping.

DRA, It was explained to me while I was at my mother's side that the cigarettes effect each person to a different degree. Chemicals have an individualized effect. And my appologies if I stated falsehood....I was stating from what I learned of my mother's addiction...and my own. Common case history...that kind of thing.

Larry, Congrates on your decision! So proud *wipes tear* of you...no matter what.
courage and faith!

KittiK

 

[- DRA -]

I've got a suggestion.

If you're trying to quit smoking cigarrettes for health reasons, but can't seem to muster the willpower, you might want to try switching to smoking a pipe. (NOT inhaling the smoke.) Of cigarrettes, pipes, and cigars, pipes have the absolute lowest health risk. The tobacco is less processed (one of the BIGGEST problems with cigars and cigarrettes is all the additives) and the smoke doesn't flood your lungs. Both cigars and cigarrettes lower your life expectancy by a number of years, but pipes don't. Or at least, not nearly as significantly.

My studies have focused mostly on cigarettes because they are by far the most common use of tobacco. I don't have any current statistics on cigar and pipe smoke, but I can very confident that the trade from cigarettes to a pipe is not the ideal situation. While the trade may spare the lungs some exposure to tobacco smoke, it increases the exposure to the upper airway tissues. Tobacco smoke has over 40 known carcinogens contained in it, and also another 20 chemicals that are classified as tumor initiators and promoters. Individually, the exposure to low amounts of these components would not be a problem. But when they are combined, as they are in tobacco smoke, the toxic effects become synergistic (greatly multiplied). The toxic effects from exposure to tobacco smoke (or just tobacco itself - - as from dipping or chewing) do not just target the lungs - - they affect any tissue adversely that is contacted. To summarize my point, what you are suggesting is not a healthy or good trade-off - - less likelihood of lung cancer - - but an increased risk of cancer to the upper airway i.e. larnyx.

Note: I heard that the tobacco leaf contained a form of radiation. A few years ago when I was looking for this specific information, it took several hours of diligent searching to find some information on the radiation - - polonium-210. It is absorbed from the ground by the tobacco plant. Polonium-210 is a natural source of alpha radiation. Alpha radiation is easily reflected by something as thin as a sheet of paper or your skin. It is only considered dangerous when it enters the body. No one should require three guesses to figure out where the tobacco smoke goes.

There has been several reports by credible agencies and health professionals over the past 15 years or so about the harmful effects of passive or second-hand smoke. Biological tests have been done on those exposed to second-hand smoke. High cotinine* levels have been measured in those exposed to passive smoke. *Cotinine appears as the body's metabolism breaks down nicotine - - nicotine is the parent compound and cotinine is the metabolite.

 

[- DRA -]

Also increase chances for mouth cancer guys....but it does look better than dipping.

DRA, It was explained to me while I was at my mother's side that the cigarettes effect each person to a different degree. Chemicals have an individualized effect. And my appologies if I stated falsehood....I was stating from what I learned of my mother's addiction...and my own. Common case history...that kind of thing.

Larry, Congrates on your decision! So proud *wipes tear* of you...no matter what.
courage and faith!

KittiK

KittiK,

Yes, generally speaking, there is an element of truth in what you were told. Exposure to chemicals affect people on an individual basis. The exposure that occurs to one person may not have the adverse effect that the same exposure has to another person, even at very low levels. This is why NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) updates it TLVs (Threshold Limit Values) annually. These TLVs reflect the most current and updated information that is available to protect the American worker from toxic chemical exposure.

As I said before, I am not a big fan of statistics. But I have learned that in the hands of unbiased researchers, statistics can be a very valuable tool for good. When I consider the statistics for the premature deaths in the U.S. from cigarette smoke - - 400,000 per year (from the CDC - Centers for Disease Control) - - I am terribly distressed. Let's put things in perspective. I recall going to a WalMart just a few weeks ago to return an item. There was a bulletin board by the service desk. The bulletin board had about 5 or 6 flyers on it about unsafe products that were being recalled. One products may have caused few injuries to children, while another caused a few deaths. All the flyers were similar. While I am not in favor of putting any unsafe products out on the market, I found myself wondering where flyers are for tobacco use. There is absolutely no product on the market today that even remotely compares to the damage caused by tobacco use - - 400,000 Americans a year represents a lot of pain, suffering, and death. In 1998, my father was one of those statistics. In 2000, my mother became a statistic. Your mother is one of the statistics. I imagine that just about every one of us has felt these effects in some way - - possibly from a family member, dear friend, co-worker, or aquaintance.

I once did some research trying to find the governmental regulations that apply to tobacco. Guess what I found? Every single regulation that I found focused on taxes. There were NO regulations about safety or health - - just about taxes. What is the message from this? Our government has ignored the health problems caused by this product and focused solely on tax dollars!

Your apology is not necessary. I readily recognized that my previous comments did not please you. I was hoping that you would be able to sense my sincere interest in your health and well-being. That is all that I desire.

My study, "Tobacco Smoke . . . The Truth Will Leave You Smoldering" can be viewed online at: http://www.studywell.org/pdf/TobaccoSmoke.pdf
This early version of the study contains a few typos.

In His service,
. . . Denny

 

[KittiK]

No worries...this is a discussion...not a war. In these types of discussions we will not always be pleased. If we were...we wouldn't learn anything. I do not get angry unless it can be used in a productive way (ie....someone's aid or defense when they cannot defend or help themselves). Clouds the thinking too much.....doesn't leave any room for rational thought. Maybe I should use smilies more?
In Love,
KittiK

 

[Mary_Magdalene]

When I became a Christian I quit. It still took awhile (maybe a month or so). I switched to ultra light cigs and scheduled my cigarettes and then cut down little by little until i was down to one a day, and then why bother?

Someone pointed out to me that if an unsaved person was to look at me as a Christian-proclaiming how mighty my God was-.....it would probably make unsaved people think-"if her God is so great, why cant He help her break this additiction to cigarettes?" It made sense, so I quit so as not to be a bad witness.

Keep praying!

 

[HadouKen24]

My studies have focused mostly on cigarettes because they are by far the most common use of tobacco. I don't have any current statistics on cigar and pipe smoke, but I can very confident that the trade from cigarettes to a pipe is not the ideal situation. While the trade may spare the lungs some exposure to tobacco smoke, it increases the exposure to the upper airway tissues. Tobacco smoke has over 40 known carcinogens contained in it, and also another 20 chemicals that are classified as tumor initiators and promoters. Individually, the exposure to low amounts of these components would not be a problem. But when they are combined, as they are in tobacco smoke, the toxic effects become synergistic (greatly multiplied). The toxic effects from exposure to tobacco smoke (or just tobacco itself - - as from dipping or chewing) do not just target the lungs - - they affect any tissue adversely that is contacted. To summarize my point, what you are suggesting is not a healthy or good trade-off - - less likelihood of lung cancer - - but an increased risk of cancer to the upper airway i.e. larnyx.

The forms of cancer most associated with pipe smoking -- lip and mouth cancer especially -- are less deadly and more easily treatable than lung cancer. I agree that no smoking at all would probably be best, but if you're going to smoke, you probably want to find the form of smoking that's least likely to actually kill you.

 

[- DRA -]

When I became a Christian I quit. It still took awhile (maybe a month or so). I switched to ultra light cigs and scheduled my cigarettes and then cut down little by little until i was down to one a day, and then why bother?

Someone pointed out to me that if an unsaved person was to look at me as a Christian-proclaiming how mighty my God was-.....it would probably make unsaved people think-"if her God is so great, why cant He help her break this additiction to cigarettes?" It made sense, so I quit so as not to be a bad witness.

Keep praying!

Excellent. The example that we set before others is definitely something that has to be considered. The knowledge of Jesus even empowered "drunkards" (those addicted or given to alcohol) to put those things behind them (NKJV-1 Cor. 6:9-11).

Congratulations on your wise choices - - first, to follow the Lord ; then, to give up smoking.

 

[- DRA -]

i quit for a whole year then started again. i have some patches and im quitting again tomorrow.

those patches give you crazy dreams! i love em.

Larry,

We haven't heard from you. How are you doing in your efforts to quit smoking?

. . . Denny

 

[Celeste]

Larry,

We haven't heard from you. How are you doing in your efforts to quit smoking?

. . . Denny

Here is my two cents worth. I have a witness to tell. When we were in the oil fields of texas, we were in a dry county. (NO Booze sold in that county. ) We drove 30 miles just to pick up a case of beer, so my husband would have his daily statch of booze. (He started out with a 6 pack of beer a day then it went up to a case a day. I hated it because he drank and we both smoked like troopers. ( I smoked since I was 16 and he smoked since he was in the army in the 50's.) anyways he promised our eldest son(who begged him with tears in his eyes) he would quit drinking .that lasted for 3 days and he was back at it. a little later we went back home to missouri and I was at my wits end as to what to do about this problem. well, I knew I wasn't going to be spending the rest of our lives him gone drinking. So one evening he went to town and never came back . I told the 5 kids where he was . No you don't know where he is. one said, the other said, how would you know that. I called the bar. and ask for him . sure enough he came to the phone he said hello, I said we were just wondering what happened to you and so I told the kids where you were and sure enough there you are. goodbye. When he came home he said Where's my beer. I said, it is out under that big tree there! I had gotten really angry and threw it out and it hit that big tree and the beer cans exploded. So then he said boy, you are really asking for it. Oh I said fine. tomorrow you go get filed for a devorce. He said, ok, I will. well he went to bed and that was the last time he had any kind of beer let alone anything else addictive to drink. and a couple of months later he quit cold turkey with the cigs. He hasn't had a beer nor a cigarette since then . that has been 20 years ago.I on the other hand wondered how he did all this in a short time both addictions so quick. well he had been drinking since he was 3 years old! ok, so, now here I am still smoking. I tried every thing to quit! nothing worked.I prayed boy, did I ever.now it is 1989 I wanted to quit I talked to God about it I told those demons to leave in Jesus name. that helped for a bit but then ,I was back at it. then , one night I was awakened up from my sleep. I said what? and this vioce says my name, and says quit smoking. and the next night this happened again. I quit that next day and that lasted for a month or so and I was back at it. now, I was quiting again and riding my bike with my kid down the highway in the evening as country roads are gravel. but I hurt when I took a really deep breath. so I went to the Doctor and he gave me some anti bioctics(wrong spelling?) I went back still smoking ,still hurting. I have lung cancer the doc. says and I wasn't put off . I was given one of those really expensive x-rays I think I had two and they were at that time $700.00 each. ( no insurance.) So in a week I had lung surgery they removed part of my right lung from me.God was trying to warn me to quit. So please, stop smoking. If you are hurt by it. it is a sin.it is a sin to harm your body. It is Gods temple.I hope this helps someone to show that drinking and smoking is wrong when done in access. So what do you do if you find youself smoking and drinking more and more cut it off right away. and realize it is agianst when you over access.I pray this does help some one to stop hurting your body.
We are still married going on 49 years in june. and he dosen't smoke or drink and I don't smoke . I quit for sure when I found out that I had this cancer.
Some people don't stop even after they have surgery. that is really pushing the limits of your health and life! Our beloved eldest son died at age 37 and has went home to our Father and Saviour in heaven. Thanks for allowing me to tell you this and I pray you too can get something done with such a bad thing.Celeste>>> ps I want to add this! we didn't have any insurance it cost my family over $12,000.00 I am ashamed of this.So in the end we the parents were so in the wrong and the children helped to get it strightened they knew where to go. What a blessing!!!!!.And God loves us too.!!!

 

[- DRA -]

Celeste,

I am so glad you and your husband made the lifestyle changes that put drinking and smoking in the past, and kept your marriage intact. Are you currently cancer free?

My father was a drinker and a smoker. The excessive use of alcohol and tobacco put him at a 38x greater risk for cancer of the larynx that someone who neither drinks nor smokes. It should not a big surprise to hear that he became one of the statistics. He was put on antibiotics several times to combat the hoarseness before the cancer was discovered. He smoked and drank as long as he could. He would have a radiation treatment, and then step outside to smoke.

Most lung cancers appear in the upper lobe of the right lung. My mom's was on the right bronchus close to the carina - - where the airway branches and goes to each lung. It was inoperable. The chemo she was given zapped her health quickly. She never recovered. It was an ugly, ugly way to die. She and dad smoked for about 45 years.

Mom and dad are now buried in a small, rural, family cemetary in the hills of West Virginia. Neither had any serious health problems before the cancer claimed them. I pray that others may be persuaded to avoid following in their footsteps.

. . . Denny

 

[larry lunchpail]

heya guys! thanks for thinking of me. i havent had a smoke scince i last posted here. its been over a week but i havent kept track (maybe i should). i allready feel better, the change in how i felt was almost imediate. i wanted to quit before it got nice out so i can excercise and ride my bike without getting winded after one block! man, when you smoke a pack a day (or more even, sometimes) climbing stairs will leave you gasping. how sad is that? and you just feel like crud all the time. the second reason aside from obvious health problems is the money. smokes cost about $8 a pack here, and i dont make a lot of money so thats a no-brainer haha.

well this is for good and im very happy i did it. im thankful for people like you DRA, may god bless you and your efforts. have a great day all!

 

[KittiK]

Been there Larry!
I am very glad for you...and only keep track if you find it needed. I keep track, but my husband does not. He has chosen to break away and not look back. Both work...and it's a decision only you can make.
Good luck and we're praying for you!!

Kit

 

[larry lunchpail]

Celeste, wow, very moving story! what a great thread, im sure many will find usefull. ill check back if i ever feel like cheating.

 

[- DRA -]

heya guys! thanks for thinking of me. i havent had a smoke scince i last posted here. its been over a week but i havent kept track (maybe i should). i allready feel better, the change in how i felt was almost imediate. i wanted to quit before it got nice out so i can excercise and ride my bike without getting winded after one block! man, when you smoke a pack a day (or more even, sometimes) climbing stairs will leave you gasping. how sad is that? and you just feel like crud all the time. the second reason aside from obvious health problems is the money. smokes cost about $8 a pack here, and i dont make a lot of money so thats a no-brainer haha.

well this is for good and im very happy i did it. im thankful for people like you DRA, may god bless you and your efforts. have a great day all!

Great, Larry. This is really good news. This is encouraging. I wouldn't worry about keeping track. Just focus on continuing your progress. Live each day for the Lord. Each day without smoke is another day that your body can repair itself. Within a few months you should notice a significant improvement during aerobic exercises. Be sure to watch your caloric intake. Most people have a tendency to pick up weight after quitting.

Give God the thanks and glory. I am continually humbled by His goodness and patience with me.

May God continue to bless you.

. . . Denny