mena men and smoking

[Prince of Egypt 0]

On my ex's pack of Marlboro's in Jordan, there was a picture of a diseased lung.

J

Hi, I don't know you, but what happened between you and your ex? Do you think he was a green carder?

[chiquita 0]

i sent my husband the gum while he was still in Maroc and he didnt like it at all. one has to like the taste.

last December i got a script for Chantix on the advice of a friend/co worker who is a doc where i work.

husband did well and actually quit smoking! he did have side effects on his stomach which went away. no bad dreams though. he burps a lot.

the bad part was he thought using it one month was good enough. wrong. little by little he went back to smoking. i told him when he was ready we would get another script to try again.

he is now at the end of his 2nd month using it. so far so good. no desire to smoke.

i agree---NOTHING will work unless the person is highly motivated on their own. Chantix is to be used for a minimum of 3 months to be considered effective---longer in my opinion if one has smoked a long time. this is a consideration.

our first script cost $120.00 but if one figures in the cost of the cigs its around the same anyway. the hospital where i work has now become a smoke free campus so Chantix is now covered on our script plan ($20 a month).

i also caught a glimpse on TV that there is now an injection available to help smokers quit. i have never heard of laser for this. the idea of Chantix is it works in the brain telling the body it already has enough nicotine so the person doesnt crave it like it does with other methods.

bottom line is the person has to want to quit and also wants to lay out the money to do so. i know we are glad my husband has been able to be smoke free now for 2 months and counting.

chi

[Nasturtium 500]

My husband and his family don't smoke (and neither do I or my family) but he said his parents smoked before he was born and then quit... he said they went cold turkey. Other smoker friends I know did the same thing and said it was the only way they could stay on the wagon. Sorry, I'm not any help!

[doodlebug 3]

oh how weird is it that when i read this thread i so want a cigarette????????

I do miss it.

I miss opening a fresh new pack and taking the foil off of the top.

I miss smelling a fresh one when I take it out of the box.

I miss the sound of the lighter/match when it ignites.

I miss that first puff.

I miss seeing the smoke come out especially outside on a frigid cold day.

I miss the rush of adrenaline that comes with it.

I miss the commaradarie (sp?) of being with the smokeres outside of the building. (I also miss the gossip that I'd score with them!!!)

I miss the look of a nice clean ash tray that I put the lit cigarette on.

What I don't miss:

Getting out of the shower smelling like my favorite shampoo and shower gel only to dry off with a towel that stinks of old smoke.

Getting into my car in the morning when it smells like stale smoke.

Hacking up half a lung when I wake up the morning after being with friends the night before smoking a whole pack probably during that night.

Tobacco bits on the bottom of my pocketbook.

Having to have the windows in my car be down 1/2 way so I can smoke in it and getting rained on and the cigarette getting wet.

Seeing cigarettes in a cup of water and the water's all gross orangy/yellow color from it.

I'm sure there's more but you get the pic.

[PetraPerson101 0]

Teach your kids how to take the cigs & toss the whole pack in the dishwater.

That's what I did back when I was 10 - and ... forced my mother to quit.

Are you familiar cap guns? I'd also take the exploding paper caps & stick em in the end of my mum's cigs.

( These things -> http://www.japan-toys.com/cgi-bin/us-goods.cgi?id=G-002 )

Edited November 12, 2007 by KyanWan

[doodlebug 3]

Teach your kids how to take the cigs & toss the whole pack in the dishwater.

That's what I did back when I was 10 - and ... forced my mother to quit.

Are you familiar cap guns? I'd also take the exploding paper caps & stick em in the end of my mum's cigs.

( These things -> http://www.japan-toys.com/cgi-bin/us-goods.cgi?id=G-002 )

OMG you would sooooooooooooooo get a TIME OUT in my house if you EVER did that to me!!!!

[PetraPerson101 0]

Teach your kids how to take the cigs & toss the whole pack in the dishwater.

That's what I did back when I was 10 - and ... forced my mother to quit.

Are you familiar cap guns? I'd also take the exploding paper caps & stick em in the end of my mum's cigs.

( These things -> http://www.japan-toys.com/cgi-bin/us-goods.cgi?id=G-002 )

OMG you would sooooooooooooooo get a TIME OUT in my house if you EVER did that to me!!!!

Who said I got away with it?

[monnik 0]

I agree that you have to want to quit. I started smoking in the girls' bathroom in Middle school. I think I was about 13 yrs old. I've been off and on since then. So far I think I've been off for 5 years now but I've gone longer than that and started up again. I think I had quit 6 1/2 years and when my husband left me I picked up THAT day and that stint lasted 3 years. What helped me the last time was 1) focusing on my children and 2) wellbutrin. I still crave it sometimes though. My mom's been quit for over 30 years and still craves it. Some say it's harder to stop then heroin.

Me too, doodle. But, I think I was skipping school w/my best friend & she would steal cigarettes from her parents. (Alpine Lights 100's- a very disgusting brand.... actually, they are all disgusting) I have quit on and off over the years, too. I started becoming a regular smoker around 19, and I quit several times. Once for 2 years, then I started again. Once for a year, and started again. Then, I just cut it down to about 3 or 4 cigarettes a day. And, I did that for about a year or two. It is very hard not to smoke again. Especially when I am around someone who is smoking. But, thank God, my husband and I have not smoked any cigarettes since Sept 15th of this year. I thought it would be harder for him to quit, but the sheesha has proven to be a bigger problem!!! Especially since he goes to the cafe every day to see his friends. My only concern is that he will not find sheesha in the states and he might go back to cigarettes if he gets a job & discovers the "smoking area". I am also worried that I will go back to smoking once I get around my mom & sister.

I promised myself that I would have my teeth whitened professionally as a treat to myself if I don't go back !!!!! I am currently trying to prove myself .... to myself.

[chiquita 0]

oh how weird is it that when i read this thread i so want a cigarette????????

I do miss it.

I miss opening a fresh new pack and taking the foil off of the top.

I miss smelling a fresh one when I take it out of the box.

I miss the sound of the lighter/match when it ignites.

I miss that first puff.

I miss seeing the smoke come out especially outside on a frigid cold day.

I miss the rush of adrenaline that comes with it.

I miss the commaradarie (sp?) of being with the smokeres outside of the building. (I also miss the gossip that I'd score with them!!!)

I miss the look of a nice clean ash tray that I put the lit cigarette on.

What I don't miss:

Getting out of the shower smelling like my favorite shampoo and shower gel only to dry off with a towel that stinks of old smoke.

Getting into my car in the morning when it smells like stale smoke.

Hacking up half a lung when I wake up the morning after being with friends the night before smoking a whole pack probably during that night.

Tobacco bits on the bottom of my pocketbook.

Having to have the windows in my car be down 1/2 way so I can smoke in it and getting rained on and the cigarette getting wet.

Seeing cigarettes in a cup of water and the water's all gross orangy/yellow color from it.

I'm sure there's more but you get the pic.

nicotine is the PERFECT drug>>>

good as a pick me up when a quick energy boost is needed

great a a stress releiver when stressed out

so WHY does it have to be so bad for our health???

figures doesn't it?

[doodlebug 3]

I agree that you have to want to quit. I started smoking in the girls' bathroom in Middle school. I think I was about 13 yrs old. I've been off and on since then. So far I think I've been off for 5 years now but I've gone longer than that and started up again. I think I had quit 6 1/2 years and when my husband left me I picked up THAT day and that stint lasted 3 years. What helped me the last time was 1) focusing on my children and 2) wellbutrin. I still crave it sometimes though. My mom's been quit for over 30 years and still craves it. Some say it's harder to stop then heroin.

Me too, doodle. But, I think I was skipping school w/my best friend & she would steal cigarettes from her parents. (Alpine Lights 100's- a very disgusting brand.... actually, they are all disgusting) I have quit on and off over the years, too. I started becoming a regular smoker around 19, and I quit several times. Once for 2 years, then I started again. Once for a year, and started again. Then, I just cut it down to about 3 or 4 cigarettes a day. And, I did that for about a year or two. It is very hard not to smoke again. Especially when I am around someone who is smoking. But, thank God, my husband and I have not smoked any cigarettes since Sept 15th of this year. I thought it would be harder for him to quit, but the sheesha has proven to be a bigger problem!!! Especially since he goes to the cafe every day to see his friends. My only concern is that he will not find sheesha in the states and he might go back to cigarettes if he gets a job & discovers the "smoking area". I am also worried that I will go back to smoking once I get around my mom & sister.

I promised myself that I would have my teeth whitened professionally as a treat to myself if I don't go back !!!!! I am currently trying to prove myself .... to myself.

I used to smoke Newport Lights. I didn't steel them my older sister would give me a bunch of hers but back then when i started she smoked Salem's. I would alternate between Newport Lights and Marboro Lights depending on my phase. I once had a year long Virginia Slims phase when I was in college. I've come a long way baby.

oh how weird is it that when i read this thread i so want a cigarette????????

I do miss it.

I miss opening a fresh new pack and taking the foil off of the top.

I miss smelling a fresh one when I take it out of the box.

I miss the sound of the lighter/match when it ignites.

I miss that first puff.

I miss seeing the smoke come out especially outside on a frigid cold day.

I miss the rush of adrenaline that comes with it.

I miss the commaradarie (sp?) of being with the smokeres outside of the building. (I also miss the gossip that I'd score with them!!!)

I miss the look of a nice clean ash tray that I put the lit cigarette on.

What I don't miss:

Getting out of the shower smelling like my favorite shampoo and shower gel only to dry off with a towel that stinks of old smoke.

Getting into my car in the morning when it smells like stale smoke.

Hacking up half a lung when I wake up the morning after being with friends the night before smoking a whole pack probably during that night.

Tobacco bits on the bottom of my pocketbook.

Having to have the windows in my car be down 1/2 way so I can smoke in it and getting rained on and the cigarette getting wet.

Seeing cigarettes in a cup of water and the water's all gross orangy/yellow color from it.

I'm sure there's more but you get the pic.

nicotine is the PERFECT drug>>>

good as a pick me up when a quick energy boost is needed

great a a stress releiver when stressed out

so WHY does it have to be so bad for our health???

figures doesn't it?

It's just not fair!!!

[myfellah 0]

My husband has never smoked. I quit 17 years ago (in one more week). I just stopped.

Good Luck!

Doreen

[sereia 0]

i told my husband he MUST quit by the time he arrived in america (yeah, yeah, i don't know what i was thinking...)

and he did stop for the first two weeks he arrived... then he couldn't take it anymore and ran to the closest place to buy a pack. he's smoked ever since then, but only 5-6 a day. 5-6 too much for me! i know i can't demand he stop...he has to want to. and i'll wait until that day!

[doodlebug 3]

[Aymerlu 3]

My husband says he'll stop smoking this winter. He has to go outside to smoke and he got tired of freezing his butt off last year. We've discussed Chantix, but he wants to try on his own first. He's gone from smoking almost 3 packs a day in Egypt to 1/2 a pack now. I'm proud of him that he's decreased how much he's smoked and I told him I'll do whatever he needs to do if he really wants to stop.

[lion_lioness 0]

My husband was honest in that since he's still adjusting right now - he can't and really doesn't want to quit. He is attempting though to pull it back to 1/2 pack a day. He also knows he has to quit for at least 2 months prior to when we are ready to start trying for little ones. I don't think its something you can expect them to do in the first week here - unless its they really want to quit.

Definitely try the gum though - that might work.