Quitting Smoking

[Guest SO1]

14 hours ago, Steven said:

Smoke pot through a bong. It worked for me.  

That's how I got through High School before they became Prison Camps. Out to the woods for Bong hits and a smoke. Nothing like the contemplation of nature with a smoke and my US Bong. Starting to get misty eyed now. Talk about a trigger.

Edited 18 January 2021 by SO1

[BenTheFox]

I was never really a daily smoker but just under two years ago I started training for a half marathon and I quickly realised I had to completely stop to stand any chance of be doing able to complete it. It drastically helped me improve my fitness and I've only smoked about one or two cigarettes in total since and that was when I was really pissed. I've realised how much I don't like it and I have no desire to ever smoke again. I don't know your situation but maybe exercising and setting an ambitious target which is hard to achieve already despite not smoking might help. 

[Raw Dykes]

I was a heavy smoker for a long time. Managed to quit a few times. I think first by reading The Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr. It was probably a few months before I started again. I quit for 2 years a few years back. I think I had Champix that time.

 

My dad had a heart attack and had a double heart bypass. He had to quit then, and I couldn't smoke around him. He took up vaping, and I thought I'd try it.

 

I'd always found quitting smoking extremely difficult before discovering vaping, but now, I think it's a walk in the park. I always used to be really envious of those people who could just smoke one cigarette, and then not have another for months (or so they said). For me, it was 20 a day or really struggle to keep off them entirely. Now I'm a vaper, I am one of those people. I can just smoke the odd one whenever I want, and I'm not hooked again. To be honest, though, I don't particularly like tobacco that much anymore. I prefer vaping. It's tons cheaper, tastes nice, won't make you or your house or your car stink, way more practical as you can do it in a lot more places, and of course, a lot safer. Not only regarding your health, but also less chance of accidental fires.

 

It's apparently 95% safer than smoking, and I can believe that, as I now feel just like a non-smoker. I don't wake up coughing my lungs up anymore.

 

Just to echo what others have said, I don't believe that nicotine itself is any more harmful than caffiene - it's the burning tar fumes and god knows what else in a cigarette that will kill you.

 

I can't recommend vaping enough. It's better than the best of both worlds. It's magic.

[Guest Harrydc]

I've stopped smoking for about 12 weeks, but it feels like I've lost an arm. That "reward" is something I deeply miss, and smoking was a huge part of my daily routine and my life.

 

I'm considering buying a vape to bring back that feeling without the damaging effects. Is this a good idea? 

[Parafox]

7 minutes ago, Harrydc said:

I've stopped smoking for about 12 weeks, but it feels like I've lost an arm. That "reward" is something I deeply miss, and smoking was a huge part of my daily routine and my life.

 

I'm considering buying a vape to bring back that feeling without the damaging effects. Is this a good idea? 

I think the "reward" you refer to is your body's response to nicotine, which it will crave. You can get vape liquids with a percentage of nicotine in them and you can gradually reduce the percentage content down to zero. My daughter has done this, it took time but now she vapes nicotine free flavours and can easily avoid cigarettes and nicotine..

Edited 22 January 2021 by Parafox

[UpTheLeagueFox]

Anyone selling cheap fags, or know of anyone, please drop me a DM

[ozleicester]

On 23/01/2021 at 02:39, Harrydc said:

I've stopped smoking for about 12 weeks, but it feels like I've lost an arm. That "reward" is something I deeply miss, and smoking was a huge part of my daily routine and my life.

 

I'm considering buying a vape to bring back that feeling without the damaging effects. Is this a good idea? 

The reward for me was a lot more psychological than physical. It was a thing that i did whenever i completed a task or progresed in something. I would stand back have a smoke and (unconsciously i think) celebrate.

I replaced it with a cup of tea... after the physical effects were gone it allowed me the time to stop and reflect. (now i drink way too much tea  )

 

[MPH]

How are you doing, @tom27111 ?

[tom27111]

7 hours ago, MPH said:

How are you doing, @tom27111 ?

 

Last had one after the Chelsea game, because I was absolutely buzzing!

 

Still using the patches, but seem to be getting there.

 

I just try to go and do something if the craving gets ridiculous, which it hasn't really.

[MPH]

20 minutes ago, tom27111 said:

 

Last had one after the Chelsea game, because I was absolutely buzzing!

 

Still using the patches, but seem to be getting there.

 

I just try to go and do something if the craving gets ridiculous, which it hasn't really.

 

 

thats cracking news! onwards and upwards!

[Suzie the Fox]

On 06/01/2021 at 00:35, UpTheLeagueFox said:

I genuinely believe if I want to give up I will be able to give up.

I don't want to give up ... that's the problem.

Good luck though Tom.

Sadly thats exactly how i feel, i just dont't want to give up. 

[Raw Dykes]

On 22/01/2021 at 18:39, Harrydc said:

I've stopped smoking for about 12 weeks, but it feels like I've lost an arm. That "reward" is something I deeply miss, and smoking was a huge part of my daily routine and my life.

 

I'm considering buying a vape to bring back that feeling without the damaging effects. Is this a good idea? 

I'd say it's a great idea. As I said in my last comment in this thread, vaping has made giving up tobacco easy for me.

 

I know stopping smoking can be absolute torture. It can take a lot of mental strength to resist falling back into the trap. There are times when smoking is all you can think about. It's very mentally tiring to keep going over the same thoughts in your mind and feeling like you're always so close to losing the battle. Thankfully, it doesn't have to be that way at all. Vaping is a great substitute for smoking that you can enjoy without the guilt or risking killing yourself. In this case, you actually can have your cake and eat it.

 

Vaping is dirt cheap by comparison to smoking, it's 95% safer, will make you feel like a non-smoker (because you will be one), it can taste delicious and it won't make you, your clothes, your house or your car stink.

 

I will say it's not identical to the feeling you get when smoking, but it's pretty close. Over time, I've come to prefer vaping. This may not be the same for everyone, but I can have the odd cigarette or cigar now, and I never get hooked. That would have been unthinkable before I discovered vaping. I just prefer to vape now.

 

I can't recommend vaping to people trying to quit tobacco highly enough. Changed my life, and may well have saved it, as well.

Edited 25 January 2021 by Raw Dykes

[Parafox]

17 hours ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

Anyone selling cheap fags, or know of anyone, please drop me a DM

I take it by "fags" you mean cigarettes and not the new boy at public school? 

Edited 25 January 2021 by Parafox

[FoxesDeb]

18 hours ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

Anyone selling cheap fags, or know of anyone, please drop me a DM

I'd offer to post you some, but I don't think it's allowed 

[UpTheLeagueFox]

3 hours ago, FoxesDeb said:

I'd offer to post you some, but I don't think it's allowed 

Damn shame... but thanks anyway 

[Kopic]

3 hours ago, FoxesDeb said:

I'd offer to post you some, but I don't think it's allowed 

 

17 minutes ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

Damn shame... but thanks anyway 

It isn't allowed, legally, but it rarely gets stopped, though obviously it could be but you only lose them, no punishment. I used to buy them from some website based in Indonesia. Cheaper than I could get off Narborough Road even with postage, and got them every time.

 

On topic, I thought I'd test myself and try my vape again this evening after leaving it for a few months. Managed to go the whole afternoon/evening without a cigarette which i was quite pleased with. Still had one before bed though.

[UpTheLeagueFox]

3 minutes ago, Kopic said:

It isn't allowed, legally, but it rarely gets stopped, though obviously it could be but you only lose them, no punishment. I used to buy them from some website based in Indonesia. Cheaper than I could get off Narborough Road even with postage, and got them every time.

 

On topic, I thought I'd test myself and try my vape again this evening after leaving it for a few months. Managed to go the whole afternoon/evening without a cigarette which i was quite pleased with. Still had one before bed though.

I did find a shop locally which sold me a pack of Richmond for a fiver recently (kept under the counter) but they didn't have any in the next time I went.

First world problems eh !

[Kopic]

11 minutes ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

I did find a shop locally which sold me a pack of Richmond for a fiver recently (kept under the counter) but they didn't have any in the next time I went.

First world problems eh !

The shops that do it tend to have more of the foreign ones than known brands. I tend to stay away from the Richmond, mayfair and (english) Marlboro as I've been stung with fakes before. Try asking for the Belarusian ones, Fest, Minsk, NZ, they aren't too bad and usually cheaper. Polish marlboro gold and l&m blue are very common too. Also rolling tobacco. The shops aren't all that discreet, but are wary of new people so if you confidently ask for the unknown brands they're more likely to serve you. I went into a shop in Lutterworth before Christmas for some polish vodka and just tried asking despite not needing any and they were happy to sell them to me.

 

Perhaps we need a smoking thread 

[UpTheLeagueFox]

3 minutes ago, Kopic said:

The shops that do it tend to have more of the foreign ones than known brands. I tend to stay away from the Richmond, mayfair and (english) Marlboro as I've been stung with fakes before. Try asking for the Belarusian ones, Fest, Minsk, NZ, they aren't too bad and usually cheaper. Polish marlboro gold and l&m blue are very common too. Also rolling tobacco. The shops aren't all that discreet, but are wary of new people so if you confidently ask for the unknown brands they're more likely to serve you. I went into a shop in Lutterworth before Christmas for some polish vodka and just tried asking despite not needing any and they were happy to sell them to me.

 

Perhaps we need a smoking thread 

Feel free to slide into my DMs with some names of shops worth trying....

[Izzy]

6 hours ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

Feel free to slide into my DMs

That’s worse than drop me a text or ping me an email 

[grth2004]

Has anyone tried these newish tobacco heat devices , saw the Ploom  one advertised today so bought an introduction pack to try out and it arrives tomorrow, Been struggling to get back into vaping after falling off the wagon and smoking a few at the weekends again so was intrigued by these devices https://www.ploom.co.uk/en

I think there’s a few different types on the market , they basically heat up tobacco instead of burning it which sounds interesting but could be horrible. Like to know anyone with experience of them ?

Edited 3 November 2022 by grth2004

[Nick]

7 hours ago, grth2004 said:

Has anyone tried these newish tobacco heat devices , saw the Ploom  one advertised today so bought an introduction pack to try out and it arrives tomorrow, Been struggling to get back into vaping after falling off the wagon and smoking a few at the weekends again so was intrigued by these devices https://www.ploom.co.uk/en

I think there’s a few different types on the market , they basically heat up tobacco instead of burning it which sounds interesting but could be horrible. Like to know anyone with experience of them ?

Sounds interesting. Let us know how you get on?

[Daggers]

On 03/11/2022 at 22:47, grth2004 said:

Has anyone tried these newish tobacco heat devices , saw the Ploom  one advertised today so bought an introduction pack to try out and it arrives tomorrow, Been struggling to get back into vaping after falling off the wagon and smoking a few at the weekends again so was intrigued by these devices https://www.ploom.co.uk/en

I think there’s a few different types on the market , they basically heat up tobacco instead of burning it which sounds interesting but could be horrible. Like to know anyone with experience of them ?

Most studies conclude they’re safer than cigs (not that hard) but still present far more of a risk than vaping.

 

Japan has virtually eliminated smoking for HNB products.

 

There is no decent evidence on whether they’re easier to quit than fags.

 

A couple of people I know love them as (unsurprisingly) they’re like smoking a fag.

[ozleicester]

On 04/11/2022 at 06:47, grth2004 said:

Has anyone tried these newish tobacco heat devices , saw the Ploom  one advertised today so bought an introduction pack to try out and it arrives tomorrow, Been struggling to get back into vaping after falling off the wagon and smoking a few at the weekends again so was intrigued by these devices https://www.ploom.co.uk/en

I think there’s a few different types on the market , they basically heat up tobacco instead of burning it which sounds interesting but could be horrible. Like to know anyone with experience of them ?

Can i highly recommend reading this book... the heat sticks etc are really bad. Possibly in some case worse than tobacco

[Daggers]

1 hour ago, ozleicester said:

Can i highly recommend reading this book... the heat sticks etc are really bad. Possibly in some case worse than tobacco

That simply isn’t true.

 

I spend every week reading research studies on the subject and have done since 2012. I have presented on the subject to House of Commons select committee. I sat as a trustee on the board of a harm reduction charity. There is not one independent research expert on the subject who would agree with your statement.