1 year smoke free

[Doug Jones]

Today is 1 year with out a smoke. Sept 16th 2005 was the first day without a cigarette after 21 years of smoking 1 1/2 - 2 packs a day. 1st three months were tough, but now its just a thing of the past.

[dick541]

More power to you its been 5 1/2 years for me and I am happpppppy, and feel good. Keep it up it gets better each year.
dick541

[AAJIII]

CONGRATS!!!!

Keep going, I did the same thing 21 years ago.

AL

[cwsmith]

As a guy who watched his father whither away thanks to his addition to cigarettes, you bring a big smile to my face. Congratulations and keep up the good work! Not only will you enjoy a better and hopefully longer life, but I'm sure your children and your grandchildren and maybe even your great-grandchildren will come to know and love you for it.



CWS

[crokett]

Congratulations Doug and keep it up.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Congrats.
Every single person who has died on my fathers side of the family have died of cancer. All were smokers. I smoked for about 10 years. Quit for 2, on again for 6 months, and currently smoke free for 5 years (about the time I had my first kid).
Good job staying away from them. To me its something I don't even think about today. Now that all the poker rooms are smoke free it is much easier. That was one place I was really bad. And now that I have kids I don't have to worry about the after sex smoke either. LOL!

[maxparot]

Congrats it is a great accomplishment kicking the habit. I did it myself 6 1/2 years ago. after 25 years of smoking. From six month to a year you actually start to feel better and things start to taste a little different. After 5 years they say your health risks are about the same as a non smoker. Even insurance companies will allow you non-smokers life insurance rates.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Even insurance companies will allow you non-smokers life insurance rates.

Most companies that I have dealt with (State Farm, Nationwide, SBLI, Mass Mutual, Northwestern Life) will revise to non-smoker rates at 2 years non-smoking. Life rates are at an all time low, so you can likely increase you coverage substantially due to rate decreases and your new lower smoking rate.

[Thalermade]

Congratulations and keep up the hard work. This is one of the best presents you can ever give your loved ones - and yourself.

Congrats to all the others who have posted as well. As a never smoker, I can only imagine how difficult quitting has been for you folks. As someone whose Dad and paternal grandparents lives were cut short due to smoking, and whom I miss daily, I urge everyone to think seriously about quitting.

Russ

[rg32]

A good thing you have done.

I’m going on 8 years smoke free!

Congratulations Doug and stick with your guns.

Its still a battle for me though, and even at year 8 I can have a desire.

[rickd]

Congratulations Doug. That is a great personal achievment. It takes a lot of will power, pain and perseverance to quit any addictive habit. The rewards are terrific for those who make it though and I'm sure you are, and will continue, to find this.

I'm one of the lucky few, who for some reason, who has never smoked even though my parents and brother did. I have no idea how, or why, I missed that - just lucky I guess. I saw my Dad quit after 40 years of smoking, and bypass surgery, so I know how tough a job it is.

[barrym]

Congratulations to all of you who have quite smoking. I've been trying to get my wife to quit for 27 years now. It's encouraging to hear from so many of you who have succeeded.

[Hallagan]

Congrats to you Doug. That is quite an accomplishment for sure. I am struggling with this myself. I have been smoking for 30 years and need to quit badly.

Corey

[dlminehart]

Way to go, Doug!

I smoked from high school on until I was almost 30. Stopped a couple times rather haphazardly, but "just this one" kept sucking me back into the habit. I finally made a firm commitment to stop, telling everyone I was doing so to make it harder to back down. Recognizing that I'd ritualized the smoking into my life, with cigarette breaking marking virtually every transition during my day, I decided to make it easier on myself by taking a few days vacation in the country to get away from my usual haunts, routines, and other triggers to smoke. During the first few weeks I kept running up against the old habit situations (e.g., after a meal, after finishing a project), and had my toothpick to chew as an alternative. This tapered off pretty quickly. Within a few months, I found it hard to believe I'd smoked 1-1/2 packs a day for 10 years.

[Wood_workur]

Congratulations to you, Doug. Glad to know you have been able to kick it.