How to stop smoking ?

I started at about 15 for whatever stupid reasons. When I was about 28 it it sort of hit me why it was such a stupid thing to do, so without telling anyone I decided to pack it in when I was 30. As my birthday is usually around the late May bank holiday which I'd arranged loads of stuff to celebrate, I decided that Monday would be the last day I smoked. So of I went, had a great time with mates and took in a day trip to France with the Missus and had an all round good time. On the Monday I travelled back to Preston, went to the pub with mates then went home, had a tinny and a tab, which I put out in the empty can and went to sleep. Woke up in the morning and knew straight away I'd never smoke again, no cravings, no nothing, just got on with life as a non smoker. Now I don't claim to have any secret "ways" of going about, I just did it, and that's that. What I think is important though is to know there are people like me out there who just gave up with no drama, the tobacco companies don't like stories like mine, same goes for all the companies that peddle all the methods to help you stop.

So, last time I smoked a tab was 31/5/93, as from 1/6/93 never smoked or even wanted to, nearly 30 years now. Gig I did that night was Trev & Simon, that dates it!
 
avoid the drink for a while, the urge is always more when your guards down. As others have said Vape sorted it for me but Vaping is way more accessible than smoking, i find myself on the vape more than I ever would a tab so tread with caution. Good luck!
 
Smoked for 17 years and quit with the help of patches and the thought of passing the habit in to my kids.
Whenever I fancied a fag I'd sniff an ashtray.... that was enough.
If you really want to you will.
I will say though that it was more than 10 years until I lost the urge and even now if someone said they don't really ruin your health I'd probably start again.
Good luck.
 
I smoked for years, only about twenty a day but when I went out for a drink I had to smoke. Darts and doms without ciggies was unthinkable.
I met my future wife and she did not mention my smoking but I knew that I had to stop the awful habit. So I decided to do so and I actually binned about 18 Embassy and did not smoke again. This of course was when smoking was still allowed in pubs and for a long time (perhaps 6 months) a pint did not seem the same without a cigarette.
Years later I contracted cancer and the surgeon reckoned I would be dead long ago if I had not packed in smoking. It’s 6 years ago that and I am clear now.
When I see people smoking I am really sorry for them, but I know they can pack it in. I did and it is one of the best decisions of my life.
 
Smoked from being a teenager up until about five years back (late 30’s)
One thing I would say is that the amount I smoked never really escalated from when I started to when I stopped. Maybe 3-5 a day, but sometimes none if I’d ran out and couldn’t be bothered to go and get any. That said, the number smoked rapidly escalated when beer was involved!
I decided to try vaping and somehow ended up vaping and smoking at the same time. One day I’d ran out of tabs at the pub and thought I’ll stick with the vape.
Vaped for a few years, which I seemed to do a lot more than I smoked.
Then one day about 18 months back just decided I’d quit vaping on the 1st of the next month.
I was a bit worried about going cold turkey. But in all honesty it was a piece of pish. Everyone’s different, but for me the fear of quitting was far worse than the reality.
I don’t crave either now. I do occasionally look back with rose tinted glasses at the beer and a tab in the sun type moments, but I know I won’t start again.
 
I was helped by WhyQuit? The website looks dated now, but I quit 13 years ago over Easter, after almost 40 years of 20+ a day. It adopts a strict 'cold turkey' approach, based on the neurochemistry of nicotine addiction. I appreciate that might not be for everyone. A couple of extra things which helped - I had a 3-week holiday, so no work distractions, plus no pub or alcohol for the first 6 weeks. I found avoiding behaviours associated with smoking very helpful.
I'd tried and failed plenty of times before. I was always worried about spending the rest of my life wanting a fag! The good news is cravings get milder quite quickly - it's not an endless exercise of willpower. After about 3 months I'd lost any desire to smoke.
Best of luck if you decide to give it a go.
 
Well, came back with something, £36 lighter .
got a bit of a chest infection at the moment so going to wait until that clears before the vape mission begins .
 
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