After 17 years...

[DValentine]

I finally have started my battle against chewing tobacco. It has been 8 days since I quit.



Day four was the worst for cravings. I am chewing lots of gum. My jaws ache and I am just adjusting to the idea that I don't need the can in my pocket, for the rest of my life.



Please post up if you have quit or thinking about it. I didn't "plan" this quit. It just happened. I gave the 6 cans I had, away. That was weird to me. But here I am. The last time I tried to quit was '95 and that lasted 4 days.



I was a can a day kinda guy.



Thanks for listening.

 

[AWeiman]

i have tried to quit numerous times with no luck. i have chewed for almost 10 years. one of the hardest habbits to break. i do love the people that say why dont you just quit, like its that easy. well good luck to ya hope i to quit myself some day.

 

[FDavid]

I don't chew but as a smoker I have no plans to quit. I enjoy it tremendously and thats good enough for me. The only thing that bothers me are more and more places don't allow you to smoke anymore. To each his own but I believe the stress of quitting is more detrimental than the actual act.

 

[GAmes]

I had a throat operation and had to quit smoking cold turkey. I couldn't have smoked a cigarette if you had pointed a gun in my face. I enjoyed smoking also, but had watched my dad painfully die of cancer shortly after he retired and had earned a chance to go out and enjoy llife. Once you give it up you will find yourself being that insufferable guy who has quit and urges others to quit also. It has been 13 years and I still crave a smoke every once in awhile but, just like an alcoholic, I know if I smoke one I'll be back to a pack a day+ in no time. Every once in awhile I mentally calculate how many $$$ I would have literally burned if I hadn't quit and that makes me smile. Hang in there, you will thank yourself many times in the future.

 

[2Rowdy]

It will be four years this August since I quit. I could eat a whole can right now. After twenty some odd years the doctor told me I had to quit for medical reasons and I believe him whole heartedly. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I quit cold turkey also with chewing gum. I do miss it. Just fight the cravings one at a time and you will make it. On a side note my wife kept a can for me in her purse for prolly six months. (lol) Sorry I could ramble on and on about snuff.

 

[JUeckert]

I finally have started my battle against chewing tobacco. It has been 8 days since I quit.



Day four was the worst for cravings. I am chewing lots of gum. My jaws ache and I am just adjusting to the idea that I don't need the can in my pocket, for the rest of my life.



Please post up if you have quit or thinking about it. I didn't "plan" this quit. It just happened. I gave the 6 cans I had, away. That was weird to me. But here I am. The last time I tried to quit was '95 and that lasted 4 days.



I was a can a day kinda guy.



Thanks for listening.

goodluck with you battle, and yes it is a battle. i have had numerous friends as well as relatives that smoked,dipped ,chewed, or drank heavy. A few of these folks were long time user's, 30 or 40 years worth to be exact. On the brite side, most of these folks quit their habit, sometimes after several tries.

 

[rscurtis]

A person I used to work with had this habit along with some booze. He had a very stressfull family life, I don't know how he did it. Anyway, between the chew and the booze, he ended up in intensive care with severe stomach problems, his mind went blank and he ended up in a rest home. There is a medical term for this,but I don't recall the name.

 

[PToombs]

Dave, kick it's a... Oh, I can't say that here. You can do it buddy, 1 day at a time, hang in there.

Good Luck!

 

[DValentine]

Thanks folks. Its good to hear stories on both sides. Yeah, I enjoyed chewing. I have a can sitting on the counter and look at it from time to time. It is amazing how good I was at always knowing where my can was, having one with me at all times. Oh addiction... .

I have a two year old, who a few weekends ago he got his bottle, blanket and my spitter, brought it to the chair I was in to cuddle. Hummm... .
The wife picked up a can at the store one night for me, and the kid said..... Dadda, dadda... when he saw the can on the counter.

I needed to quit. I am not good at moderation. I needed to quit so I don't have to watch the kids (other one due in May) walk around copying me. The two year old already spits, when he sees me spit.

Thanks for the support guys.

I like hearing the stories, both quitters and those who are happy continuing. Keep them coming.

Dave

 

[Wingate]

Quitting Copenhagen was absolutely the hardest thing that I've ever done... It CAN be done though. To be honest, I have quit twice... once back in 98 for about 3 years... . then some really tense months caused me to start back... . fast forward to last August... I bacame a proud "PawPaw" to twin boys... decided to quit again.

I started dipping when I was 12... so minus the 3 year break, that makes me using tobacco for 23 years... .

I was a 3+ cans a day guy that ate Copenhagen like food... ... I've put on 20 lbs and had to buy new jeans...

Good Luck DValentine..... You can do it!!!!. .

 

[DValentine]

3 cans a day... . WOW. I had one in almost all the time except for eating... hell I could sleep with one in.

How the heck can you get through 3 cans a day?

Good job on quitting. I am eating candy like crazy. I know that I will have to turn that around also. But right now the cravings are not too bad.


Dave

 

[SRath]

Now you guys are making my effort to cut down and quit smoking look like a waste of time. I use those Camel Snus packets for a crutch to smoke less. Trading one bad habit for another, I know, but smoking is worse I believe.

Besides, with Iowa's new anti-smoking laws (even in bars) I can at least chew. Truth is, the new laws were much more effective at cutting down on social visits to the neighborhood American Legion and on eating out; neither of which have I done in about 2 years.

My biggest motivation is to keep as much of my money as possible from going to the LSD cigarette tax robbery.

Any law that claims to protect you from yourself is evil and unAmerican and the road to hell is indeed paved with good intentions... . most of them just a ruse to steal your money and control your life.

I would venture to guess it is now cheaper to smoke pot in Iowa than cigarettes. Nice job, democrats. They were entirely responsible for the increased taxes and the prohibitions placed on business owners telling them how to run their own businesses. They always had the option of choosing to make their establishment smoke-free if they wished. Now they just wish they had freedom.

 

[Pistazie]

I quit smoking 13 years ago cold turkey, nicotine is one crazy nasty addiction... . and I loved it! ... But I was working in the fresh air 18 hrs a day or so, and after a couple of weeks it wasn't so bad the cravings were much less. But for me that was key - do something that was outside of the routine, keep busy, extreme fatigue, with no leisure time to think or succumb to the cravings. The financial and health rewards are so worth it if you quit!! I just ran a 1/2 marathon yesterday - I would have never been able to do that had I kept on smoking. All the best, keep it up, and don't worry a bit if you substitute snacks and gain a couple of pounds, deal with one problem at a time...

 

[Wingate]

3 cans a day... . WOW. I had one in almost all the time except for eating... hell I could sleep with one in.



How the heck can you get through 3 cans a day?



Good job on quitting. I am eating candy like crazy. I know that I will have to turn that around also. But right now the cravings are not too bad.





Dave

Most of the time, I would use the famous tin lid as a "scoop" to shovel it in... . over the years, it had gotten to where a pinch just wouldn't do it... It really got to control my life in some aspects, if I were driving 2 hours to a location, that equaled one can for the trip, a can while there working, and another can for the drive home..... This process has been going on for more years than I care to count...

When I decided to quit this time, it was just a matter of asking myself exactly WHAT this product does for me... . It has no nutritional value, its not something that can help me in any way, and only a BAD result can come from using this product. So, basically, I was paying $5. 00 a can to kill myself???. . and THAT didn't make good sense.

The 5 lb bags of peppermints and cinnamon drops from Wal-Mart help... . buy the 5 lb bag, or you'll just be driving right back to the store for more!!!. . I bought gum in packages of 10... . and all I did when I got home every day was eat and sleep... .

The edgy-ness eases up after 2-3 weeks... and eventually you will find that you feel better.

And with all the money you'll save, you can get upgrades for your truck!!!. .

 

[TRLRTRSH]

Smoked for almost 40 years and quit 3 years ago, I would say good luck in your effort but it's not really luck at all. You have to make up your mind to the fact that you control you body, what you put on it or in it makes no difference.
do I miss smoking? you bet, I liked to smoke but until the day comes that I can grow my own tobacco and tell the G'ment to take a hike, guess I'll have to miss it cause I'm not paying those jerks anymore in taxes than I have to.

 

[EricBu12]

My dad who is 79 this year started smoking when he went into the army in '52. by 1959, he was out and dating my mom. . One day he decided that her kissing him must be like kissing an ashtray. . Gave away his pack he had on him and never smoked since. .

Yes there has been tense and troubles times, never once has he wanted a cigg. in those times. . You have to want to quit for yourself and for others and you have to want to do it more than you want the item.

My wife quit 5 yrs ago, smoked a long time before me... also was a heavy beer drinker. . quit both cold. . Beteween beer and ciggs, she was spending $25/day for 20 years! . She could have bought a house with that money!!... ... she has a beer once in a while but now she don't like the taste as much. I have a dinner beer once in a while too... I have never smoked and thank god I found out a long time ago, on a skin test, I am allergic to tobacco.

Look at your family and your kids and tell yourself that quitting is more important to you and them than any urge for tobacco. Write a letter to yourself, like the ad you see on TV. . Dear me, stop smoking. . and so on...

Also look at the cost. . 3 cans of chew a day?!!! how much are they?. . OK found about $3/can for redman. .

3 cans at $3 each is $9/day... . X 30 days is $180/month!! thats a car payment!! . . $180 X 12 = $2160 yr. !!

Smoking is even higher at $5 or $6 per pack... So double the above numbers. .

Better yet, do this, go to this site and find out how much money you have wasted on ciggs.

ACS :: Calculate the cost of smoking

I know ciggaretts cost more now but I did a average of $3 per pack at 40 years was $1100/ month and $43,000 to date. . (40 yrs to now) Man thats a lot of money. . you smoked a Dodge truck!! lol. .

Thats how I see it and I am thankful I have never smoked. Good luck to all of you quitting and congrats to all who have quit. Just keep looking for other things to do and see and just enjoy life. You don't need it, it is poison, it will shorten your life and wreck your health. Good luck to all

 

[seafish]

It is really BEST not to think about it in terms of QUITTING, but instead, think of it as GAINING soemthing important... years on your life, better health, better chance of spending quality time with your grandkids.



You can even figure out how much money you are gaining by stopping an unhealthy habit and choose to put the same amount of money into something of your choosing that is not as destructive to your health... like your truck!!!



Of course, accesories for my truck is my habit... :-laf:-laf



Oo. Oo. GO FOR IT!!! Oo. Oo.

 

[guldam]

Anti-smoke laws are to protect innocent people from being exposed to other's tobacco smoke. Imagine someone in your family working in, a restaurant that allows smoking and is exposed to cigarette smoke for years and years. Your family member is a non-smoker and takes good care of their health, and yet they have to expose themselves to your toxic smoke in order to make a living.



You can smoke all you want as long as it doesn't affect other folks.



I call that Freedom.



And after 17 years of a tobacco habit, kicking it is also Freedom. Good job!



GulDam

Now you guys are making my effort to cut down and quit smoking look like a waste of time. I use those Camel Snus packets for a crutch to smoke less. Trading one bad habit for another, I know, but smoking is worse I believe.



Besides, with Iowa's new anti-smoking laws (even in bars) I can at least chew. Truth is, the new laws were much more effective at cutting down on social visits to the neighborhood American Legion and on eating out; neither of which have I done in about 2 years.



My biggest motivation is to keep as much of my money as possible from going to the LSD cigarette tax robbery.



Any law that claims to protect you from yourself is evil and unAmerican and the road to hell is indeed paved with good intentions... . most of them just a ruse to steal your money and control your life.



I would venture to guess it is now cheaper to smoke pot in Iowa than cigarettes. Nice job, democrats. They were entirely responsible for the increased taxes and the prohibitions placed on business owners telling them how to run their own businesses. They always had the option of choosing to make their establishment smoke-free if they wished. Now they just wish they had freedom.

 

[Flying_gage]

Just telling the wife that I love this sight. Not just for the truck, but because of this stuff.

I am currently on my first week of Chantix in my attempt to quit chewing. Can a day for 16 years... I have quit once before and it was miserable. I am hoping that this helps.

What is driving my decision is the dentist said I am close to needing a skin graft on my gum line. I work with a guy who had one and he said it was unexplainable pain that made him cry. He is a pretty tough old guy, so I think I won't go there... .

For a point of reference, I read a report that stated the one pinch was equal to 10 cigarettes in terms of nicotine.

 

[FDavid]

As far as effecting others peoples health in public places thats why you have smoking and non smoking sections.



By the way I grow my own tobacco and nothing I enjoy more then rolling one up after a long day on the farm. Its right up there with sex and bbq ribs.