h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've never smoked. In fact, I've never had a whole cigarette. However, I've seen other people try to quit, and heard stories. When a quitting smoker weakens, they will often cave in and have one, which would undo a lot of good work.
My question is: If you had told your friends that you were quitting, and one of them saw you with one in your mouth, would you be angry if they snatched it away and stomped it out. They're only trying to help, but it is a presumptuous thing to do, and you wouldn't have lit up if you hadn't decided that you wanted to...

Yes, I would be angry if they snatched it away.

If I am old enough to smoke and old enough to decide to quit, then I am old enough to have the odd one and decide if it is worth it.

That's not being a friend, that's being a nanny!

"When a quitting smoker weakens, they will often cave in and have one, which would undo a lot of good work."

It's a mistake to label this as 'total failure' and then go back to smoking normally. A lot of quitters make this mistake.

If you have told someone they have your permission to snatch away ciggie or - even more extreme - chuck a bucket of water over you, then you have only yourself to blame if they do this.

I would be annoyed.

I have been quitting for 3 monthsbut hve the occassional one when i go out. it stops the cravings and allows me to actual quit properly. you never get to the point where you are a no smoker, you will always be a quitter and that makes the situation where you can have theodd one without going back full tme.

that made sense in my head!

Nicky - don't kid yourself, its never safe to "have the odd cig when you're out"....after 3 months, you have no physical cravings if you've abstained completely, only mental dependance. I am on my second "give up" - it'll be 3 years tomorrow (I previously gave up COMPLETELY for 4 years and thought "oh a couple won't hurt....." - it took me another 10 years to get to the stage of quitting again)- and now class myself as a non-smoker, I have no real cravings for a cig, but the brain occasionally tricks you - last time I went out for a drink, put my bag on table, reached in and thought "Hang on, I don't do this anymore!"

Howver, as far as the original post is concerned - I would probably have gone homicidal if someone had done this to me - you can't reason with an addict, even if YOU think it's for their own good.

I quit the Allen Carr way and found it surprisingly easy. I didn't suffer any cravings, just wants. You know how sometimes you really fancy a biscuit or a bar of chocolate? It was like that. I never gave in because the feeling wasn't too strong and at the back of my mind I knew that instead of having been a non-smoker for 3 months I would go back to being a quitting smoker of a day. The toughest time was socialising, but I tended to hang around the smokers and passive smoke - sort of cheating but not! It worked for me. It'll be seven years in August and cigarettes are just not an issue. I don't think smoking is like alcoholism where you're always in recovery. But, Nicky, if just having the occassional one when you're out works for you, it's better than smoking all the time.

In response to the original query, it's OK to take the cigarette if the quitter has alerted his friends and asked them to intervene. But without that specific request, absolutely don't do it.

Deb

I'd be annoyed but I'd realise that my friend cared. I guess it depends on circumstance. (I've been trying to quit for 6 months or so.)

"I don't think smoking is like alcoholism where you're always in recovery"

I couldn't agree more.

I'd be temnpted to lob an ashtray at them

Yes, it would annoy the hell out of me. As a matter of fact it annoyed me when friends would chastise me for smoking after I had 'quit'. My downfall was going out for a drink, because when in a bar a drink and a smoke tend to go together. I had quit smoking for nearly a year when I started having the occasional cig in a club. ('Course, you can't do that nowadays 'cause it's illegal most places).

I finally quit again after another year or two. Have absolutely no desire to smoke again, ever. On very rare occasions I'll have an odd craving for a cig, but then all I have to do is imagine the taste of actually taking a puff to put me off. It's been six years last month.

i don't know longest i have managed to go without a cig when i wanted to stop is about a hour i have no will power you see

When the No Smoking ban in pubs became law here in Scotland, I did try to stop smoking altogether. Alas, after 3 weeks I caved (as you say) and had one, after an argument with our unsocial neighbour, I took one to calm myself down
I never stopped as such, but I have cut down a great deal, and if I had asked someone to "flick one out of my mouth, if caught" I would not be angry at all, as I had already them to do so.

I do get angry however with the way smokers are being treated here, since the ban, in fact that way things are going, people would sit and watch a junkie "shooting up" in a pub, and say nothing. Yet if the same junkie took out a cigarette and lit it, there would be hell to play

I think this Nanny State that we appear to live in these days, should back off! and allow people freedom of choice, as the way things are going in this modern Political Correct society, we are being herded like animals, with no rights what so ever! We even have to watch what we say in case we offend some group or other.
Now if you will excuse me, I am off for a smoke

Smudger.

A friend of mine was dieting, and then we took the stance that we'd remind him, slow him down, but never actually stop him. I think the same applies here. slow them down, make them think about it, but no physical action.

Re: smoking ban

I like it, but I'm a non-smoker. It means I can go to a club and come out not stinking of smoke. On the other hand, I feel there should be more freedom, I think it came about because there was no way for restaurants/pubs/whatever to legally ban smoking, except by removing smokers, and that can be difficult. If it was made simply difficult to allow smoking, that would possibly be better. But never mind, back to topic..

Yes you are right about the freedom of choice, I noticed in the news that England is now going to wait Another Year before bringing in the ban!!


Just like the Poll tax, lets try it out in Scotland first Eh! Then see what happens
I notice the Bingo halls up here are all closing down one by one, since the smoking ban came into force, and every pub you go to, has its gang of hardened smokers standing around at the door way in all weathers

The pubs are also losing trade, and a few of them have closed as well, yet they said it was for our own good to ban smoking anyway, tell that to the Pub owners and all their staff
Smudger.

You're kidding - they are putting implementation off for another year?! Was really looking forward to being able to go out for lunch in my village with my baby without him having to breathe smoke - we tried yesterday and it was only the third place we tried that didn't have anyone smoking. All the eateries in my village are pub/restaurants. We went to ones that have the emphasis on restaurant but in the first two places there was one person smoking at the bar area which made the whole place smoky. Will be glad when we don't have to worry about that any more.

I half gave up smoking 7 years ago - I stopped smoking at home and cut down to one or two cigarettes a day, which if I didn't have I didn't miss. I didn't feel controlled by the habit any more which is half the battle and could go weeks without thinking about ciarettes.

When I got pregnant the smell of smoke made me feel sick so I lost my social life for 9 months and I don't think I'll ever smoke again now as it would just be too difficult to organise myself!

Well done fop Stopping smoking!! I have tried & failed

I think there should be pubs just for smokers to go to, that way we do have a choice, instead of that law which demanded No smoking at all!!

I have cut back a lot, since my last effort to stop altogether, in fact if I keep myself busy, I can go for ages without one

Yet, with my poor mobility, there is a not I can do to keep busy, but I think when we stopped smoking in our house, that really helped me cut back

Smudger.