Today I quit smoking cigarettes

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cmdrmcbragg

Lifer
Jul 29, 2013
1,739
3
I have been a cigarette smoker since 2004, it would be 10 full years this fall since I bought my first pack of smokes.
I started smoking cigs because they were easier to smoke than Black & Milds (my usual smoke in high school). I had just gotten out of Navy boot camp and found that the smokers were pretty much the only people who could have a break during working hours. Black & Milds led to too long of a break for military chain of command, but a cigarette break could net you a good 5 minutes without causing too much of an issue.
Well, after I got out of the Navy I didn't stop smoking and really didn't want to either.
Recently though I have run into a rough patch where I have taken on a significant amount of debt and have had to resort to cost cutting measures. Can't have as many luxuries and I am going to need to scale back my spending habits. One of the first was to cut my cable bill. Completely. That hurts a lot because I am a huge sports fan but some sacrifices must be made.
The second biggest one was cigarettes. I have plenty of pipes and tobacco as is, and thankfully buying a tin of whatever I like for $9 to $15 goes a lot farther than the $40+ I would most likely spend in the same amount of time on packs of smokes.
This is going to be one of the hardest periods in my adult life thus far having to give up essentially two mainstays: televised sports and cigarettes. I know that is peanuts to some, but I have managed to live a fairly comfortable life thus far being able to do and afford what I wanted within reason.
Anyone have suggestions (from experience) on how to faithfully stick to the pipes and not end up at the 7/11 counter buying another pack of Camels?

 

sailorjeremy

Can't Leave
Feb 25, 2014
419
1
Virginia
I'm proud of you buddy! My wife smoked cigarettes for about 10 years and had just stopped when we met. But good Lord did she chew a lot of gum. Everytime she got the urge to smoke she would just chew some gum. I kinda did the same thing with cigars. I used to smoke Phillies all the time and it really took a toll on the wallet. I'd go through a pack a day, easy. I actually got hooked onto pipes by accident. I bought a pipe and some captain black as a part of a Halloween costume one year and I just couldn't get enough of it ever since lol. Little by little I stopped smoking Phillies and stuck strictly to my pipes. What an unusual way to get into pipe smoking... lol. You just gotta be stronger than that urge, man. Or find something to occupy your mind. It's all about will power.

 

dread

Lifer
Jun 19, 2013
1,617
9
I started cigarettes in the Navy pretty much the same way. I was a pipe and cigar smoker before that. I smoked cigarettes for almost 20 years, then went back to the pipe and it actually got me off of the cigarettes. You are doing the right thing and anyone who's quit cigarettes knows it is hard to do, so good job!

 

wilson

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 17, 2013
719
1
Quitting cigs is hard, and I wish you luck. Sorry to hear about your financial difficulties and hope that your situation improves. I was a cig smoker for many, many years and know how tough this is. You've got to fight urge-by-urge and day-by-day. Smoke your pipe. Take a walk. Take a walk and smoke your pipe. Make a cup of tea and fire up your pipe. Something, anything to distract you when you get the urge. The third or fourth day will be tough, after a week, I think it gets easier. Avoid the 7/11 for a bit. Buy your coffee somewhere that doesn't sell cigs for a few weeks.

 

cmdrmcbragg

Lifer
Jul 29, 2013
1,739
3
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I've never wanted to quit simply because I just didn't want to. Unfortunately, financial pressure can be a powerful thing to change your way of life. I won't give up everything that brings me some enjoyment or respite, but televised sports (the main reason I have a cable bill) and cigarettes are some of the more major cutbacks I can reasonably make right now. If I can stick to this plan, it'll save me $2100 a year without affecting the rest of my lifestyle in a significant way. Sacrifices.

 

peter70

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 24, 2013
175
1
Good luck to you! I tried to substitute cigarettes with pipes, but it didn't work too well. I realized, I started inhaling pipe smoke, which I never did, when smoking both, and had to stop smoking completely until a few months afterwards. I believe inhaling pipe smoke is not the best solution to get off a cigarette habit.

 

cmdrmcbragg

Lifer
Jul 29, 2013
1,739
3
I never inhale my cigar or pipe smoke. That won't be a problem. My "addiction" to cigarettes is mostly just the convenience, habit (taking breaks, being outside) and the throat hit. Part of the reason e-cigarettes never really worked for me. My e-cig charger or batteries all have died on me, but before they did I was puffing on that thing constantly because it was good in or out of the house.

 

cmdrmcbragg

Lifer
Jul 29, 2013
1,739
3
Yeah, quitting smoking all together is not a goal. I'm still gonna keep puffing pipes and cigars.

 

lostandfound

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 30, 2011
924
44
Like I said before, substitute that first cigarette of the day with your pipe. It helps to pre-load a pipe before you go to bed, that way if your urge to smoke is heavy, you don't have to bother with choosing a tobacco, and then filling your pipe- you can just get up and light up that sucker up right way.
You should probably smoke something with a relatively high level of nicotine.
In addition to pre-loading your first smoke, you should probably pack another bowl while you're smoking your first one. One of the main reasons it took me so long to fully quit smoking cigarettes, is that I didn't have the patience or will power necessary to load a bowl when I wanted to smoke. I wanted to smoke NOW.
Finally, don't beat yourself up if you DO smoke a cigarette. It's much easier to fully quit if you allow yourself to smoke a cigarette every now and then, if you really need one, if you don't feel guilty about it. Eventually, you'll come to a point where you won't even WANT to smoke a cigarette.

 

cmdrmcbragg

Lifer
Jul 29, 2013
1,739
3
Yeah, maybe I should've titled my post "quit buying cigarettes."
I won't beat myself up if I smoke one every now and then, it is mostly about not buying them anymore. Luckily one of my regular smoke break partners at work quit a couple months back. My gf's brother who lives with us says he will probably stop buying smokes also since there will be less supply without myself buying any. He has tried e-cigs, but doesn't have an interest in pipes.
Choice of tobacco isn't an issue for me, I only keep a couple blends open at a time and smoke it all before opening something else. But yeah, I hear ya @lostandfound, having one ready to go makes doing it easier. Not much of an issue for me, I'm pretty good on days when I pipe at work to load one up for the drive in and always smoke one in the morning on an off day with some coffee. I think I'll be alright if I get into this groove during spring/summer. Winter will be difficult though.

 

lostandfound

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 30, 2011
924
44
Good luck brother, I'm wishing you the best, and have complete faith that you'll pull through.

 

cmdrmcbragg

Lifer
Jul 29, 2013
1,739
3
Had two bowls of MacBaren 7 Seas today at work in a cob. Definitely wouldn't buy that blend again, but it'll do until I've smoked it all.

 

shaintiques

Lifer
Jul 13, 2011
3,615
227
Georgia
Well the good thing about sports is that there are lots of sports bars around to watch games at. And you can get a cheap beer to sip while you watch. The pipe has helped quite a few guys get off of cigs. Take a small one with you wherever you go in case the need arises. That way you won't be tempted to pick up cigs. You can get a wind cap or something to even pre pack bowls depending on what you are smoking. I smoke mostly flakes and when I pack them in the pipe they tend to not fall out in my pocket.

 

cmdrmcbragg

Lifer
Jul 29, 2013
1,739
3
I have a pipe case I carry with me that has a bag of whatever I'm smoking, a tamper, lighter and some cleaners. I would get weird looks at the bar when I sat it down. As for the sports bars, I can't drink and in usually at the house cuz I have kids, school work to do or some other stuff. Highlights on the internet will have to do.

 

sparrowhawk

Lifer
Jul 24, 2013
2,941
219
I kicked the cigs about 8 months ago, and took up the pipe a month later. The pipe is a completely different experience: there is no desperate urge to reach for a pipe to quell the nicotine urge. What worked for me: first, a trip to the doctor who can hook you up to a quit group, possibly prescribe Chantix (which works for some but not all--but it worked for me), but out of that group got one valuable tip: avoid places and routines where you smoked cigarettes. If you associate drinking coffee in the morning with that first cig, then stop drinking coffee for awhile. And so forth. I did this, used the Chantix, and avoided my study, read in other places in the house. Watching movies or TV without that cig in your fingers is tough, so I substituted hard candies like Jolly Ranchers. Within a couple of weeks, I was free. I always wanted to smoke a pipe, however, and started that about a month after I quit the cigs--forced to, really, because cigarettes' prices were beyond belief here in Michigan. And with the pipe, I just didn't feel like I was substituting one addiction for another--the pipe simply doesn't hold you like cigs do. (This might have a lot to do with the fact that cigarette tobacco is heavily treated with chemicals, saltpeter, higher nicotine levels, etc.) Today, I simply don't feel the need for a cigarette.

I check my email frequently, I keep late hours, the computer is almost always on in my study, and that's where I spend most of my time working, reading, writing, drawing. PM me if you need a little support. Believe me, it's not a bother and you won't be intruding. But if you need to write (that process alone will get you through an urge), do it. I won't mind in the slightest. Good luck to you.

 

cmdrmcbragg

Lifer
Jul 29, 2013
1,739
3
Appreciate the offer, sparrow. I'll keep it in mind. I do ok having a pipe in all the instances where I would normally have a cigarette.
I smoked two bowls at work in place of my usual smoke breaks. Had a pipe after dinner just now.
What I need is to go crack a different tin. This Mac Baren 7 Seas just doesn't do it for me.

 

settersbrace

Lifer
Mar 20, 2014
1,565
5
I smoked cigs for 17 years exclusively and for no other reason than pure addiction. I don't have what's considered an addictive personality and that just proves how truly powerful they are, to me anyway. After quitting in 1996, (hardest thing ever), I got into cycling and other fitness sports until I developed some serious spine/neck issues. I still stay active and I got into cigars and pipes about 5 years after quitting the cigs but it has been purely a hobby and a very enjoyable one at that. I can and have walked away without remorse many times for various reasons and I've never experienced that dreadful grip that the cig addiction once held over me. Enjoy your pipes and stay the course with your desire to stay off the "slim sticks" as I call them because they will never give you the enjoyment and freedom from dependency that a good pipe can deliver. I wish you the best of luck.

 

beefeater33

Lifer
Apr 14, 2014
4,063
6,118
Central Ohio
I smoked cigs for 20+ years, quitting being the hardest damn thing I've ever done. I know what your going thru. For me, I couldn't get enough nic from the pipe. I dipped snuff-- I know its not ideal, but it SATISFIED that nic crave. After a year I weaned myself off of the dip, for me it was much easier than quitting smoking cigs. Now I smoke the pipe for the taste, not so much for the nic. Thinking back, I don't think I really thought about how cigs

taste, just craved the nic hit...

Where there's a will, there's a way Brother... You can do it!!

 
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