I am in day 4 of my attempts to give up cigarettes, after 30 yrs (stunted growth man and boy), happily inhaling tobacco with only an occasional cough. I know all about the health risks etc, but the truth is that I enjoyed a cigarette with a cup of coffee, or with a beer, or watching sport on TV in a bar, or while reading a book, and I am sorry that the PC brigade have taken this pleasure away from the working man.
I decided to do so, in advance of the ban in the UK which kicks in on the 1st of July, because I am damned if I am going to pay taxes to be treated worse than a dog, by this or any other government. So I formulated the idea that if I, and every other smoker / drinker just gave up one or both of these little pleasures on the 1st July, then those left wing "PC fascists" would have the smiles wiped from their faces as "King" Gordon would have to authorise massive tax hikes to make up the revenue shortfalls.
It would also close thousands of pubs (as it has done in Eire, but that's being kept quiet under the guise of "selling because property values are so high"), and lay off thousands of part time workers, who the Unions said were "at risk of passive smoke" (despite the fact that they were mostly smokers) ... in fact it would wipe the smiles off the faces of every anti libertarian who decided that the state can make criminals out of 7 million adults in England.
As for the health implications? For me, presumably better, but a considerable pleasure, "a cig and a pint" removed from my life by a few MP's and campaigners. For the population in general well, and here's the rub, in Scotland and Eire cigarette sales have increased after initial dips since the pub bans which makes a mockery of the whole thing. There are now more smokers (presumably stood on street corners, or at home) than there were before the bans ... yep, they have reversed the trends of the last 40 yrs which had seen cigarette sales fall year on year.
If Parliaments were democratic in Eire and Scotland, then they would rescind the pub bans on cigarettes to see if tobacco sales started dropping again ..... fat chance, the PC brigade would wet themselves if democracy was ever allowed to intrude onto policies concerning "peoples freedoms".
How am I getting on?
Well I decided to just go 'cold turkey', none of that 'Smokers Gum, Patches or Hypno-crap' for me. I truly believe that 90% of addiction is simply weak willed people, the physical addictions are minimal, just some minor discomforts, it's the mental habits (oral and hand activity) that are the hard parts. Once you break those cycles, its simply a matter of choice, either you don't want to smoke anymore, or not.
So far so good, there is some physical cravings, but its less and less frequent, and should be gone in a couple of days or so. My metabolism will be clean (apparently) in about three weeks, and that will technically mean I have "quit". The "mental" side I suspect, will be with me (possibly forever), but I am working on the theory that, apart from outside, the temptations will be non existent, because there will be no facilities available in any building in three weeks time.
I am also trying to keep my hands occupied (by typing blogs for example), until they no longer feel like they are empty, and should have something in them .... mind you, I can see why people put on weight so I have restricted myself to three meals a day and no snacks apart from apples to try and ensure that I don't balloon out because I am eating nuts and crisps etc.`
Mind you, if I won the lottery, I would be out of here and living in sunny climes so fast you wouldn't believe it, and the Cigs would be back just as fast LOL ..... outside bars only of course, but then who sits inside in Greece or the South of France?
I will be honest, and if I fail I will add a post script to this blog (of course if I win the lottery I will add that note as well, and be blogging from my bar in the South Mediterranean) Ha Ha.
But as I say, even if I fail now, it's likely that I will 'have' to succeed in a few weeks time because I just won't be able to smoke anywhere, and they are now pushing to stop smoking in your own car .....
Update: It's now 5 months and I haven't broken ..... yet.
Next Update, still hanging in their at 7 months, but worryingly I dreamt I was smoking last night! Just a mental blip I hope.
I decided to do so, in advance of the ban in the UK which kicks in on the 1st of July, because I am damned if I am going to pay taxes to be treated worse than a dog, by this or any other government. So I formulated the idea that if I, and every other smoker / drinker just gave up one or both of these little pleasures on the 1st July, then those left wing "PC fascists" would have the smiles wiped from their faces as "King" Gordon would have to authorise massive tax hikes to make up the revenue shortfalls.
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| Stopping Smoking ... Easier Said Than Done |
It would also close thousands of pubs (as it has done in Eire, but that's being kept quiet under the guise of "selling because property values are so high"), and lay off thousands of part time workers, who the Unions said were "at risk of passive smoke" (despite the fact that they were mostly smokers) ... in fact it would wipe the smiles off the faces of every anti libertarian who decided that the state can make criminals out of 7 million adults in England.
As for the health implications? For me, presumably better, but a considerable pleasure, "a cig and a pint" removed from my life by a few MP's and campaigners. For the population in general well, and here's the rub, in Scotland and Eire cigarette sales have increased after initial dips since the pub bans which makes a mockery of the whole thing. There are now more smokers (presumably stood on street corners, or at home) than there were before the bans ... yep, they have reversed the trends of the last 40 yrs which had seen cigarette sales fall year on year.
If Parliaments were democratic in Eire and Scotland, then they would rescind the pub bans on cigarettes to see if tobacco sales started dropping again ..... fat chance, the PC brigade would wet themselves if democracy was ever allowed to intrude onto policies concerning "peoples freedoms".
How am I getting on?
Well I decided to just go 'cold turkey', none of that 'Smokers Gum, Patches or Hypno-crap' for me. I truly believe that 90% of addiction is simply weak willed people, the physical addictions are minimal, just some minor discomforts, it's the mental habits (oral and hand activity) that are the hard parts. Once you break those cycles, its simply a matter of choice, either you don't want to smoke anymore, or not.
So far so good, there is some physical cravings, but its less and less frequent, and should be gone in a couple of days or so. My metabolism will be clean (apparently) in about three weeks, and that will technically mean I have "quit". The "mental" side I suspect, will be with me (possibly forever), but I am working on the theory that, apart from outside, the temptations will be non existent, because there will be no facilities available in any building in three weeks time.
I am also trying to keep my hands occupied (by typing blogs for example), until they no longer feel like they are empty, and should have something in them .... mind you, I can see why people put on weight so I have restricted myself to three meals a day and no snacks apart from apples to try and ensure that I don't balloon out because I am eating nuts and crisps etc.`
Mind you, if I won the lottery, I would be out of here and living in sunny climes so fast you wouldn't believe it, and the Cigs would be back just as fast LOL ..... outside bars only of course, but then who sits inside in Greece or the South of France?
I will be honest, and if I fail I will add a post script to this blog (of course if I win the lottery I will add that note as well, and be blogging from my bar in the South Mediterranean) Ha Ha.
But as I say, even if I fail now, it's likely that I will 'have' to succeed in a few weeks time because I just won't be able to smoke anywhere, and they are now pushing to stop smoking in your own car .....
Update: It's now 5 months and I haven't broken ..... yet.
Next Update, still hanging in their at 7 months, but worryingly I dreamt I was smoking last night! Just a mental blip I hope.
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Update: 4 years later and I have not had one cigarette and am still wearing the same trouser size ..... so although it will always be 'one day at a time' I think its safe to say that I have given up.
ReplyDeleteThe figures for 2012
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18628811
Suggest that the overall effects have been beneficial for the nations health ... apart from the impact on pubs and clubs, which have declined sharply since the ban came in.