Katherine Heigl: The Crazy Way I Quit Smoking (VIDEO)

Now that she is a mom, Katherine Heigl has given up smoking and she explains how she did it in a new interview in Parade:

"Now I use an electronic cigarette. I know it's ridiculous, but it's helping me not to actually smoke real cigarettes. You feel like you are smoking, and you get to exhale but it's just water vapor and not nicotine. I've been doing it for six months. Smoking sucks! The one thing I would say to my kid is, 'It's not just that it's bad for you. Do you want to spend the rest of your life fighting a stupid addiction to a stupid thing that doesn't even really give you a good buzz?'"

Last week Heigl showed David Letterman how she smokes her electronic cigarette (video below). She said it's the only thing that works and she has tried the patch, the gum and the prescription drug Chantix.

"I'm essentially humidifying the space," she said as she puffed away.

But electronic cigarettes contain liquid nicotine, and CBS News reports they may be harmful as they are poorly regulated and deliver "just a little bit" of vaporized nicotine.

WATCH Heigl on Letterman:

Comments

[WykydRed]

10:44 PM on 10/06/2010

Before going beserk on e-cigs and how "detrimental" they are, read up on the studies (that you've been told 'don't exist' "). Electronic Cigarette Interview with Dr. Joel Nitzkin http://www.tobaccotoday.info/2009/05/05/electronic-cigarette-interview-with-dr-joel-nitzkin/

" Based on existing evidence the electronic cigarette carries less than one percent of the risks of regular cigarettes and possible as little of the one tenth of one percent of the danger of normal cigarettes. This is what Dr Joel Nitzkin, Chair of the Tobacco Control Task Force for the American Association of Public Health Physicians, told us in a detailed interview on the electronic cigarette, its safety and the devastating potential effect of the upcoming tobacco bill."

and Dr. Murray Laugesen http://www.healthnz.co.nz/RuyanCartridgeReport30-Oct-08.pdf

Propylene Glycol has a danger, yes, but many vape juices have a choice: "PG" for Propylene Glycol and "NPG" for Non-Propylene Glycol. Remember, Propylene Glycol is used in foods, medicines, and yes, it is used in anti-freeze, as an inert agent, so the people shouting "it uses the same stuff as anti-freeze!" are just trying scare tactics on you. But, read for yourself: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propylene_glycol

[rufus firefly]

08:36 PM on 10/06/2010

I too have recently kicked my 22 year cancer stick habit thanks to my e-cigarette. I had a similar motivation as Ms. Heigl; being a new dad. I must say that these things are great, I have much more stamina, don't smell anymore and have saved a lot of $ to put towards my boy's college tuition. To all those who are whining about nicotine addiction. Do you drink coffee, surf the internet, buy lottery tickets, or absolutely must watch your favorite football team play every game? Then you are addicted too! If you are not addicted to something, you are a robot. As long as the addiction isn't really harming you or others, then I don't see what all the fuss is about, I agree that nicotine isn't completely harmless, but e-cigarettes are much safer than the real thing. I have a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and have spent some time researching this. The FDA wants to ban them to protect tax revenue and the profits of Big Pharma and Big Tobacco. If it does, it has as much blood on its hands as Altria and RJR.

[MightyAfrodite]

09:46 AM on 10/06/2010

I couldn't even watch the clip. I'm so totally sick of her.

[atti]

07:54 AM on 10/06/2010

This is the logic with which you would persuade you child?

If only Katherine would quit that brassy hair color.

[Samantha Monteleone]

12:22 AM on 10/06/2010

I smoke and I get a good buzz, Katherine.

I commend your breakthrough on quitting, though.

[Raspywolf]

12:20 AM on 10/06/2010

I used to smoke 3 packs a day..

The trick I found to getting past the nicotine craving was to stay up for a long time. I drank a bunch of water to help clean out my system. And then I slept for about a day. When I woke up the chemical craving was mostly gone. The psychological desire wasn't nearly as easy.

I quit by first making the decision to quit buying cigarettes. Then I made the decision to only smoke when I drink. Then I made the decision to only drink when I'm in a social gathering of some sort. Then I made sure I only went out once or twice a week. It just eventually tapers off. The hardest part was making sure I didn't light up when I was reading or writing, I still haven't been able to get back to writing like I used to.

[logic-a-go-go]

08:40 PM on 10/05/2010

I think the glow in the dark hair is a bit much.

[Battleangel]

07:35 PM on 10/05/2010

I quit smoking cigarettes by smoking weed. Strange but it worked.

[rmutt1917]

09:49 AM on 10/06/2010

Worked for me, as well. That, and using a worry stone to address that fidgety hand thing. The best thing is/was, that it's considerably easier to cut back on marijuana use through the years (at least for me).

[Richard Zombeck]

05:04 PM on 10/05/2010

I don't know if silly or ridiculous is the word I'd use to describe this. It helped my wife and I. I was smoking 1-2 packs a day and went down to 3-5 cigs/day ... over night. No kidding. If you get the right ones, do your research they really are great. I'm not a sales guy, but I do really dig these things.
www.zombeck.com/smoke

[omobob]

04:14 PM on 10/05/2010

Hopefully quitting smoking was handled better than her quitting Gray’s in a huff.

[Sighedeffects]

03:18 PM on 10/05/2010

"...that doesn't even really give you a good buzz?'"

Heroin gives you a good buzz. So does crack. Is it better to smoke them? That was the general message. "if you are going to smoke, at least get a good high out of it."

[earwicker7]

02:46 PM on 10/05/2010

That was an awesome advertisement, Katherine. How much were you paid for it?

[logic-a-go-go]

08:43 PM on 10/05/2010

Note how red her chest is...looks like she is embarrassed because it is an ad and she is self-conscious that people will realize it.

[Flat Harrold]

02:17 PM on 10/05/2010

Dear Katherine: You look so dumb with that thing.

[wm1066]

01:54 PM on 10/05/2010

I loved smoking Sobronne Black Russian Cigerettes, Russian Troika, or a good Balkan blend but you can't get Sobronne in the states after the tobacco wars. Its been a long time since I smoked tobacco, and I don't miss it. Once I realized tobacco helps tamp down emotions, but when the tobacco wears off the emotions surface in a craving for another smoke, that tamps down the emotions again..its an endless cycle. If you learn to deal with your emotions quiting tobacco becomes alot easier.

[mgabrys]

01:53 PM on 10/05/2010

I get plenty of nicotene in mine - and mine's not sold in some crappy mall and isn't a rip-off pricewise. I use the ego (XL model) from Jantyworld.com