No Nicotine
Facts
Nicotine is as addictive as cocaine.
8.6 million Americans have at least one serious illness caused by cigarette smoking.
80% of adult smokers started before the age of 18.
Every day over 4,000 people under the age of 18 smoke their first cigarette.
Every year over $75 billion dollars is spent on cigarette-related medical expenses.
70% of smokers say they want to quit.
91.2% of all successful long-term quitters quit cold turkey.
Take Action Today
1. Stop smoking -- do it cold turkey. Don't light up today. Or tomorrow. You can do it!
2. Quit with a friend so that you can hold each other accountable.
3. If necessary, use one of the many nicotine replacement therapies.
4. If you are a non-smoker, "adopt" a smoker. Support them by giving encouragement, exercising together, going out where there isn't likely to be smoking, and providing comfort and accountability.
There will be 1 billion fewer cigarettes smoked and 274 million fewer cigarettes littered if nobody lights up today. People say it is hard to stop smoking, but isn't it harder to keep doing it? To continue smoking you have to pay for cigarettes, always have a lighter or matches, get rid of the ashes, and figure out what to do with the butt. Oh...and hope it doesn't kill you. May this day be the first day of the rest of your and your friend's nicotine-free life.
You Matter
Arthur Emerson of Merced County smoked his entire life. And, when we say "smoked," we mean smoked. For 30 years Arthur smoked 2.5 packs of cigarettes a day.
"When I was a kid, there was not as much messaging about the fact that smoking was addictive and cancer-causing. All of the TV and magazine ads were about how sexy smoking was. So, I started at a young age in high school, because I was curious and it was the cool thing to do," admitted Arthur.
One of the most common things young smokers say is that they will quit when they get married or have a family. But like those same people, Arthur had a difficult time quitting and found himself married with two teenage boys...and still smoking.
"I smoked everywhere. In the car, the house, at work. I even had my wife and kids sit in the smoking section of airplanes just so I could smoke. I feel terrible saying that, but it was such a big part of my life. I couldn't imagine not doing it."
But one day that all changed. One of Arthur's sons was a part of the D.A.R.E. program at his junior high school. It was a police funded program that had junior high students visit elementary schools to share with them the negative effects of smoking, drinking, and drug use.
"I will never forget the day that Charles walked in the house from school," Arthur said. "He said: 'Look Dad, this is what your lungs look like,' and he handed me a glass case holding a petrified lung of a male smoker who had been smoking 2 packs a day for 30 years. The lung was pitch black and shriveled."
That was the bingo moment for Arthur. He "saw the light" and immediately threw away all of his cigarettes and lighters.
"I was done. Grossed out and done. Cold turkey," shared Arthur. "It wasn't easy, but I just kept remembering the image of that lung and knew I couldn't go back. And if I could do it, anyone can."
So what is it going to take for you to quit? Fortunately, for Arthur, it wasn't a personal medical condition caused by smoking, rather just a caring son who was trying to help. Hopefully you will have your bingo moment sooner than later. Or, if you are not a smoker, but know someone who is, maybe you can play the role of Charles. Just go find a petrified lung of a smoker...it seemed to do the job.
Thank you Charles! Your perseverance matters. And thank you Arthur for being an inspiration.
Please visit EveryMondayMatters.com to buy the book, get involved, book a speaking engagement/event, and share your stories about making a difference in the world. You matter.
I would rather people don't do a lot of things they do. The Myth of Passive Smoke,or second hand smoke is and example of how extreme the prejudice against people who smoke has become.
Please read the most comprehensive study on passive smoke by the WHO. You won't find it online,you will have to find a way to get into a University library to read it.
The US governmnet also had 24 studies done on passive smoke...22 were inconclusive,2 said it had a slight effect and 2 said it had no effect.
Why does America go from one extreme to the other.
It was obvious that it is better not to smoke as far as health is concerned when America was advertising smoking everywhere. It is just as obvious that passive smoke isn't harmful in normal circumstances and that smoking ,while bad, has become the scape goat for all kinds of health problems.
Negative advertising does not work full stop.
Could you imagine Loreal doing an advertising campaign with the slogan 'DO NOT BUY MAX FACTOR!'. Of course not, they would be advertising Max Factor!
Do you notice how fat people who always fail at diets constantly fail at diets have a tape in their heads playing 'don't eat cake, sweets, fat.....' all the brain hears is 'EAT this'!
Same with smoking and drugs.
I never understood why every time I saw an 'anti' smoking advertisment I always thought 'smoking, I need a cigarette', later I realised the brain does not recognise the 'no' in 'no smoking', just the 'smoking'. Smoking does not mean anything to a non smoker but to a smoker there is an attachment there and every ad is a reminder to smoke.
You all act as if we don't know. We do know. We just don't care.
It's one thing to point out the negative health effects of second hand smoke to those who do not smoke. I do smoke outside, and usually not in the vicinity of children, or anyone else who is not a smoker.
But, at the same time, this isn't about the health benefits or drawbacks anymore. This is about control, and how the media and the world in general tries to control everyone else's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
What happened to embracing President Obama's call for personal responsibility? Take care of yourself, don't worry so much about your neighbor. Let them...no...force them to take responsibility for their own life, and if they choose to smoke, then let them be. If they choose to quit, then that's great. One of the studies you neglect to mention is the one saying that people who decide to quit smoking are most successful when they quit for themself, not for someone else.
Leave us alone and let us make our own decisions and take responsibility for our own lives.