# Kicking tobacco...



## Jay (Jun 11, 2013)

I've never smoked, not really my thing. Hate the way it tastes, yadda yadda. I will say, since high school baseball I have been all about some copenhagen for about 8 years now. Usually a can a week to as much as a can a day(when I was younger). The thought process of having to kick this habit sounds terrible during BCT so I have decided to kick this prior. I am now going through two pots of a coffee a day. Haven't had any dip in 2 weeks. Trying to dial it down. Anyone go through this?


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## Marauder06 (Jun 11, 2013)

Lots of people.

Congratulations on your decision to quit tobacco, it will be one of the most important decisions of your life.


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## RustyShackleford (Jun 11, 2013)

Jay said:


> Anyone go through this?


 
Yep.  Now that you have stopped chewing, do not start again.


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## Jay (Jun 11, 2013)

RustyShackleford said:


> Yep. Now that you have stopped chewing, do not start again.


 

That is my absolute fixation. I don't even go into gas stations anymore. Just gas then leave. If i'm with people they get whatever. I can't even smell it right now or my body goes nuts.


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## SkrewzLoose (Jun 11, 2013)

http://www.shadowspear.com/vb/threads/quitting-smoking-need-some-encouragment.14212/

A few folks around here, as well.
Keep up the good work.


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## Gypsy (Jun 11, 2013)

Jay said:


> That is my absolute fixation. I don't even go into gas stations anymore. Just gas then leave. If i'm with people they get whatever. I can't even smell it right now or my body goes nuts.


 
Pretty soon you will be revolted by the smell.  Keep up the good work!


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## Muppet (Jun 11, 2013)

Now if I could get my partner to stop dipping. Nasty bastard. If you reading this, Marty, STOP!

F.M.


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## Jay (Jun 11, 2013)

Thanks ya'll! It's not easy. Ever since I've dropped alcohol (mostly) and junk food this was the last thing. I'm feeling better over all just craving SOMETHING!! I'm trying to pt or run/workout whenever it gets bad. I tend to feel better after.


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## Tropicana98 (Jun 11, 2013)

Agreed good on you for stopping. However, if you get to Regiment you're gonna be around guys who dip like they breathe and that's pretty universal, across 3/75 anyway. If you stick with it through the pipeline it probably won't be an issue by the time you get here but then again I never dipped until I got here.


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## Jay (Jun 11, 2013)

Tropicana98 said:


> Agreed good on you for stopping. However, if you get to Regiment you're gonna be around guys who dip like they breathe and that's pretty universal, across 3/75 anyway. If you stick with it through the pipeline it probably won't be an issue by the time you get here but then again I never dipped until I got here.


 

I figured as much. I'm trying to be as clean as possible physically. I want zero potential aliments by the time I get to RASP. Btw, hoping to lock in 35M by next week. Stoked.


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## fox1371 (Jun 11, 2013)

Firemedic said:


> Now if I could get my partner to stop dipping. Nasty bastard. If you reading this, Marty, STOP!
> 
> F.M.


To easy?  I think so...I'm going to be a complete gentleman and not even say anything haha.


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## Viper1 (Jun 11, 2013)

Hell yeah man.  I've quit and relapsed over the last 3-4 years but quit last December on a trip.  Cold turkey, the patch, whatever you need, you can do it!


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## Jay (Jun 11, 2013)

Viper1 said:


> Hell yeah man. I've quit and relapsed over the last 3-4 years but quit last December on a trip. Cold turkey, the patch, whatever you need, you can do it!


 

I don't want to hop on the patch bc knowing me I'll relapse. Going cold turkey. I'm having to find things to keep me occupied in my down time. So instead of throwing in a dip while watching a movie or driving or whatever, I try to pt or focus on something else. Off days from work or training are the worst.


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## 8654Maine (Jun 11, 2013)

I'll be honest, I tried it to stay awake during Ranger School and couple of other times.
I accidentally drank a coke can full of it.  Cured me righteous.


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## Muppet (Jun 11, 2013)

fox1371 said:


> To easy? I think so...I'm going to be a complete gentleman and not even say anything haha.


 

Oh, come on man! LOL. Uncalled for!:wall:

F.M.


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## Muppet (Jun 11, 2013)

JRTC, "96".
Me: What's in your lip?
Joe Grunt: Copenhagen doc.
Me: Whats it taste like?
Grunt: It's good. Wanna try some?
Me: Sure.
Grunt: DOC! Don"t swallow it! OK?
Me: OK.
Me: FUCK!
Grunt: WHAT doc?
Me: I swallowed it! Now what?
Grunt: LMAO.
Me: Vomiting and wretching for hours.

NEVER AGAIN!

F.M.


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## Kunoichii (Jun 11, 2013)

Start chewing lots of gum, that helped me quit for 2 years... then I started again... then I stopped again... repeat. Keep it up, you will be thankful when you finally don't even think about it anymore. And you will have more money


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## SpongeBob*24 (Jun 11, 2013)

Don't think about quitting, JUST DON'T DO IT!!!!!

Our bodies are wired to want what we can't have.

You say "I'm going on a diet, no cookies"...2 minutes later all you can think of is......

COOKIES!!!!!_ _

Every time you want a yummy copey snack.....don't drink coffee....do PT!
Don't get set on drinking coffee, I don't even think we had coffee in my BCT....
If we did, I'm sure It looked like muddy water and tasted like _turpentine.........._

_:wall:_


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## ProPatria (Jun 11, 2013)

I fucking LOVE Copenhagen Long Cut. I chew a can a day and have for about 5 years. The only thing that makes me want to quit is the fact that it cost $20 a can where I live.

That being said, congrats on making an attempt to quit and once you are free of it, keep off it.


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## Rexus (Jun 11, 2013)

on a more serious not the biggest problem i've found with quitting is occupying myself. the problem is that over time smoking and dipping becomes second nature so the best way ive found to kick the habit is to chew gum or a toothpick because quitting is easy not using tobacco is hard.


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## Rexus (Jun 11, 2013)




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## Confederate Son (Jun 11, 2013)

Holy CRAP! $20 A CAN????  THAT might encourage me alone... Then again.. maybe not. I'm a 20+ year Copenhagen Long Cut ADDICT. Ironic as hell I find this post tonite as this afternoon I was contemplating what I need to do to quit. I'm possibly getting ready to start a new job.. tenure and rank allowed me to sit at my desk for 9hrs a day with a  redman sized wad of it in my cheek and a strategicly camouflaged spitter within arms reach. The weird part is I didnt hide the fact that I was doing it..I was just trying to spare everyone else who came by the sight of it..  Not gonna happen with the new gig.

I've been working under the radar until I find permanent employment and what I do is way more physical than anything I've done in the last 15 years.. I've found when I'm busting my ass and sweating like a fiend that I dont evem have the urge to dip. The moment I cool down though it's the first thing on my mind. Ive quit for periods and always gone back, usually when I've gotten pissed off about something.

Tell ya what Jay.. You post here when you put down the can and I'll do it with ya. Everyday we'll notch another day on this thread till' we both no longer feel the need. One of us lapses we'll clock each other with verbal 2x4's... Gentlemans honor .. Say when.


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## SpongeBob*24 (Jun 11, 2013)

ProPatria said:


> I fucking LOVE Copenhagen Long Cut. I chew a can a day and have for about 5 years. The only thing that makes me want to quit is the fact that it cost $20 a can where I live.
> 
> That being said, congrats on making an attempt to quit and once you are free of it, keep off it.


 
Yepp, that junk up in the North West is 8-10 a can......crazy!!!!!

But you save money in the long run cause Beer is cheaper if you go with a local brewery.....


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## Jay (Jun 11, 2013)

Lots of good advice, glad I'm not the only one!! Thanks to all!! I will say if it keeps me awake during Ranger school that may be the only time I consider it. Other than that, it may be hot sauce in the eyes, but I digress.


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## Tropicana98 (Jun 11, 2013)

Jay said:


> Lots of good advice, glad I'm not the only one!! Thanks to all!! I will say if it keeps me awake during Ranger school that may be the only time I consider it. Other than that, it may be hot sauce in the eyes, but I digress.


 
Btw tobacco use is now allowed in RASP, so this could give you a chance to further out perform those in your class who choose to smoke after work.


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## Jay (Jun 11, 2013)

Tropicana98 said:


> Btw tobacco use is now allowed in RASP, so this could give you a chance to further out perform those in your class who choose to smoke after work.


 

Interesting. My whole focus right now is holding strength and endurance, while dropping about 10 more pounds(make it easier to run/ruck). I'm a little surprised they allow that, are you allowed any kind of supplements(protein)?


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## Scotth (Jun 11, 2013)

Keep strong Jay.  I don't have a whole lot to add beyond what others say.

I would just echo what Mara said about being one of your most important life decisions.

You have my best wishes for throwing that monkey off your back.


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## Jay (Jun 11, 2013)

Scotth said:


> Keep strong Jay. I don't have a whole lot to add beyond what others say.
> 
> I would just echo what Mara said about being one of your most important life decisions.
> 
> You have my best wishes for throwing that monkey off your back.


 

Thanks Boss! It's harder than I thought because I always thought I could just quit at any time. I didn't realize just how difficult it'd be. But I will say that burpees, log carries, rucking and flutterkicks still suck more than the cravings.


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## TLDR20 (Jun 12, 2013)

I quit May 17th. It has been pretty hard. Separate yourself from people who dip and it will be easier.


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## RustyShackleford (Jun 12, 2013)

cback0220 said:


> I quit May 17th. It has been pretty hard. Separate yourself from people who dip and it will be easier.


 
Solid work!  Keep yourself occupied.  I kept extra chow, coffee, and water on hand.  Also, stop by Walgreen's or someplace and buy one of those cans of trident gum (the one that will fit in your cup holder).  I could fuck up a can of chew on a road trip, so in lieu of that, I kept a can of gum handy while on the road.


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## TLDR20 (Jun 12, 2013)

I don't personally like chewing gum. However one thing that has helped me is Metamucil. Before when I have quit I have gotten constipated something fierce. Metamucil daily is key for me.


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## TLDR20 (Jun 12, 2013)

Also use other people who have quit or are close to them and talk it out. Sounds gay, I know, but quitting is a lot harder I. The Fortress of Solitude. I know I look for reasons to go put a dip in. Wife says something I don't like, I want a dip, studying for a hard test. I want a dip. But you slowly break those habits one at a time. The hardest by far for me has been not dipping after eating, and while drinking beer.


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## RustyShackleford (Jun 12, 2013)

cback0220 said:


> I don't personally like chewing gum. However one thing that has helped me is Metamucil. Before when I have quit I have gotten constipated something fierce. Metamucil daily is key for me.


 
Yeah, I don't care for gum either, but if I'm chugging coffee or beer, there will be waaay too many piss stops!

Disassociating chew from everything you used to do with chew is the hard part.  Like you said, while drinking, after chow, whatever...


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## Tropicana98 (Jun 12, 2013)

Jay said:


> Interesting. My whole focus right now is holding strength and endurance, while dropping about 10 more pounds(make it easier to run/ruck). I'm a little surprised they allow that, are you allowed any kind of supplements(protein)?


 
Your own supplements, no. But they have cases of gatorade shakes by the CQ desk which are pretty packed with good shit.


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## RustyShackleford (Jun 12, 2013)

RustyShackleford said:


> Yeah, I don't care for gum either, but if I'm chugging coffee or beer...




Lol...that should read "coffee or water."


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## TLDR20 (Jun 17, 2013)

I just surpassed 1 month. Supposedly that is the worst. Keep with it if you are quitting.


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## Coyote (Jun 18, 2013)

17 years and counting with no smoking/tobacco/dip... :troll:


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## ProPatria (Jun 18, 2013)

Coyote said:


> 17 years and counting with no smoking/tobacco/dip... :troll:


 
You ever want to come to CANSOF you will have to change that :-"


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## Jay (Jun 18, 2013)

cback0220 said:


> I just surpassed 1 month. Supposedly that is the worst. Keep with it if you are quitting.


 

It's been about a month now. I will say this. I'm getting a lot better at pushups..every time I get the craving, it's pushups till failure!


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## Gypsy (Jun 18, 2013)

Good job!


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## TAC-E6 (Jun 27, 2013)

Hey F.M...... I've had a stroke, 4 kids, work in Bucks County EMS , and have had to deal with your ass for years. Ill keep my Wintergreen Skoal thank you ! Your lucky I'm not doing coke outta a hookers belly button lol !!


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## Muppet (Jun 27, 2013)

TAC-E6 said:


> Hey F.M...... I've had a stroke, 4 kids, work in Bucks County EMS , and have had to deal with your ass for years. Ill keep my Wintergreen Skoal thank you ! Your lucky I'm not doing coke outta a hookers belly button lol !!


 
Coke out of some hookers belly button off airport road would be BETTER than that shit your doing!

F.M.


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Jun 27, 2013)

This thread makes me want to go buy a can of long cut right now...

I was never bad about dipping, I used it instead of smoking in the field / on missions. But smoking on the other hand is a love hate relationship.  I hardly smoke around the house or the family, but morning coffee or a few beers and I smoke like a chimney.


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## Tropicana98 (Jun 27, 2013)

TAC-E6 said:


> Hey F.M...... I've had a stroke, 4 kids, work in Bucks County EMS , and have had to deal with your ass for years. Ill keep my Wintergreen Skoal thank you ! Your lucky I'm not doing coke outta a hookers belly button lol !!



Skoal? No sir you need Copenhagen Natural haha.


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## ProPatria (Jun 27, 2013)

More like Copenhagen Long Cut.


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## RustyShackleford (Jun 28, 2013)

Copenhagen snuff is where it is at!


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## TLDR20 (Aug 31, 2013)

I have gotten through 3 months.


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## Marauder06 (Aug 31, 2013)

Well done.


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## racing_kitty (Aug 31, 2013)

Great job.


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## TLDR20 (Aug 31, 2013)

Marauder06 said:


> Well done.



It has actually been difficult, after 1 month i started having dreams about dipping. Now I have dreams about dipping where I give in and am upset about it. After a while you turn a corner. That time before you turn a corner is the worst. Don't let people BS you quitting is hard as fuck.


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## medicchick (Aug 31, 2013)

cback0220 said:


> It has actually been difficult, after 1 month i started having dreams about dipping. Now I have dreams about dipping where I give in and am upset about it. After a while you turn a corner. That time before you turn a corner is the worst. Don't let people BS you quitting is hard as fuck.


I quite smoking ~6 years ago, there are still times I want a cigarette, especially when I'm stressed.  It sucks but you just learn to ignore/deal with it.  I used the Nicorette gum when I quit the second time.


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## Salt USMC (Aug 31, 2013)

cback0220 said:


> It has actually been difficult, after 1 month i started having dreams about dipping. Now I have dreams about dipping where I give in and am upset about it. After a while you turn a corner. That time before you turn a corner is the worst. Don't let people BS you quitting is hard as fuck.


Damn.  If I was still having cravings about smoking after three months, I probably would've offed myself!  Good on you.


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## Jay (Sep 2, 2013)

Haven't had a dip since June. I feel fine (mostly). Long drives are really when I want it. I'm glad I'm not gonna have to sweat this during bct. 3 more weeks as of today, 13 weeks until I graduate. I think the only thing physically I'm gonna struggle with during boot is beer. I'm used to 2-3 a night..


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## Arrow 4 (Sep 2, 2013)

You guys are all a bunch of weenies. Contrary to popular opinion tobacco has many beneficial attributes, especially a smoke with my coffee in the morning  It also drives away mosquitos (Temporarily) and covers my human scent while bow hunting....(Yes I shot that big bull Elk in my Avatar last year right after finishing a smoke) seriously though good luck to you!


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## Red Flag 1 (Sep 2, 2013)

cback0220 said:


> It has actually been difficult, after 1 month i started having dreams about dipping. Now I have dreams about dipping where I give in and am upset about it. After a while you turn a corner. That time before you turn a corner is the worst. Don't let people BS you quitting is hard as fuck.



If it was easy to quit, we all would be "social" smokers.


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## Red Flag 1 (Sep 2, 2013)

Arrow 4 said:


> You guys are all a bunch of weenies. Contrary to popular opinion tobacco has many beneficial attributes, especially a smoke with my coffee in the morning  It also drives away mosquitos (Temporarily) and covers my human scent while bow hunting....(Yes I shot that bill bull Elk in my Avatar last year right after finishing a smoke) seriously though good luck to you!



I am willing to wager, that wildlife associate tobacco smoke with human behavior


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## Arrow 4 (Sep 7, 2013)

Red Flag 1 said:


> I am willing to wager, that wildlife associate tobacco smoke with human behavior


 
Maybe? But it hasn't stopped me from killing critters at bow range.


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## Tropicana98 (Sep 7, 2013)

Jay said:


> . I'm used to 2-3 a night..



This was weird for me during OSUT too. I hadn't picked up dipping yet but after coming from college where I was raging 2-3 nights a week to going to bed at 2100 on a Saturday night was...awkward haha.


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## Jay (Sep 7, 2013)

Tropicana98 said:


> This was weird for me during OSUT too. I hadn't picked up dipping yet but after coming from college where I was raging 2-3 nights a week to going to bed at 2100 on a Saturday night was...awkward haha.



Gonna shoot a message to ya, got a couple of  questions about Batt.


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## TLDR20 (Nov 18, 2013)

Today is 6 months for me, and I honestly don't miss it. Spending 5 bucks a day on a can of Copenhagen was expensive, and I never really realized how much so till I stopped. I don't think I'll ever dip again, though when I get drunk with Army buddies it is hard not to still.


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## RackMaster (Nov 18, 2013)

Awesome work!


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## dirtmover (Nov 18, 2013)

Yeah I had quit when I first got off the trail.  But when I got to my unit and it wasn't all that it was cracked up to be I started up again.  I thought about quiting while down range but.....well I don't want to get fat eating class 1 driving at a 1/2 a mile an hour doing RCP.  Then Copenhagen long cut went on sale at the px 75% off.......that was all she wrote I bought 32 logs lol.  I commend all those that quit.  May be after this deployment I will give it another go.


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## Salt USMC (Nov 26, 2013)

December 1st will be one year and seven months of no tobacco for me.  There was another thread where I wrote about my thoughts and experiences on it, but it basically boiled down to this: I was sick of smoking, and sick of the "smoking on deployment, quitting in garrison" cycle.  What kept me going through those first few weeks was the knowledge that I'd disappoint a bunch of SS members if I messed up.  Eventually, it got to the point where I had no desire whatsoever to smoke (I never liked dipping so that wasn't a problem).  And so now, barring some incredible misfortune that somehow causes me to smoke, I'll probably be off tobacco for life.


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Nov 26, 2013)

You bunch of quitters... :)

Crazy to see how much the culture has changed, in all aspects, but smoking being a good example. I don't think anyone can dispute smoking/dipping is bad for you, same for drinking coke cola, and driving on a freeway, or a whole host of other things. Only real big difference now, is everyone from a.citizen to the local, state and federal gov, telling what you can and cannot do, where and when you can do it (if they allow you) and in many cases how much.

Yep, home of the free...


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## Salt USMC (Nov 26, 2013)

JAB said:


> You bunch of quitters... :)
> 
> Crazy to see how much the culture has changed, in all aspects, but smoking being a good example. I don't think anyone can dispute smoking/dipping is bad for you, same for drinking coke cola, and driving on a freeway, or a whole host of other things. Only real big difference now, is everyone from a.citizen to the local, state and federal gov, telling what you can and cannot do, where and when you can do it (if they allow you) and in many cases how much.
> 
> Yep, home of the free...


Well, studies dating all the way back to 1993 have shown that secondhand smoke is MORE dangerous to the people around a smoker than smoking itself.  That's why so many places are smoke-free now - anyone around a smoker is basically taking in all the unfiltered crap that comes along with a cigarette, and their only option is to move out of the area.  But if you're in an area (say, a classroom or office) that doesn't have any non-smoking areas around it, you don't really have a choice.  It goes beyond the mentality of "Let me do stuff to myself as long as I'm not hurting others", because smokers are not only harming others, the smokers are harming them MORE than themselves.


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Nov 26, 2013)

No argument from me, I don't smoke in my home b/c of my kids. However walking 100+ yards to the "smoking area" or being told I can't smoke in my own vehicle is a bit much IMO. 

Anyway I'm not trying to debate the good or bad, it's obviously bad. Just funny how the culture has changed, I can remember being in a platoon where every single soldier to include the PL used a tobacco product.


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## RustyShackleford (Nov 27, 2013)

JAB said:


> No argument from me, I don't smoke in my home b/c of my kids. However walking 100+ yards to the "smoking area" or being told I can't smoke in my own vehicle is a bit much IMO.
> 
> Anyway I'm not trying to debate the good or bad, it's obviously bad. Just funny how the culture has changed, I can remember being in a platoon where every single soldier to include the PL used a tobacco product.


 
I agree, individuals have the right to choose.  Outside of my office there used to be a big ash tree with a picnic table underneath where to smokers would huddle together.  It was far enough from our front door that we didn't care and close enough for the smokers to be good targets for dry fire drills, through tinted glass of course.


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## TLDR20 (Nov 27, 2013)

JAB said:


> No argument from me, I don't smoke in my home b/c of my kids. However walking 100+ yards to the "smoking area" or being told I can't smoke in my own vehicle is a bit much IMO.
> 
> Anyway I'm not trying to debate the good or bad, it's obviously bad. Just funny how the culture has changed, I can remember being in a platoon where every single soldier to include the PL used a tobacco product.



I mean on my team there were 8 out of 12 guys that dipped. The culture of it is still there. I quit because I always said I would when I got out.


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## Marauder06 (Nov 27, 2013)

Smoking is the #1 preventable cause of death in the US.  If it only affected the smoker, I'd have no objection to people smoking themselves to death.  But it's not like you go to bed healthy one night and wake up dead the next morning due to smoking.  Most of the smoking-related causes of death are long, painful, and expensive.  The cost to the US economy due to smoking-related illnesses and losses of productivity are in the hundreds of billions of dollars.  So people like to say, "It's my body, I should be able to do what I want with it," yeah, but people like me are the ones who are going to have to pay to try to maintain that body after you've poisoned it for however many years.  Close to 9 million people deal with a smoking-related illness.  We're all paying for it.  So us non-tobacco addicts have a dog in this fight as well. 

To you smokers out there, especially those who are trying to quit, DO IT.  Do whatever it takes; cut off relationships, stop activities that "make" you smoke, don't go to places where you're likely to light up.  I think I mentioned years ago in this thread that one of my grandfathers and my best friend's father died from smoking.  I saw both of them before the end.  Dying slowly from one of these diseases is a TERRIBLE way to die.  You're cheating yourself and your friends and family out of good, healthy years by being addicted to tobacco.  Be stronger than your addiction.  Do it right now, not "after the holidays," not "after I finish this last pack," do what it takes to quit today.  Do it for yourself, your friends and families, and the rest of us who are going to have to pay for you to die a lingering, painful death after your body and your finances are wrecked by your addiction.

http://www.cancer.org/research/infographicgallery/tobacco-infographic-text-alternative
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2012/06/14/US-smoking-related-diseases-cost-96B/UPI-56571339724113/


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## Cody (Nov 28, 2013)

JAB said:


>


That was just fantastic, now I know...I'm addicted to the taste of Grizzly Wintergreen, spent all these years wondering why I couldn't stop.


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## 8654Maine (Nov 28, 2013)

For you dippers and smokers, if you want, you can shadow me in the ER and see all the ones who didn't quit.


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## comrade-z (Nov 28, 2013)

Not exactly scientific data, but a little more tangible/visceral.


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## Cody (Nov 28, 2013)

^thats is an eye opener.


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## Arrow 4 (Nov 28, 2013)

Marauder06 said:


> Smoking is the #1 preventable cause of death in the US.  - Soon to be replaced with Obama Care :wall:


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