The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #32477 Message #452206
Posted By: BlueJay
30-Apr-01 - 01:05 PM
Thread Name: BS: No Smoking Update
Subject: RE: BS: No Smoking Update
Congrats, nutty. Not only on quitting smoking, but for this great thread. It's no small thing you've done; you even have ME considering giving up the habit. A few observations:
What Sourdough said earlier regarding the three "hooks" of smoking is enlightening. I recently heard statistics about the percentages of people able to quit using various methods. Pretty grim. I don't remember the exact figures, but only about 15% quit while using Zyban. Nicotine patches were even worse, something like 8%. Surprisingly, the "cold turkey" quitters fared best, something in the 20% range.
In light of Sourdough's remarks, it all makes sense. The pill and patchers are in many cases attacking only the physical addiction, while the cold turkeys are probably the most motivated, and would tend more to take care of all three "hooks". Interesting.
Maybe you all can help me make sense of something. I work in a state prison which is entirely non-smoking. When I go to work, I am stuck for twelve and a half hours of non-smoking. I am not allowed to leave even for lunch. I am very busy at work, which helps. But my twelve hours are spent at ease, and I usually don't even think of smoking, because the possibility is just not there. I do start to get a little antsy near quitting time.
Likewise, the prisoners, some 700 convicts, most of whom used to smoke. They are now in a rigidly controlled environment where smoking is not a legal option. A black market does exist, but I think most of them choose not to take the risk of losing earned time and priveleges, like family visits. Plus, cigarettes sell for $200.00 a carton. They gripe about the food, the beds, the guards, the temperature. But I never here them complaining about how inhumane it is to be locked up in a non-smoking environment. I think they've just given up, much as I do every time I go to work.
Sorry to ramble on. I just thought you all might find some of this stuff interesting. Thanks, BlueJay