Smokin'

On Monday evening a young woman hailed me on Elizabeth Street at Central railway. Before climbing aboard she hurriedly took a last drag on a cigarette then extinguished it in a rubbish bin. The lingering odour flooded the cab as she settled into the front seat and ordered her destination.

“How long have you been smokin’,” I asked. “Aw, a couple of years,” she fibbed. Smokers always fib about their habit. “What, two, three years?” I pressed her. “Nah, about ten,” she laughed then explained how she didn’t consider herself a fully fledged smoker due to having commenced smoking on a casual basis. Yet she conceded this was also a delusion.

Upon revealing that I had given up smoking this year she asked how it was going. “Really good,” I replied showing her a rolled-up candy wrapper held between my (smoking) fingers. This was pretty funny at the time though not as desperate as it sounds, despite my sucking on a sugar-free sweet.

After quitting smoking eight months ago I sucked these sweets like...candy, consuming around a dozen or more per shift. Now, I’m happy to report, the sweet intake is down to two or three per night. Otherwise I’m a successful non-smoker these days and really haven’t struggled to maintain the abstinence.

Initially my food appetite increased and was in danger of getting out of control but I’ve learned to maximise my fruit and water intake, stabilising the weight around average.

Here's a confession, though, many will find strange. On my last holiday I elected to smoke again, around four cigarettes per day totalling a packet and a half. I was primarily intrigued by my quit smoking guru, Allen Carr, who recorded doing the same thing after quitting smoking. And also I was on holidays!

So, being a thrill seeker, I decided to test my resolve by resuming smoking for ten days. It was an easy decision as I was staying with friends who smoke. Whilst it was fun to do, especially on the grog, I never felt guilty or imagined it was permanent.

Accordingly there were no negative consequences from this experiment because I retained the desire for my new found condition of being a non-smoker. Quitting is not only a grand, liberating achievement but also a powerful incentive to resist resuming.

Thus upon returning to Sydney I slotted effortlessly back into my healthy habit and, once again, feel fitter, wealthier and more relaxed. Smokin’ is really enjoyable but not smoking feels way better.

Comments

[kingofnewyorkhacks]

Well done Adrian !! A great perspective on they joys and the evils of smoking !

[Matt]

After reading your recommendation from a while back, I also read 'the book'. Worked for me too... Although I haven't tried my luck!!

Cheers!

[Rainer the cabbie]

Matt
Good on you, personally I don't know how Adrian does the social smoking, I get back into 40 a day if I just have one, and it takes at least one year before I get back to non smoking. Not worth the try if you ask me.

[Toni]

Great work mate - I also gave up in March (with my husband) and we're delighted to be non-smokers. He hasn't taken a puff ever since, but I've had a few - generally on a big night out, which doesn't happen that often. Never had a drama the next day, wanting to take it up again. And my doctor's confessed to me he does the same thing! Keep it up.

[Nathaniel]

Not at all what I was expecting Adrian. I thought it was going to be a rant about a pet hate of mine which is inconsiderate smokers stinking out my cab cause their so desperate to have that last frenzied puff or 3 with my door open and their head barely out the car.

Glad to hear you have kicked the habit thou. If nothing else you will feel better and can find a better home for the $$