Speaker to Animals wrote:I am telling you right here and now that, if you really want to quit something you are addicted to, you can quit it. You need the willpower to do it, and people who don't quit smoking often simply don't really have the will to quit. They might have strong willpower in general, but they don't really want to quit.
I have read straight-up heroin addicts say something similar. They tried all sorts of programs, but they didn't actually quit until they truly wanted to quit.
And if smokers really don't want to quit in their heart of hearts, then I suggest maybe vaping isn't such a bad idea -- as long as they don't expose me to the second hand vapor. I very much doubt vaping is as dangerous for your health as smoking or dipping. You might still be addicted to nicotine, but you aren't killing yourself with carcinogens in the process. If you do it right, then vaping can be for smokers what immodium is for pain pill addicts.
The way I look at it, quitting is not just addiction vs. desire/will power.
Think of a 2 sided scale, on one side is the addiction and habit, on the other side is the reasons you want to quit and will power.
What makes cigarettes so difficult is that the reasons are mostly mental knowledge of long-term downsides to your health, and short-term cost of money. The addiction doesn't have a lot to fight against, as those aren't always rationally considered in the present.
Nicotine withdrawal is not that bad, it sucks, but it's not like opiates. You aren't puking your guts out and sweating 10 lbs. off because you haven't had a cigarette.
When I tried to quit smoking, I'd have 10 minute long white-knuckle battles with my willpower after parking my car, not turning off the engine because I could drive to the gas station and buy a pack.
When I quit drinking, it was the easiest thing I'd ever done. There was no internal battle, because I fully appreciated all of the reasons why I had to stop, and would never drinking again. I haven't once had the desire to drink, because it is simply no longer an option in decision-making.
When the serious consequences of addiction are manifested, unless you're dealing with major chemical addiction, it is a very easy thing to stop doing. Would it be as hard to quit smoking after you're diagnosed with lung cancer?