I never believed that BS either. In fact, I found the opposite is true. Smokers are usually out there mixing it up with coworkers from different areas and are usually better employees.
A smoking break also has a definitive beginning and end which encompasses only a few minutes. OTOH non-smokers meander around the office on the breaks, go from cubicle to cubicle, to the pantry etc. There are no definitive studies on the issue, only competing studies, so don't let someone throw out the vague 'studies' card. Besides, if they could smoke at their desks, then they wouldn't need to take a break, lol. To answer the poll, no - it didn't cause me to quit. I did stock up before the increase though: The Christmas Card Carton......ah, the good old days.
I only smoke 5 cigs a day but can't find the will power to quit for more than a day at a time. Everytime I go more than 24 hours with a cigarette I find myself turning into a miserable Dr. Jekyll... despite being a very laid back person before and during the time I've been smoking cigarettes. I grew up overseas, smoking is much more popular over there. Now I totally regret it. I've never tried the patch, but by the end of this year I'm determined to use it as I've been slowly losing alot of the stamina I had when playing basketball and soccer.
The first 3 days is horrible, but if you can force yourself through it, it gets better. I'm on day 6 and the crazy stuff has passed. Now it's just the occasional, "Man a cig would be nice", but those you can put behind you. This will be something I will be looking back on and thanking myself.
Keep it up! On 1-22-07, it will be two months cigarette free for me after 30+ years, and I couldn't be happier. The fringe benefits are worth it. I'm not hacking or coughing, but I am walking bowlegged this morning.
Many people abuse company time with smoke breaks. Employers want employees to make them money, not smoke.
I've never met a non-smoker who didn't do anything during the work day except focus solely on the job that they are being paid for doing.
I had many reasons to quit, the tax hike was just the final straw. I have smoked for over 20 years. Smoke free now for 14 days. Cold Turkey
Wow, don't know where my mind is today. But when I saw this thread I thought it said Pot Smokers Only Was the increase enough to quit?
I'm sorry for disappointing you Fatty, but you know it's got to be some righteous humding for me to throw the butts away after 30 years. It is.
I thought I would bump the threads to let everyone know that as of today, it has been 1 month since I stopped smoking. I wanted to know how others were doing and reinforce that I'm not turning back and I wish others good luck in their quest to be smoke-free.
Good for you. I quit July 4th weekend. It gets easier the longer you go, but I guess I'll probably always miss my little friends. I basically just realize that if I never allow nicotine in my system, I will most likely never start up again. I'm all or nothing when it comes to stuff like that
I decided a couple weeks ago to quit and 99% of the time I don't miss it. I miss it at bars and with that first cup of coffee in the morning. Tomorrow's my first road trip without it, so I know I'll miss it then. I have had just one on a few different occasions and have been able to do that with no problem. That's probably what I'll continue to do.
The wife and I tried to completely quit New Year and couldn't do it. It is just impossible when we drink. We switched to rolling our own cigs (American Spirit Organic) when we drink only. We smoke a lot less that way, it takes time to roll them and we just share it. So no more chain smoking when we drink (once a week). It's the best we can do for now.
