Smoking Cessation: A Commentary

I've never been a smoker of cigarettes. I've tried them several times in my life, but only because curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to feel the experience that cigarettes provided. I tried my first cigarette from a friend who smoked at least one pack a day. I figured if I were to ever try cigarettes in my life, I may as well get it for free. And so I did, and amidst the violent coughs, I was instantly turned off from cigarettes and have never smoked one since. This was about eight years ago.

Strangely or not, I found nothing addictive about the cigarettes I had. Perhaps it was because I smoked the “light” versions, or because I never smoked enough cigarettes to develop the genuine addiction to nicotine. I like many first time “hitters and quitters”, regret ever trying cigarettes. The mere sight of second-hand smoke wafting in my direction is sickening. So you might imagine how I now feel about directly inhaling the fumes into my lungs. Quite frankly, this is how all current smokers and especially those attempting to quit, should feel.

If we examine the smoking problem fundamentally, smoking cigarettes was and is a choice that consumers make. So, it is also a choice they can make to stop smoking cigarettes. The barrier of nicotine addiction and its subsequent withdrawal symptoms can be mitigated and dampened by today's modern, prescription medications. Newly introduced treatments such as hypnosis are also credited with being a legitimate option for smoking cessation, which in practical terms, means quitting is as much a psychological problem as it is a chemical one. And, sure enough, that is correct. In order to quit smoking, a smoker has to want it to happen.

I have spoken with a number of smokers who say the hardest part about smoking cessation is the ability to refrain from resuming the habit, because it has become such an integral part of their daily lives – almost like waking up to brush our teeth, or showering before bed; these individuals have incorporated smoking before breakfast, or during their break at work. As one colleague puts it, holding back from smoking just one cigarette is almost like “holding in your urine when you desperately have to urinate”. But is smoking a needed and naturally occurring human activity in the same way defecating or urinating is? I think not.

The smoking problem is a complex problem and certainly, quitting is not an easy process. But, smokers can certainly learn something from the business world. Smokers need to go through a cost and benefit analysis of their smoking addiction; a pros and con evaluation. Perhaps the greatest con is forgoing a long, healthy life with their families and loved ones. What pro or benefit could possibly outweigh this? An addiction? I'm sure no current smokers would say their addiction is worth more than being with their loved ones and being in good health.

So please, smokers all around the world – please consider the ones who love you and the real consequences of smoking. These costs outweigh your nicotine needs – don't let a chemical break your most important bond.