Well, I guess it’s time for another update on my non-smoking ways. I can say with some certainty that during these 18 days, about half of the nights were filled with dreams about smoking a cigarette. Interestingly though, I don’t think about smoking much during the day. Sure, sometimes I wish I could smoke a cigarette, just because I’m used to it. But I’m not in a constant battle with myself over the question of going back to smoking or not. I don’t like not smoking, but I like my demonstration of will-power, and for now, that’s enough for me to not resume the habit.

Just out of curiosity (and some sentimentality) I checked out the website of Gauloises manufacturer Altadis. I stumbled upon a PDF document they entitled “Cigarettes and Health”. Here are a few highlights:

Anyone who wants to stop smoking can do so. Millions of smokers quit every year, most of the time without any form of support or medical supervision.

That’s what I’ve been saying all the time. I mean, what’s the sense behind quitting if it costs you twice as much? They go on with this:

That’s why, paradoxically, too much emphasis on likening tobacco to drugs may discourage people from attempting to stop. Furthermore, such a comparison is excessive, when you consider that consumption of tobacco
never alters the behavior of smokers in a negative way.

Good point. Although some aggressive non-smokers sometimes like to hint at the opposite, smokers are generally good people. Like me.

Ah, and here’s my favourite paragraph:

Health authorities around the world have adopted legislation that significantly extends the prohibition of smoking in public places. While smoking should clearly be banned in public places, such as hospitals, schools or certain transportation facilities, areas should be reserved for smokers everywhere else, in particular in the workplace and common areas (bars, restaurants, etc.) in order to respect individual freedom of choice.

Right on.

Well, thank you all for the kind words of support, pity and glee. I’m very much set on keeping my non-smoking ways, and I guess from now on it’ll be easier than ever.

Although I’m still missing my cigarettes terribly, I believe I’m tending towards something similar to indifference now. Sure, sometimes it hits me like a brick when I think about the fact that I won’t be having a cigarette anytime soon, but these moments are rare and last not very long. Afterwards I just think about the money I’m going to save and the health I’m going to get back (in about seven years…which seems like a ridiculously long time for a piece of stringy tissue like my lungs to recover).

Well, I guess in about two days a week, I will be able to devote my energy to other things again, not just concentrating on not smoking. Until then, you’ll just have to keep reading this sorry diary of a smoker gone non (ok, this last sentence does bend the laws of linguistics, but considering that I’m going through a really rough phase, I guess one shouldn’t be too harsh. Wait, did I just write “harsh”? Like in: “My favourite cigarettes are the harsh ones”?)
Ok, scratch the two days, make it a week. Wait, I’ll do it.