My first puff came in my mid teens, but it wasn't until a couple years later that I started smoking cigarettes on a regular basis, at the age of 17. Within a couple years, I was a heavy smoker, smoking about 2 packs a day of the strongest cigarettes available.
Though I originally told my wife to be that I'd quit once we got married, I guess I wasn't all that interested in really quitting smoking. As such, it wouldn't happen until many years later, when I was already a father of three kids.
By that time, I had been smoking for close to 11 years. Rising cigarette prices, along with increased warnings about the many dangers and detriments of smoking finally had me seriously thinking about quitting smoking.
Quitting smoking proved harder than I initially imagined. Any little excuse would send me rushing back to get some more smokes. My smoking habit was very ingrained into many facets of my lifestyle; From my first thing in the morning smoke, to after meals, with my coffee or beer, while fishing, etc... The mental addiction was more part of it than the physical dependence on nicotine.
Being an observant Jew, I never smoked on Shabbat, i.e. from sunset on Friday evening until nightfall Saturday night. Being able to avoid smoking for a 25 hour period each week wasn't easy, and by the time Shabbat was over on Saturday nights, I was watching the clock craving that next cigarette.
I figured I'd be able to quit on a Saturday night. After all, 25 hours was a good start, so why not keep it going? That proved wrong, as my mental addiction to that first Saturday night was simply too strong. Despite trying a few times to quit after Shabbat, I failed, despite trying patches, nicotine gums, and similar gimmicks just coming out on the Canadian market at the time.
Finally, in the spring of 2002, I came up with a new plan. I'd quit a day ahead, namely on Thursday night. If I could withstand that Friday without smoking, by the time Saturday night came around, I'd be 48 hours into being smoke free. The Jewish holiday of Lag Baomer turned out to fall on a Thursday that year. After attending a big outdoor BBQ party that evening, I ran out of cigarettes. A friend drove me home, and I bummed one last smoke from him, telling him never to give me another one no matter how much I may ask. That night, I smoked my last cigarette before going to bed.
Next morning, I was ready to face the physical and mental challenge of quitting my pack a half pack to pack a day habit. I missed my morning smoke, and headed to my office for work as usual. In retrospect, it was probably good that I worked alone for most of the day, as I was miserable. Knowing that I could pick up some more cigarettes around the corner any time, didn't make it any easier. By the time I made it to mid afternoon, I was an emotional wreck, and actually burst out crying for no apparent reason, despite being more of a non emotional person to say the least.
I headed home just before the start of Shabbat, and once it arrived, I felt a very peaceful feeling overcome me, knowing that I had passed the most difficult stage of my test. 25 hours later, my next challenge came as expected, but this time, I was serious enough about my decision to keep away from buying some more smokes. I knew how tough the initial 24 hours had been, and was already up to 49 hours of being smoke free. I told myself that it if I can make it another 24 hours, I'd be well on my way to quitting smoking for good.
And thus, by taking it a day at a time, I quit smoking, cold turkey as they say. At the outset, every little problem would bring on thoughts of going to get a smoke to help me calm down, but instead of fooling myself, I knew good and well that I'd be more angry with myself for ruining all the effort I had put in. I knew that I wasn't born with a cigarette in my mouth, and that humans don't need nicotine or tobacco to deal with every day life situations.
After quitting, I started noticing how mentally addicted to smoking I had been, and how habit forming smoking was, without me even realizing. For example, the obvious morning cigarette or after meal cigarettes were the least that I actually missed. However, every time I got on the phone at work, I was reaching for where my lighter and ashtray used to be. I had never even realized that I probably lit up every time I got on the phone.
I also noticed a major surge in energy and stamina once I quit smoking, which spurred me to start exercising as well, eventually leading up to the lifestyle I lead today. Every year, on the Jewish holiday of Lag Baomer, I make a mental note of marking the occasion, and congratulate myself for another smoke free year.
