Re: Tobacco use, Alcohol and sugar addiction. What is the common thread?

"...That is when you need to act wisely and give up the smoking gradually. and while doing so there are many milder alternatives that can help you out with it."

That never worked for me or any of my friends who have quit.  I tried "gradual" and all it did was to keep me smoking.  I quit cold turkey once for six months, then just one got me back to my two and a half pack a day routine.  I finally quit 43 years ago after more than 20 years with the 2+ pack a day habit - the day that man walked on the moon.  Open pack in my pocket and 3 or 4 fresh packs in a carton.  I figured if us humans could walk on the moon then I could quit smoking.  I also at that moment recognized that I was truly addicted and that I could never pick up "just one" without total failure - which is true.  With that ringing in my head I knew that if I made it a year I'd have it beat, and I did.  Dr. Dean Edell says that quitting smoking is more difficult than quitting a heroin addiction.  I also took up jogging after quitting - had tried to do that before and as a smoker it was a lost cause.

I never, ever, bash smokers because only former smokers really know what they are dealing with.  Yup, like all other habits and/or illnesses out there, there are always someone out there wishing to stick their nose in other peoples problems and my only suggestion to them is to keep your nose out because you have no idea what other people are facing.

I lost a lung lobe to cancer 3+ years ago and will go in and have a tumor/lobe removed on the other side in a couple of weeks.  Statistics and illnesses can't really deter smokers but I guarantee you that it does leave permanent damage or open pathways for things like cancer.