[daveT]

I quit when I was 22, and I already had 8 years under my belt. I thought I would die if I quit. I made a post in the other thread that hinges in the following...

Your saliva has the tobacco flavor in it, and it serves as a constant reminder of the cigarette you are not having.

I quit in two steps. The first was every time I lit up the cigarette, I told myself I don't want this. I did this for every cigarette for about four months. One morning, I woke up and ten hours later, I had a nagging suspicion that something wasn't right that day. Now, when I quit, I was smoking two packs of Newports a day, so the physical effect was very bad. I had serious chest pains, a cough, dizziness, and of coarse the very very bad head ache. This all lasted exactly one week. I was also a bike messenger at the time, so perhaps that helped my body clean up a bit.

Now for the cravings, they never ever leave. Yes, there will be a six month stretch were you will not think of it.

For the first week, I also chewed Orbit and Dentyne Ice. This helped with not having something in my mouth, and with the constant taste in my mouth..

I quit for three years, after that, I've had my lapses, but they didn't last long. It gets easier and easier to quit every time you start again. As for quitting for the rest of your life. Well, that is all about your own strength.f

I did meet someone who had quit for 30 years, he told me that if you can make 6 months there no good reason you can't go for the rest of your life.