Good luck on giving up smoking.
I am a non smoker so don't know what its like to give up. However, I have worked for 12 years in casualty and for some time in health promotion instructing in smoking cessation. As such I have not only seen the results of smoking diseases but witnessed incidents like people who have had a cancerous lung removed sitting outside the hospital smoking; people with a tracheostomy smoking through the hole in their neck and people bringing asthmatic children into the department whilst smoking above them! Children of smokers are 10 times more likely to be smokers themselves.
Different methods of quitting suit different people - if you smoke for the nicotine rush then you need the patches to wean yourself off it. A friend of mine swears by the nose spray that gives an immediate nicotine rush. If you miss not doing something with your hands then go for the replacement cigarettes. Then there is always Zyban. Apparently it works pretty quickly and works on the messages to the brain so removes the desire to smoke. However, I have heard reports that it can make you very depressed - although withdrawal from smoking may give the same symptoms!
The first couple of weeks are hell but it gets better after that. You need to plan an appropriate day in advance, one where you are not likely to be stressed and tell everyone. If you go anywhere new tell them you're a 'non smoker'.
Why not keep us updated on how it's going on the site?
Laurie
