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I confided in jillar that I relapsed and she encouraged me to post. I am so embarrassed I was going to slink away and find another support board to use but I really really like you guys and want to stay here... Everything you guys told me came true. "one" lead to "another" and soon I was buying a pack. I should have known. Its the same with other substances. You lose sight of the fact that every other time you've been unable to control it and stop again, even though its happened umpteen times. And it happens yet again. Then you snap out of it, come to your senses and realize that you've given in to the insanity yet AGAIN and start over. In the end, I am the only one who can use my tools, read my pre-SOS post or reach out for help and sometimes I block everything out because all I can think of is how good that cigarette will be. But its not! Its going to kill me!! I know you all know this pattern but I needed to type it out. I'm starting to lose hope for myself even though I know I WANT to quit. I saw my doctor today and though I got good news that I'm not pre-diabbetic anymore due to my positive lifestyle changes YAY, my cholestorol is up and I know smoking has a direct impact on cholestorol. I came home, did an upper body workout (can't do lower body because of my knees). I will spend the rest of the day on the board. Please don't be too tough on me. I'm so embarrassed.

NOPE!

NOPE!!

Positively NOPE!!!!!!

Nope

Nope

Nope! Don't miss the cough!!

Nope not today!

Gday NOPE starts my day

NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is a great thread for you to read: https://www.quittrain.com/topic/10921-introsucktion/ I am impressed with the honesty and the ways she was able to overcome the things that have derailed many quits. In about a month, we'll be celebrating her first year of freedom.

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NOPE!

NOPE...

Michelle, please don't quit trying. We are here to help you quit. I carried shame for many years because I continued to smoke knowing that it was slowly killing me. Let's get this quit going and stay close to the forum.

Glad you are back Michelle.

NOPE

Nope!

You poisoned your body for 40 years. You can't just expect to be over it in a month or two. I knew I was past the addiction fairly quickly. I never really craved a smoke after I quit and I knew I'd never smoke again, so that helped. I did, however, deal with pretty bad mood swings and a short temper for many months. Jesus bless my sweet girlfriend for putting up with me through it all. It was around the 9 month mark that I finally felt normal. You have to remember that this is a process. You have to be determined to put in the work and stay strong and focused. Bottom line- If you are 100% committed, you can't fail.

Doubly glad to be an Aussie after reading all this. Vapes have even stricter laws here than cigarettes...completely illegal in some states. I did have the discussion with the kid, basically she thinks it's even more stupid than smoking and smoking is about as stupid as you can get. So they argue there product is a quit device, then how the hell do they justify making it more addictive...turn it up fellas, do they really think we're that stupid not to see it for what it is, a mad scramble to hang onto their dying cash cow.

@Rozuki ... Turn it up 57 is fribbles weather...in Melbourne it rarely dips below 50 during daylight hours but when the winds coming from the Arctic that can feel a lot lower...today's high was 57 but feels like 42.8 .... I was not impressed....it gets colder inland and in the ranges but let's put it this way...my kid has never seen snow in all her 13 years. @Linda Thomas ... Our seasons are the opposite of yours....so summer for us is December to Feb.....I've had a 109° Christmas day....which is why I hate the flippin Chrissy song Let It Snow and Its Cold Outside....cos baby it's not.

It is an empty apology, they continue marketing to children and now cranking up the nicotine for a new more addictive brew. These are not decent human beings. Here is a complete article from Vaping Daily, that highlights some of Juuls practices. I've tried to excerpt the most salient points below Nicotine Salts – A Big, Fat Fad or The Next Hit Thing? The vaping industry has seen its fair share of innovations. Like with everything else, some have been flops, but most seem to have stuck around. Sub-ohm vaping is still going strong, as is high-powered vaping; even squonk devices are making a comeback. Still, it’s sometimes difficult to differentiate between marketing ploys and real innovations, as is the case with the most recent buzzwords in the vaping world. Of course, we’re talking about nicotine salts. Although the concept of vaping on something called nicotine salts (or Nic Salts, as it’s abbreviated) sounds a tad unappealing, the hype is pretty real. We have the JUUL to thank for that – their pods popularized nic salts, being arguably the strongest e-liquids out there (50 mg nicotine liquids do pack a pretty punch, there’s no doubt about that). Before we go into what nic salts are and what they are not (hint: they’re not crystals, so don’t worry), let’s check out what vapers who’ve used them have to say about the upsides. Benefits of Using Nicotine Salts: They deliver more nicotine in a single puff, which means that most smokers who are using e-cigs to quit can now save a substantial amount on vape juice. Smokers are always searching for that something that’s like smoking, but not exactly it. Using nic salts provides a sensation similar to smoking, even with small pocket-size devices. In regular vape juice, as nicotine level goes up, so does the subjective feeling of throat hit. With nic salts, that sensation is curbed, which means that you can now vape on higher concentrations without feeling like your throat is on fire. In the last couple of years, vape devices have been growing in size. Vapers who wanted top performance would often opt for larger and bulkier e-cigs. There’s no need to do that anymore – nicotine salts work great in smaller devices, such as pod systems or small vape pens. There are certainly benefits to using nicotine salts compared to regular e-liquids. So, how come we haven’t heard about them before? Are they a recent breakthrough? And, what exactly ARE nic salts? What Are Nicotine Salts Exactly? Most vapers (and smokers, for that matter) never heard of nicotine salts before the recent buzz started. However, this doesn’t mean that they haven’t been around for a pretty long time. In fact, an argument can be made that nicotine salts are the only naturally-occurring nicotine out there, and it would definitely hold water. You see, not only do we not know a lot about nicotine salts (as consumers), but we’re also woefully uneducated about nicotine itself. It might come as a surprise to you, but tobacco leaves contain only nicotine salts, and no pure, freebase nicotine. In tobacco leaves, nicotine is present in two distinct forms: diprotonated and monoprotonated. What this means is that the nicotine bonds with certain acids in the plant to create a much more stable molecule. When that bonding happens, the result is a nicotine salt. There are different types of nicotine salts, depending on the acid involved in the whole process (citric, malic, lactic, and so on). However, none of these salts are present in traditional cigarettes or regular vape juice, which begs the question: how do we get regular nicotine? The Difference Between Freebase Nicotine and Nic Salts? Regular, or freebase nicotine, was invented by the tobacco companies back in the 1960s, and it’s completely unprotonated. In fact, it was Phillip Morris that spearheaded the research in this area in order to make cigarettes stronger and more addictive. By adding ammonia to the mix, PM ensured an increased potency of their tobacco blends. If you’ve ever asked yourself where does the nicotine in an e-liquid come from, there’s your answer – effectively, the whole vaping industry is capitalizing on the discoveries made decades ago by Big Tobacco. But, why go through all that trouble? Nicotine salts, while stable and available organically, are not extremely bioavailable. What this means is that they are not absorbed by the human body as readily, and their addictive properties can’t compare with those of freebase nicotine. Today, the nicotine that’s found is cigarette smoke is 100% freebase, stripped of all its protons, and that increases its bioavailability dramatically. This type of nicotine is also more lipid soluble, which means that it crosses the blood-brain barrier quite easily, triggering a dopamine release more effectively than nicotine salts normally would. So, in a nutshell, while nic salts are organic and readily available, they just weren’t addictive enough, so the tobacco industry spent millions of dollars ‘improving’ the formula in order to hook more unsuspecting smokers. If that’s the case, how come nicotine salts are coming back? Do vape juice manufacturers know something that slipped by Phillip Morris’ vast research team? The study that сonducted on the difference between nic salts and protonated nicotine in aerosol and how it can affect somebody. It is a very dry and academic way to say that more studies are needed basically. Why Are Nicotine Salts Gaining Momentum Again? This new nic salt craze started way back in 2015 when PAX (manufacturer of JUUL pod vaping system) patented a new formula to use in their JUUL pods. Since PAX was marketing mostly to people looking to quit smoking, they were faced with a problem. Traditional vaping is similar to smoking, but it’s not exactly like lighting up a cigarette. The feel is not the same and, more importantly, the amount of nicotine that gets delivered also falls short of that of combustible cigarettes. Most regular vape juices are available in different nicotine strengths, but you will rarely find anything that goes over 24 mg. That’s because freebase nicotine is acidic, and therefore harsh on the throat. Because of that, it would be almost impossible to vape a 50 mg nic vape juice on a vape device that delivers a decent amount of vapor. Still, new JUUL salts pods boasted around 59 mg of nicotine, while providing an almost smooth vaping experience. In addition to that, nicotine salts in these pods were as bioavailable as freebase nicotine found in combustible cigarettes. How is that possible? The answer lies in the type of acid that PAX used to create their particular nic salt. We’ve already mentioned that different acids can be bonded to nicotine and that the result will be a bit different with each one of those. PAX used benzoic acid to create their patented nic salt and tested it exhaustively to find out if it can rival the bioavailability of freebase nicotine. Their research confirmed that that particular formulation worked great – maximum concentration of nicotine in blood plasma and the time needed to achieve it were both comparable to combustible cigarettes. Although PAX was to create a stable nic salt that can be absorbed readily, their solution had one additional interesting side-effect. The addition of benzoic acid lowered the pH value of the vapor, resulting in a much smoother vape. Essentially, PAX shot down two birds with a single stone, creating one of the strongest e-liquids that can be enjoyed without suffering cough fits. Which Devices To Use When Vaping Nicotine Salts? Nic salts were created for a specific purpose – a strong nicotine hit from small, portable devices. Pod systems, such as the JUUL, work great for them. That said, you definitely don’t have to be a JUUL owner to use them. Any lower-power device and tank setup will do the trick, so if you own a vape pen and an old M2L tank, you can now put them to good use. Owners of high-powered vape devices (aren’t we all at this point?) shouldn’t despair, though. While vaping JUUL-type nicotine salts with your Alien 220 and a sub-ohm tank is not advisable, this doesn’t mean that the process can’t be hacked a bit. You can easily buy or make a lower concentration nicotine salt (around 18 mg) and enjoy a reasonably smooth vaping experience and decent clouds, all thanks to the fact that nic salts deliver less of a throat hit than regular vape juices. Are Nicotine Salts Bad For You? The persistent mainstream hysteria around vaping has taken its toll even on us, so it’s only natural that we’re all wondering are nic salts safe at this point. The truth is, they are as safe as freebase nicotine (which is relatively safe, if we don’t account for its addictive properties), so, from a pure health and well-being oriented standpoint, there’s no extra reason for concern. However, there are still a few points we’d like to stress here: Nic salts are potentially more addictive – just by virtue of higher concentration, these salts might be more addictive than regular vape juice. That’s because they lead to higher nicotine blood content in a shorter amount of time, triggering neurochemical reactions faster. Effects of benzoic acid still under investigation – although arguably not extremely toxic to humans, benzoic acid (used to create smooth nic salt vape juices) might still be a reason for concern. Some studies suggest that it can trigger coughing, while others state that it can cause pseudoallergic reactions. As of now, we have no data on inhalation exposure, which something we hope will change in the near future. Perceived harmfulness of nic salts – as always, the media might use this opportunity to pounce on vaping once again, arguing that the manufacturers are ‘spiking’ vape juice to make it more addictive (spins of this sort are not all that uncommon for our industry). With the FDA’s recent announcement about reducing nicotine content in analog cigarettes, this scenario is not totally unimaginable. Shifting away from vaping being possibly harmful, the FDA is now focusing on the effects of nicotine addiction and what can be done about it. Aside from the benzoic acid, there is nothing inherently more addictive about nicotine salts. We do expect with the recent shirt from the FDA that we will be hearing more said about the effects of nicotine salts and addiction to them. More studies are surely needed, but only time will tell if the government decides a crackdown on nic salts will happen. the article continues HERE Published: March 1, 2018 Updated: April 5, 2019

NOPE....

NOPE!

You are a quarter year quit today Ferimeth! Come celebrate with us. You deserve a reward for making it to 1/4 year quit! Come tell us how you celebrated.

Let’s see, (checks calendar) it’s been over 3 yrs since I quit. So I would say, that give or take a few days, not counting holidays, was there a leap year? No leap year, good. I started feeling that the worst was behind me early last week. I’m joking of course. The worst was behind me the day I quit. The aftershocks I would say lasted about a month for me. Your mileage may vary of course. But that day will come when you don’t even think about it. You’ll be going to dinner or a movie or be getting on a plane and not even think about when and where can I smoke? You’ll stop scoping out new places for the smoking area the minute you arrive. You will feel better, smell better, and save money, and have a lot less stress in your life

What's done is done. Mistakes were made. Hopefully, lessons were learned. That self-perpetuating cycle of quitting, smoking again, regretting smoking, and eventually starting another quit is more exhausting than maintaining a quit. Do yourself a favor: stop the cycle. Onward and upward beats going around in circles every time.

Michelle. You know about addiction. You know you can't have just one. Please put what you know into practice. One day it will be too late. Make the choice today to never go back. No matter what. P.S. My cholesterol was 221 shortly before I quit. A year and a half after quitting (and improved diet and exercise) it dropped to 158 without any meds. 63 point drop. Every single category in my blood work improved and is in the healthy range.

Hello Michelle, Glad you are back. You may never get the chance to quit in time, next time. You may not be able to quit at all, next time. So, take yourself and your commitment seriously this time. Not One Puff Ever, Never Ever Never. Read everything until your eyes bleed even if you've read it all before. Watch the scary movies. Watch all of our friend, Joel Spitzer's videos. @Paul723 is right, read @MLMR's fabulous quit journey, Introsucktion Use this knowledge to feed your quit.

I'm sorry that you relapsed but I'm glad you didn't disappear. Quitting smoking can be tough but I'm sure you can do it. It is definitely worth the struggles and since you keep trying, I think you know that life is better as a non-smoker. Stick around and stay focused. You can do this.

NOPE - I don't smoke anymore.

Congrats Warbelian on 3 months quit! This is pretty major - 1/4 year with no smokes! Be sure to do something special to celebrate this milestone! Stick with it and participate here as often as you can. It will help with your own quit

Believe in yourself The strength is within us all There are no wimps here

So glad you have taken your seat back in the train ...all you can do M is learn by your mistake ,so that you will be ready next time ... Never give up ..giving up ....

Glad you're back posting Michelle, yes read your pre sos daily. stay close and lets get this done once and for all. You quit everything else so I know you can do this too. We love a quitter Oh and don't forget to update your profile quit date so we know when to celebrate your first month smoke free

Thanks Doreen! That’s so true. Little devil always temping me. I have to show him the door. He doesn’t belong here. Nope. So far 0 today. I just have to take it hour by hour.

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Nope

Glad to see you back. Slinking away with your head down would serve no purpose at all. Dwelling on a failed attempt also serves no purpose. Trying again with a lesson learned is the right thing to do and prepares you to deal with a similar situation in future.

Glad to have you back. Stay focused we know you want this -- just stay close!!!!

G’day NOPE for today

What ever happened to the "work from home" a few days a week? I thought they were gonna try and help you out with the commute distance issue?

Confession: Monday to Friday I course Batman twice a day....in the morning as a run down his flippin hill to catch the bus and every night as I run up the same hill to get to the flippin train, I course Batman, I curse his flippin hill, I course me bloody heels...and half the time I belt down the hill only to have the driver say so sad too bad, bus too full...and then I have to stare at this... And I course Batman some more...

Disgrace !!!!......these kids lungs are not even fully developed yet ....God knows what problems will rise later on .....so he thinks a sorry will make any difference to all the health issues later on ...Pillock.....

NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm wondering if they are breeding a new generation of people who will be SO addicted to high levels of nicotine that they may be unable to quit even if they want to at some point later on? Boy oh boy .... that would suck big time!

I don't get why the rest of the world can't get Jimmy Little either. Not sure if you guys have Spotify but a lot of your vids I can't access on you tube I can access on Spotify. Yep...ditto!

@notsmokinjo - c'mon, Jo, it's not that cold by you!! 57 degrees is balmy for a winter day...then again when it rains it feels that much colder, I guess. @reciprocity - The kids here would get a kick out of having a piggie at my pool party!!! Piggies don't have many sweat glands, do you....you would need a mud bath to cool off, no? It was sweltering here poolside, no breeze whatsoever - I had to bring my oscillating fan outside to move the air around! Good time had by all!

Please correct me if I am wrong, @Diane R, but, I was under the impression that you haven't quit yet. You were starting Chantix and preparing for your quit. Is this right ? It is the commitment to yourself to never take another puff that matters. Quitting smoking doesn't kill you, craves do not kill you, triggers do not kill you. SMOKING KILLS YOU. We have all lived through some gnarly times and some easy times, too. Once you make the commitment, smoking isn't a choice anymore. You can power through, 'embrace the suck' as our friend, Sarge, says. Change the Story, Free your Head to emerge stronger and more confident with a solid and profound trust in yourself. To answer your question, when did you feel the worse was behind you? I feel the worse is in front of me should I ever choose to smoke even one puff ever again.