Gday
I was 13 or 14 looking for exceptance in a little country town. Most adults smoked everwhere. Inside buildings in homes at work no one would dare to ask you not to smoke.
My cig of choice Winfield blue, .40c a packet of 25. TV adverts by Paul hogan ( in black and white) so they must be good.
Deceided to join the navy and see the world. So I gave the cigs away to get to my best fitness to get exceptance into the navy.
Once in I discovered everyone smoked. It was part of the culture. And it was encouraged. Cut price cigs on the bases, duty free on a ship. So I smoked off and on from then on.
Ends up the world changed when I got in my 50s. I became expensive and inconvenient to smoke. No exceptance in this new world. No one would dare to smoke inside, if someone complained you would not dare to say anything.
Stage was set for the final quit but I’d always quit for periods before knowing I could always go back to smoking.
The trigger was a cold then pneumonia. I was a pretty sick puppy.i asked my doctor for champix and he said No, wait for 2weeks to heal. I was back in 2 weeks determined!
Well I made it. A few complications along the way cancer, strokes, COPD all survivable because I didn’t smoke. My old Doc passed away more proud that I’d given away the cigs than survived other things. He didn’t have many patients the did give the cigs away
I’m determined to say NOPE every day. I reminds me I’m still that addict and I’m only ever one puff away from 20 a day.
Im pretty happy in my own skin these days. Exceptance? I except life has been what it’s been.
Don’t need to tell people that I used to smoke and gave it away.
The form says Smoker or Non Smoker I’ll tick the Non Smoker without a thought.