notsmokinjo

I'm sorry that you had to go to a quit smoking Councillor but I am happy that you did. You now have a plan and I used my OCD and competitive streak to get me through the first few months. So I was mainly competing against myself but it worked for me. You have to deal with the OCD anyway, why not embrace it and make it work for you. So create a routine for yourself... at x time each day you watch a video or read an article... only needs to be 5mins worth... but its a pattern and a commitment.... build your knowledge because knowledge is power. Weegie used a quit councellor and look how successful that was for her. So maybe even a daily mantra.... I don't want to smoke, I will not smoke.... and then as you pop off to bed at night.... "I don't want to smoke, and today I didn't".

The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.

Congratulations @Icanhike for being 1 month smoke free! Well done Icanhike on making your way through the entire first month of your first year smoke free. This is the hardest month and you have made it with flying colours. It is our honour to have you here sharing your journey, already you are paying forward with the support you offer to others. Here is to the first of many celebrations. Woohoo.

Oh no...even though its not really the right genre for Boo.... I reakon his first dance should be At Last.

Happy Birthday @catlover.... congratulations on your 2nd smoke free birthday.

Greetings fellow NOPErs... and welcome to Labour Day (well if you live down under, and live in Victoria or Tassie). Did you know depending on where you live in Australia there are 4 possible dates that you can be celebrating labour or eight hour day? Well its true, but here's the hot ticket, the Vics are on the money.... did you hear that?, that was the sound of all the hairs standing up on the back of Cbdave's neck.... the rest of Australia just refuses to except the fact that the Vics are the best but its true.... take Labour Day... why do we celebrate it (anywhere in the world).... we celebrate it to recognise the achievements of the labour and union movements of the world. The celebration of Labour Day has its origins in the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest. On 21 April 1856 Stonemasons and building workers on building sites around Melbourne, Australia, stopped work and marched from the University of Melbourne to Parliament House to achieve an eight-hour day. Their direct action protest was a success, and they are noted as the first organised workers in the world to achieve an eight-hour day with no loss of pay, which subsequently inspired the celebration of Labour Day. But why if the march that won the battle took place on 21 April do we celebrate on 2nd Monday in March.... because it was on this day, a year later that legislation was passed in parliament that all works, not just trades men, would receive the benefits of an 8 hour day. Smoko doesn't have to mean having a smoke. NOPE!

I know its going to sound stupid mate but have you tried turning you phone off and back on... I was having the same problem and once I did that it was worked ok on the phone.

She has a fertile imagination.

Stop giving the smokes so much power Lilly... you are the one with with power, only you... you need to be the one to not put something in your mouth and burn it. The battle isn't with anything but yourself Lilly.... you have to let yourself win... first step is believing you can do it.

@Lilly kinda guessed that but was hoping Mona might pop in for an update. I know she likes to go offline for her first few quit days but was hoping to draw her out for some good news.

Hey @Mona did @Lilly pass the test.

Ones like this @Icanhike ???

looks like he's havin' fun to me @Doreensfree

So in honour of @Boo's big woohoo 3peat anniversary this weeks poll see's us voting on which of those songs listed is Elvis' best offering. Now I know there are heaps of songs not here ..... you got the top 6. A special thank you goes out to the kid for her assistance with compiling this list... yes I know there are some good songs not listed but as she pointed out... "You can't have Blue Suede Shoes, cos Elvis only covered that"..... so of his original songs these are the 6 to vote on.... which is the train favourite? The kid also told be that I could not include any Elvis Costello songs because that would false advertising. Oh and if there are any covers in there don't blame me I don't listen to his stuff.

Congrats @Boo on 3 awesome smoke free years! Thanks for still riding the train and dishing out your advice and support. Its a real asset having you around to show the way and keep us in line. Doreen nailed it, you do always say what you mean without being mean... that takes class and skill. So sit back, raise a glass, i'm sure the bar keep could through some protein green thing together, and enjoy your day. Year 3 saw and new house and an engagement ..... we know year 4 will feature a wedding but what else is around the corner?.... keep lickin' windows and hold on and enjoy the smoke free ride.

Congratulations @Opah for being 2 months smoke free! Well done Opah for making it two months quit. It hasn't been easy with the realities of life throwing up challenges and hurdles that were not part of the plan but you are showing those behind you how it can be done. One day at a time and SOS when you need it. Its great watching you succeed. Make sure you do something special to celebrate this milestone, you certainly deserve it.

Never have nor never will underestimate the ripples or damage, trauma and horror caused by illegal drug use. Did you know in Australia you can get a disability pension for being an alcoholic or a heroin junky? but try and get on for ptsd or bipolar.... much harder to achieve... You are new so you don't have my back story but I am an alcoholic and always will be I just choose to be sober.. just the same as I don't do uppers anymore but there was a time when I did, so I am a junky too and I always will be, I just choose to be sober. I'm just saying they can't be compared. So the politically correct camp has us following the line that addicts are victims and its an illness.... and big pharma support this because there is money in it for them...I think part of the hate shaming of smokers is the old shame technique.... make a smoker feel bad, and ostracized and inferior and it may motivate them to quit... that's all... basically every human wants to fit in, and be accepted and part of the crowd.... so take that away and maybe that will make them want to quit. Using illegal drugs is already turning your back on society to do it... so the shame technique does not work. @Icanhike thank you so much for sharing your story. I am sorry you have had to and are still living the horror of having an addicted son. He is lucky to have you still in his camp.

Sorry but not true, My aunty never smoked a day in her life but she died from lung cancer caused by my uncles smoking. 2nd hand smoke is just as deadly. There are plenty of alcoholics and junkies that don't kill or hurt anyone else for their addiction. But you can not compare public sentiment to cigarettes, illegal drugs and e-cigs.... they are not the same things. Tobacco Products - Are a legal industry that were touted as safe, and good for you until evidence proved without a shadow of a doubt that they are not. This proof took decades to be accepted. These deadly products, just like alcohol, are legal. The governments of the world make money from these. The tobacco and alcohol industries make money from these. It is legal to buy, sell and use these. This is an established problem that is being chipped away at as possible but is completely legal so not all that much that can be done. Illegal Drugs - are just that illegal, there are laws that try to prevent there sale, use, etc, etc, etc..... the things is, and lets be honest, they make you feel pretty damn good while you have them onboard.... so just like alcohol, just like tobacco and nicotine, there are always going to be people who want what they get from them... so until you kill the demand you will never win the war on drugs... but the battle against illegals is not comparable to the battle against legal substances of abuse. E-cigs - are relatively new on the block and the reality is they are an unknown entity. They are an entry level product, considering the horror that those nice, safe, healthy cigarettes became why wouldn't people be more wary, critical and against the new nicotine delivery system? Why wouldn't governments want to stop and or regulate something before it becomes the unstoppable juggernaut that big tobacco now is. It is easier to stop something before it gets traction..... from what I read from multiple sources they are not regulated in the US... kids can buy this shit.... kids are getting addicted to this and you know who is rubbing there hands together with glee??.... big frickin tobacco.... I'm frickin proud I live in a country where the government said no... where they are trying to minimise and regulate it.... but that said you can not compare the products because they are completely different beasts.

Its a different battle. One is a legally sanctioned product that sees people making millions (legally) selling something they know kills people. The other products are illegal the battle against them is different and has to be fought differently. Honest opinion... the tobacco industry is the horse that bolted, so governments bring in new regulations and taxing to hopefully decrease the users but they can't really make it illegal. E-cigs are trying to get their foot in the door to replace tobacco so if the government says NOPE from the start they can contain the impact to a certain degree. Illegals, are illegal....the are multiple levels of government from social services to the cops to legilsators who dedicate their lives to the drug problem... its not that one is being given more focus than the other... its just that they are trying to limit the impact of the new kid on the block.... make it illegal from the get go then you don't have the runaway train that is tobacco.

Lots of things factor into the lack of sleep.... have to battle the temps, have to battle the brain that doesn't have an off or pause button, and depending on my meds have to battle thyroid levels.... it will be nice to cross one off the list for a few months.

The peoples of the QT have spoken and the pancakes will be topped with maple syrup. wonder what this week's poll will bring... well not really I kinda know....but you mob don't mwahhahahaha.....

Which means its almost time for ours to end... which means going to work in the dark.

Lets just look at just one ingredient... cocoa... why would they add that... 2 reasons... it is improves the flavour and its broncheodilator. .... Because when cocoa burns it undergoes a chemical change not just a physical change the chemicals released from it are toxic... in high enough doses... So the nae sayers are right, if all of these chemicals are in a single smoke they are in minute quantities in that single smoke. Sure some are like iron, not able to be stored in your body, but some are like mercury and will stay in you body for years, if not longer, building in toxicity levels and concentrations until they hit critical levels. Sure the levels in one smoke are microscopic... so what! We aren't here because we smoked one smoke... we are here because we smoked multiple smokes, every day, for years.... lots of the items listed are harmless or even healthy on their own... not all alter chemically when they burn... not all combine within other items listed to make something new and more deadly when they burn and on a per smoke basis the levels are not significant but the the levels of some of these build higher and higher with time. Every smoke adds to your internal toxisity... its not a joke or scare tactics.... those things listed up their are what we need to be aware of.... what we need to know that if we continue to smoke we are putting in our bodies.