Smoking Destroys Lives

When asked to select cancers linked to smoking, more than 80 per cent of people did not know there was a link between smoking and eight different cancers.

What's Your Anti Smoke?

A great friend is someone who cares about you and looks out for your best interests.

Composer Geoff Sheil is that type of friend. He's created his own "What's Your Anti Smoke?" musical composition for his friends Ivana Munćan and Milena Buča, in a desperate effort to curb their pervasive smoking habit. We could all use more friends like him.

Willpower: One Of Your Greatest Tools

We all have willpower abilities contained within our minds. But, it's more developed in some people than in others. Willpower can be described as that little voice in the back of your head motivating you to take that first step towards quitting smoking. And a well-developed willpower strategy can be an important part of any overall plan to quit.

Some smokers have the ability to use their willpower to quit their addiction to nicotine cold-turkey. Most do not. However if you combine well-developed willpower strategies with scientific and other evidence based methods, you greatly improve your chances to quit smoking permanently.

Willpower can be added to any plan. It is the ability to talk ourselves out of smoking and in to staying a non-smoker when a craving comes along. Like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets.


Source: I Can Quit (Australia)

Qutting Smoking Is No Pic-a-nic

The best way to quit smoking is to be smarter than the average bear, and to never begin smoking.

A Hard Habit To Break

What's almost as hard as quitting smoking for yourself? Having to break-up with your lover because he or she refuses to attempt to quit smoking for themselves. Although often necessary in protecting your own health, dumping a nicotine-addicted lover is a hard habit to break.

But, as I've touched upon in a previous post, smoking has been a factor in ruining many relationships for years. Again, don't just take my word for it. They've been writing songs about it ever since Chicago caught on fire. See for yourself -

Tobacco Price Manipulation

By manipulating smokers behind their backs, tobacco price manipulation (pdf), also known as price-related marketing, refers to the tobacco industry’s efforts to recruit and retain smokers by artificially lowering the price of cigarettes.

People who are trying to quit, and price-sensitive groups like youth and low-income communities, are often targeted by, and fall victim to, these pricing schemes.


Inpes - 'Anti Smoking' from Trim Editing on Vimeo.

Who's Responsible For Your Addiction?

Let's take a closer look at the phrase "personal responsibility" on this Father's Day.

I want to point something out about this phrase because I believe it's one of the bullshit mantras used by the tobacco industry, their henchmen, or their minions to reflect blame for smokers' addictions off of themselves, and onto the backs of the nicotine addicts they've created.

Big Tobacco wants you to believe that YOU are the reason why you cannot stop smoking. They want you to believe that you had "A CHOICE" about whether or not to become a smoker, and that you are "personally responsibility" for your addiction. But, that's far from the truth.

The truth almost always lies in the data and statistics. Research has shown (pdf) that approximately 90% of adult smokers became regular smokers when they were in still their teen years. So then, should we hold children personally responsible for becoming nicotine addicts? Of course not!

Every adult knows that preteens and teens aren't mentally capable of making rational, nor even legal, decisions or "choices" about events or situations that could negatively impact their lives forever. Even some young adults still aren't fully capable of making rational decisions.

We know that children can't yet realize when they're being exploited. Only retrospectively do adults realize that while in our formative years our minds aren't fully developed, our social skills are still rudimentary, and that we easily fall prey to lies, manipulation and exploitation.

Unfortunately, it's only after children smokers reach adulthood when they come to fully realize that smoking is harmful and addictive. But by then, they've already become addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes. As adult addicts, they've lost a significant portion of their ability to make a choice to quit.

Of course, the tobacco industry then washes their hands of the problem they created by saying that it's your own "personal responsibility" to continue to smoke or not. But, who's really responsible?



Now, here's the rub that galls me to no end -

Although you now know that you're not fully responsible for becoming a nicotine addict in your youth, and even though your genetic makeup may make it more difficult (or even impossible) to quit, the end responsibility for quitting smoking does fall on your shoulders. Yes, you've been screwed by all of the people you thought were looking out for you.

Your parents dropped the ball in your childhood. The government didn't step up to the plate. And your friends? They probably helped you get started smoking. And YOU didn't realize that you were being manipulated and exploited until it was too late. You've been stuck with being responsible for killing the monster that you had little responsibility in creating!

I know, it sucks. Welcome to the real world.

So, if you don't want to suffer the physical, mental, and financial consequences often associated with being a long-term smoker, and as difficult as it may be to beat your addiction, guess what? You also have NO CHOICE but to attempt quitting. The only bright side is that you CAN succeed, and that you CAN enlist some free help to get you there.

Oh yeah, and Happy Father's Day.

From Kools To Cancer Sticks

The one thing experience has taught me in life, it's that anyone can accomplish anything if they really want it bad enough. Nothing is impossible! And one doesn't need to be the smartest or the toughest in order to succeed. All that's needed is desire and persistence. But, don't just take my word for it.

Prevention Institute Director Larry Cohen chronicles the history of anti-smoking efforts, and how he helped guide a new approach that has resulted in policy and legislative changes. See how prevention efforts, like banning smoking in public places, promoting healthy eating and preventing violence, can result in healthier, happier communities.

Just imagine what you could accomplish in life by finding ways around all of the sinister obstacles blocking your way and following the path Mr. Cohen did? You can change YOUR OWN "norm".

Take baby-steps, be persistent, and watch just how quickly you can successfully quit tobacco.

Lead By Example | Smoking Kid

If you want your children to remain non-smokers, then you MUST lead them by example. Talk is cheap, and kids quickly understand the hypocrisy of a smoker urging them not to smoke.


Smoking Kid from Ogilvy Asia on Vimeo and Thai Health Promotion Foundation.

TobaccoTactics Means Better Education

Anyone wondering why the Smoking Blows comments sections have been recently inundated with pro-smoking and pro-tobacco use troll comments? It's because I've decided to promote a pioneering University research program that monitors the tobacco industry online.

The ground-breaking online resource, called TobaccoTactics.org, has been launched by researchers at the University Tobacco Control Research Group, at the University of Bath, UK. Utilizing the same open software as Wikipedia, TobaccoTactics aims to provide up-to-date information on the tobacco industry, its allies or those promoting a pro-tobacco agenda.

Launching a wiki as an online academic resource tool is a first for the University of Bath. But given academia’s current focus on knowledge exchange, TobaccoTactics is seen as a novel and innovative way to publish contemporary research.

The researchers hope the wiki will become a vital instrument to monitor ‘tobacco industry interference’ of public policy, which is this year’s theme of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

According to the TobaccoTactics news release, in all there are nearly 500 profiles on the wiki from tobacco companies, and the PR techniques they use to anonymous ‘tobacco trolls’. The website explores how the industry influences and often distorts public health debates, using a whole raft of lobbying and public relations tactics.

So, before believing any of the pro-tobacco bullshit comments that you may read here, or on other open anti-smoking or anti-tobacco use (pro health) forums, do a little investigating first. Become better educated and find out who's really on your side.

I'd suggest visiting TobaccoTactics often to further understand why these troll comments are being posted, who's posting the comments, and the sinister tactics behind them.

Ridiculous Tobacco Documents

These things may sound ridiculous about Big Tobacco, but they're the truth.


Source: The Truth: Facts

Save A Child: Report Criminal Retailers

Ever wonder where our smoking preteens and teens are getting their cigarettes? If they're not getting them from you, then chances are that they're probably coming from your local retailer.

Every retailer knows that it's illegal to sell cigarettes and other tobacco products to children, yet it's still being done on a daily basis. I've personally witnessed and reported it myself.

I've also noticed that some retailers selling cigarettes to children are often themselves smokers, or don't fully understand addictive consequences and harmful effects of a nicotine addiction. They think they're "being nice" or doing those children "a favor" by selling them cigarettes. And some retailers probably couldn't care less about your children's welfare.

But, YOU can do something to stop it. Save a child from a lifetime of nicotine addiction.

Anytime you witness a retail establishment worker selling tobacco products to any child, call your local police and report it immediately. They will respond to your complaint. In most cases, you won't have to become personally-involved or have to worry about retaliation. The police can often use the store's own video camera evidence to prosecute the offending retailers.


Source: California Tobacco Control Program

Arizona Smokers' Helpline

Beating a nicotine addiction isn't an impossible task. Don, a pharmacy technician, talks about how working with a coach from the Arizona Smokers' Helpline helped him to set a quit date, and succeed.

Everyone Makes Mistakes

Trying to beat a nicotine addiction is just as difficult as trying to overcome an addiction to heroin. It's not an easy feat, and sometimes you'll make mistakes along the way. And these mistakes happen to even the best of us. However, if one understands the importance of quitting, and keeps trying to quit, just like everything else in life that requires persistence, eventually he or she will be successful.

But, don't just take my word for it. See what American film producer, movie studio chairman, and former smoker, Harvey Weinstein discusses with Tavis Smiley about some of his life's mistakes.


See the entire interview on Tavis Smiley.

Would You Quit Smoking For Love?

In my previous post, Princess Chelsea attempted to rationalize her cigarette smoking to her lover by saying that she only smoked a couple of times a week, and could quit anytime she pleases. She wasn't willing to quit smoking even when she knew how much it negatively-affected her relationship.

Unfortunately, that type of behavior is nothing new. It's been going on for decades. Many smokers fail to realize that their behavior is due to their addiction to nicotine, and often attempt to rationalize it as personal choice. What they're really choosing though, is to live in denial about their addiction.

And how powerful is a nicotine addiction?

Even though many male smokers know that long-term smoking can make their meat loaf, nicotine is still powerful enough to overcome the forces of love. Some militant smokers will even refuse to try to quit smoking no matter how serious the repercussions, or how much a loved one tries to intervene on their behalf. But, don't just take my word for it. See for yourself -

The Cigarette Duet

Trying to help someone quit smoking cigarettes can sometimes be very auckward. Even lovely New Zealand princesses have their difficulties. But, don't just take my word for it. Ask her cat, Winston.

Robin's Story

You can listen to what I say, or you can listen to what this this beautiful young asthma patient, and medical student, says about the consequences of secondhand smoke.

Robyn is a medical student at Florida State University. She has had asthma all her life and struggles to be around areas with smoking. Secondhand smoke may not seem dangerous, but for her it's a life and death issue. She shares about her experiences dealing with smokers and the need for people to be educated about smoking issues.


Breathe Easy Mini Doc: Robyn from Bryan Zhang on Vimeo.

Secondhand Smoke Is Seriously Harmful

Many people think asthma isn't a very serious condition. Think again.

An acute asthma attack can often be a life-threating event. Believe me, it happens more often than you may think. One day you're talking to someone with asthma like they're the picture of health, and the next day they're gone. JUST - LIKE - THAT.

Asthma is a very serious condition, one that can be precipitated by secondhand smoke.

How would you feel about yourself if your secondhand smoke led to someone else having a serious asthma attack? Just something to think about before you light up in the presence of others.


Source: CDC: Secondhand Smoke