Ex-smokers - how to avoid smoking on a night out

[Clutterfreeintraining]

I haven’t had a fag for nearly 5 weeks and am so far coping fine. I occasionally think about smoking during the day but always at times when I can’t smoke so there’s little need for willpower to overcome the urge to light up.
I’ve arranged to go out tonight and am already dreading how I’m going to avoid smoking. Anyone have any tips to stay strong and smoke-free?

Get your first "No thanks!" in early and emphatically. Don't get into any conversation about it at all. And have a good (discreet!) sniff at the smokers returning, reeking, from the smoking area. Don't get too drunk. Be proud of yourself and don't question your decision.

Vape!

I’m two months smoke free. Nights out are definitely the worst. I’m ok if I don’t drink too much.
Do all your friends smoke? Tell them you absolutely don’t want to at the start of the night, and they are not to let you.
You won’t have any fags of your own, so you’d need to cadge off them if you were going to smoke. Instruct them not to let you.
If there’s anyone who doesn’t smoke, then stay inside with them when everyone goes out for a fag.
Luckily I think the weather’s grim tonight, so you won’t want to be hanging round outside.
Also, do you have a smoke free app which tells you how you’re doing? Think how far you’ve come - you don’t want to ruin it now.

Following! I'm in the same boat tonight. Don't start vaping! I did that and now I'm quitting vaping I'm in the same position I was in 3 years ago

Remember, it's never just one.

When you had your first fag, did you realise you were signing up for thousands of cigarettes over several years? If you had known that, would you have lit the first one?

So when someone offers you a fag, understand that they're offering you hundreds of cigarettes and a general feeling of crap.

Don’t go outside with the other smokers, stay firmly indoors of the pub, bar, restaurant, where ever you are.

I’m just over a eighteen months fag free after 30 years.

The feeling I get after a night out and no fags is INCREDIBLE and motivates me. Also, I think about how disappointed I’d be with myself. And I now realise how much smokers stink. The acrid breath is truly revolting.

Thanks for the replies
I had stopped smoking two weeks before but caved after a week when I went out for lunch with a smoker friend. Then the following week I had another one when I went to stay with a different friend (her dh is the smoker).
I do feel a bit stronger to resist now I’m another 4 weeks on but need to work on my strategy
Villain - I had thought about not drinking - this is more of a social faux pas than giving up smoking! I have a plan for that though.
NC4 - 2 months? That’s great - Congratulations!! I think there’s only one smoker in tonight’s group and possibly a couple of vapers but there are definitely non-smokers to stay inside with. I think the going outside to the smoking area is what I’ll miss
I’ll have a look for a smoke-free app.
Cantstop - I really don’t want to start vaping. All the people I know who switched from fags to vapes are still using the vapes.
Feverbee - good luck tonight!!

I used to smoke before the ban in ok if places, it was so hard to stop smoking then as you didn't have to go outside and everyone smoked around you.

You can do this, use all the hints above

WhoWants - that’s exactly the kind of thing I need to keep telling myself. Thank you!!
ShowPony - yes, I think that’s going to be the only option. I definitely wouldn’t be able to resist if I was out there with them all.
Single - Amazing! I can’t wait to get to that point. I know I’ll feel very proud of myself if I manage to go all night without smoking but can’t imagine how I’ll get to that point.

*ban In public places

Atlantea - that must have been really hard. At least it’s possible to avoid being around smokers now.

When I gave up I couldn't associate with anyone that smokes. Couldn't trust myself.

It worked and 13 years later I'm still smoke free.

Good luck OP. Think the trick is to avoid the smoking area. Today is day 5 of no smoking for me. I know I'll cave if I drink so I'm planning on not going out for a good few weeks. Bit boring but I know I won't last if I have a drink this early into giving up. Are you using anything to help or have you gone cold turkey?

Forty - were any of the smokers good friends? I have several very good friends and some I’ve known my whole life. I don’t think I could not associate with them anymore. However, I have passed on a night out with a group of friends tonight and part of that was because I didn’t think I’d be able to not smoke. There were other factors but the smoking issue swung it.
Fantastic on no smoking for 13years!!

Hownow - Ooh, good luck! Yes, I think I’ll have to avoid the smoking area.
I had an incident when I was drunk last year and haven’t really drunk much since. I have the odd couple when I’m out but that doesn’t happen often so it’s manageable. I find the best way to avoid drinking and not being labelled ‘boring’ is to become designated driver.

Although, the problem with that is I am boring when I’m sober

Since I quit smoking I don't get hangovers nearly half so bad.
Are you on nicotine replacement? I find the mouth sprays are like having five Richmond superior menthol in one go, which when pissed is better than smoking a fag anyway.
And you won't ruin your hair in the rain by having to go outside.

I've been fag free for 2 years, but I'm still on a bit of nicotine in lozenge and spray form.

IJust - I’ve thought for a long time that if I feel rough after drinking it’s more because I smoked too many fags rather than an actual hangover. I’m not taking any nicotine replacement and I don’t think I was actually addicted to it, it’s more the habit of smoking that I’m addicted to. 5 Richmond Menthol sounds weirdly appealing right now

Congratulations on 2 years fag free!!!

I’m not a smoker but appreciate how hard it must be. Never ceases to amaze me how many friends and colleagues are “social smokers”.

Seren - Yes, a lot of social smokers about - an excuse to not buy your own fags I did wonder if that was an option for me but I’m too much of an all or nothing kinda girl and out of those two, I’d prefer nothing now.

It was hard, back in the late 90s smoking was more of a culture than it is now, you'd go out (at work) for many smoking breaks, we had a smoking room, we were allowed to smoke at our desks on a saturday (less people in the office)

Just remind yourself that coughing, spitting and wheezing with lung disease as you slowly die of one of the many smoking related cancers is not a good look.

Atlantea - it’s hard to imagine that now, isn’t it. When I was a child, I remember my GP smoking in his room, with a glass of scotch next to his ashtray - and it doesn’t feel all that long ago - early/mid 90s?

Babdoc - I don’t know why and I know it should but that makes no difference to my ability to say no. It’s the same with food. I know it’s makes me fat/increases my chances of type 2 diabetes and other related health issues but doesn’t stop me from choosing the wrong food.