to genuinely not understand why smoking is vilified

[Redpipe]

and yet drinking, overeating and other addictions that cost the NHS huge sums of money are not?

AIBU to genuinely not understand why it is just smokers in this country that are socially unaccepted?

[WinkyWinkola]

Unless they affect other people's quality of life that is.

[Tiredmumno1]

Obviously.

[TheGhostofAmandaClarke]

mycoil I am certainly not judging you. I save my rage for the tobacco companies peddling their shit.

But on the subject of smoking and quitting I can honestly say that there is almost no difference between stopping now and stopping when the "time is right".

It's a mistake to think that cigarettes offer any kind of help or relief from the stress you're going through. And the nicotine replacement manufacturers and the makers of e cigarettes are of course very happy to perpetuate the myth that nicotine is really hard to give up. It's not. It's a bit niggly at first, resisting a few days worth of cravings.
Most smokers go all night without a cigarette, many last a whole day at work dealing with challenging situations without having a cigarette. It's a myth that smoking offers any kind of relaxation or stress relief.
The strength required to stop smoking is minimal. Certainly nothing in comparison with the strength you've had to muster.
So.if and when you want to stop. Read that book and stop. It won't hurt a bit. I promise.
Or don't.

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

Allen Carr's book didn't work for me. The first time I read it I managed to stop smoking for about a month, then I had 'just one' on an evening out and was back smoking as normal within a week. I re-read the book but didn't last out a day without a fag. Everybody was raving about his method though so I thought it must be me, so I forked out to go to one of his sessions. I lasted two miserable days after that. I don't know if they still do, but back then if you went to the session and didn't manage to stop smoking you could go back for a follow-up session for free, so I did that. There were people there who were back for the seventh or eighth time and still hadn't managed to stop.

I'm really pleased it worked for you, TheGhost, but I think it's important to acknowledge that no single method will work for everybody - and I'd say the same about ecigs too.

[TheGhostofAmandaClarke]

That's a good point that one method doesn't work for everyone.
But there are undeniable truths in his book.
It's defninitely worth a read IMHO.
His instruction is to about never, never, ever partaking of nicotine in any form because of course, if you do, then you're right back off the wagon and on the fag bus. I didn't follow that properly after reading the first book.
Then I read the second book and didn't touch it after that.the second book really worked for me.

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

Yes, definitely worth a try, the book has a fairly high success rate, IIRC.