[AssKissinger]

only mildly addictive and therefore it was possible for smokers to quit if they wanted to or made the effort to.

I think that's true. I smoked for around 15 years and just quit about two years ago. It wasn't that hard. Cravings came but would pass in a few minutes. A lot of it is like stopping a bad habit like biting your nails. I watched people go through herion withdrawal before and the pain is unbelievable. The body just breaks down without it. Giving up alcohol for full on alcoholics causes shaking, convulsuions and even hallucinations. Giving up smoking just makes you grumpy and nervous. Compared to other substances the addiction is mild. If you can't quit smoking it's because you lack the will power.

[Caustic Saint]

I'd say it varies from person to person. Everybody's body chemistry is a little different, so things affect us all to varying degrees. An alcoholic may be able to give up smoking easily, but not the drink. The opposite may be true for a 2-pack-a-day smoker.

I smoked a pack a day for a little over a year when I was in college. One day I just stopped. Hadn't made any plans to quit or psyched myself up for it - just stopped. Finished on pack and didn't buy another. Had no withdrawl symptoms, cravings or anything else usually associated with quitting smoking. (My friends told me I hadn't been a very commited smoker if that was the case. ) I was surprised it was that easy to stop, since I always got such a great buzz from nicotine.

[Taro Toporific]

[moog]

One day I just stopped. Hadn't made any plans to quit or psyched myself up for it - just stopped. Finished on pack and didn't buy another. Had no withdrawl symptoms, cravings or anything else usually associated with quitting smoking. (My friends told me I hadn't been a very commited smoker if that was the case. ) I was surprised it was that easy to stop, since I always got such a great buzz from nicotine.

It was the exact same story for me. I smoked close to two years I think and I remember being involved in an extremely intense and demanding project at work that required several weeks of 14+ hour days. At some point during that hell I ran out of cigarettes and never really noticed it. A day passed when I realized that I hadn't smoked and I kind of thought that was a sign so I simply didn't buy another pack again. I never felt anything that I could attribute to withdrawl either. That was five years ago.

You hear the stories about smokers that quit and then become hyper-sensitive to second hand smoke - either it makes them crave a cigarette or it really repulses them. Neither apply to me. Being in a smoky environment doesn't bother me a bit.

[devicenull]