Advice on helping a friend quit smoking

[Demon 997]

I've got a friend who wants to quit smoking, he bought what he claims will be his last pack of cigarettes. He wants my help in holding him to that. What should I do, beyond taking his cigarettes if he gets more?

[Mecharious]

Well, there isn't anything concrete you can do unless you moniter him 24/7 (Or slash his tires and burn all stores within walking distance, but I think that's a felony). You can be supportive, keep him occupied, and not make a big deal if he's a jerk during nicotine withdrawl.

[Demon 997]

Thanks. Around how long does it take for your average smoker to work through a pack? Maybe we could work out a camping trip.... Probably not though. I won't be able to monitor him much, but I can give him crap about not following it and support him.

[Fri]

negative reinforcement? make some kind of promise with him that you'll stalk him and everytime you see him smoking you'll punch him hard.

[Worira]

Superglue a gas mask to his face.

[ZombyWoof]

(Or slash his tires and burn all stores within walking distance, but I think that's a felony).
Multiple felonies actually :smallwink:

[Mecharious]

Slash & Burn isn't a category any more? :smallsmile:

[ZombyWoof]

We're probably talking multiple accounts of arson :smallbiggrin:

[thubby]

Slash & Burn isn't a category any more? :smallsmile:

first, i have to say i love how awesomely weird our little community is.

second, no, there's not a whole lot you can do. his life is gonna suck a lot for a while, just be a good friend.

[VeisuItaTyhjyys]

After that pack is through, grab any cigarette he smokes and burn him with it.

Although I guess if we're going the bleeding-heart, namby-pamby "no felonies" way of doing things (sissies), a not-too-strenuous camping trip is a good idea. The times I've quit for a while in the past, being irritable wasn't nearly the problem that being sickly was; as one's body gets used to not smoking, one coughs up all manner of assorted things and one's throat freaks out while adjusting. The first little while after quitting, contrary to what PSAs said on the subject (as facts tend to be), I was less able to distance run and stuff I used to do as a smoker. It gets better, in time, but at first it's actually worse. A few days where you aren't going on crazy hikes, but you're out in nature (I only smoke in cities, since city air is grosser than cigarettes, so I'm really doing myself a service) and away from places he can get smokes. After a few days, he'll probably be over the irritable, intense craving stage and the worst of the nasty coughing-up-grey-**** stage.

After that, don't make too big a deal if you catch him smoking a cigarette, but make a bigger one if you see him buying/owning a pack; honestly, you usually mess up every now and again and if everybody says you're a complete failure because you smoked a cigarette after you quit, you might as well go back all the way. Make a joke about it that reminds him, but don't be confrontational unless you see him really slipping into smoker-city by buying a pack, etc.

[Eldan]

My father pretty much annually tried quitting for almost 40 years until he finally managed. First of all: be prepared for a friend with migraines, sickness, perpetual coughing including delightful black and red stuff coming up, attacks of weakness, irritability and general bad temper.

So, be very, very patient with him.

[Lex-Kat]

Be supportive. Give your friend your number, and tell him to call you when he feels the need to light up. Let him know when you are at work or in classes, so he doesn't call when you are in a meeting or whatever.

The camping trip sounds like a good idea. But you also will need to hang out with him more often, and don't go to smoking hot-spots. No bars, no clubs. And don't talk or ask him about it. Talking about smoking brings his mind back to it, and may create a craving.

Help him start a new habit. I suggest sunflower seeds with shells. You can't smoke and eat seeds at the same time, unless you are eating the shells as well. :smallyuk:

Just remember, most try and fail many times before they succeed. If he fails this time, don't be harsh, be supportive. If later he wishes to try again, believe in him. Don't remind him that he failed, as that creates a negative attitude that he'll fail, even before he begins.

[Creed]

Use violent video games to distract him.:smalltongue:

[Asta Kask]

I've got a friend who wants to quit smoking, he bought what he claims will be his last pack of cigarettes. He wants my help in holding him to that. What should I do, beyond taking his cigarettes if he gets more?

Buy him nicotine chewing gums.

[Form]

Buy him nicotine chewing gums.

He'll still keep his nicotine addiction this way, but I think that it will indeed be easier for him to quit if he uses nicotine chewing gum or patches or something other than cigarettes. Nicotine intake only is still better than nicotine intake plus tar and smoke going through your lungs.

And yeah, expect some irritability from him. And craving for cigarettes. He may very well be serious about quitting smoking, but chances are he still won't be happy when you take away his cigarettes if he buys some anyway.

[Asta Kask]

Nicotine addiction isn't particularly dangerous in itself. So, yeah, definitely better than smoking.

[KenderWizard]

Help him do lots of distracting activities, especially ones that involve his mouth and hands, so he doesn't feel the loss of something to do with them. I recommend cooking and baking. Positive reinforcement is better than negative (and more likely he'll stay friends with you than if you slash his tires or give him cigarette burns!). If he goes a day without smoking, tell him how great he is. If he says he wants one, and you distract him, after the craving passes tell him he's got great willpower. Go to the cinema and other non-smoking locations with him. Go to the beach. The camping idea sounds like a really good one, do try to do that.

[Archonic Energy]

nail him to a wall.

bind his hands behind his back so he CAN'T smoke

[AsteriskAmp]

Have normal gum available at all times and something to drink too.
I've seen people quitting smoking being hungry and/or thirsty constantly, but that's probably the anxiety.
Also pens and/or pencils, it's probable he will want to have something to bite or play with in his mouth.

[Asta Kask]

Watch his weight. Many people who quit smoking gain a number of pounds over the next year or so. Tell him to watch it before he reaches 300 lbs.

[valadil]

Buy him nicotine chewing gums.

One of my friends used this stuff to get off cigarettes (though he's back on them again now :-\ ). He said the gum was the foulest substance he ever willingly put in his mouth. It satisfied the nicotine cravings, but wasn't enjoyable like smoking. Which I think is exactly what this kind of thing should be. If you hate your nicotine intake you're a lot less likely to do it as often.


. Around how long does it take for your average smoker to work through a pack?

I'm pretty sure a pack a day is average, though I've heard of people going as high as four packs a day. If he could get down to a pack or two a week, that would be a dramatic improvement.

[Mecharious]

Watch his weight. Many people who quit smoking gain a number of pounds over the next year or so. Tell him to watch it before he reaches 300 lbs.

That's definitely not top priority. Mentioning weight really doesn't encourage smokers to stop smoking. I know a few smokers who quit, and 2 gained around 10 pounds, which is a lot safer than continuing to smoke.

[Asta Kask]

You have to gain fabulous amounts of weight for it to be as dangerous as even a modest smoking habit.

Ok, how about this - encourage him to exercise. Not only will it counteract weight gain, it is also eases withdrawal symptoms.

[Demon 997]

We're both in school, so the camping trip, while a nice idea isn't really an option. I'll try distracting activities, and tell him to buy sunflower seeds. I believe he's tried to quit a couple of times.

[deuxhero]

Remind him how pathetic a smoker. Regularly.


I've also heard that going cigar only is very effective.

[Dr.Epic]

I quite pretty easily but that was because I smoke maybe a pack a month. Not exactly a huge addiction for me. But just remind them of all the cash they're wasting. Convincing them to stop smoking for like 2 months and see how much cash they saved.

[xPANCAKEx]

dont help him

he either does it by himself or not at all

[drakir_nosslin]

Lock him inside a room for a month, a bathroom is good. He can sleep in the bathtub. Give him food and his homework through a small window. A laptop with wi-fi provides all distraction needed. If you can fit one in, give him a treadmill or some other kind of exercise device as well.
Either he'll come out crazy, or he'll come out clean. Or maybe both.

[Fri]

To be more serious, yeah, distract him.

Anyway, I don't smoke, but I know that people who smoke are really used to it. I mean, they just instinctively reach for a cigarette after eating, after drinking coffee, and so on. Even without the nicotine addiction, the physical routine of smoking is compulsion enough. So try to make him at least got his compulsion from the addiction only I guess, rather than the simple physical routine.