Tobacco(cigarettes) usage in SF
 

Hello all,

I've been learning a lot from this forum the past year and now I want to post a new thread because I really can't find this anywhere..

Are there a lot of smokers(cigarettes) in SF, Delta or in any SOF like Navy SEALs? What would you say the percentage is compared to conventional units? I ask this because I quit smoking three months ago and I need a motivation to stay quit. I was hoping that maybe in SOF, operators are more cigar smokers than cigarette smokers. I'm not against cigarette smokers, I just need something to help me overcome this strong temptation in me right now. Any info will be greatly appreciated! And please tell me if I violated any rules. Thank you.

Tobacco
 

I seem to remember that a lot of the guys used to dip snuff or chew tobacco. It was easier to use in that form when one was operating around aircraft or munitions. Versus a burning cigarette, smokeless tobacco doesn't give ones position away at night in a tactical enviroment. Chewing tobacco is also easier to use than cigarettes during inclimate weather.

I don't use nor advocate the use of tobacco products.

SOF, regardless of the branch, requires more desire than just a motivation to remain a non-smoker...it is a lifestyle of commitment, not a crutch...

Personally - I never smoked nor chewed tobacco products - both dull the senses and place you and your team at risk. MOO and YMMV.

Richard's $.02 :munchin

Thank you all for your replies so far. I greatly appreciate it.

It's always good to get the first one out of the way as soon as possible, Darn there are people who have been here for years (with hundreds of posts) and not a single thread to their credit. No idea about the first part, but congratulations on the second part. As for motivation how about the living a little longer and better? I thought you wanted to quit. I'm not sure looking like an "operator" with a stogie hanging from the side of your mouth is going to be motivational. For real motivation why not put all the money saved toward something nice . . . say a weapon? So looks like a little negative motivation is in order. Try this every time you touch a cig or dip (dip is worse) do push-ups until you collapse. Huh? Rules violation? Nah . . . not you. Your welcome.

I enjoyed many a good cigar after a mission, sometimes while sitting in the CSM's office, coffee with a little Jameson was always a nice touch, or was it, Jameson with a small touch of coffee, I can't remember.

This is the only thing I'm qualified to respond to. I quit almost 2 years ago, and haven't wanted a smoke since. All I do is think of the money I save, not to mention the health benefits. Lastly, I never really knew how awful smoke smells on a person, until I quit. ;) I can now smell smoke from great distances.

Here are my stats, if you want the program to put on your computer PM me. It keeps real time info from your quit date.

That system would also work for those counting down the days, when your youngest is living the house. I thought of a watch that ran backwards, digital timer, for the empty nester crowd.

"We have 4 yrs., 2 months, 6 days, 12 hrs., 8 min., and 33, 32, 31, ... seconds until our youngest is 18, and mom and I are gone".

Nice. You could also use something like the online clock showing the seconds ticking away until the next presidential election. :D

The local tavern has one counting down the days until St. Patty's.

Now we're talking! :lifter

Pat

p.s.: We have a countdown clock for our son letting him know how long it will be before we move into his house and he gets to change our diapers.

I only have one left at home, I guess its really a sad time for me...they grow up so fast, but I know my # one son is in good hands out there in the "Q".:D

Has your son checked it recently? How's he doing?

he's in hold waiting for language class, I hope he don't slack off on his PT.

bone graft / healing
 

Go ahead and google "nicotine + bone graft"; it should give some insight. In 2003, MG(R) Lambert during a visit down range asked me when I was going to quit that stuff (I dipped Copenhagen at the time). "Let me tell you something"...He shared with me that they were finding out that the guys who dipped or chewed that were going through recovery had a difficult time with their grafts taking. I checked it out, and found that some very extensive research has been conducted that proves the negative effects of nicotine on the healing process. Check it out for yourself.

A valid and possible option for quitting would be hypnotherapy. I've known a numer of people who have quit with this method. For it to be successful one has to go into the sessions with a positive attitude and an open mind. You might have to try several licensed hyponotherapists before you find one that can work successfully with you.

He'll be fine, thanks for the update. Best to you and yours.

WD

Jamesons Gols
 

I never smoked, but the motivation for most decisions is usually within, not external. Now to prove myself wrong, I read Jameson's (Thanks Wet Dog!) and I am stuck on having a glass of Jameson's Gold -- not with coffee but some hot tea and lemon with a clove in it.

:)

Change that hot tea to some hot water, add the Jameson's, lemon and clove. You have a Hot Whiskey. Yum.

You want motivation to quit?

My dad smoked Marlboros all throughout his service and most of his life.
He's now 6 ft under in Arlington.

Your call.

When I was a little guy with a bad cough. My grandmother would bring in two small glasses. One with hot lemon juice and honey, the other, a shot of Jameson. My grandfather would say, "now take the two drinks your grandma gave ya, one in each hand son, throw the lemon juice and honey over your left shoulder, the one in your right hand down ye throat".

Smoked on and off for a 20pkyr. Cigarettes, cigars, and pipe; never did dip or chew. When it came time to quit, all the pills, patches, mirrors, crystals held over my head, support groups, etc were a wasted effort for me. I had to want to stop.

Where ever the motivation comes from, go with it. It has been many years now and it is easier. There are still days when the red Marlboro box just screams my name.

RF 1

I wonder if our grandfathers were related... :D Whenever I'm ill the hot toddy has always worked its magic.

Yeppers, my dad started smoking in College in the 1930's. He quit in November 1979 when my mom was dx with Glaucoma. He smoked Menthol cigarettes until he discovered, "between the acts". Tiny cigarette sized cigars. He swore he did not inhale them..yeah right sure... he lies.. He died 12/25/1996 @ 5:10am. Diagnosis, Lung Cancer. Do the math between quit and death. Dad is at Busnell (fl) national cemetary in an urn. I miss him every day of my life.

My mom has a "smokers cough" from being around 2nd hand smoke all her life.

My dtr smokes Nat Sherman hint of mint. I tried them not bad..but not worth $9.85/pack. I cannot imagine paying what they do now for cigarettes, even at commisary prices. :eek:
YMMV
AM

Twenty years quit. Definitely a security issue in a combat zone. I still have my Zippo from RVN . Its all engraved up like they all were. Maybe us FOGs should start an engraved Zippo picture thread. Of course one would need to figure out how to do the macro focus thing.

Re: Money Saved /Smoking Cessation
 

I agree. The key to quitting anything is to become sufficiently disturbed with yourself to quit and never go back. No one quits anything until they are ready to quit for themself. I damn sure was not going to pay for SCHIP.

Time clock for Celibacy
 

I wonder......

I'm thinking of quiting sex, cold turkey, can you send me the clock for smokers, we'll see how it works.....lol

My clock could look something like this in the future;

Upside:
I have been sex free for 3 Year, 9 Months, 1 Week, 6 Days, 6 hours, 21 minutes and 21 seconds (1853 days). I have saved $232,286.42 by not having to have paid for 3,065 dinners. I have saved 20 years, 1 Month, 2 Weeks, 1 Day, 8 hours and 45 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 3/30/2008 12:00 PM

Downside:
- Unfortunately the horror stories were correct, and I am now blind, and unfortunately my prick did fall off like my mother warned me as a child.
- Where I saved money on the dinners, I spent more on blowup dolls, DVD's and vaseline.

Buck

Buck - my coffee spewed on my laptop! You are one "sick puppy":D! Thanks.

I am sufficiently disturbed with both of you... I am beginning to worry about you two. Someone owes me a keyboard and a new cup of cofee.

MMmmmmmm, oh yeah, you two are both 'special'. That says it all. :D:p:p

Heres my sign for proof :)

LOL, trust me, I am not anymore sick then I was yesterday. Hope that coffee comes out of the keyboard...lol

Buck

You're perverted Buck,

But that's ok, we should get along just fine. :D

tea or water no honey needed if it is Jameson's Gold
 

As a child, had this with water , regular Jameson's and honey. Working in Ireland (Galway), the locals promptly corrected (trained) me. Add a bit of tea -- it is considered medicinal and switch to Jameson's Gold (known for honey/oak like taste). It was the drink for a cold, rainy evening at the pub on the off Guinness night. And after the 4th or 5th, you truly did not notice the cold and spirits were high.

Buck, you are on your own for your clock but I guess you knew that already ;-)

I stand corrected, and will promptly employ that method soonest. :D

Im not sure if this will help you, but I smoke possibly 1 cigar a month. Its a leisure activity. I have been doing this for three years now and have never been addicted to them. Perhaps if you can give up the addiction and use a cigar or pipe(pipes are great, btw, most of pipe tobacco is very light and most certainly will not create an unwanted habbit unless used in great excess) as more of a "special occasion" sort of thing. However, im not sure how difficult it would be to quit smoking, then revert back to it only trying to smoke once or a few times a month.

All things in moderation my friend, and know thyself.

Jameson's Gold,what a lovely,lovely word...................;)

Big Teddy :munchin

Are you suggesting a person can give up the addiction and become a "leisure" user of tobacco?

RF 1

I pretty much quit smoking exept on deployments and JCETs for ice breakers and such. My two cents is if I gotta breath second hand smoke at a meet and greet, I might as well contribute what I can. :D

Other than that I don't smoke.

Both my parents smoked. I don't know why I never picked it up. Then when i was assigned to the 10th I started smoking a pipe because i thought it woul make me look:
A. More German, and
B. Older

I was wrong on both counts.
Lost my pipe in the snow coming home drunk from the O club one night. Found it in the Spring but the urge had passed by then. Aged the pipe nicely though.

Both my folks died eventually. My mother in '98 from lung cancer and heart disease and my father in '07 from emphysema.