How to quit smoking is not only a million dollar question, it is a question affecting millions and millions and their number is increasing day by day. The number of surveys conducted on smoking, small and big, by local bodies, governmental and non-governmental organizations are a legion! But are these well-intentioned efforts helping to curb the addiction of smoking? The answer, unfortunately, is in the negative and the tobacco lobby is busy with their expansion plans.
Is there a happy smoker? May be a rare one! More than 80 % of the smokers’ population, who formed part of the authentic survey, gave a straightforward answer that they wished to quit smoking. It is, therefore, appropriate to conclude that the majority of the remaining 20 % smokers, require some reasoning and pressure to bring them to the right track.
What it is that latent in the tobacco, which holds powerful sway over these unfortunate millions? It is an innocent looking eight letter word- nicotine. The more we try to understand it, the more it exhibits its enormous ferocity! It has such a telling effect on the physical and psychological areas of human beings, caught in its net, an individual finds it nearly impossible to free himself from its vice-grip. Nicotine is a drug naturally found in tobacco. It is highly addictive.
What happens when a smoker smokes? The smoke is inhaled and nicotine is transported deep into the lungs, where the bloodstream is waiting to receive and it is carried throughout the body without further loss of time. Evil is known for its lightening speed in doing its job and so does the nicotine!!
So, the nicotine is ‘the all-pervading reality’ within the blood-stream now, and it reaches wherever the blood reaches, that is to say the entire human system.
At this time, let us say an innate desire sprouts in the smoker to give up smoking. Some thing within him is trying to bring him to the right track! He starts discussing the issue with the fellow-sufferers and as his private research advances, he is startled to know what type of addictive nicotine is! It is not less powerful an addictive than heroin or cocaine!
Now is the right time to quote Mark Twain: “Quitting smoking is easy. I have done it a thousand times.” Got it? Because to cope up with the withdrawal symptoms is not easy. Nicotine has made your body and mind its permanent home. It can’t be evicted that easily. Try to dislodge it— come dizziness depression, irritability, anger, frustration, headache and restlessness.
But remember, all these negative tendencies have got to be resolute because by now you have decided to quit smoking and formulated your own best ways to do it.
Best of luck!