Personal Injury Law

Today December 4, 2008, is my One Year Anniversary for Quitting Smoking!

By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq.

The headline to this article says it all; it has been one year to the day since I quit smoking. You can read an article that I wrote when I started to quit smoking by clicking here.

I started smoking when I was 17 years old. I stopped smoking last year on December 4, 2008. I smoked 27 years non stop until last year.

Has it been easy; hell no! Do I still have cravings and the urge to smoke; hell yes! Has it become easier not to smoke; hell yes! What is the single most thing that has helped me not to smoke; sugarless gum, I chew it everyday, it has become my addiction! What is the single most important thing I have done to get through the first year of non smoking; not picking up a cigarette no matter what!

Believe me, I am no quitting smoking guru or genius. I have many brothers that I ride motorcycles with who smoke, hell my mom smokes. Many of my brothers smoke Cigars. When they light their cigarettes or Cigars, it really bothers the hell out of me. I still get cravings to smoke and will probably have them the rest of my life. I am not going to pick up a Cigar because I absolutely know that it will lead me to smoking again.

The cravings have substantially died down over the last year. I now know that if I just don’t pick up a cigarette that the cravings will go away eventually. If you are quitting smoking, make sure you have plenty of sugarless gum available, and just don’t smoke, the cravings will pass.

One of the great benefits to not smoking, I can sit in Court now doing motorcycle accident cases as an attorney, and not have to run outside for a cigarette every time we have a recess. Another huge benefit is not having sore throats all of the time!

A couple of the big things I miss about smoking; the after sex cigarette, and taking a smoke break while riding my motorcycle.

It sure is nice to not smell like an ashtray. It sure is nice to have a new car that does not have cigarette smell, ashes, or burns in it either.

I will tell you one thing, if I can quit smoking after 27 years, anyone can!

By California Motorcycle Accident and Biker Lawyer, Norman Gregory Fernandez, © 2008

Full post as published by Biker Law Blog on December 04, 2008 (boomark / email).