Family members smoking???? SERIOUS ANSWERS ONLY PLZ!!!?

Question

I know it sounds sooo stupid but several members of my close family including my mum and it does worry me and annoy me. In just over 2 weeks the smoking ban will come in to place where I live and my family are going mad over it - but I just said to them, why not TRY to give up, even TRY!! It will be so much easier to go aroun without being restricted to where you can go. But no they are just angry. Which I can understand as it is their choice just as we all have habits but....

I am close to my family and friends, I lost my nan cos of cancer almost 3 yrs ago and my grampy due to heart attack, they both smoked, altho I dont know if thats what caused it and I was close to them so it was upsetting. But I want my family especially my mum to stop cos I do worry for their health. Also they smoke around me and if I say something especially my mum they just go ''I could be an alcoholic or eat loads instead and car fumes are worse'. Im not being selfish Im worried for them like they would.

Thanks for all u who have answered so far! Congratulations those who have gave up.

I really do understand how hard it must be for them - and understand one of the answers about when there were advertisments FOR ciggies!!

Also, to one person who mentioned about no sympathy from nonsmokers - thats what the smokers in my family say!!! Which I can agree with to an extent, many nonsmokers dont let smokers have their own choice!!

i suppose I'll just encourage them to start stopping (when the ban comes in they may realise its for the better anyway!!)

Good to see only sensible answers so far 2!!

Answer 1

As a smoker of some 45 years standing, I can probably give you what I would assume is an honest reply.

I started smoking at the age of 10, way back then and until not too many years ago, we had adverts on tv for companies like Marlborough. These adverts clearly stated, Marlborough cigarettes, good for you.

Now they were not the only ones, there were "Players please" "Capstan full strength for the real man".

I am not saying that this kind of advertising caused everyone to start smoking because it obviously didn't, however, when this kind of advertising is coupled with the fact that every programme on television blatantly included smokers and what seemed like everyone around you smoked, it is easy to see how the habit can be taken on.

Well since then we have heard people screaming that smokers should not recieve hospital treatment for smoking related diseases. We have heard how "passive smoking" causes damage to others ( I have yet to see any evidence of this) and now the prospect of a complete smoking ban in public.

I have tried all sorts of remedies over the years including patches, accupuncture, hypnotism, chewing gum and straight cold turkey.
Nothing, but nothing, has helped me to stop, oh, and I forgot to mention the government sponsored "quit line", where someone on the other end of the phone tells you "you really shouldn't smoke as it is bad for your health and that of the people around you" (ground breaking stuff).

If I smoke in public, I am always aware of others around me who do not smoke. I ask there permission to smoke and will willingly extinguish a cigarette if some one asks.
I have every sympathy for non smokers who must suffer terribly from the effects of smoke.
Yet, I have never met a non-smoker who has an ounce of sympathy for a smoker. I consider myself to be a better person than them, a fool for smoking maybe, but a caring fool who's taxes on cigarettes over the years have been greedily accepted by numerous governments who now condem us to a criminal conviction for doing what they allowed advertisers advise us to do for years.

So please, by all means encourage your family to stop smoking but dont condemn them for failing or for not even trying for the umpteenth time.

I have heard the saying that if everyone stopped smoking the National Health service would have more money. That may, or may not be so but have you ever known any government to give up a source of income. If they do not have revenue from cigarette sales, they will get it elsewhere, so be careful or you non-smokers may get what you wish for.

Lets have a be kind to smokers day!!


Kindest regards

Answer 2

I was a heavy smoker for years and quit nearly 14 years ago. I was the type who smoked more when someone told me I had to quit. I realized that the only person who could make me quit was me. I didn't start by smoking two packs a day, so I quit the same way I started, slowly. Every person who is addicted to nicotine has their own way that they will or won't quit and it's hard to push them without pushing them away. You love them and that's so important and approaching the subject with love and without making them feel guilty will likely get you a better and less defensive response. If they are smoking in your presence, leave the room or open the car window. You don't need to say anything, they'll get the hint eventually and hopefully will realize that if they want your company, they will have to refrain from smoking near you.
The hardest part of quitting smoking is leaving the "friend" behind. Ironic that this "friend" is also the thing that can harm them most. But if you notice their smoking habits, it's usually increased or in response to certain situations including sadness and joy or accomplishment, and mostly boredom.
Hang in there and try to show love and learn from them that smoking is extremely addictive and if it was easy to quit, most people would.

Answer 3

As a smoker that tried to quit for a few decades, I think I've
beeen successful at least for a couple of weeks to now, (we'll
see). I know how difficult it can be and the only person that
can do it is the smoker. All the nagging it the world does
nothing more than piss people off, and the person HAS TO
WANT to quit (right down deep inside devotion).There's lots
of things we could all do that may or may not be worse than
smoking -- so ? Fact is, when you're smoking that ain't good.

Wish you luck, but until the folks in your family want to take
the old bull by the horn, there's nothing you can do. Today,
there's lots of help available when the want is there.

Answer 4

Car fumes arnt worse although i have to say i was dismayed today. I gave up smoking 3 weeks ago (and it is flipping hard and only gona eva happen if you really want it to) anyways i go to a clin ic who giv me nicotine replacement. last week my carbon monoxide reading was 0. this week (and i havnt had a ciggy) it was 4, anything under 5 is good and normal but i was fuming how cud it be so bad, reason because i had been stuck in traffic for half an hour before i got to clinic! my carbon readings whilst smoking were 24 however, so drastically not as bad. Unfortunately you aint neva gona stop sum1 smoking unless they want to it requires a whole lot of will power even with nicotine replacement but well worth doing, i dont cough anymore, i still wud love a ciggy but i no im strong enuff, gud luck wid getting em to stop, dont stop trying

Answer 5

Sorry but smoking is an addiction. Just like herione addicts cant give up neither can smokers. Unlike drug addicts, even going to the local or having a meal or drink can lead to having a cigarette. So a social drink or gathering can be hard, I smoked for 10 years and have not smoked for 6 weeks. It is hard to quit, even though you may know someone who has died. If someone isn't willing or doesn't want to quit, there will be nothing you can say to make them. Willl power in 90% of the battle.

Answer 6

Okay, first of all, I can totally understand your view. My dad smoked and started very young! But, even though I'm no expert I do know that when they smoke, you should go to a different part of the house or outside to cool off. Because passive smoking is also a big issue, and can kill you!
Secondly, grab some leaflets from your local GP surgery and show them to your family. Even if they aren't totally understanding you might aswell try and talk to them about it and your feelings. Show them that even if they aren't listening, you're trying! And if they try to stop smoking, just really try, it would show you how brave they are to at least try for their sake and yours!
If they don't then just try and see it from their point of view..
Has anything really bad happened in your life to make them start smoking? If so, try talking to them about it..and even though it sounds quite off the subject..maybe suggest counselling? Even if it was in the past, it can still be healed.
Hope that helps! :)

Answer 7

I understand how you feel. When my mom was dying - a woman of 69 who had six children, a wonderful husband, was a teacher and stay at home mom, rarely drank, never smoked, never fooled around - her advice to us was - go ahead and do all the bad stuff, because it didn't seem to matter! Her clean living didn't help her from dying so young. We are at more of a risk from chemicals in our foods and in the air and water, than smoking. Cancer has become epidemic in our society, and other diseases on the increase. I don't like seeing kids with cell phones because they will get brain cancer. I don't like seeing kids with headphones all the time because their hearing becomes compromised. You gotta pick your battles, and do the best you can. Any of us can be killed in a car accident tomorrow, so we have to live each day as we want to.

Answer 8

My dad had many heart attacks from smoking, and he always came out of the hospital trying to give up, coz the heart attacks really scared him, but after a while, he gets over it and he just thinks coz hes survived this much, he can carry on smoking. Basically the only time my dad gives up is when the situation becomes serious, but just when it goes back to normal he starts again.

I know how it must be, the best thing to do is actively help them to give up, by going to doctor appointments with them and using all the different methods to help them give up smoking. There's the nicotine patch, which definately didn't work for my dad, but some people are just used to picking up a cigarette and putting it to their mouth, so they use this little inhaler thingy which gives them nicotine. Basically my point it, don't give up. Try all the different methods one by one and see how they work.

Your family is not going to decide to give up on their own, so you're going to have to help them by making doctor's appointments, going with them (forcing them) and basically just helping them through the process.

I wish you the best of luck with that.

Answer 9

well for starters alot of people are up set that smoke but also because the way the the goverment is slowly taking away our rights , think about it next they will be saying you cant eat meat its bad for you too just as cigeretts , and they will have america vote to no meat and , or they will say we can only have 2 childeren why should goverment be able to tell us what to do and where when we stand on the its a free country motto , its not a free country anymore they have e.p.a who has shut down most of our jobs that made americans good money , we have scioal services who wont let you disapline your childeren ,thats more in likely what they are mad over ., and thats just going to drive them to smoke more because the goverment is trying to force it on them not let them make the choice to do it there self

Answer 10

I smoked for years and years and have only three days under my belt not smoking (hey...three days for me is awesome!). It is a very hard addiction to overcome. Maybe you can go to this website and check out some info and see if maybe you can talk to them about it. http://www.get-quit.com. After several attempts to quit, this is the thing that has helped me the most. Good luck!