How many of you have quit tobacco before? I’m on day 2 of quitting chewing. Started about 12 years ago but it has gotten really bad as of late. I’ve quit several times before but then get back into it. I’d like this to be the last time going cold turkey. The first 5 days suck. What are some tricks to keep from going back to our that you use? I’d like to not swap habits like chewing gum but at least that is better for you if it helps kill the urge.
Create a separate bank account and make an automatic deposit weekly into this account comparably to what you would spend on the tobacco, make sure to look at it once a month. Once you see the amount that it is growing it will help with wanting to go back to it. If you would like set a goal or something you would like to purchase. Good Luck!
I smoked a lot for 15 years and you just have to suffer through. I’m not gonna lie the first couple months it sucks
When I quit cigs in about 1983, I just didn’t buy a new pack.. Simple as that. Will power and be strong!!!!!
Good for you and best of luck, it sucks but worth it
Chantix worked for me. I smoked for 10 years tried to quit multiple times. Everytime I tried to quit prior it was painful, with Chantix it was pretty easy. Also only cost me the $15 co pay to see the doc.
Gum. Gum. And more gum! Chewed for years. I finally quit with two exceptions and I’m totally okay with that…deer season and my week long fishing trip are the two times I chew a year. And I have no desire to chew any other day.
Good luck.
When I quit chewing tobacco, I made the decision to take what I was spending per month and buy something that came to to that amount per month. At 1 can a day, I bought my first boat that was made after the year 1980. Its been 12+ years now, while I did have a few pinches since, I get major head spins about 10 seconds in so that reminds me not to do it anymore. Its probably been 10yrs since I have tried a pinch from a buddy when golfing or fishing.
I chewed Smokey Mountain and grinds for the first couple weeks. I didn’t really like either of them that much so I eventually stopped. It did help in the short term to be taking a dip of something.
Like Pat and some of the other guys said it helped to have something to focus on. I did sunflower seeds and then just took an extra swing of beer when I thought about it.
Also allowing myself an occasional cigar helped and then realized how much I didn’t like them anyway (at least the cheap ones) but helped in the beginning.
I quit chewing a few years ago. The were two things that helped me. The first was to write down why I was quitting. And I’d look at that piece of paper whenever I had the urge. The second was focusing on one goal at a time. Quitting takes a tremendous amount of will power. So give yourself a break in other aspects of your life.
The only time it was really hard not to go back was when fishing, so I switched to sunflower seeds for a while. Now I don’t even think about it when I’m on the water.
Chantix worked for me. I smoked for 10 years tried to quit multiple times. Everytime I tried to quit prior it was painful, with Chantix it was pretty easy. Also only cost me the $15 co pay to see the doc.
Been chewing for nearly 40 years… tough to quit. Used Chantix as well and haven’t had a chew in over 4 months. My insurance covered the Chantix 100% – just had to pay the co-pay for the office visit as well.
Our house quit smoking last November, however we do use Juuls. I won’t be on it much longer though, as it gives me anxiety. I got anxiety on the 5% so I dropped to 3%. Now 3% is almost as bad. It’s a good weaning process for smokers.
The other issue is that since it doesn’t stink like a cigarette and you don’t burn them, you tend to vape more than you smoked.
You could ask my neighbor why you should quit. But he passed away of throat cancer from chewing for 30 some years. His last year of his life he had to feed himself with a straw.
I would recommend trying the patches, the gums, any other OTC aid you can, some just work for certain people, some don’t at all, but they are worth trying.
Never quit trying to quit.
Staying away from other smokers was my #1. Not drinking #2.
More power to ya Tom! I quit chewing this past January using Nicotine gum. Still have a full, unopened box up in the cupboard if you want it.
A rough napkin math calculation told me it would save me about $1,000.00 per year in my situation not to mention the other risks.
Regardless, where there’s will there’s a way!
I smoked for 10 years and quit cold Turkey because my girlfriend at the time was a nurse and didn’t want to be with a smoker. She is now my wife and a big reason I was successful in quitting, you really have to want to quit mentally. The rest is just will power. If you truly don’t want to quit, it won’t stick, find your reason to quit.
The biggest thing is to stay away from it.
I chewed for about 15 years then quit cold turkey. Was easier than I expected.
Two years later a buddy had some in the boat…..There went the first try lol
On my second go around of quitting right now. Grizzly wintergreen is like crack. Been chewing those Velo nicotine pouches most of the time as a crutch. They definitely fill the craving if you can’t get by cold turkey. I also chew way less of them than real chew.
2 pack a day smoker.
If you find a foolproof quit method, let me know.
Chantix for me. I smoked for 20 years. Havnent had a smoke in over 5 years. I can even smoke cigsrs now and I get no desire to smoke a cigarette. Can get as drunk as I want and no desire.
I went to the doctor about something else and per usual he started giving me the schpeel about how I should quit and offered to write me a prescription for chantix. My GF at the time (now wife) had been nudging me in that direction so I obliged more just to get him off my back. It sat in my cupboard for a few months. One day I juat decided to give it a try. Only needed to take it for 6 days and that was it. Took away all the cravings. Some people say you have crazy nightmares and bad side effects. The only weird thing I noticed was that when I would wake up at night to pee I would bump into the walls because I had lost my balance.
Try chantix! It worked for me and I was a committed smoker for life. Now I can smell things again and taste things better and I dont need to huph and puff when I go up and down stairs. Life is better
The key to the whole issue is: DO YOU WANT TO QUIT? If the answer is YES, then you will succeed!
I like the idea of the separate bank account idea!
Tom, glad to hear your trying to ditch the habit.
I was a smoker from my late teens, about to turn 60. Diagnosed with lymphoma, and some strange “spots” on my lungs, plus the beginning stages of Emphysema. Oncologist said I should quit smoking, damn right! Just kept picturing my self with a tumor on my jaw, then half my jaw removed, yea, scared the crap outta me. Had my last scan done two weeks ago, doc very confused as the tumors are shrinking, spots on my lung are shrinking. Previous scan was done in March, and he was talking about bringing me back in for MORE chemo AND radiation. Don’t wish that road for ANYBODY, it is miserable.
Last smoke for me was eight weeks, 4 days ago, cold turkey, and I don’t miss them at all, and I feel great.
Like a few previous posters talked about, watch your bank account. I just bought new tires for the boat trailer that were about three years overdue for replacement!
Good luck, and YOU can do this!!!
I have been off chewing tobacco for about 4 years now. Probably took 6 to fully quit. I never smoked cigs but man I can’t imagine anything being any tougher to quit.
I never tried any patches or gum but I did use a couple chew alternatives which kind of helped. Cowboy Coffee Chew is pretty good if you like coffee, made from coffee grinds and gives you a caffeine kick as well. A little messy but not any worse than a regular dip. Also a product called Nip, which is made from sea sponges and they soak them in flavoring and it feels a little more like a real dip.
I used pouches after being almost exclusively a long leaf chewer (thank you college baseball) and those products helped but ultimately it was time and will power that got me to actually quit. I definitely still have cravings, my triggers were fishing and being on shift at the fire dept. But now they are easily managed. And even if I do want one it’s been so long I’d probably lose my lunch which is a good deterrent. Good luck and hope you beat it!
Good for you Tom. I smoked like a chimney for 17 years, then entered a Welbutrin study that lasted for 2 years. I got paid by Mayo Clinic for my participation and set that money aside along with what I would have spent a day on smokes….hundreds of dollars….for the duration of the program. The Welbutrin made me not have the slightest desire to smoke. Chantix can have similar effects I am told.
My last smoke was in 1993. I never liked the chew so I didn’t have that issue to overcome but understand that the challenge is similar to quitting smoke.
Since a lot of quitting is in the mind, get used to telling yourself that you don’t chew and if asked if you use tell whoever you don’t use tobacco, not that you’ve stopped using it. Stopping is an excuse to justify starting again. If you don’t use it its a final statement.
I’m pulling for you! You can do this!
one downside to quitting smoking is people who smell like smoke are disgusting to you.
Mila Kunis could walk by me and if she smelled like cigarettes i woudnt even want to be near her. Well ok maybe i make a few exceptions 
Had an interesting comment from a friend who happens to be a doctor. He said he sees a big majority of his patients who try the Chantix route actually succeed and he really talks to his tobacco-using patients to see if they want to quit and will try it. He also said that a lot of people dismiss it because they think that for some reason insurance won’t cover it.
There’s a short list of things men can do to significantly increase their chances of living longer. Guess what #1 is?
Grouse
Smoked for 40 yrs. Tried everything. VA doc gave me chantix and after about a week or so I could not stand the taste of a cigarette. I think about how they taste an nope don’t want it!!! been about 10 yrs now.
Big Pharma pushes their drugs hard. You can cut down your nicotine dependence yourself if you are determined to. You can separate nicotine dependence and the hand to mouth habit with products available today. Conquering one thing at a time is progress.
Cold turkey fails a lot and failure is depressing and that just puts you back where you started with less confidence than before. I don’t mean to be bummer. I mean to say there is plenty of help available for that first week! Luck.
Black Buffalo
Tom, day 2 that’s awesome!
When Nicodemon the Nicotine Demon starts playing tricks on you, remember the acronym NOPE – Not One Puff Ever. Or, in your case Not One Pouch (dip) Ever.
The only way to quit is to never give your body a single taste of it. Gum, patches, pipes, cigars, drugs eventually you have to learn to deal with going cold turkey.
When people say that a craving only lasts 3-5 minutes, they’re sort of lying to you. When you first quit you will have a bunch of cravings in a row. If you string together 10 cravings in a row, that’s an hour’s worth of cravings.
You’ll start having moments of clarity. Then those moments of clarity will get longer and longer. Eventually your clear moments will outlast the cravings and the cravings will get shorter and shorter.
Even after being quit for 20 years, about once or twice a year I could whip someone for a smoke. But, it passes after about 3 – 5 minutes.
About day 10 you may get a terrible sore throat. That’s your taste buds coming back to life and being freaked out.
Keep at it and remember N.O.P.E.
Sunflower seeds helped me when I was chewing a lot
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