Sadian, I want to declare my stupidity to you. From the age of about 12,  I ran, swam every day - could do an entire length of an olympic swimming pool underwater with one breath and kept it up all through my twenties. At 35 years of age I started smoking (8 years ago). I was going through a difficult time and like a fool thought smoking would ease the stress, of course it didn't. Now at 43 I still smoke but MUST give it up.  I have been around healthcare people all my adult years - family members Doctors and Nurses. I must be one of the most stupid people out there. However, I am going to stop. I don't want patches or gum. I am preparing to just stop. My father smoked for forty years and has COPD and has had multiple admissions. If that  isn't a good enough reason to stop I don't know what is.  I kind of say to myself because I didn;t smoke during my teens or twenties my heart and lungs must be coping better than if |I started early - am I deluding myself? Unlike a  great majority of Lawyers I scarcely drink alcohol, not because of any strong convictions against imbibing but simply because I cannot work effectively if I had a lunch time drink or cope with a hangover. One think that made me laugh about Obama was when he was asked if he ever smoked pot and inhaled he said 'that was the whole point'!. I have never smoked any illicit drugs and have no desire to but his honesty sounded better than Clinton. Smokers smell unpleasant and it easily destroys ones teeth as well as other organs within the body.  I will have given up by New Yews day - the cost is outrageous. This silly idea of putting cigs behind closed 'blinds' in supermarkets is foolish in my view. A smoker will smoke whatever gruesome photos appear on the packet and hiding them I believe makes kids more interested in getting hold of cigs.  There is a school near me and I am horrified to see kids (that look to me about 12 or 13 smoking away pretending to enjoy it.
Posted by kirked