I’ll Have Just This One

When you quit smoking, especially after smoking for many years, you may have cravings for a cigarette a long time after quitting. Ten years could pass since your quit date and you still may see someone light up and be tempted to bum a smoke. While having an occasional cigarette may seem harmless, it can send you on the path back to a pack a day before you know it. Nicotine, the drug in cigarettes, is extremely addictive, some say more addictive than illegal drugs. When your body has gotten used to the nicotine, it’s much easier to fall back into the old bad habit than when you got hooked the first time.

Some lifetime smokers say they literally can’t go without thinking about having a cigarette for one day. When the urge is that present and that persistent, you need to be in fellowship with others with which you can be accountable and who will understand your situation. Support groups are found in many local communities and meet in churches and other public buildings. You can choose to join an online support group as well at www.suportgroups.com. Be sure though that you have some real friends to call when you are tempted to “have just one.”