Hi, I tried to quit smoking, and failed. However, I have cut down to just one cigarette a day from 15 cigarettes a day. I am feeling much better, and even enjoying that single cigarette a lot more. How much damage can a cigarette a day cause? Is this okay?
From my experience, even one cigarette a day is not okay as there is nothing positive about a cigarette. Let me explain why.
The great taste is a myth: If you smoke 15 a day, your mouth is bound to be as dry as the Sahara desert, and there’s good chance that you will not appreciate most of what you smoke properly. On the other hand, if you smoke just one, then that cigarette will taste absolutely awesome, because you were waiting for it the whole day and also because your body is craving nicotine.
However, cigarettes have nothing positive about them (they are a cocktail of poison) and even one cigarette is sufficient to affect your breathing pattern negatively. I realised this after smoking one after 31 days of staying quit. Also, let me tell you – that cigarettes are not tasty like biryani is. It is a person’s addiction, coupled with a slight buzz that makes it tasty.
You may not be satisfied with just one: The main difficulty with smoking just one cigarette, is making sure that you do not exceed your quota. There is a popular joke by Dave Allen about smoking, ‘I have a very strict rule about smoking. I never smoke more than an average of ten cigarettes a day. Occasionally, I might borrow one or two from the next day’s quota, but I never, ever exceed the average of ten a day. The cigarette I am smoking now is part of my quota for the fourth of July two thousand and forty six.’
You may be able to restrict yourself to just one, but it is still a negative thing because you’ll want more – and you’ll have to keep resisting all your life! Why not just suffer for a few weeks and be free forever?
I remember, on my journey towards quitting smoking, having the same issue. I had cut down to just one and that one tasted fantabulous. I could look at things from two perspectives – one was to pat myself on the back for having reduced so drastically, and the other was to feel frustrated at not being able to last a single day without nicotine. Thankfully, I chose the second perspective and was gradually able to unchain myself from the prison of nicotine addiction.
And if I can, anybody can!
http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/i-have-cut-down-to-just-one-cigarette-from-15-cigar...
