selling tobacco

[poopdeckpappy]

#inside forces quit smoking cold turkey 86 days ago. I have lost most of my friends. I get up in the morning feeling great. then I walk into work. Ha! I work in a convenience store. Within a couple hours the urge to smoke is horrific. They are all around me. the only thing that keeps me going is I promised my Grandson I would never smoke again. I no longer agree with selling or the use of nicotine products. But because of my age and years of service I cannot change jobs. I am just trying to find a safe place so that I can continue to work and not smoke.

[Giulia]

Watch those smokers who come in.  Do you see their desperation?  Do they look like happy people?  Is their skin all dried out?  Do they start opening the pack before they get out the door?  Examine their need.  And discover that you don't need that.  If your friends were only your friends because you happened to hang out together and smoke - are those real friends? Or just addiction-based friends?  You don't have to give up your friends forever, just because they smoke.  Just in the early, fragile stages of your quit it's best to not hang out with them, unless they're willing to smoke out of your sight.  Or have THEY given you up because THEY feel uncomfortable being around a non-smoker?  I grant you, selling tobacco when you're in the  quit smoking business must be a bear!  But then, as you said - you wake up feeling terrific!  

Here's an idea:  They give us free wallet cards with the EX site on it.  For every cigarette or pack you sell, hand out a wallet card along with it.  You just may be able to change a whole lot of lives out there!  What have you got to lose?!!!  /blogs/Mark-blog/2016/02/29/do-you-find-yourself-referring-people-to-the-ex-community-wallet-cards-a...   (But keep it to yourself.  I don't imagine the owners of the store would want their revenue to stop!  lol)  

[crazymama_Lori]

your friends will return.  they are just of the thought maybe of well, here we go again.  I know with me, mine stayed away or even stopped calling because they were afraid of the "you should quit" speech.  All smokers know they have to quit, but they're either too stubborn or afraid to try.  They will pop in from time to time to see how you are progressing.  I just kept my comments about smoking to a minimum.  Some friends wouldn't even come to visit because they still smoked and they knew I didn't.  Early last year it would have bothered me.  Now, I just tell them you can come over and visit.  I just don't allow smoking in my house anymore.  Stick some vicks under your nose when you're at work for the smell.  the longing looks you're giving those packs will turn into amazement that you ever spent that much money every week/month/year on those things...... you're doing great, remember that

[YoungAtHeart]

Think about this, perhaps: Most smokers don't WANT to smoke; they have to smoke.  If you ask them,, I am sure they would tell you that they would rather be someone who has quit and thinks about smoking every once in awhile than someone who smokes, spends ALL that money on them, and thinks about quitting ALL the time.

Feel sorry for them - not envious.  YOU have what they want. 

Don't they smell awful to you?  Don't they smell like a dirty ashtray?  Isn't their skin sallow?  They probably have gum problems, and breathing problems.  What's to envy about THAT?

You should be VERY proud that you have 86 days of freedom in that environment!  Congratulations!

Nancy

[elvan]

Welcome to EX...you quit for 86 days on your own?  That's pretty amazing.  You did it "for your grandson"...you need to be doing this for YOU, not for anyone else.  You need to read everything you can about nicotine addiction, this IS an addiction, it is not just a habit, you can recover much better with support and education.  RECOVER is the key word here.  You need to take your quit one day at a time and when that is too long, make it one hour or one minute at a time.  I am in awe of you being able to go to work in a convenience store, surrounded by cigarettes.  I could not even say the word cigarette for quite a while after I quit.  The people buying cigarettes are buying them and smoking them because of addiction, they are not smoking them because they are really happy about it.  Addiction is an ugly disease.  Smoking does nothing FOR you, only TO you and no crave ever killed anyone.  No one can say that about cigarettes. It will get easier, the more days you put behind you.  Right now, you are in a place we call NML, No Man's Land and it is hard even WITH support.  You are doing an amazing job.

Best,

Ellen

[bonniebee]

Hey welcome to Ex you will have so much support here if you stick around and keep on blogging so that other ex'ers cn get to know you and help you !

            Congratulations on your 86 days of freedom ! (DOF ) do not take one puff ever and you will never smoke again Your grandson will be proud and you will have every reason to be very proud of yourself ! As time goes by it will get so much easier and even easier to be around smokers too ! I live with one ......don't over protect yourself if you have a lot of friends that smoke but know yourself well enough to protect yourself when necessary.

       NOPE = Not one puff ever ! Make the commitment , think positive and One day at a time add up ! We all help each other out here I Love this site I was a 52 year smoker I quit and I give this Ex=Community  so much credit I will be celebrating 900 DOF in two days time !

[prjimm01]

YAY Bonnie!!!!

[maryfreecig]

Big welcome to you. Thanks for sharing your quit story and stress you are facing and your motivation to stay quit. You have found a safe place. Keep coming back, read, blog as you like. Congrats on 86.

[Sootie]

Hello! Great job on your 86 day quit!!!

One suggestion as you work in that "Smoking environment".....just think about how you are going to come here to EX when work is over and tell us all about it!

Welcome to EX-----we are all here for each other.

Stay Strong

[linda258]

Congrats! You should be proud, 86 days s a great accomplishment.  If it makes you feel any better, most people wake up feeling fine only to have it go down hill after having to go to work.. haha.  Yes, it must be difficult to see people coming in and buying cigarettes... especially since you know how much harm they are doing to themselves.  It is a choice for smokers and non smokers alike.  So happy for you that you are making such a good choice for you and your family.