CDC website: "Fewer than one in ten adult cigarette smokers succeed in quitting each year."

[davidfawcett]

CDC: "In 2018, 7.5% of adult smokers (2.9 million) successfully quit smoking in the past year.3"

The statement above was cut and pasted from the CDC website. 

This means that 92.5% fail to quit smoking. I hope to be in the 7.5% that succeed.  I had no idea the odds were stacked against us that bad. It is not pleasant to go through all this pain and suffering just to fail and maybe try again in the future or just give up for the last time.  This is my last go at quitting cigarettes.

According to another study in 2012, researchers reviewed 28 different studies of people trying to quit using the substance they were addicted to.  They found that 18% were able to quit drinking, and more than 40% were able to quit opiates, cocaine and heroin. Only 8% were able to quit smoking.

This is very sobering information that I needed 40 years ago not today.  I will be quit 6 months next week and understand the odds of staying quit are not in my favor. Does this kind of data scare the hell our of others out there that are also trying to quit for the last time?

One more question, Is anything more difficult to quit than smoking?  Probably not, I chose the most challenging addiction to manage for the rest of my life.  Thanks for your comments and support. 

[Cousin-Itt]

   David @davidfawcett 

   I was dual addicted.  I quit one substance cocaine for 2 years before I started using again for another 4 years until I quit again 15 plus years ago.  I stopped going to meetings. I stopped hearing the stories of those who were just quitting and their struggles.  I learned from my mistake    I still at times go back and listen just as a reminder and to remember my pain and where I came from.   

   Now after 5 plus years of being smoke free I try to pledge everyday, I read the struggles of the new quitters as they are my reminders I will share what I learned at times and at other times just to respond to post of those I know and respect.

    I'll start worrying about percentages when I start forgetting the struggles I had in the beginning and the control the substances had on me

   To answer your last question what was easier to quit.  I believe cocaine was because only a few of the people I knew used.  Everybody I knew smoked which made it harder to remain quit   

   Just my thoughts

  Carl

[Maki]

@davidfawcett 

I also felt "what was the point then in quitting smoking " and yes it bothered me to hear that only 1/10  succeeds , but let that be your incentive to be that one ok ." Its not worth it to go through this pain and fail " , like you said , what's worth it is to be in that top 7 percent and beat this thing .  

What the CDC says is good information for those who want to start smoking and incentive not to start , but those already smoking it can feel discouraging I agree . I didn't let it take away my chance to prove to them I could be that one who won . So I'm grateful for all the struggles ,because through them I learned to be truly free . 

Congratulations on your quit . Keep going, it's worth it .

[Barbscloud]

I agree, as a new smoker these numbers can be disheartening.  It demonstrates how addictive this chemical truly  is.   All we can do, is commit to not being a statistic and be proud that we are one of the successes.