Back in the 1950’s, smoking was fashionable. In fact, it was considered commonplace. Back then, you could smoke everywhere – in restaurants, airplanes, grocery stores, even hospitals. A smoker never got a dirty look for lighting up in public. It was the people who DIDN’T smoke who were in the minority.

My, how times have changed!

Smoking is nothing new to civilization. In fact, scientists can determine that as far back as 1000 B.C. People start using the leaves of the tobacco plant for smoking and chewing.

How and why tobacco was first used in the Americas no one knows. The first users are thought to have been the Mayan civilizations of Central America. Its use was gradually adopted throughout the nations of Central and most of North and South America.

From that moment, tobacco production began catching on and tobacco products became readily available throughout the young United States of America. In 1832, the first paper cigarette was introduced.

It is widely believed that the first paper rolled cigarettes were made by Egyptian soldiers fighting the Turkish-Egyptian war. Other historians suggest that Russians and Turks learned about cigarettes from the French, who in turn may have learned about smoking from the Spanish. It is thought that paupers in Seville were making a form of cigarette, known as a ‘papalette’, from the butts of discarded cigars and papers as early as the 17th century.

In 1900, Smoking jackets and hats have been introduced for gentleman smokers. After-dinner cigar (with a glass of port or brandy) is now an established tradition in turn of the century Britain. Cigarettes are also a part of life.

In 1950, evidence of a link between lung cancer and smoking is published in the British Medical Journal. Research was done by Professor (now Sir) Richard Doll and A Bradford Hill. In 1964, the United States Surgeon General tells Americans that smoking causes lung cancer. Not many people listened.

Shortly after, in 1965, federal law not only prohibits tobacco advertising on television, but they also make it mandatory to include the Surgeon General’s warning in print on all cigarette packs. The last radio ads for cigarettes ran in 1971.

The airline industry began making concessions for the anti-tobacco coalition. In 1975, they created separate smoking sections on airplanes causing disturbances with customer everywhere.

The trend continued toward more smoking bans all over the country. Today, there are many towns who are attempting – and some are succeeding – in making their entire towns non-smoking. Anymore, if you are a smoker, you are relegated to puffing away in an alley, on the sidewalk, or sneaking a quick hit in the bathroom.

It’s no longer fashionable to be a smoker. So why are there so many people out there who still smoke? Research over the years began to indicate certain ingredients in cigarettes that point straight to a highly addictive habit.

Most people who smoke agree that they probably shouldn’t be smoking. They know that it’s harmful to their health, but they still light up when they get the chance. Many smokers want to quit, but think they’re powerless against the hold that tobacco has on them.

We’re here to tell you, quitting smoking is no walk in the park. It hurts, often physically, but even more emotionally. This “devil weed” takes hold of every part of your life and helps to form your identity. You are a smoker – how in the world will you become a non-smoker?

Persistence, commitment, willpower, and patience are all ways you will succeed in your venture to stop smoking. We won’t lie to you – it’s going to be one of the hardest things you will ever do. But once you become smoke free, you’ll be so glad you suffered the way you did.

This book is intended to address the biggest issues that face people who have decided to quit smoking. My sincere hope is that we can take this journey together. This author is a smoker. Hopefully, as I help guide you, I can help guide myself too.

I truly want to quit smoking. Really, I do. But there is so much holding me back. Circumstances of life, stress, etc. all hinder me from putting down that cigarette and giving it up for good. My mother was a heavy smoker when she was younger. She quit one Super Bowl Sunday after smoking a whole carton in one day. I can’t do that. But why do I continue to smoke when I want to quit so bad?

Perhaps it’s because I’ve made it such a huge part of my life. When I’m stressed, I smoke. When I’ve had a few drinks, I smoke. When I want to relax for just a moment, I smoke. It’s not the healthiest way to deal with life, now is it?

I know I need to quit because I have to take several breaks when doing normal, everyday chores like picking up the house. My lungs can’t handle the exercise. I can walk a couple of miles at the local gym, but I can’t haul a few loads of laundry down to the basement without getting winded.

I want to quit because I want to watch my grandson grow up. I want to stick around to torment my kids the way they have tormented me (joking, sort of!). I don’t want to die, yet I still partake of an activity that will probably cause me to die eventually. It’s insane.

This book probably will be a little disturbing. That’s what it’s meant to be. When you begin to study the effects of smoking on your body, the scary reality is that what happens IS disturbing. Read with caution, but take note of what is being put down in black and white.