Back in the 1990s, it was cool to smoke. I remember it well as I was a teenager back then. Now, as an adult, I can see all of those trends coming back and I regret ditching those clothes that I loved so much. But, one thing that should stay in the 90s is smoking. But if you do enjoy a cigarette, quitting smoking is hard to do.
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Why was it cool?
I’m not going to lie, a lot of my friends started smoking because celebrities did it at the time. Models such as Kate Moss were always seen with a cigarette in their hand and it was a known trick for keeping your weight down. Rather than have a few extra pounds, we all started smoking in a bid to be super skinny but hoped that it wouldn’t affect our boobs growing in. You need to remember, this was a time when cigarettes were advertised on huge billboards, with sexy black and white photo shoots of the hottest people on the planet were seen with a lit cigarette dangling from their lips. And, in all fairness, I would probably still be smoking today if my husband hadn’t helped me to stop. Also, the price of cigarettes is extortion today.
Why you should quit
I have spoken a few times about quitting smoking and the benefits of ditching the cigarettes, so I won’t flog a dead horse. But, some of the reasons are-
- Better health – your lungs, your heart, and all of your bits and pieces feel the benefit when you don’t smoke.
- More money – the average cost of a packet of cigarettes is £13.60, keep in mind when I smoked the average price was about £4.50.
- Social skills – nobody really smokes these days, and if you do smoke, you are banished outside. That isn’t fun when it is lashing down.
- Mental health – when you add all of the elements above together, it can be tough on your mental health. The cost of living has gone up, we have been told constantly that smoking is bad for us. All of this can add together and affect our mental health.
It is all well and good being told that it is better for you if you quit, but if you actually like smoking it can be tough to turn your back on it. I’ve quit for over 6 years now and I still dream about lighting up a cigarette at the end of a long day.
Alternatives to smoking
We all know that going cold turkey is not for everyone, however, there are alternatives out there. You can buy beginner kits can help you stop smoking by using a vape. I quit smoking before vapes took off and never got to experience how they worked. My brother did start to vape a few years ago as he started his own journey to quit smoking. Over the years, he has reduced the number of cigarettes that he smokes every day. He might even be at the point where he can ditch the cigarettes completely. My mum also tried her hand at vaping but didn’t take to it. She is an old school smoker and plans on keeping it that way (she also has no desire to quit smoking).
We all know that smoking is bad for us, that we should ditch cigarettes, and that quitting smoking is good for you. I’m not here to force you to quit. But if you are wanted to cut down or stop completely, there are many different ways that you can cut down and stop. If you need some support on your journey to be smoke-free, there are online communities, in-person meetings, and plenty of alternatives to help you along the way. You never know, one day you could be sitting back and thinking that it has been years since you had a cigarette (the one that you had at the bar when you were drunk doesn’t count in my eyes).