InstantForum.NET v4.1.4FFS Online Message Boardshttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/ffsonlinecommunity@lungusa.orgSun, 14 Mar 2010 11:45:56 GMT20http://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4336464-4007-1.aspx[font=Courier New][color=#991220][size=2]^^Congrats Blake on TWO MONTHS of Terrific Freedom^^Blake, was the second lap around the freedom track of life sweeter?Thanks for posting and sharing, pop in and celebrate with us today!**Congrats VONNIE on SEVEN Months of SWEET Freedom**Vonnie, Celebrate this day, and have fun.. will see you over on the fb side.^^Congrats SHERRY, MN dixie SIXTEEN Months of mostly snowy freedom^^what else does it do in minnestota... and I haven't seen any posts about crochetinglateley... Celebrate today.[/size][/color][/font]Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:20:09 GMTwewillsucceedhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4336470-4007-1.aspx[b][color=#59E817][font=Courier New][size=2]The simplest questions are the most profound. Where were you born? Where is your home? Where are you going? What are you doing? Think about these once in a while and watch your answers change. Richard BachI am going to have a great smoke free day, will you please join me?[/size][/font][/color][/b]Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:29:12 GMTwewillsucceedhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4335999-4007-1.aspxYou sleeping in today? It's 7:00 a.m. and I don't see our Thought for the Day! (lol)!Wishing you a happy, smoke-free day filled with unexpected blessings!MaggieSat, 13 Mar 2010 08:02:14 GMTBolinreehttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4336172-4007-1.aspx[font=Arial][size=1][/size][/font]I just finished my list of why I smoke, and really it all amounts to the fact that I enjoy it and I am bored. I've dieted before and I know that you can get used to doing without foods you enjoy. You just have to suck it in for a few days or a week and then it gets okay, so I've decided that no matter how much I enjoy it, it's just not worth it. It has too many disadvantages and it would be unreasonable for me to continue; definitely stupid behavior. And as for boredom, the two times I've quit before, I have found out that I get a lot more done, and it's important stuff, not just blowing smoke. I really enjoyed having the monkey off my back, too. I'm going to keep saying I can quit to myself, as suggested, and read every day my reasons for quitting and gains from quitting until I can brainwash myself into quitting. I don't expect it to be easy, but possible. It's just a matter of making the commitment and realizing that I'm doing something good for myself. It will be rewarding, and I'll feel better about myself than I do now.Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:43:36 GMTIrishttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4336003-4007-1.aspx[color=#991220][font=Courier New][size=2]Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.John Homer Millerthank you for enjoying a smoke free day with me![/size][/font][/color]Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:22:19 GMTwewillsucceedhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4334206-4007-1.aspxAnother way of saying that the struggles of quitting present a new way of living. Linda 34 daysTue, 09 Mar 2010 21:40:04 GMTLinda Roudebushhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4335402-4007-1.aspx[font=Courier New][color=#99110]Alice Walker: This is how change happens, though. It is a relay race, and we're very conscious of that, that our job really is to do our part of the race, and then we pass it on, and then someone picks it up, and it keeps going. And that is how it is. And we can do this, as a planet, with the consciousness that we may not get it, you know, today, but there's always a tomorrow. (interview broadcast on Nov. 11, 2008)[/color][/font]have a changing smoke FREE day.Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:01:05 GMTwewillsucceedhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4334925-4007-1.aspx“I don't know if I continue, even today, always liking myself. But what I learned to do many years ago was to forgive myself. It is very important for every human being to forgive herself or himself because if you live, you will make mistakes- it is inevitable. But once you do and you see the mistake, then you forgive yourself and say, 'well, if I'd known better I'd have done better,' that's all. So you say to people who you think you may have injured, 'I'm sorry,' and then you say to yourself, 'I'm sorry.' If we all hold on to the mistake, we can't see our own glory in the mirror because we have the mistake between our faces and the mirror; we can't see what we're capable of being. You can ask forgiveness of others, but in the end the real forgiveness is in one's own self. I think that young men and women are so caught by the way they see themselves. Now mind you. When a larger society sees them as unattractive, as threats, as too black or too white or too poor or too fat or too thin or too sexual or too asexual, that's rough. But you can overcome that. The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself. If we don't have that we never grow, we never learn, and sure as hell we should never teach.” Maya Angelou quotes (American Poet, b.1928) Have a wonderful smoke free day.Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:55:25 GMTwewillsucceedhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4334433-4007-1.aspxTomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow, you're always a day away. Never thought of it before, but that's my quitting song and I'm really tired of failing what seems to be the most important thing I can do for myself and the world. Why do I want to quit smoking? Once again, I really like to breathe. It makes swimming so much more enjoyable. I feel better when I don't smoke- mentally, physically and spiritually. I don't stink. The people who are important to me like it when I don't smoke. You know, no one can do to me what I do to myself and I am really tired of making myself sick. Things I will do when I have an urge to smoke, the urge will pass whether I smoke or not, are take a walk, exercise, discover new, healthy recipes, play the piano, play the guitar, sing, dance, read, brush my kitty, talk on the phone, go to my Dad's-he likes it when I don't smoke. Yes, no matter how old I get, I still like it when my Dad is happy for me. If there is anyone out there who reads this and wants to be my buddy, let me know. Actually, I consider you all my buddies and am so glad and grateful that you are all here. Thank you! I'm not accomplished on this site yet, but I do take directions. I'll probably be back later. I have to go to a funeral. I can stop smoking. JudyWed, 10 Mar 2010 09:59:07 GMTJudy88http://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4334846-4007-1.aspxI started smoking over 40 years ago to deal with a very stressful period in my life.Two years later the stress was dealt with, but I was still smoking and did even thinkof quitting. I figured out how many inhalations I had taken over the years and almost fell off of my chair. I can and will QUIT.Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:17:43 GMTHenrietta Wnekhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4334378-4007-1.aspx[font=System][color=#991230]André Maurois: If you create an act, you create a habit. If you create a habit, you create character. If you create a character, you create a destiny.Have a wonderful smoke free day, one act at a time.[/color][/font]Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:07:39 GMTwewillsucceedhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4333249-4007-1.aspx[font=Comic Sans MS][size=2]I was kind of browsing thru some old notes and stuff when I ran across this little story. I ran across it one day whiule glancing thru a little local freebie newspaper. I had posted it once on the old boards for it kind of reminded of what we do here at FFS. Thought I would post it once again, because for many of us, our purpose remains the same....[/size][/font][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][b][u]A MOUSE STORY with a Moral[/u][/b][/size][/font][font=Comic Sans MS][size=2] A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. “What food must this contain?” The mouse wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning, “There is a mousetrap in the house There is a mousetrap in the house ” The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, “Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is of grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.” The mouse turned to the pig and told him, “There is a mousetrap in the house There is a mousetrap in the house ” The pig sympathized, but said, “I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured that you are in my prayers.” The mouse turned to the cow and said, “There is a mousetrap in the house There is a mousetrap in the house ” The cow said, “Wow, Mr. Mouse, I’m sorry for you, but it’s no skin off my nose.” The mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer’s mousetrap.....alone. That very night, a sound was heard throughout the house, like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer’s wife rushed to see what she had caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer’s wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you should treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient. But the wife’s sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer’s wife did not get well; she died. So many people came to the funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them. The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall, with great sadness. So, the next time you hear that someone is facing a problem and think it doesn’t concern you, remember, when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make as extra effort to encourage and help one another.Have a Wonderful Day!Your Still Smiling Smoke-Free Friend,Phil:)[/size][/font]Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:53:40 GMTPhil :-)http://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4330539-4007-1.aspxWhy I smoke is a habit for to long. But when I try to quit my anxiety goes way up. About a year ago I moved to FL and had a nervous breakdown with severe anxiety so now when I try to quit it makes it worse.:w00t:Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:25:33 GMTSusan Harriehttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4333694-4007-1.aspxSmoking has become such an automatic behavior that I do light up without thinking. I have to changemy routines. I smoke the most when I'm at the computer. I'm going to try relaxation exercisesI can and will quit smoking. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:39:35 GMTHenrietta Wnekhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4333104-4007-1.aspxIt's Janna. HOLY ##### never realized how many puffs I smoked. THat is crazy. 657000. I watched my gf do this and thought it was no big deal and she was much worse. but now that i have done the math for myself and oh my god!! that is crazyMon, 08 Mar 2010 00:43:43 GMTTamara Swansonhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4333161-4007-1.aspx[color=#9300aa][size=2]All the interests of my reason, speculative as well as practical, combine in the three following questions: 1. What can I know? 2. What ought I to do? 3. What may I hope? Immanuel KantMay we all have a great smoke free day!![/size][/color]Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:51:41 GMTwewillsucceedhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4332773-4007-1.aspx[color=#9900cc]You got to get it while you can.Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got. Janis JoplinMay you skate thru the day, happy, smoke free and full of gratitude..[/color]Sun, 07 Mar 2010 10:39:56 GMTwewillsucceedhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4332855-4007-1.aspxCredit to Quitting Smoking for DummiesYou are ready to quit smoking when1. You've decided that quitting smoking is the most important goal in your life2. You accept the fact that in order to get ahead and get more of the things you want, such as health, well-being, and self- respect, that you have to make sacrifices.3. You know in your heart that the future is real, and that the ribbon of time continues to unfurl regardlesss of how you try to escape it.4. You feel a sense of responsibility not only towards yourself but toward your family, your friends and even your pets. A great, mysterious web of life hovers around you. Your decision to quit smoking is a choice to remain a living, breathing participant in this incredible dance.I love number four. Linda 33daysSun, 07 Mar 2010 14:16:54 GMTLinda Roudebushhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4332610-4007-1.aspxHow many of you have good dental insurance? Gingivitis, an inflamation of the gums is common in smokers due to the constant irritation from tar and other toxins in cigarette smoke. Untreated, you can begin to lose your teeth, all those nice brown teeth. I have been treated for gingivitus. It is expensive and if you keep smoking, it reoccurs. Just another reason to read the modules and post and quit smoking. LindaSat, 06 Mar 2010 22:12:56 GMTLinda Roudebushhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4332197-4007-1.aspx[size=2][font=Arial Narrow][b][color=#99660]True courage is like a kite; a contrary wind raises it higher. ~ John Petit-SennMay we have the courage to have a great smoke free day.[/color][/b][/font][/size]Sat, 06 Mar 2010 08:50:06 GMTwewillsucceedhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4330081-4007-1.aspxHi!Some folks may want their profiles set to private and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that but some people may not even be aware that unless they manually change their profile on the community page that pops up after choosing Connect with the Freedom From Smoking community. You will notice two remarks there where you can either change your screen name or change your profile from private to public.The benefit to being public is that others can send you private messages that are not put out on the boards.Just wanted to throw this out there in case some of you were not aware of it. :)Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:56:03 GMTsunneegirlhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4331160-4007-1.aspxeating something wonderful and then adding an overlay of ash and tar to the taste, the yellow fingers as you age, the smell on your clothes and running for that mint if someone wants to kiss you ( maybe finding them gone when you find that mint which is coated with ashes in a purse or pocket.So please quit. Linda 1 month 2 days 612 not smokedThu, 04 Mar 2010 15:01:27 GMTLinda Roudebushhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4331524-4007-1.aspx[color=#991220][font=System][size=2]"It speaks to some basic human needs, that there is a tomorrow - it's not all going to be over in a big flash and a bomb, that the human race is improving, that we have things to be proud of as humans. No, ancient astronauts did not build the pyramids - human beings built them because they're clever and they work hard. And 'Star Trek' is about those things." - Gene Roddenberry, from the "Star Trek" 25th Anniversary special, 1991 quittin smoking is a basic human need for my survival,I hope you have a wonderful smoke free day,and for my quit, I would like to thank my higher power, the fellowship of these boards, and the ala for sponsoring FFS online program[/size][/font][/color]Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:51:36 GMTwewillsucceedhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4330533-4007-1.aspxReading through module one and it says to keep saying I can quit smoking. So that is where I am at at the moment.Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:21:25 GMTSusan Harriehttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4330554-4007-1.aspxSince I moved to FL I had to smoke outside and I was never used to that and think that contributed to my severe anxiety that let to my nervous breakdown and moving back to MI. So now living with my 80 year old parents I had to smoke in the garage until they finally let me smoke at the stove fan. So still I have anxious moments as I want to smoke the way I used to like watching tv putting on my makeup and reading in bed. So I guess I have closed those back doors.:w00t:Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:45:00 GMTSusan Harriehttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4330257-4007-1.aspxTHis is Janna here.... I smoke mainly because I associate it with reducing my anxiety. I do not know why this is true.I also smoke on breaks from studying... The craving helps me to know that I haven't taken a break in a whileI smoke with friends as a social outlet.I smoke after meals, but again after meals produces a similar feeling to anxiety.I smoke because I am a slave, addicted to nicotine, and also because I associate with it the good feelings and the bad. I use cigarettes to calm me down, when I am excited, when I am bored, pretty much any feeling I feel I like to smoke with it!! I am addicted in the physical as well as the emotional sense.So here is what I am worried about... The last time I quit was for 2 months. The first month was okay, the second month I cried every day every time I smelt a cigarette which was quite often. I couldn't stand the pain of not smoking so eventually I lit up. I do not want to fail. But I also do not want to experience that kind of pain. This is why I am here. I want to be free from the slavery of addiction. When it rains, I hate finding a place to go smoke. I smell. People don't want to eat lunch around people who are smoking, so when I smoke at school it feels really selfish of me. Yet part of me still enjoys it. HOW MESSED UP IS THAT!!!?!!?!?!? How could we possibly enjoy cigarettes with all the negative effects?That's all i have...Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:42:01 GMTTamara Swansonhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4331526-4007-1.aspx[color=#991220]Way to go Blake, one day at a time, and fifty is a gift to you and your family.keep posting, sharing and fighting the good fight for clean air.glad you are part of the fellowship..[/color]Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:00:55 GMTwewillsucceedhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4330412-4007-1.aspxNow I am sure I will put on a few pounds, but you know what? I haven't really really tasted food in 5 years! and I am realizing there are a lot of foods that i thought I loved and now I think they taste horrible! But there is also food that I just can not believe how great it tastes! Right now I am making a steak and Let me tell you, I am so excited that I am really going to be able to actually taste it! - can hardly wait!Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:46:45 GMTKristina Cloudhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4330882-4007-1.aspx“Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don't give up.” Anne Lamott quotes (American best-selling author) I "hope" you have a great smoke free day.Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:50:51 GMTwewillsucceedhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4330620-4007-1.aspxI smoked because i enjoyed it. it relaxed me. it was fun to do with friends and relative. i can quit.Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:21:45 GMTJames591205http://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4330613-4007-1.aspxi like saying thatWed, 03 Mar 2010 19:17:20 GMTJames591205http://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4330563-4007-1.aspxwell I do not have a printer so how do I do the pack;)Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:54:30 GMTSusan Harriehttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4330565-4007-1.aspxI can quit smoking,,,,,,,,,,,,,have to keep telling myself that. And I love myself to much to continue smokingWed, 03 Mar 2010 18:01:21 GMTSusan Harriehttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4328828-4007-1.aspxHi my name is Janna. and I want to quit smoking because I dont want to be a slave anymore. I am concerned about getting through the anxiety without a cigarette. That is my biggest concern and I dont think I have many besides that one. Looking forward (i think) to meeting all of you guys.Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:30:54 GMTTamara Swansonhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4330328-4007-1.aspx[size=2][color=#991440]“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” Epicurus quotes (Greek philosopher, BC 341-270)Have a happy smoke free day...[/color][/size] Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:18:55 GMTwewillsucceedhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4328378-4007-1.aspxI am a single mom with 3 young adult children. I am always worried about money. I have a very demanding and stressful job. I often work 10 hours a day. (By the way, no one at work knows I smoke, so I often go 10 hours a day without a cigarette.) On Friday night all I want to do is come home, drink beer, smoke cigarettes, and play games on the computer. Basically, I escape reality. I have been doing this for many years now. I think I could quit for 6 days a week. But Friday night is the one that always gets me. So I think the first thing I must do is to start trying to get through a Friday night without the computer, the beer and the cigarettes. I honestly don't know if I can do that.Sun, 28 Feb 2010 10:21:21 GMTVickyhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4330222-4007-1.aspxI have been participating on this program since Febuary 2008. I am currently celebrating 716 days ‘Smoke-free’ and Loving Every Free Breathing Minute of It. In all my post reading, I find that there is much concern on having a successful quit when we have a spouse, mate, or partner who smokes.I am one who has a spouse who smokes and would like to share my real life experiences only in great, great hopes that my experiences may encourage and help others in their quest for a ‘Smoke-Free’ life.I, like, so many of us, have had many attempts at quitting that were not successful. We have now been taught that those unsuccessful attempts were not failures, but rather practicing for this quit. I very much agree with that teaching, but not only practicing, but also learning.In past attempts, I spent far too much time, meditating, wondering, and worrying about the negative influence my smoking spouse may have on my ability to quit. I hate to admit this, but it is true. My wife actually became my ‘Backdoor’. Easy scape goat, “This is just way too hard if she won’t quit too”. Again, practicing and learning.In preparing for this quit, I have learned, that the single, biggest thing that needed to be changed was absolutely nothing to do with my spouse. The thing that so desperately needed an overhaul was ‘The Attitude of the Quitter’ .I looked in the mirror and determined that the man I saw there was the one responsible for his successful quit, and no one else.Each and every one of us have the power to change one person, and one person only. That person being that man in the mirror and none other.When I prepared my first list of reasons to quit, my wife was #1 and at the very top of that list. I implemented these words into my reasons, ‘It just breaks my heart to think what my wife’s life would be like if I not be here for her.’ Smoker or Non-smoker she is my inspiration and motivation.I no longer give way to the thought that she may have a negative influence on my quit. But, rather spend my time meditating on what a positive influence my quit will have towards her.I refuse to entertain any negative thoughts toward her. I refuse to say anything that might intimidate her or cause her to feel inadequate. I choose only to uphold our vows that we made towards each other on June 29, 1985.Didn’t mean to get so lengthy, but in my quit, I firmly believe that this change in attitude, has indeed been the difference in success and failure.Thanks for ReadingPhilI would like to say, that I sincerely believe that my wife and I are more in love today than we have ever been.Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:58:32 GMTPhil :-)http://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4329554-4007-1.aspxWell this honestly feels weird! I dont know if I believe it yet. I want to!!!!!Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:18:08 GMTTamara Swansonhttp://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4328877-4007-1.aspxI'm doing mod 2 and found out I have practiced 335,800 times. Can you imagine how good I would be if I had practiced something else, swimming, that many times? It seems like everything is a trigger for me. I have my pack tracks and will start using them. I can stop smoking. Triggers: sitting down, standing up, computer(I am feeling like I need to get off so I can have a cig), driving, talking on the phone, watching TV, in presence of other smokers, etc. My friend was flown to the hospital Thursday night with pulmonary embolism which is life threatening. She has no choice about smoking while she lies in her hospital bed. I can quit smoking. Don't want to have to go that way. I can quit smoking. I'm so glad I made it back here, thanks to Beth, and will continue to do the program. Thanks everyone for being here. Have a blessed day JudyMon, 01 Mar 2010 13:03:35 GMTJudy88http://community.ffsonline.org/forums/Topic4328583-4007-1.aspxKicking the tobacco habit offers some benefits that you'll notice right away and some that will develop over time. These rewards can improve your day-to-day life a great deal: your breath smells better stained teeth get whiter bad smelling clothes and hair go away your yellow fingers and fingernails disappear food tastes better your sense of smell returns to normal everyday activities no longer leave you out of breath (such as climbing stairs or light housework) Cost The prospect of better health is a major reason for quitting, but there are other reasons, too. Smoking is expensive. It isn't hard to figure out how much you spend on smoking: multiply how much money you spend on tobacco every day by 365 (days per year). The amount may surprise you. Now multiply that by the number of years you have been using tobacco and that amount will probably shock you. Multiply the cost per year by 10 (for the next 10 years) and ask yourself what you would rather do with that much money. And this doesn't include other possible costs, such as higher costs for health and life insurance, and likely health care costs due to tobacco-related problems. Social acceptance Smoking is less socially acceptable now than ever. Today, almost all workplaces have some type of smoking rules. Some employers even prefer to hire non-smokers. Studies show smoking employees cost businesses more because they are out sick more. Employees who are ill more often than others can raise an employer's need for costly short-term replacement workers. They can increase insurance costs both for other employees and for the employer, who often pays part of the workers' insurance premiums. Smokers in a building also can increase the maintenance costs of keeping odors down, since residue from cigarette smoke clings to carpets, drapes, and other fabrics. Landlords may choose not to rent to smokers since maintenance costs and insurance rates may rise when smokers live in buildings. Friends may ask you not to smoke in their homes or cars. Public buildings, concerts, and even sporting events are largely smoke-free. And more and more communities are restricting smoking in all public places, including restaurants and bars. Like it or not, finding a place to smoke can be a hassle. Smokers may also find their prospects for dating or romantic involvement, including marriage, are largely limited to other smokers, who make up less than 21% of the adult population. Health of others Smoking not only harms your health but it hurts the health of those around you. Exposure to secondhand smoke (also called environmental tobacco smoke or passive smoking) includes exhaled smoke as well as smoke from burning cigarettes. Studies have shown that secondhand smoke causes thousands of deaths each year from lung cancer and heart disease in healthy non-smokers. If a mother smokes, there is a higher risk of her baby developing asthma in childhood, especially if she smoked while she was pregnant. Smoking is also linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and low-birth weight infants. Babies and children raised in a household where there is smoking have more ear infections, colds, bronchitis, and other lung and breathing problems than children in non-smoking families. Secondhand smoke can also cause eye irritation, headaches, nausea, and dizziness. Setting an example If you have children, you probably want to set a good example for them. When asked, nearly all smokers say they don't want their children to smoke. But children whose parents smoke are more likely to start smoking themselves. You can become a good role model for them by quitting now.Source: American Cancer SocietySun, 28 Feb 2010 19:43:16 GMTsunneegirl