Quit date debate-1

[lisakvh]

Yes, I am sorry I asked.  Legalistic if you ask me. I understand the thinking behind every comment I got. I understand, but don't agree.  So...no nicotine means quit...then the people who are using patches and gum are not really quit according to that opinion.  Or is that just the action of inhaling the nicotine that deems it "not quit"? 

Always and forever "you're not doing it right Lisa". So tired of that.

0 days quit in your opinion.

[lisakvh]

And yes I know I need to end the nicotine, though the amount I am using now is so minimal. I am working toward nicotine free, of course. Though I feel this method protects my quit from failing. IMO

[JonesCarpeDiem]

You do what you have to do. I believe people thought you wanted opinions.

[Barbara145]

Hi!  I did not read the previous blog BUT, The experts, Mayo Clinic, cigarette experts, MD's now call it Tobacco addiction.  All the hype about no nicotine is keeping alot of people still smoking.  Have at the nicotine.  It is basically harmless.  30 years of research say the risks are negligible.  Less than 5%.  I am 500+ days tobacco free.  Ask my lungs and my body if I quit smoking.  They will tell you YES.  You are doing great.  Do whatever it takes for YOU.

[bonniebee]

Lisa I do agree with you and i left a long comment on your last blog about it so I don't want to repeat it here please go back and read it You are doing a wonderful job it is a Process ! ((hug)) !!!!!

[Wanda45]

Do what is right for you to keep your quit.  It is your quit.. you do it your way, that is the only way to keep it.

[Giulia]

Don't be sorry you asked.  It's important to gain as much knowledge as possible during this journey.  I'm going to just ramble a bit here while I hash out the answer in my own mind.  Since I was a cold turkey quitter, I never dealt with NRTs.  And the e-cig hadn’t come on the market back then.  So my quit date was the day I no longer inhaled a cigarette.  Period.  Easy - no debate there.  I was smoke free and nicotine free.  
Since all NRT’s are simply a tool to help one quit smoking (and they’re not meant for long-term use) I would have to say that your quit date is the day you stop smoking.  There’s nicotine in several of the vegetables we normally eat.  Eggplant, green tomatoes, cauliflower are examples of such, but of course the nicotine level is minuscule in comparison to cigarettes or NRTs.    
We can argue all day about whether the e-cig is an NRT or not.  Personally I think it’s simply a substitute as it’s so similar in all aspects to the real thing.  In that case, vaping is the same as smoking and your quit date is the day you quit the smoke and the vapor.
I think, in our minds, it depends on what our ultimate goal is - to be smoke free, nicotine free AND vape free or if it’s okay to quit one aspect of the triptych but not another.  For me I would feel like I was cheating the community here and  lying to myself if I said my quit date was the day I put down cigarettes but took up vaping.  Freedom from the necessity of fulfilling the addiction (in all it’s forms)  is what the goal is for most of us here.  And the day we achieve that freedom is the true first day of our quit.  
This journey takes brutal honesty.  And you’re questioning is a good thing.  And what you’ve achieved thus far is also wonderful.  But bottom line, no matter how you cut it, you can’t say you’ve quit smoking if you’re still smoking one or two a day.

[swilson2]

I say if NRT keeps you from lighting up a cigarette its ok, its the only thing that keeps me from smoking ( 2 pieces of gum a day ) is better than a pack a day. suppose at 300 DOF i am not really free at all, all this talk is stressing me out i may as well smoke but we all know thats just another excuse

[elvan]

I always thought that if you weren't SMOKING, you were quit.  I didn't use NRT's but it's not because I was stoic, I was sick and I could hardly breathe, let alone introduce something else.

Please don't feel like you were attacked, I believe this is an issue that a lot of people get pretty passionate about but this is YOUR quit, Lisa, YOU own it, no one else does and n one but you can count the days.  That's MY opinion.  Stick with us and don't give up. 

(((Hugs)))

Ellen

[djmurray]

I echo Ellen's sentiments here.  While you asked for opinions, no one was attacking you, just giving their opinions.  While I agree that any day you light a cigarette is not a quit day, even if the Chantix said you could smoke them, but if you're using NRTs and it is the first day you're  not smoking any cigarettes I believe you can say that is your quit. date.   I quit cold turkey, but as Ellen says, this is your quit, Lisa, and every single one of us respects that what works for you is your quit.  There are many people on this site who use NRTs.  Please don't let these comments deter you from coming back here.  This is a place where we honor honesty and openness.

[bonnie-12-28-14]

I don't think we really care.  You pick whatever works for you.  All we care about is that a friend did not smoke today!!!!!!!!!  Never put another one of those nasty things to your face again girl and you will be good.  

And do whatever floats your boat on your date:):).

NOPE

[lois2]

if it takes patches, gum chantix  to keep a person from lighting up. i say go for it. we all go there crap even with NRT. they take the edge off. we do what we can. to beat the addiction. at least we are trying. theDaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa tobaco comnay.