Sandi Kaplan, Associate Director, Clinical Development & Support:

My kids started school today. Along with their school supplies, I arrived in their classrooms with bags full of gluten-free junk food – refined crackers, pretzels, cookies and cupcakes. Not a gram of fiber or a vitamin in sight!
Both of my kids have celiac disease. I am used to stocking their classrooms so their teachers can pull out gluten free options when there is a birthday celebration or one of the many other occasions when treats are provided.

Imagine my amazement when my son’s classroom teacher peeked into the bags and said: “We don’t need any of that. Our classroom is a junk food-free zone and we are working towards a junk food-free school”. She explained that all of the options that are provided in her classroom will be naturally gluten free because they are fruits, vegetables, plain yogurt and legumes like edamame and black beans. The kids cook often and make foods like fruit smoothies, salsas, a variety of salads, veggie dishes and bean dishes. They learn about nutrition and get excited about healthy food choices.

I asked her what happens on birthdays and other holidays. She explained that she believes that kids need to learn other ways of celebrating. Plenty of celebration with food happens outside of the classroom but she likes to teach kids that celebrating without food is just as fun. So they dance, play games, make music and cheer instead!

Her classroom has been junk food-free for five years and she hopes that the whole school will adopt this policy in the coming year or two. She handed out “healthy snack and lunch ideas” to parents as they dropped off kids and she has recipe books that parents can take home and use to expand their school lunch repertoire. She has experienced some resistance over the years but she has stood firm in her belief that kids that are fed well, learn well and behave well. And she mentioned with a twinkle in her eye that parents very quickly appreciate that effect at home too.

I left smiling. And holding my bags of gluten-free junk. Yes, my kids eat dessert sometimes and we took lots of trips to the local ice cream store this summer. But I also teach my kids how to eat healthfully, and what a great feeling to know that my efforts are being supported in my son's classroom.  My daughter’s teacher welcomed the cupcakes…but we’ll see what we can do to change her mind by the end of the school year, too!

Janice Milliman, Quit Coach, Service Delivery

Last weekend while watching TV with my 7 year-old son I saw that The Jetsons was on. I changed the channel, somewhat against his wishes, because I was excited to show him what I watched as a child. With his vivid imagination I also thought he'd enjoy the cool technology the Jetsons had (just the other day he talked about inventing a machine that would "make you whatever food you wanted," something Jane Jetson might know something about).

What surprised me most when watching the show was the number of characters who lit up and the frequency with which they smoked. I wasn't concerned about my son being influenced. The education in school and conversations at home help him understand why it's important to avoid tobacco. I guess I had just forgotten how prevalent smoking was in cartoons of my era.

In the 10 minutes or so that my son would "allow" us to watch The Jetsons, three of the main characters smoked a cigar. George Jetson, in the show’s intro, smokes a cigar after getting home from a hard day's work. His whole family greets him. He unwinds in his favorite chair with a cigar, slippers and all. Mr. Spacely, George Jetson's boss, is usually seen smoking a cigar too. He partakes even while in the office, as was common in the 1960s. In the same episode Mr. Cogs, who is Mr. Spacely's boss (George's boss's boss), also enjoys a cigar.

There are certainly more beloved cartoon characters who have lit up a time or two on screen. Tom & Jerry enjoyed a cigar while bonding in one episode. The Cheshire Cat smoked hookah. And then there's Popeye.

In 2006 Turner Broadcasting UK, Boomerang's parent company, planned to review and remove references of smoking from their cartoons in Britain. At that time the Turner Broadcasting U.S. affiliate also planned to review its policies. As a parent I'm probably expected to advocate for censoring deadly habits in children's programming.

Although I don't want my kids to be exposed to negative influences on TV, I think their biggest influence to remain tobacco free is my husband an myself. We choose what our children watch and talk openly about situations that arise that we may not agree with. Fortunately for us in 2010, the children's programs that my kids actually want to watch (no offense, Mr. Jetson) don't involve tobacco at all. So here's a big thanks to Dora, Kai-lan and the Backyardigans for setting a good example all around.

Carly Palady, Quit Coach, Service Delivery:

I grew up with an uncle who worked as a backstage guitarist for Poison, and a father who painted houses for Pink Floyd. Needless to say, there was never a quiet moment in our family. Pink Floyd's 'Have a Cigar' blared on the old record player at home along with the "Dark Side of the Moon" album, in my car the moment I turned 16, during Spring Break in college, and even while cleaning the house when my husband and I bought our first home a little over a year ago. More than anything, having a cigar in our culture has for a long time signified the "down-time with the boys, a have-a-beer-and-puff-a-few-on-poker-night," kind of thing. Are the cigars today really addictive? Can we become addicted to nicotine just by taking a few puffs a couple times a month? Why even bring-up this issue?

I bring it up because of the echo of questions I have received from many of my husband's friends asking me if a cigar every now and then is really that bad. The other night, my husband and I were hanging out with friends, and the 15-to-20-year-old guys were talking about their intention to start a “Cigar Night” one night a week for the duration of the summer. My stomach did flip-flops.

As a Quit Coach, I’ve talked to countless guys in the 'new cigar generation,' between the ages of 20-30, that are attempting to quit smoking cigars, many of whom say the trouble started because they and their friends did not think it was a dangerous habit. Many justify cigar “puffing” by thinking, "It's not like you're doing it every day." Their cigar smoking started out with "maybe one a month over a couple hands of poker," and now, a few years later, it's an addiction.

When I brought up my concerns to the guys planning the Cigar Night, one 21-year-old said to me, "Summer's coming up. It's cigar season, you know? Is a puff off of a cigar, rather than a cigarette, really that addictive if it's every now and then, and just puffing?

His question sparked a research opportunity – I told him I’d find out and get back to him. For all you poker-night guys with the stogie, the following information is for you:*

1. Nicotine Addiction according to the New York Times: "Scientists have found that nicotine is as addictive as heroin, cocaine or amphetamines, and for most people, more addictive than alcohol," states the article "Nicotine, Harder to Kick than Heroin," published in the New York Times Magazine.

2. Cigars are wrapped in tobacco leaves, which ferment for 3-5 months. This process produces various bacteria in the paper, AND, even if a person does not inhale, allows the Nicotine (the addictive substance), to absorb into the lining of mouth as easily as spit tobacco, or chew. Also, because of the new fermenting process, the smoke from your cigar also absorbs easily into the lining of your mouth. You DO NOT have to inhale, to be addicted, and to absorb chemicals. In fact, more nicotine is absorbed from cigars, than from cigarettes. The body absorbs 1-2mg of nicotine from an 8mg cigarette. The average cigar has between 100-200 mg of nicotine, or the equivalent of smoking ONE PACK OF CIGARETTES! (ACS). Some Cigars have 444mgs of nicotine! THIS MEANS: 1 Large Cigar can equal 2.5 PACKS of CIGARETTES!

3. Even if you do not inhale, and just puff: "A new trend among cigar companies is to change the fermenting process to make cigar smoke easier to inhale. This same curing and fermenting process further enhances the flavor but also increases the levels of harmful ingredients." (ACS) So, the tobacco companies are not in the mood to give you a good time- they aspire to get you to inhale, get you addicted, and then hopefully introduce you to other forms of tobacco. Only 23% of the United States currently smokes. They are losing customers, and the casual cigar smoker is next on their priority list as a 'possible target.'

4. If you do not inhale, but puff with the guys, you will still get smoke in your mouth, and secondhand smoke. "Secondhand smoke from cigars contains many of the same toxins (poisons) and carcinogens (cancer causing agents) as cigarette smoke. Some of the toxins or irritants in cigar smoke include": carbon monoxide (found in car exhaust), nicotine, hydrogen cyanide (found in execution gas), ammonia (Windex), volatile aldehydes.

Cigar smoke includes the following carcinogens (agents that cause cancer): benzene, aromatic amines (especially carcinogens such as 2-naphthylamine and 4-aminobiphenyl), vinyl chloride, ethylene oxide, arsenic (rat poisoning), chromium, cadmium (McDonald's recently recalled their Shrek glasses over this chemical!), nitrosamines, and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons.

5. Lastly, "Cigar tobacco has a high concentration of nitrogen compounds (nitrates and nitrites). When the fermented cigar tobacco (leaf) is smoked, these compounds give off several tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), some of the most potent substances known to cause cancer in humans. Also, because the cigar wrapper is less porous than cigarette paper, the tobacco doesn't burn as completely. The result is a higher concentration of nitrogen oxides, ammonia, carbon monoxide, and tar -- all very harmful substances."

Fortunately, when I called up my 21-year-old neighbor and shared this information with him, he agreed that a night of poker, darts, and good ol' barbecuing  with the guys was a much better way to spend a summer’s evening than a cigar and the risk of an expensive addiction – both in terms of his wallet and his health.

*All research was gathered from the American Cancer Society's research page on Cigar smoking, which draws from the Center from Disease Control, and other Federally funded institutions.

Marie Gahler: Senior Manager, Weight Programs & Education:

By nature, humans are social creatures.  We enjoy each other’s company and like to share our experiences. So why not capitalize on our social inclination by using it to achieve better health? Research shows that people who exercise with a friend are more consistent with their workouts and push themselves harder than they would on their own.

In addition, you can make a new friend or strengthen a current relationship when you exercise together. Catch up on the latest news or gossip, vent about the kids, or just spend some quality time together. You’ll be providing accountability and support for each other while working towards your exercise goals. According to one study, seven out of ten women say exercise feels like less of a chore when they work out with someone else. Research also shows that planning workout sessions is effective at increasing exercise, especially for women.  Planning happens naturally when you are working out with others.

I frequently walk with a neighbor and it makes the time fly by, but she isn’t always available. When that happens I move my walk to a trail nearby where I know there will be others walking too. I’ve often struck up a conversation with another walker and met new friends. This works if you walk at the mall as well – most malls open up early for walkers and the regulars become very connected.

Can’t find a walking partner or group to go with? You can still benefit from a remote form of social support like sharing your exercise schedule and goals with a family member or co-worker. It helps with goal setting and provides a level of accountability that makes you think twice about backing out. After all, who wants to admit to their exercise-loving sister or co-worker that you were just too tired to work out again?

So call a friend, invite your family to join you, or try a class – whichever you enjoy the most is the right choice. Shoot the breeze and you’ll be enjoying a healthier, more active lifestyle in no time.

Ryan Crawford, Quit Coach Supervisor, Service Delivery:

As a parent, you dread it. Wasn’t your little angel just learning their ABC’s? Holding up tiny fingers to show you “how many” they are? Suddenly they’re reading the Surgeon General’s warning on a pack of cigarettes, and lighting up anyway.

And you just caught them.

Does this mean your child is a hopeless addict? No. Your child is not destined to be on YouTube like the toddler in Indonesia who was trained to smoke 2 packs a day by his own parents. But you know it’s your responsibility to intervene. 

You wrack your brain for a suitable punishment. Depending on your child’s age, you might think a “time out” would be suitable. Rinse their mouth out with soap? Ground them? You might remember how your parents punished you, and consider making them smoke an entire pack of cigarettes in one sitting to make them nauseous with nicotine and shame.

So how far is too far?

Sewing your kid’s mouth shut.

Netra Bahadur Darjee in India did just that, so enraged by catching his 12-year-old son smoking that he beat the boy and took a needle and thread to his face.

Obviously this is wicked, horrific child abuse, no matter what country you live in. If this option crosses your mind as a viable “that’ll teach him” method, you shouldn’t have kids. But it begs the question, “what will teach your child not to smoke?”

1.) Talk with your children early on, before they consider smoking. Give them context if they’re already at an age when they need more than “I told you so.”

Don’t leave it solely to their school to teach them about tobacco. Educate them about the dangers of smoking, like cancer, heart disease, and emphysema, but focus on things that matter to kids: lower energy and diminished lung capacity for sports, smelly breath, yellow teeth, nasty fingernails, and even premature wrinkles.

Ask them why they started smoking to begin with. Find out which friends of theirs might be influencing this and call some parents.

2.) Punish, or Don’t. Tell your child it’s against the rules for them to smoke. Explain why. But no matter how disappointed or embarrassed or angry you are about them trying cigarettes, do not punish your child based on your emotions. If you decide to punish them for smoking, punish them because this behavior is not acceptable for your young lady or little mister.

Engage your child in the punishment. Ask them what they think would be a suitable consequence. I urge you not to force them to smoke more just to make them sick, as this just puts more carbon monoxide, arsenic, and cyanide in your child’s body. Recognize that experimentation is normal for children, and use what disciplinary actions have been effective for you and your family in the past.

3.) Quit Smoking Yourself. Duh. No one is quicker at catching your pot-calling-the-kettle-black hypocrisy than your offspring. Your child is statistically far less likely to smoke if they come from a non-smoking household or if they see their parents quit. This is especially the case if they’re sneaking their cigarettes from you.

4.) Seek Support. Find out what resources your child’s school offers. Bring siblings into the conversation (as role models or someone to be a role model for). Find out if other family members (aunts, uncles, grandparents) are encouraging your child to smoke, and assert with them that this is unacceptable.

Lastly, look for community resources like the Quit For Life Program that may be able to offer youth services. Professionals are out there to help you!

Erin Thompson, Content & Social Media Marketing Manager:

Now it's easier than ever to get updates from the healthy behaviors company's evidence-based programs. We've been building community on our Quit For Life Program and Mind & Body Program Facebook fan pages and expanding our efforts to deliver thought-provoking content through Twitter @Quit_For_Life and @Mind_and_Body. Visitors to these pages find encouragement and tips for program participants and others who are interested in learning how to practice healthy behaviors, as well as news items relevant to each of the programs.

But what do you do if you don't have time to check each site for news? No problem - now you can sign up to have updates from the Twitter pages, Facebook fan pages, and the Free & Clear blog delivered straight to your Gmail inbox. Check us out on Google Buzz at Free & Clear Inc, Quit For Life Program, and Mind & Body Program.

Thanks for listening!

Erin Thompson, Content & Social Media Marketing Manager:

When I think about superheroes, I think about courage.

Gary Ploski showed courage when he challenged the Supercool Creative ad agency to change their logo – an image of a Superman look-alike with a cigarette dangling from his lips. On Twitter, Gary reached out to Supercool, saying “Your superhero…is smoking? That’s not really cool.”

Will Chamberlain showed courage when, on his first day as Supercool’s social media strategist, he went straight to his management team with Gary Ploski’s complaint.

Supercool Creative’s management team showed courage by trusting their newest hire to launch a viral campaign encouraging people to vote for Supercool to change their logo.

Smokers and former smokers know a lot about courage. Smokers who make the decision to quit are courageous. Smokers who reach out to friends and family for social support are courageous. Former smokers who pour their time and energy into encouraging those who are currently quitting – these are the true superheroes, the courageous, the super-cool. They know what it takes to fight the terrible adversary of addiction, and they are brave enough to admit the struggles that come with committing to a tobacco-free life. If you need proof, just take a look at the stories on the wall of our Facebook fan page. The determination and hope that shine from the community that has grown there is humbling.

Courage isn’t fearlessness; it’s moving forward in the midst of difficulty, facing fear and the risk of potential failure. It’s putting one foot in front of the other. It’s moving forward with the belief that change really is possible.

Join the conversation by retweeting “@SupercoolAgency Change Your Logo #LoseTheCig.”

You can also visit our online communities on Facebook and Twitter.

Ron feels liberated. Matt is proud. Gregory can’t believe it. Jay loves it. Dustin is confident. James is free.

We’ve come to the end of the road. Our tobacco cessation support group at the Gay City Health Project joins for one last classroom session on Tuesday 2/16. The guys sit around the table and announce how they have quit successfully.

“I’ve smoked for 28 years,” Gregory shakes his head. He smirks impishly and adds, “Which means I started when I was 4...” He can’t believe he has successfully quit smoking. He’s the most alive I’ve seen him in these 7 weeks of the Out To Quit group, cracking jokes and breathing easy.

Ron’s quit is still going well! There are times that he thinks about smoking, but it’s less of a craving and more of a memory as time passes. He joined a football league in Seattle and looks forward to having more energy for his games. With his new success in quitting, he’s gaining the confidence to come out to his family and friends.

The first few days were rough for Jay, as they are for most folks quitting. He said the cravings were difficult and he missed the social aspect of smoking. Now he’s using nicotine lozenges in addition to nicotine patches to prevent withdrawal while he changes his habits. Ironically, he says, he now feels more social without tobacco. He worries less about how he smells. “I’m 100% kissable!” he announces! His boyfriend, who has accompanied him tonight in support, smiles at him.

James had a difficult go for the first few days, too. Insomnia, stress, constantly thinking about cigarettes: these are very common in the beginning of the quit process. He notices that it’s getting much better. “Yesterday, I was surprised at how easy it was!” he says. Though struggles still pop up, he says he can’t believe he used to smell and taste like cigarettes. “I asked my friends, ‘Did I actually stink?’ They were all too polite to tell me I did until after I quit.”

Matt has won out over cigarettes. He tells us about a challenge that arose last week when he was writing in his apartment. A well-dressed man in a striking sports car had parked outside of his building, dipped into the pocket of his blazer, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. No! Matt thought. He was worried the mystique of the scene would lure him into smoking again. But in that moment, Matt told himself that he would rather stay quit and enjoy his success than be tempted by an illusion of charm.

Like many folks quitting, Dustin had a couple slips here and there while he was on a work trip in Washington D.C. “I don’t know why I did,” he told us, describing how he went outside with a friend and simply smoked with her without thinking about it.

I asked Dustin, “What was the best part about smoking that cigarette?”

“I don’t know. It tasted horrible.”

He’s still doing great and winning this battle against addiction. He realizes in our meeting that he suffers from the habit more than cravings or withdrawal. We discussed raising awareness around addiction and asked what he could do with his friends next time instead of smoking. He’s putting together a relapse-prevention plan for himself so he can stay quit.

Lark, Dan and I could not be more proud of this group of gay men. Each of them has successfully quit tobacco. Cravings are a reality. Slips happen. But they have each taken steps on a journey to a fresher, freer, healthier way of life.

Next week we’ll all have dinner together in celebration of the group’s triumph in quitting an intensely difficult addiction. I look forward to seeing all these men one last time to hear their stories:

Matt, and how his writing is coming along.

Ergane, and what he’s using to cope with stress.

Gregory, and if he’s in good health.

Michael, and how his son is doing.

James, and how he’s sleeping.

Dustin, and what he’s doing to prevent slips.

Ron, and his coming out experience.

Jay, and how he’s managing to reinvent himself without cigarettes.

Tony, and what it’s like to be tobacco-free for 4 months!

Lark and Dan, and how happy we are for this committed, successful group.

“Eight dollars,” Matt admits.

“Eight dollars!?” Dan yelps. The price has gone up since he smoked.

This is what Matt paid for a pack of cigarettes. He had his last drag after our session last Tuesday, and a week later, Tuesday 2/9, he is still tobacco free. He looks fresh and sounds proud of himself.

Lark, Dan and I facilitate the Out To Quit group’s sixth meeting together. The topic of discussion tonight? Rewards.

Often we smoke because we feel we “deserve” an incentive. I had a stressful day. I worked late, and when I got home, I made dinner for my family and talked to my partner about his stressful day. I deserve some “me” time.

Cigarettes become our go-to reward when we need to take a break. We feel that familiar buzz from the first inhale, we have an excuse to tell the kids to stay away for a while, and the world is ours for about seven minutes.

But what do cigarettes actually give us? What is our reward for smoking? Sure, the buzz from nicotine is real, but also temporary. The lasting effects of smoking are poison, debt, wrinkles, stench, and years cut off of our life.

Lark discusses rewards with the tobacco cessation support group. We ask the group what they will do to reward themselves for their successes in quitting and how they will see those successes.

Michael will see his victory in his skin, looking forward to a clearer complexion. He likes the idea of not smelling like cigarettes after he quits. He’s currently using Chantix and is tapering down triumphantly. His sense of smell is already sharpening.

Tony, our quit guru, is still tobacco-free and also notes that his senses of smell and taste have returned, a natural sign of healing. He’s treating himself to a 5-day Vancouver B.C. vacation as a reward for his hard work.

Ergane pats his dreadlocks. “I won’t have to wash my hair as often,” he says. When he quits, he plans to spend time volunteering to stay busy and to give back to our LGBT community. He also looks forward to having more energy to burn.

“Every day is a good day,” Ron chuckles. He’s been quit over a week now and looks forward to feeling more confident as a non-smoker. He’s done “running off to the side and being alone” with cigarettes.

Gregory has recovered from his cold only to be struck with allergies. The bright side? The congestion has motivated him to taper down even more.

Matt is slowly replacing his wardrobe now that he’s quit. “Those were my smoker clothes. I’m going to buy a nice date shirt.”

Lark asks the group, “What could you do with eight dollars instead of buying a pack of cigarettes?”

“Buy two lattes!” Jay chimes. He’s been quit for eleven days! The first two days were hard, but he notes they’re getting easier.

“A movie! Preferably a nice foreign film,” Tony adds.

“You could go tanning!” Jay laughs.

Other ideas pour out: a yoga session, a healthy sandwich, an ice cream date, a bottle of wine to share.

The guys consider more long-term rewards too. Tony wants shoes. Matt plans to get his new wardrobe. Lark throws out the idea of getting a teeth whitening after quitting. Dan recommends getting a massage.

Thinking back to these past weeks with this group of strong, committed gay men, I pose a question to the group. “As gay men, what makes quitting smoking that much more important to you?”

Lark felt like a better mentor for LGBT youth when he quit smoking. He also reclaimed his independence from the tobacco industry, no longer addicted to their products. Tony speaks to the same topic, proud that he’s no longer “giving my dollars to a company who doesn’t value me as a person.”

Ron is combining his quit process with coming out. He’s taking control over his addiction, and simultaneously being true to himself and honest with his loved ones.

Michael has experienced a lot as a gay man and a father. “There have been several times in my life when I’ve been able to completely reinvent myself. Knowing that has made it easier.”

Nearly everyone in the group is quit. Check back next week to see how the group’s 2/10 quit date goes and how they have dealt with challenges!

Ask anyone who has quit an addiction, “If ever you relapse, what would be the one thing that could bring you back?” Stress will likely be the answer. Breakups, breakdowns, layoffs, lawsuits: when stress hits, the reflex kicks in, and you might think of smoking without consciously meaning to.

Tuesday 2/2 marks our fifth session as the Out To Quit group. 6 returning gay men sit around the long table with Dan at the front. Dan has compiled past findings, researched online, and consulted with others to generate ideas on stress management. He teaches the group what stress is, where it comes from, how we deal with it, and how it relates to smoking. Lark and I sit next to Dan for support.

With high amounts of ongoing stress, Dan explains, the body is significantly more likely to develop illnesses and chronic conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, more frequent infections, skin problems, headaches, muscle pain, and insomnia. Add smoking to the lot and you’ve got a recipe for a health meltdown. This is especially important for American sexual minorities as 1) we suffer stresses unique to the LGBT community, and 2) we’re more likely to smoke than the straight population (see Part 1).

The group shares what causes them stress and Dan guides them through a list of alternative coping strategies to replace cigarettes. He offers these 10 stress management tips:

1) Get active and exercise
2) Get quality sleep
3) Use positive self talk
4) Explore your self-awareness about what causes your stress and how you react to it
5) Express yourself creatively
6) Establish daily priorities and manage your time
7) Build social support
8) Seek counseling
9) Eat healthfully
10) Get massages to release stress-relieving endorphins in your body

The group discusses how they could implement Dan’s tips into their own lives.

Dustin has quit since our last session! He bought himself a Wii as a fun, distracting reward. Matt wrote poetry to express his addiction and understand it better, and has since cut down even more.

Tony, still quit, looks great being tobacco-free. He notices he’s much calmer now that he’s quit.

James has cut down his cigarettes substantially by rationing them out, but without his evening cigarette, he’s becoming stressed with insomnia. The guys give him ideas for what he can do to relieve his stress and fall asleep easier without tobacco. Lark recommends contemplative deep breathing in a quiet place to wrap up James’ day. Ron has been quit since Saturday and suggests what worked for him: a light workout in the evening to wind down.

Naturally when discussing stress, the guys bring up the emotional addiction that binds them to cigarettes. After so many years of smoking, cigarettes become more than just a nicotine fix. They become rewards, breaks, muses, sanctuaries. “It was sort of this best friend I’d created,” Tony admits.

I leave the group with these words:

A cigarette is tobacco wrapped in paper, stuffed with chemicals. Nothing more. The true danger of addiction is when we allow cigarettes to be more than what they are. If you smoked because tragedy struck your family, it wasn’t the cigarette that got you through the crisis; it was you. If you lost your job and smoked to alleviate your stress, the cigarette didn’t get you a new job and help you cope with the frustration; you coped with it yourself. You just happened to be smoking at the time.

After tonight’s session, the Out To Quit group now understands that nicotine does not chemically relax them; cigarettes don’t support them; tobacco does not take away stress. They know now that cigarettes are only as powerful as we make them, because the power is ours.

Talking about stress can be, well, stressful. Next week we’ll discuss the fun part of quitting smoking: how to reward yourself for your success!