“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!