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Was in Tesco's earlier on. Went the counter to put my lottery on before doing my shop. Absolutely crazy the way Vapes and all the other nicotine products have taken the place of cigarettes. It's not even subtle. Its just like "Here you are, we've got rid of the cigarettes containing nicotine here is the latest product we want you to consume to keep the nicotine addiction going." All the shelves behind the counter where the ciggies were are now just vape juices pouches and all other nicotine products. All this after seeing some fella on the news, called himself an expert in something or another, he was quite shocked that a million people who have never smoked in their lives have taken up chonging on vapes. He couldn't get his head around it. For 10+ years vaping was aimed at kids until the government decided to step in a bit and idiots like this fella are given airtime.

Nice one people. This place helps to be a part of aswell. Even if you use it to sound off every now and again and listen to the advice of people who've been in your situation and can help you come out the other side. Thanks to everyone. Things are going well. Next milestone is the 2 year mark. The battle goes on.

Ah well been a bit of time since I've been on. I'll be honest, I'm best staying away and just popping in every now and again. It's what works for me, it's doing me good. I like popping in and sharing how things are going though, keeping you updated and that, it helps. Anyway since I was last in I think I have had 1 hefty night out with friends. In the past this would have been a go to for a failure and an end to my quit. As I have said in the past it feels different this time. I just don't have the feeling anymore. It feels like it's gone, the urge, it feels like it's finally been laid to bed. I hope it has, I hope it never rears it's head again. I'm wary of saying it's gone forever, I don't want to let my guard drop. I have a hatred for it now, I think thats a good thing to have, it has to be demonised. If you have pure hate for it and all it's done in the past to you and your body then that's a help in keeping that guard up. Anyway next Saturday 10/10/26 is 1 year since I last had a cigarette. I was on the lozenges for a month or so afterwards but as far as I'm concerned I set out to pack the ciggies in, they were my addiction to kick after 35 years so that day will be my celebration. I may have another for the day I packed the lozenges in but the lifelong addiction was ciggies so the 10/10/26 is my day.

Now at 8m 1w 2d. A few small observations. In previous quits I used to see smokers everywhere and this would being one of the triggers. Now I hardly see smokers. I see vapers, they're everywhere. I actually pity them. I think in my head "Why do you need to do it. Introducing that shite into your lungs." I don't understand the need to stand there and get a pull in whenever they can. Then it hits me, the answer. They're addicted, I was addicted. The addiction to nicotine in all its forms of being administered is a pitiful life story.

Ended up going out Friday for a good drink with friends watching the Cheltenham gold cup. Was out for a good 7-8hrs and never once felt the urge. I think I have demonised it enough and knocked it into my head how it used to make me feel. This was another massive hurdle for me to clear. In the past when getting ready to go out if I hadn't smoked for a good while on an attempted quit I would talk myself into smoking. Now it seems I don't even have to talk myself out of smoking. I'm not naive enough to think the battle is won this easy, it's still a battle. Just got to keep the thoughts I have and keep on along this path I'm on.

Still plodding along. I do feel different this time to the failed times from before. I can't even remember if this quit has been NRT free at the beginning. I think it has, my memory not so good. Just checked my quit tracker and it's 4m 3w 3d. On previous quits I was romanticising having one, this time around I'm remembering the way they made me feel, the anxiety mostly. It used to cripple me. I felt terrible off smoking, I'm remembering them days. I haven't had an urge.to have a ciggie at all which is so different to the other quits. It just feels different all around. Feels great to be honest. *Just checked through previous posts, came off the lozenges late November. Best thing I did with the good advice of people off here. Thanks people.

Nearly had an upcoming test tonight. Was nearly going out for a drink with friends. It's had a late fall through though. I think it would have been a massive test so I'm not too bothered that's it's fallen through. Now I can just keep on keeping on this course I'm on and am determined to see through. Might even do a bit of shopping with my free Saturday instead. Get some presents and get some clothes to go back the gym finally. Been packed in now for 2m 2d 17hrs (just checked app) so it's time to start moving onto the next phase. Gym and getting out and walking a bit more. Start to feel the benefit of these healthier lungs.

I was stewing for a bit and thinking about everyone's comments on here. "What do they know." "How bad can sweets be." "I'll stick with these sweets if I want to." Took me an extra week and a bit to realise that everything everyone was saying on here was spot on correct. I was becoming reliant on the nicotine in the sweets. I was starting to have that hankering I'd get when when waiting for my next ciggies. A sickly feeling that I thought has gone when I packed the ciggies in was continuing with the lozenges. Been off the lozenges since about Tuesday. I never marked the date like when I packed in the ciggies but when I think about it it was another milestone day. 1m 1w and 5 days a non smoker and I can now add no nicotine aswell.

Just on me way home from a music gig on the bus and this place just piqued my memory. Haven't been on here in a while. I've just been quietly trying my hardest for the quit again. Just checked in with my quit tracker and I'm at 4w 1d 7hrs. Had 4 pints watching the music gig and didn't feel the need for a coggies at any point. I'm eating nicorette fruit lozenges quite frequently. I think to myself I like the taste but I know it's because I like the nicotine aswell, they do have a lovely taste though. Anyway, my point is. I have been on off smoking for 35 years of my 48. Would it hurt to be addicted to lozenges knowing they are better than coggies and vapes. Vapes have never been for me. The lung damage could be just below ciggie levels when the damage is known later in life. Everyone on a vape is a guinea pig at the moment for them future findings. After 35 years of smoking my dependency to nicotine is going to be high. I have had people in the past saying "You shouldn't have too many lozenges." And "The advice leaflet says you should wean yourself off the lozenges." My question is, if I'm not smoking and I feel fulfilled and like the taste of the lozenges and they keep me away from smoking then is it that bad to be addicted to the lozenges? The smoking and all the harmful chemicals was what I didn't want from smoking. Surely eating lozenges is more preferable.

Thanks mate. Think I'm gonna take a look at fisherman's friends. They're small and of similar size and have quite a few different flavours. I can't do mint, they seem to do something to me aswell.

I don't know whether becoming addicted to the lozenges is actually serving me well. The fact I have turned back to lozenges rather than succumbing to ciggies is reinforcing to me that the addiction is most definitely nicotine and not the physical act of smoking. Smoking is what left me feeling like crap more than lozenges. Smoking is the act with the most downsides. It's why I didn't want to dally with vapes, it's too akin to smoking with the physical long term effects on the body still unknown. I don't want to be stuck on lozenges for the rest of my life. I just need to find an alternative to the lozenges now. As I say I'm a very active person, always on the go so I am feeling the positives of not smoking on my body and that's with still eating the lozenges. I just need to be free of the drug that is nicotine. I think I will do as you say my friend and find myself the alternative to these Nicorettes and set a pack in date for these. Anyone got any alternatives to Nicotette fruit lozenges? Same taste and same size minus the nicotine?

Just popping in to update. The phonecalls with the prescriptions have finished. I missed a call and that was the end of that. As I said at the very start they're not bothered about you as a person or how you're doing. It was all just lip service to give you the prescriptions. I think there was probably some sort of local funding from government and they just have to keep throwing prescriptions around to keep receiving the government money so they're not really bothered about the individual. Anyway, onto this week. I don't know why but there were temptations this week. Id been finished with the lozenges for a week or two and midweek this week, Wednesday to be precise, had me thinking the unthinkable. I never succumbed to the pressure. I thought how horrible it would be in the end. The feelings of anxiety I used to get off smoking are still in my mind. I know how smoking used to make me feel and it was not good. All them feelings have gone this last 3 months odd, and that is because I have packed in. I was around at my lads mum's on the Wednesday in question, I had to go in the kitchen to get a plastic bag to take some stuff she passed me, her ciggies were on the side, open with a good few ciggies gone so she wouldn't notice if I took one. It was a quick temptation, the thought was gone as fast as it came but the temptation was there. Can't work out whether I've actually won with that battle by not taking one. The temptation being there probably means the opposite but the knocking back of the temptation must cancel that out. Needless to say last night I went to boots and got myself a weeks worth of lozenges. I need to kick this nicotine habit. I know I don't want to smoke, Ive knocked that temptation back. Just got to kick the lozenges now. It's like nicotine in a different form is taking a hold now.

I add my 1,207 cigarettes into this fire. RIP to the lovely Jill and thank you ever so much for the kind words of inspiration.

Oh no, has jillar passed away?

Thanks for your kind words Gene. Means a lot mate. Your previous posts helped me aswell. 👍