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Electric cigarettes are really all the rage right now and it is for a good reason too. The electric or electronic cigarettes are getting massive good reviews from the internet, bloggers and social networking people are really raving about this new product. They talk about anecdotes of how this new product actually helped them in kicking the habit of smoking altogether. It really helps a person reduce the addiction and reliance one small step at a time. In this way, the reliance gets smaller in time and the chances of breaking the habit increases every day.

Right now, every smoker who thinks about finally stopping their bad habit can get many types of so called e-cigarette site in the net offering sale of these wonderful new products and at a good price too. If you want to know more about what these knew fangled electronic smokes can do, then read on.

There is a big difference between the electronic cigarette and the usual tobacco roll cigarette. In fact, there are more than six hundred differences, six hundred different harmful chemicals that is. This means that one can actually enjoy the pleasure of smoking while removing all the cancer causing elements of the cigarette. These electronic cigarettes do not burn anything. That is the secret. It is therefore not a fire hazard, and there is no tar or ash or even any tobacco. This means that it doesn’t make you smell like an ashtray.

However, they look like cigarettes, feel, and even taste just the same as the usual cigarettes. And since the tar and other carcinogenic substances are gone, then these pleasures are all guilt free and that’s why so many people are finally trying it out. The millions who have tried these new e-cigarettes have really been astounded with the similarity. No one could have ever imagined that such a thing is possible. Guilt free smoking now, with the help of this new device, finally exists for all to enjoy. The e-cigarette works by using consumable cartridges that can be replaced and reloaded into a safe cartridge chamber. This cartridge contains the flavor of the cigarette and also keeps them safe all the while.

So why wait? If you want to quit the deadly habit of traditional smoking, then use e-cigarettes instead for your health. You actually inhale vapors and feel the pleasure of “smoke” and so you will not miss smoking at all. The pleasure of “smoke” is actually the biggest thing that cigarette smokers want and miss.

Differences Between Electronic Cigarette And Tobacco Roll Cigarette is proudly contributed by Keith Ong, a Quit Smoking Specialist Who Shares Useful Tips For Quitting Smoking. Follow Me On Twitter Today.

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The electronic cigarette is simply a substitution for the ordinary tobacco cigarette, without the horrible chemicals that go with smoking. You will be successful and obtain the gift to quit smoking along with the electronic cigarette. Smokers are aware of how demanding that can be. What is an electronic cigarette, does it perform, I will respond to that and a great deal further.

Electronic cigarettes seem the same as a conventional cig, they visibly smoke similar to the normal type to boot. You can inhale, and puff out the smoke. It’s not actually smoke it is a water mist. The electronic cigarette has a rechargeable battery within and a small cartridge that contains water, nicotine, flavours and propylene glycol. The water mixture is what makes the water-vapour, or pretend smoke. Not like a regular cig, you do not require a lighter to light it.

Holding a cig is piece of your drive to smoke. The electronic cigarette is gripped in the same mode. You inhale in the same respect. You make use of the cig in the same fashion. So you are gratifying the yearning to clutch a cig. This will assist you to cease smoking.

As you smoke the electronic cigarette, you observe the vapor, exceedingly similar to bona fide smoke. With this manner of cigarette you may smoke everyplace you need to. There is no second hand smoke to disconcert other individuals. Since it isn’t a real cigarette, no-one can order you to put it out.

I comprehend 1st hand that tobacco products are dear and they keep raising the pricings. Did you realize that the electronic cigarette only costs 1/4 what regular cigarettes cost. You will not merely feel healthier about smoking an electronic cigarette, but you will be depositing the funds you put away into the bank. You can do lots with that money.

Nicotine is the chemical in the conventional cigarette that is a drug, and keeps us coming back for more. One thing the electronic cigarette has is the nicotine, which is what the brain desires. This cigarette doesn’t have the harmful toxins, or the tar that are destroying our lungs past mending.

An electronic cigarette cartridge will carry on as long as almost ten or twelve conventional cigs. Given that you don’t burn these cigs, you will no longer burn holes everywhere, and you will not have to be bothered the risk of setting the house on fire. A different benefit about the electronic cigarette is you need not have to look at yellowed teeth or fingers that the smoke leads to. Your body should begin to feel better, not as drained as before.

Now that you understand a little regarding the electronic cigarette, and the tobacco cigarette, did this enthuse you to give up, and utilize the electronic cigarette as a valuable tool. I adore the fact that you can smoke the it anyplace and not disconcert anyone. It plus has the nicotine in it, so that need not be an issue when trying to refrain. Only you can make the judgment to stop.

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With these new laws and regulations going into effect it is probably the right time to quit smoking tobacco for good.  American Lung Association Report Shows 2007 Shaping Up to be a Banner Year for Tobacco Control Policies. Mid-Year Update Details Progress to Date in 2007; 7 States Significantly Strengthened Smoke free Air Laws, 8 Raised Tobacco Taxes New York, NY (July 24, 2007).

In 2007, many states have taken strong action to protect their citizens from tobacco by making public places and workplaces smoke free, raising tobacco taxes, and passing laws to protect citizens from cigarette-caused fires, according to a report released today by the American Lung Association. In the 2007 Mid-Term Update to its publication State Legislated Actions on Tobacco Issues or SLATI, the Lung Association summarizes state tobacco control laws enacted in 2007 on smoke free air, tobacco taxes, smoking prevention spending and fire-safety standards for cigarettes among other issues. “In January 2006, the American Lung Association issued its Smoke free Air 2010 Challenge, urging all states to adopt strong smoke free air laws.  The 2007 SLATI Mid-Term Report shows significant progress continues to be made. 22 states and the District of Columbia have laws fully protecting their citizens from secondhand smoke. We challenge policymakers in the remaining states to do the same,” said Bernadette A. Toomey, President and CEO of the American Lung Association.

Also in 2007, eight states have increased their cigarette taxes, already matching the total for all of 2006.  Forty-three states and the District of Columbia have increased their cigarette tax at least once since 2002.  “We are encouraged that states continue to increase tobacco taxes, which makes cigarettes more costly. Higher cigarette prices deter young people from starting to smoke and help motivate adult smokers to quit,” said Toomey.

An increasing number of states have approved legislation setting fire-safety standards for cigarettes.  Twelve states have approved this legislation in 2007, and three more states have legislation awaiting action by the governor.  “This legislation is vital in the fight to reduce the 700 to 900 deaths annually from fires caused by cigarettes and other smoking materials,” she added.

A PDF copy of 2007 SLATI Mid-Term Report is available online.  This website is also the home of the online version of SLATI, which is updated on a regular basis to reflect changes in state tobacco control laws throughout the year. The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Lung disease death rates continue to increase while other leading causes of death have declined. The American Lung Association funds vital research on the causes of and treatments for lung disease. With the generous support of the public, the American Lung Association is “Improving life, one breath at a time.”

For more articles tips and information ways to quit smoking tobacco visit: http://www.wakeupsmokefree.com

Wendell and Charmayne Vannatter
Website: http://www.WCVMarketing.com
WCV Marketing is dedicated to helping people create their own home based online marketing business. The ideas presented here will help the average person to create a profitable online in-home business. Using the ideas and tips in these articles anyone can create a successful home based business even in these times of recession.

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Quitting your smoking habit is always easier said than done. The initial week is often the most difficult stage in the process due to the withdrawal symptoms that an individual had to contend with. Knowing about the most effective methods to quit smoking will therefore provide you with the most powerful tool against an ensuing addiction.

First and foremost, you need to trust in yourself that you can succeed in quitting; if not, then you will eventually go back to your old habit.

To make it easier for you to overcome this challenge, come up with a set of rewards that will keep yourself motivated. If possible, you can list it down so you can get a visual and constant reminder of why you are choosing to quit this habit. Read it daily so you can be guided or seek for support from friends or family to remind you about the need to stop smoking.

Determine a quit date that you must work hard to meet. This will enable you to work on it efficiently instead of always putting off your efforts since you cannot resist having a cigarette stick. If it is more difficult than you might have anticipated, there is nothing wrong about consulting a professional physician or psychologists to overcome the physical and psychologist barriers to your objective.

For a healthier approach, you can not just quit smoking and still adapt an unhealthy lifestyle pattern. Make sure to develop an exercise program that will relieve all stress off your body and regain vitality that were damaged by years of habitual smoking. About 30 to 40 minutes of daily exercise in 3 to 4 times a week should be enough to rebuild your health.

Since smoking directly affects your respiratory system, you can regularly perform deep breathing to boost your lung capacity. Approximately 3-5 minutes of deep breathing exercises on a daily basis should be enough to work out your lung muscles. When you couple this with visualization, it will further reinforce your focus on imagining yourself as a non-smoker.

Practically speaking, you must gradually cut back on your smoking habit while you do the above steps. One thing you need to learn is that abruptly quitting smoke won’t do since it will only trigger nicotine cravings. So, do this gradually to give your body a time to adapt until it no longer craves for cigarette. You can try using CiggArest, which contains natural herb Lobelia inflata as a substitute for the highly-addictive nicotine without the harmful effects on your body.

Like cigarette, it comes with calming properties that enables you to deal with stress effectively. This is most effective when used during the first couple of weeks upon withdrawal from smoking so your body does not feel deprived.

The goal to quit smoking is a difficult path to take for those who had allowed themselves to be taken over by their addiction. But if you begin taking measures to stop smoking effectively, you will soon begin to enjoy its rewards. Visit cigg-arest.info

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Health ministry in Austria imposed an immediate ban on the sale and distribution of the herbal incense “Spice“, which some people have taken to smoking for its hallucinogenic and psychodelic effects.

Smoking mixture Spice, which is sold legally in a number of countries as an exotic herbal smoking blend that releases a rich fragrance when burned, would be banned from sale immediately in Austria because a cannabis-like substance, synthetical cannabinoid JWH-018, had been found in it, the ministry said in a statement.

While the effects of taking the substance JWH-018 had not yet been fully determined, the risks were deemed to be high, the statement added. Thus, an immediate 14-day ban had been imposed until a more permanent ruling could be reached, the statement said.

Which smoking mixes contains JWH-018?

The herbal incense mixtures with names such as Spice Silver, Spice Gold, Chillin XXX, Spice Diamond, Yucatan Fire, Spice Arctic Synergy, Spice Tropical Synergy, Spice Egypt, are currently freely available in Europe.

While initially marketed as an incense, posts on Internet forums devoted to drug use have extensively praised the effects of the mixtures when smoked. Spice has been banned in Switzerland since the end of last year.

Municipal authorities in the German city of Frankfurt recently commissioned a specialist pharmaceuticals laboratory, THC Pharm, which makes medicinal substances from cannabis, to examine Spice Diamond, Spice Gold and Yucatan Fire samples and found the substance JWH-018 in all of them.

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It is expected that later this year the Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, is to ban Spice Diamond, Spice Gold, Spice Arctic and other Spice smoking mixes along with a wide variety of other substances that are marketed as ‘cannabis substitutes’ or ‘cannabis emulators’ like JWH-018 in Spice Diamond and Spice Gold smoking mixes.

Ban of ‘Cannabis Emulators’ in Spice Mix

The hysteria has developed due to a rise in the consumption of legalized products that generally go untested before their release into the marketplace. Spice has been found to have a synthetically-created JWH-018 in Spice Diamond and Spice Gold for smoke that is sprayed onto the dried mix of plant extracts to emulate the appeal of cannabis.

Many varieties of legal smoking mixes: Smoke, Spike, Aroma and GOASpirit do not contain synthetically-created elements like JWH-018, but do contain plant extracts that are historically known to have psychoactive effects. The call to ban these substances comes after worries that the untested mixes may contain potentially harmful elements that are dangerous to one’s health. It is expected that by the end of the year that these legal highs will be reclassified as Class B substances alongside cannabis.

Unsafe Spice Products Removed Too Late

If these products are deemed to be unsafe for human use and are untested, then why were they allowed to be put into the public marketplace for so many years unchallenged? If what the government says is true about these substances, then why have they been allowed to be taxed and placed on sale for public consumption?

Spice was originally created to emulate the desirable effects of cannabis, but now is likely to find itself in the same category as narcotics. Cannabis smokers say that legal smoking mixes like Spice, Jah Rush or Yucatan Fire mix for smoke are not nearly as potent and quite unlike the experience of smoking plants cannabis or marijuana. The government’s decision to continue the media war against cannabis while marginalizing the truly destructive narcotics such as cocaine and heroine seems to confuse priorities.

The increasing number of synthetically-created compounds yet to be classified as dangerous substances worries many on both sides of the argument. The ban will likely result in new black market trade in these substances, creating further opportunity and profit for illegal dealers, rather than research and investigation into what is truly harmful.

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When you reach a point in your life, you decide to quit smoking, you really are pursuing a program to quit smoking, if you want to succeed. As the saying goes, if you’re planning, then you are doomed to failure in planning. But what program should follow?

Well, there are many ways that are smoking, you just have to decide what seems to match that suits you. If you simply decide on the spot, stop smoking and stop right at that moment, it can last for a short period of time, but most people will not last throughout the course. Why is this the case?

Quitting smoking can be a difficult thing, and if you do not prepare properly, then you are doomed to defeat. The drug is psychologically very important and is often overlooked. You should order even in the environment. “Environment, I’m Speakers’ on your environment and this is certainly also the people who hang. If your family and friends do not know what you are trying to or not support, then you’re a tough fight. There is nothing worse than trying to quit smoking, and a right of friendly fire in front of you!

It must also decide if any of the hundreds of products on the market to help you get rid of dependence are useful. That is, it depends on who is considered more attractive. Everyone will certainly help, but it’s what they do, there is no magic bullet out there!

A good solid plan from the outset, it is important to increase your chances of success, and when Push Comes to Shove, help a structure, you can see through. Development or acquisition of a way to stop smoking program is useful to give you the structure that will increase your chances of success. In any case, sure, you are well prepared!

Make a program to quit before even starting. Formulate his or purchase of a system of loans and tested here, stop smoking programs.

Resource : http://www.stopsmokingprogramguide.com

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Hopefully, after reading through part 1. You should understand that the reason people begin smoking, (cool, friends, risky, party etc) has no relation to why they continue to smoke.

However as a smoker continues to smoke, reasons need to be found for justifying the behavior, because it makes no more sense to smoke ,than it does putting your head over a fire place and inhaling smoke from there. Reasons have to be made and meaning placed upon the behavior of smoking to justify why a person would do it when it smells bad, tastes bad, costs money and has long ranging health effects.

Once a smoker understands that every reason they have created for continuing to smoke is false, it takes them a giant step closer to being a non smoker. Because there is only one reason why a person smokes, and that is because of the substance nicotine which is found in a cigarette.

When a person inhales nicotine into their body for the first time, rather than relax the body, it creates a slight stress as the nicotine is expelled from the blood stream. This stress is relived when further nicotine is inhaled. The nicotine leaves again, creating a stressor and this stressor is once again relived by smoking. This is the ongoing spiral a smoker finds themselves in. By smoking a person adds an additional stressor into their live called nicotine.

However the stressor itself is very mild. We are aware of many physical stressor’s on our body, such as thirst or hunger. We can notice these physical stressor’s for prolonged periods of time and not even care that much about them.

As the nicotine leaves the body it creates a similar stress to thirst or hunger. It is subtly and relatively mild. Once nicotine is totally expelled from the body the stress is then gone. And any physical effects caused by nicotine is ended. This occurs in as little as 4-7 days.
This slight stress caused by nicotine is not to be confused with what people call a craving. The stress is a slight discomfort. A craving is the meaning placed upon that slight discomfort. It is a fabricated thought process that has been created over the years as a person continues to justify their smoking behavior. People who quit cold turkey and find it easy, interpret the stressor as an annoyance that will soon be gone. Those that go through cravings, place a greater importance upon the feeling.

Say you are a builder and you are out in the sun, it is a hot day and are working high up on a two story home. You may notice you become hot and thirsty. Although you notice the stressor (thirst), but because it would require some effort to climb down the scaffolding, you can’t be bothered doing much about it, plus you have heaps of work to get completed and decide to wait to lunch time. At lunch time you get called away, to run an errand, you are running late over your lunch break, race back to work and straight back up the scaffolding. You forgot to have a drink and notice that you are now quite thirsty. The throat dry and parched. However you can’t be bothered climbing back down and instead get straight back into the work. Later that evening you arrive home, sit down, and suddenly realize how thirsty you are. You go have a drink of water.

Say you are driving along an empty desert road with a group of people. It is a hot day And the car breaks down. Hours pass. Not a single car comes by. You notice you are thirsty. There is nothing to do but wait. And the longer you wait the more you notice you are thirsty, and the sun and the heat, and the absences of other cars. And the dry feeling at the back of the throat. You have no idea when someone will come past. Someone else has a drink bottle but they are not sharing. You begin to worry about how you’ll get more water. It is late afternoon, no cars. You are still stuck. So thirsty. So desperately wanting a drink. Some people are becoming angry, beginning to panic. You so badly need a drink of water. That evening a bus comes past. Suddenly you are relived, excited, you forget about your thirst and can’t wait to get home.

The actual physical sensation of thirst for the builder and the person stranded on the side of the road is exactly the same. However the meaning stressor conveys is different and while the builder is busy and has little time to reflect on the feeling of the stressor(thirst). The person doing nothing, but waiting has plenty of time to just think and contemplate the stressor called thirst which in turns makes it worse.

People who find it easy to quit going cold turkey

Have come to the conclusion, that smoking does nothing for them. Is boring. And the only reason they smoke is to relive a stressor caused by nicotine. They understand this stressor is very mild. Over the first two weeks once the cigarettes are thrown away, they keep themselves busy and occupied. When busy you don’t have time to notice slight physical stressor’s. They understand the thought cigarette, is just that, a thought. People have thousands of thoughts many times a day and don’t do much about them. Cravings are about you. Not the cigarette. They are the value you still place upon them. Take time to go over what you believe that cigarette actually means to you. Or what a craving means to you.

You can use the so what method for this. Each time you make a statement about a cigarette you simple go So What? You continue to do this until you arrive at another conclusion. ‘So what’ refers to So what does that actually mean.

For example. “I want a cigarette”. So what? “Well it would make me feel relaxed”. So what? “It would mean I could take a break from work”. So what? Well then I would be less stressed.” So what? etc etc

Example 2 “I have a craving”. So what? ” It is uncomfortable”. So what? This process takes you from the behavior you have been doing to the actually meaning you have placed upon it.

In part 3 of the series in quitting cold turkey, we look at the second pitfall that has people going back for cigarettes. Using cigarettes as a distraction.

Hypnotherapist Paul Dixon practices Hypnotherapy in Auckland Helping people quit smoking. Paul has written many articles of the applications of Hypnotherapy for quit smoking and other applications of applying hypnosis to create rapid change.

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Non Fire Safe Cigarettes Brands

There’s an endless line of products out there to help someone stop smoking. Drugs and chemical products line the drug store shelves, which is a testament to the popularity of quick and easy supplements. These products may be compelling, but what smokers sometimes miss out are natural ways of quitting smoking. Non Fire Safe Cigarettes Brands

Here are some of the popular natural methods that one can take to combat the addiction.

Herbal Methods

St. John’s Wort is an herbal supplement that is an anti-depressant. However, the medical community is finding that this herb can do more than help depression. In fact, recent preliminary studies suggest that the herb can aide smokers in lessening cravings. This alternative treatment is getting fast attention for those who want to stop smoking.

St. John’s Wort works by increasing levels of dopamine in the brain–you can see why this is helpful for someone in depression. But smokers also lose dopamine levels after they quit. In fact, the loss may increase craving and even depression. This treatment will work effectively right when someone quits smoking.

With St. John’s Wort, the former smoker can now find a way to naturally combat the cravings in pill or powder form.

Hypnotherapy

One of the problems of smoking cessation programs is that they often don’t deal with the addiction problem. Some programs focus on providing you with a replacement to the effects of nicotine, such as the nicotine patch. It’s no wonder that some smokers don’t find a way to psychologically eliminate their cravings. Non Fire Safe Cigarettes Brands

Hypnotherapy provides a psychological approach to combat smoking addictions. The process centers on suggesting the subconscious mind to not submit to nicotine addiction. By relaxing the hypnotherapy patient to an alternate state, the therapist has a gateway to instill a message to stay away from cigarettes and avoid any psychological dependencies. Most commonly, the hypnotherapy patient relaxes on a comfortable chair or sofa so that he or she could relax the mind. Sometimes music is added to help the patient to fall deeper to the subconscious mind.

Cold Turkey

“Cold Turkey” is possibly the most well known natural way of quitting smoking. The procedure is quite straightforward since it involves quitting without any aid or help from other products. If you have a strong will power, cold turkey can be a good way to naturally stop the addiction.

Unfortunately, this method may be the toughest since there’s no gradual reduction in smoking, just an abrupt cessation of smoking. Smokers are challenged to resist without any help from drugs or psychological means. By doing so, there are ways to avert your cravings and withdrawal effects. Drinking plenty of water helps your body to release some harmful smoking remnants. In the first few days the withdrawals are the worst primarily due to toxins remaining in the system. It’s best to use every method available to combat the harsh effects of the first few days.

When one get cravings, a person can find substitutes to smoking such as drinking juice, or averting your attention to something else. Sometimes being extremely busy might make it impossible to find the time to smoke. These applications will all depend on one’s will to stop smoking.

There are many more natural methods to stop smoking. These three mentioned are the most popular natural practices to cease the smoking habit. Natural ways to help someone to stop smoking may not be for everyone. But these methods give smokers more options to find ways to quit smoking. Non Fire Safe Cigarettes Brands

Many people talk with me about stopping smoking as they have tired to quit, sometimes many times, in the past and found it just too difficult; traumatic even. Maybe you’ve caught yourself feeling secretly jealous of friends or family members who have already successfully quit cigarettes and wondered how they managed to be so strong willed. No doubt you’ve heard people say “you’ll quit when you’re ready”, and of course this is absolutely true. But what is it that causes someone to be ready? What needs to take place inside of you to ensure that achieving a life free from cigarettes is approached with 100% commitment?

The answer is simply having the right kind of motivation.

Now this may seem an obvious statement, but the key difference between those who stop smoking easily and those who fall at the first hurdle is the direction in which their minds are focused.

The fact is you can achieve just about anything in life, including becoming a non-smoker, provided there is enough leverage to drive your desire for change. Have you ever noticed how much easier it is overcome challenges when you are excited about the rewards of success?
Imagine that your motivation to quit cigarettes is like a set of balancing scales. On one side is your desire to carry on smoking (including the fears you associate with stopping) and on the other side are all the rewards and benefits of being a non-smoker. The focus of your mind adds weight to one side or the other and will determine which way the scales tip.

The problem that many people find when trying to stop smoking is they do not give themselves compelling enough reasons to tip the scales in favour of success. Of course on an intellectual level they know why they “should” stop, but their imagination is focused on how terrible it is to go without their fix, like running a mini disaster movie in their mind. As soon as there is a feeling of uneasiness, their automatic motivation is to feel better as quickly as possible, and this often results in lighting up.

People who successfully become non-smokers do so by knowing exactly how they want to benefit from quitting. They vividly imagine how great their lives will be without cigarettes. They immerse their senses in how wonderful it will feel to break the habit. They see themselves living a better life as a non-smoker and really associate into the positive sensations. Quite literally the motivation to be a non-smoker out-weighs the temptation to remain the same, even when in challenging situations.

So here is a powerful exercise for you to experience that focuses you on wanting to become a healthy, happy non-smoker. If you give this process your full attention you may well find that are motivated to stop smoking as soon as possible

CHOOSING YOUR FUTURE

It is best to read through these instructions once before carrying out each step. This exercise requires you to use your full imagination and it’s usually helpful to close your eyes, so please ensure you are in a situation where it’s safe and appropriate to do so.

1> In your mind imagine that in front of you there are two paths laid parallel to each other, stretching off into the distance, each representing alternative futures. The path on your left depicts the rest of your life should you choose NOT to quit smoking. The path on your right represents the positive ways your life improves by committing to stop smoking now.

2> Imagine taking a step forward onto the left path and arriving one month into the future (if you have the space you could even take a physical step forward). See yourself in a typical situation in a month’s time knowing that you have continued to smoke in the usual way. If you are imagining looking AT yourself, like a third party observer, mentally step into your body so you see though your own eyes. Notice everything about the situation. See what you see and hear what you hear, and as you think about the fact that you are still smoking notice exactly how you feel inside. At this stage the emotional effects might be quite small but you’ll probably start to feel disappointment that you have not quit. Really let yourself experience the event like it is actually happening now.

As the reality of the situation begins to grow, notice that beside you is a pile of cigarette butts, one for every time you smoked over the last four weeks. Really imagine what that looks like. How does it smell? How do you feel to realise that the harmful poisons and tar from each one of those cigarettes is there right inside you? Stay with this for a while before moving onto the next step.

3> Now imagine taking another step along the path, this time arriving six months into the future. Your body has had to endure another half year of harm and attack from tobacco smoke. Again, notice everything you can about where you are and what you are doing. Now vividly think about how yet another six months of smoking as impacted your life. How has your health changed? What has smoking prevented you from doing? How does it affect your relationships? Imagine a stack of all the money you have wasted on cigarettes, over there, beyond your reach (what could you have done with that?). Now look down at that pile of cigarettes butts and notice how much it has grown. Sense how the smell has increased and gets into your nose and throat. Spend a few moments really associating with what another six months of smoking has changed for you.

4> Now, taking another step, find yourself one year in the future. Still seeing through your own eyes and hearing what you hear, take in every detail you notice about the situation you are in. Experience it like it’s happening now. How are you feeling about still smoking one year on? How is your health impacted now? Think about the effects on you relationships. What you are not able to do because of smoking? That pile of wasted money over there has doubled and so has the mountain of cigarette butts which is now covering your feet and climbing up your legs. How disgusting does that look to you? Feel the pungent smell in you nose and throat and know that your body has felt the effects of every single one of those cigarettes you have smoked. Linger on this sensation of while before moving on.

5> It’s time to really turn things up. Take another step along the path to arrive five years into the future. It might feel uncomfortable but it’s important that you immerse yourself in situation as fully as you can. What has five years of continuing to smoke done to your life? What are the impacts on you health now? How does it feel to be in a social minority, now that there are so few places you are allowed to smoke? What has smoking taken away from you? Feel every sensation as intensely as possible. Look at all of that money over there – hundreds, maybe even thousands in crisp notes – and imagine someone setting fire to the whole lot, just leaving you with that immense mountain of filthy cigarette butts, completely surrounding you. How does it smell now? How has your body suffered through smoking all of those cigarettes?
If you can stand it why not take a few more steps further into this future – 10, 20, 30 years – even go right to the end of the path and get a real sense of the damage smoking will do to many aspects of your life.

6> When you’re done, come back in time to the present day and consider whether or not you want your real future to resemble what you have just experienced.

7> Now for the good part!! With your full imagination take a step forward onto the right path and go one month into the future from today. Use your mind to vividly represent a realistic situation of what it would be like to have been a non-smoker for a whole four weeks, seeing everything through your own eyes. What are the most immediate positive changes you notice straight away. Maybe there is a strong sense of pride or even relief that finally you’ve done it. Maybe you notice you’re already breathing a lot better, or your skin looks healthier. Imagine people congratulating you on doing so well. Notice every good detail let the wonderful feelings spread throughout your body. At this point squeeze the thumb and forefinger of one hand together (this will begin to set a powerful unconscious association between the physical sensation in your fingers and your positive emotional state).

8> Take another step and move to the six month mark. You’ve been a non-smoker for half a year! What have you been able to achieve as a non-smoker that you could not do before? Notice how much healthier you look and feel. Maybe you’re appreciating your heightened sense of taste and smell. Connect with you’re new found vitality and be aware of how calmly and confidently you behave in situations where you used to be distracted by the need for cigarettes. How are you standing (or sitting)? Let yourself feel an amazing sense of accomplishment and healthiness. And, of course, don’t forget to keep your eye on that growing pile of cash that has been generated by your decision to be a non-smoker. Take those great feelings inside of you and turn them up as much as you possibly can, then squeeze your thumb as forefinger together once more.

9> Now take step a into your one year anniversary. Really associate into how great it feels to have been free from nicotine for a whole twelve months. In what fantastic ways have your life improved by being a non-smoker for this long? Maybe you are doing something to celebrate your achievement. How are you enjoying your increased health and aliveness? Who else in your life is proud of you for doing such a good thing? That pile of money just there has doubled. What do you want to use it for? Let yourself experience anything else that comes to mind and take some time to really let the positive feelings grow within you, then press that thumb and forefinger together once more.

10> Now let your creative imagination take you another step further – five years in to the future. What have you been able to achieve in your life that could not have been achieved as a person chained to nicotine? The thought of cigarettes are probably now just a dim and distant memory. Let yourself fully experience how pleased and delighted you are about being one of the world’s happy non-smokers; fit and healthy and totally in control of your thoughts and actions. What would that pile of money look like now? Allow your imagination to make this situation as desirable and compelling as possible. Maybe you can glance to your left and see that other version of you on the left hand path still struggling and suffering at the mercy of tobacco and nicotine. Let this fuel the positive feelings inside of you now and turn them up as much as you can. Now squeeze that thumb and forefinger together again.

You can go even further into the future if you want to, but when you’re ready open your eyes and come back to the present moment.

If you have allowed yourself to do this exercise with your full and positive participation you should now be noticing a dramatic increase in your desire to be a non-smoker. This kind of motivation is what it takes to be ready to quit cigarettes with commitment and determination. You’ve now given your subconscious mind a clear goal to aim for by tipping the scales in favour of success. You have also set an “anchor” between the desire for being a non-smoker and the sensation of squeezing of your thumb and forefinger together. This means you can trigger these helpful feelings again and again to keep your focus where it needs to be at any time. Try it, it really works!!