If any generation knows that, our generation does. We’re the ant-smoking campaign generation. We’re the ones who saw the pictures of the lungs before and after someone spent their lives smoking. We’re the kids who were told not to cave to peer pressure. The ones who sat through D.A.R.E. classes and school assemblies and were told before we ever encountered a cigarette that smoking kills. So we know the dangers, those of us who smoke and those of us who have never smoked. We’re well informed and well aware, and people make their own decisions for their own reasons regardless.

There will never be a world where no one smokes. (Maybe I’ll eat my words someday, but I’d do so gladly.) So why exactly is the campaign to rid the world of smoking still a big issue? Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg signed a law banning smoking in public places like parks and beaches. And now, according to Gawker, the government is asking tobacco companies to publish corrective statements on their advertisements and marketing materials, statements that read, “Smoking is very addictive. And it’s not easy to quit…We manipulated cigarettes to make them more addictive… When you smoke, the nicotine actually changes the brain—that’s why quitting is so hard.”  This is just one of many, and they do get harsher. And while part of me revels in the fact that tobacco companies are finally being forced to admit to just how harmful their products are, another part of me knows this will make no difference at all.

Personally, I’ve never been a fan of smoking, or being around people while they’re smoking. But even I can see that things are getting a bit ridiculous. Everyone knows just how harmful smoking can be, and everyone knows that tobacco companies have always been well aware of just how addictive smoking can be, knows just how much they encouraged that addiction. But that hasn’t stopped smokers from smoking and it hasn’t stopped tobacco smokers from selling. And neither will this.

So while I understand the emphasis on banning smoking, and am thankful that I won’t be hit by a cloud of cigarette smoke while laying on the beach this summer, I also have to ask when is it enough? Where is the line? Smokers are making an informed decision, and while it may not be a healthy one, it’s still there decision to make. People make unhealthy, informed decisions all the time (hello, we’re in college!)  and at some point we just have to step back and let them. And then, maybe we can focus our attention on some of the more relevant and hopefully resolvable issues.

Bonjour, mon amis!

Sorry, couldn’t help it. I’ve just taken up French and I’m getting so obsessed! The language is so gorgeous (especially when it’s coming from the lips of a sexy Parisian man) and a nice change from Spanish, which I’ve studied all my life. Plus, every French class I sit through takes me back to my days in Paris this past summer. I loved everything about it: the food, the people, the fashion, the scenery.

Well, everything except for all the smoking. It seemed like everywhere I went there was a cloud of smoke around me. Call me crazy (a lot of people do), but all that smoke just made me super paranoid. I couldn’t shake the vision of my lungs getting just a little bit blacker and my skin getting clogged with wrinkle-causing smoke particles. Not that I know if smoke particles exist, but my imagination usually doesn’t adhere to scientific fact, so whatev.

This made me imagine what it would be like to actually be a smoker, which led me to wondering:

Would You Rather be forced to pick up an unhealthy habit you hate (smoking, eating fast food for every meal, etc.) OR give up your absolute favorite activity?

Things to Consider: Disease, feeling gross, not getting to watch Jersey Shore anymore (hey, don’t judge).

Think about it. Think about it some more. Vote. Then tell everyone why below.

[We originally ran this post at the end of 2008. Unfortunately it still rings true in 2010 so we're bringing it back for round 2. Share your own resolution gripes in the comments section below!]

I don’t make resolutions for the new year. Not only do I know I will not keep them, but I also know that anything important enough to give up on December 31st should probably be given up on any other day. I tried to give up cake once – what a disaster. Just knowing the 31st was coming and that I would soon be without my beloved buttercream sent me on a downward spiral that resulted with me, a fork and a missing Costco sheet cake.

The only thing I hate more than making New Years resolutions are the people that do. They are annoying, act all “holier than thou,” and make the first few weeks of every new year miserable for me.

The Gym Goers: Seriously, people, get off of my elliptical. I shouldn’t have to wait to get on my machine (that I have been using 5 days a week for the entirety of 2008 and 2009) just because you finally decided you’ve had enough with your muffin top. And, for those of you who don’t know because this is your first time at the gym, you are supposed to be sweating on that thing, not standing on it and texting your friends about the girl standing behind you giving you the stink eye.

The Smoke Quitters: Congratulations for finally kicking the smoking habit! I am proud of you – really, I am. But I am not there yet. This is not my year to trade in my black lungs for some shiny, healthy ones. So stop judging me and making that disgusted face when you walk by. You’ve given up cigarettes for .5 seconds and suddenly you can preach to me about how disgusting it is? You know you’d much rather be sucking down this sweet cancer stick right now. Don’t deny it.

The Healthy Eaters: Same goes to you, salad people. Sometimes I want a large order of sweet potato fries and I will not let you make me feel guilty. Besides, sweet potatoes are good for me!

The Money Savers: The economy sucks right now, so everyone is trying to save a buck or two. Good for you! Save that money! Earn that interest! But don’t get all cheap on me now and bring out the calculator when the bill comes at dinner, or give me a stack of your used books for my birthday after I got you a sweet new Kindle for yours. And, for real, stop talking about how little money you have. I. Don’t. Care.

That is the question that I am usually greeted with when I  walk out of the  building where I take most of my classes in my college. For some reason, that is the “smokers’ hang out spot” where the smokers gather to share a cigarette  and basically fry their lungs while the rest of the non-smoking population is forced to breathe in their second-hand smoke. And then smell like it so their friends, parents and teachers think they have picked up a new extra curricular activity.

So when I read an article about Rockland Community College, a school that has totally banned smoking both indoors and outdoors starting September 1st, I kinda sorta considered transferring. A school that is completely smoke-free? A school where I can go anywhere on campus and not have to worry about coming home smelling like an ashtray? Heaven!

But is that really possible?

I can see this ban working at community colleges, as students don’t live on campus and can light up as soon as their car leaves the campus lot. But what about a regular university? Could a school really enforce that rule? And would banning smoking on campus really promote a “healthy environment,” (the goal of the ban) or are students just going to get in their cars, drive to the edge of campus and enjoy a cigarette over there?

Even more, is this really fair? I am all for a place where I don’t get smoke blown into my face, but is it really fair to take away a legal individual’s right to smoke when they have the urge?

What do you guys think? Would a ban work at your college or university? Would this ban help the nearly 30% of  American college students who smoke?

And since then, I have been completely 100% smoke free.

No packs. No puffs. No nothing. I went completely cold turkey after NYE and I’ve maintained it for an entire week. It’s very difficult; especially when I had a few glasses of wine this weekend and desperately wanted one, but I had the will power to say NO to myself.

I am a strong willed person and if I set my mind to something, I stick to it. After seeing a series of horrific smoking commercials, I made a serious resolution to myself that, on top of not wanting my teeth to turn yellow and my hair to permanently smell like an ashtray, I don’t want to die from lung cancer (cliché but true).

So, for now, I’ve a week smoke free. I feel cleaner, healthier, and will hopefully continue on this path. Wish me luck!

(Photo courtesy of smokefreezone.org)

So, are you happy that winter’s finally arrived, or have you added a “Days to Summer” countdown to your Myspace profile? To determine whether the glass of egg nog is half empty or half full, let’s weigh the pros and cons of winter!

Pro: We get a month off from trekking around campus just when the temperature hits below zero.

Con: The “spring” semester starts in January. Brr!

Pro: Whatever holiday you celebrate, you’re bound to get some free stuff over break.

Con: You’re bound to get some free stuff you don’t want for the holidays, especially from your Grandma, who means well, but hasn’t been in style since the Great Depression.

Pro: Homemade treats, including (but not limited to) pumpkin pie, fudge, Christmas cookies, popcorn balls, and anything with chocolate in it.

Con: The calories that come with those treats.

Pro: You can get away with layering baggy clothes after indulging in the above treats.

Con: Spring break (and bathing suit season) is still just around the corner.

Pro: Spending time with your family for the holidays.

Con: Knowing there are millions of less fortunate people who can’t spend time with their families, especially with the soldiers fighting overseas.

Pro: If you run out of fridge space, you can store your booze outside and keep it chilled.

Con: If it snows, you’ll have to dig out your 30-pack on Saturday night, and your beer might have the consistency of a slushie.

Pro: Office Christmas parties.

Con: Facing your coworkers after the office Christmas party (damn you, Open Bar!).

Pro: The beauty of the first snowfall.

Con: Being late to class/work/the tanning salon after the first snowfall, because it took you an hour to dig out your car, and the roads still haven’t been plowed.

Pro: You can warm up with Bailey’s and coffee, hard apple cider, egg nog, and other seasonal boozey bevs.

Con: You have to pregame doubly hard in order to get a warm enough liquor jacket to brave the cold on the way to the bar (wait, is that really a “con”?).

Pro: It’s so much easier to quit smoking when you have to light up outside in the freezing cold.

Con: If you still can’t manage to quit, smoking outside in the freezing cold is torture.

Pro: You get to show off your cute new peacoat.

Con: You have two choices: brave the cold in a hot halter for the bar, or wear a frumpy sweater for a night on the town. Or, pay for coatcheck, which is another major con.

Pro: Claymation holiday specials.

Con: Telling your best friend you’re too sick to go out… because you’d really rather stay in and watch A Christmas Story by yourself.

Pro: Everyone’s back in town for the holidays.

Con: Everyone’s back in town for the holidays.

Pro: Pre- and post-holiday sales at the mall.

Con: Crowds at the mall.

Well, what’s the verdict? Do we embrace winter, or should we all permanently move to Cancun and forget we ever had seasons to begin with? More importantly, what are your fave (and least fave) aspects of December, January, and February?

Now, I just have to get my brain to agree with the rest of my body.

I have come to hate the smell and, almost equally, hate the taste. When my non-smoker co-workers won’t come near me because I reek of smoke, it makes me feel a little embarrassed, so I have been working on not smoking at all. I’m a human and have a weak moment here or there, but, for the most part I am doing much better.

The thing is, I really want to quit. I know it’s a horrendous and dirty habit, not to mention completely unhealthy. That said, there’s still a small part of me that needs that smoke when I’m stressed or upset, which – granted – is not very often, but still makes me want that smoke when I need it. I need to find another outlet as a way to deal with my stressful situations that arise from time to time.

So far, I am less than pleased with my progress, but hey, it could be worse. This week I am focusing on trying to bite my cravings with gum or something else to stop my smoke craving. This morning I smoked one and was so grossed out I vowed to not smoke anymore the rest of the day. I know for all you non-smokers out there, it may seem odd that I just can’t quit even though I say I want to, but it’s more strenuous than it seems to be. When you’re body is used to something, cutting it out right away is hard to do.

When I woke up Sunday morning hacking a lung, I realized that I had two decisions: A) Give up on my quest to quit smoking, succumb to my urges, and light up whenever I feel like it, or B) Make a serious decision about my health and realize that if I continue down this road I could have cancer in 20 years.

So, I chose the latter and have decided to go cold turkey. No packs. No one here, one there. No drags. I’m not going to kick this thing if I continue to allow myself to cheat.

It’s Wednesday and I have successfully gone without smoking a cigarette for three whole days. My running feels better and so does my overall body. While the cravings are still strong, my will to want to be rid of this habit has (for now) remained stronger. I just hope that next weekend, when I’m out having drinks at my company’s holiday party or out on the town with my boyfriend and friends, I don’t feel compelled to sneak outside and steal a drag.

Think cold turkey was a good move CC-ers? Give me some strength to get through the very trying days (big holiday dinners with lots of annoying family members) ahead. I can use all the help I can get.

(Photo courtesy of www.nmhypnosis.com)

It just means that I have been really busy/stressed/having a harder time reaching my goal.

I was doing pretty well there for awhile (I even had a few cigarette free days!), but between Thanksgiving (and the ever infamous Night Before Thanksgiving), school stress and that nagging in the back of my head to “just have one,” this whole quitting thing has proven more difficult than I thought.

I have gotten a bit better with the drinking thing, though. I took some of your advice and have forced my friends to police me when I am at the bar. Yes, I may have snuck away for a cigarette or two one night, but that is still a hell of a lot better than the half a pack I used to suck down on a given night.

As I said before, going to the bar is the hardest part of this journey, but I can’t give that up. I need to set a goal that is realistic and saying I am not going to drink is just not true. My goal for this week is twofold:

1. No more smoking unless I am drinking. You may think that is a BS goal, but I need to cut things out one at a time. And let me tell you; not taking a smoke break during exam time is going to be hard.

2. When I am drinking, I am going to limit my cigarettes to one. One and only one. I tend to smoke a lot at the bar because I can, but I don’t necessarily always want or need that many. If I can cut down to one, I can definitely cut down to zero.

We’ll see how that goes.

Well, I’ve been trying to refrain from smoking at all, but – geez – it is tough. Last week wasn’t too bad – I smoked maybe one or two a day and had a day or two where I didn’t smoke a cig at all. Even better, I didn’t even crave one – score!

But, then, I went to a Halloween party last weekend where I buckled and smoked about ten cigarettes in one night. I know, bad girl, Kelly; but honestly, with all the liquor, I just let myself go with the smoking…again. There’s something about needing a smoke with my vodka soda, or my glass of red wine that I just can’t seem to shake. Am I the only one?

After my lovely smoking binge of Friday, I tried to calm down the rest of the weekend. And I did. I smoked only one or two cigarettes a day for the rest of the weekend.

On my way to work on Monday, though, I almost put my car in park and asked the guy in traffic behind me, who was smoking a cig, if I could bum one. Then I realized how crazy and pathetic I would have looked, so I stopped myself. I didn’t have a cigarette that morning, and I didn’t have one for the rest of the day. I made a conscious decision to either go big – and do it as close to cold turkey as I can until I can finally withdraw myself from the cravings – or not do it at all. And not doing it at all is not an option.

I know what all of you non-smokers must be thinking: it’s such a disgusting habit and can give you cancer, so why do people smoke in the first place? I know you’re right, but it’s more than just a bad habit to me. When I’m stressed, a smoke calms be down; when I’m out for cocktails with my girlfriends, a smoke feels great with that dirty martini; and so on.

But, I will prevail. I will keep trying and keep you informed. If you have any tips on how to kick this habit and go cold turkey, fill me in. I want to be done with cigarettes by Christmas – sort of, like, a present to myself. Think I can do it?