New Year's Resolution: Win the Stop Smoking Battle

New Year's Eve is just around the corner, the audts are stepping aside as the 2010's make an entrance. And, with New Year's Eve comes many resolutions that will fall by the wayside for one reason or another.

The most common resolutions are to quit smoking and/or lose weight. Either one, or both, of these endeavors are worthwhile, but often pose bigger obstacles than thought possible.

To give up a security blanket, crutch, or a seemingly long-time friend is not an easy task. When people propose to stop smoking, they must be able to deal with many feelings and desires. Perhaps the most difficult, besides addiction, is the choice to end a relationship that they might not really want to do.

Ending a relationship with cigarettes is not unlike the painful emotions that come about when a love affair ends and you did not want it to end. Turning your back on something that has been associated with most or all of a person's adult life can be more than many people can accomplish. Sadness, anger, and even brokenhearted feelings surface and often cause the best intentions to crumble.

Sure, we all know about the health hazards that cigarettes create. Most everyone is aware about the offensive odor surrounding the clothing we wear and the foul smell emanating from hair, beards, and skin. Many times smokers feel like second-hand citizens, or the proverbial red-headed step child. Vehicles and clothing announce your habit, not only by odor, but by the tiny burn holes on upholstery or apparel.

If you, like most, have tried and failed more times than you care to recount, you are not alone. Perhaps, memories from previously tried and failed attempts have caused you to experience changes in your personality, moods, body size, and temperament. Anger, hostility, depression, and weight gain can all be associated with ending the trail of blue-smoke. Many times, people suffer from withdrawal symptoms, such as, nervousness, violent dreams, or sleep deprivation.

There are products to help with withdrawal symptoms and cravings. You can find nicotine patches and gums, injections, and pills. Some of these products are over the counter, and some are by prescription. Some people try to substitute the hand-to-mouth syndrome with things like celery, hard candy, gum, straws or pencils. Idle hands are the devil's playground when it comes to the demands of cravings. Classes to stop smoking suggest appointing a buddy or supportive person to help you get through the troublesome cravings and desires.

The real challenge is the loss of holding the cigarettes and blowing smoke. Smokers have been conditioned and love the feel of the three to four-inch cylinder-shaped friend. They expect to bring it to their lips, inhale, and see smoke exhaled into the air. Perhaps, this is one of the big reasons many people fail with the patches, gums, or pills.

Admit it, you love to blow smoke! There is some gratification and stress release when that cloud of smoke is exhaled. If we're angry or stressed, the release of smoke becomes a sort of friend and comforting factor. Nicotine, in its nature form, is not necessarily harmful to the human body. It's the tars and poisons that cigarette manufacturers add to the tobacco that causes havoc within our bodies.

Have you ever thought, 'if there was a safe cigarette, you'd be the first one in line?' Well, lucky you! Finally, your ship (or cigarette) has come in! A product that supplies only pure nicotine and water allows you to puff away without harmful damaging effects to your body. This little gadget allows you to blow smoke, hold a real-feeling cigarette device, and has no smoke odor!

Think about it, you could smoke anywhere you wanted without any tar or carbon monoxide, no odor, and even in 'no smoking' zones! You will not need to worry about polluting the air of a newborn child, discolor drapes or walls to a mustard yellow, and your friends and family, and teeth and gums will thank you.