Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect @dbcooper ,
I smoked for 42+ years myself!
I NEVER thought I could quit. I really didn't want too. I enjoyed it so much.
I also knew, like every smoker does...and doesn't it irritate you when goodhearted, non-smoking folks ask you..."Don't you know how you're hurting yourself? Don't you want to live longer? Don't you know how much money you could save?" Those people!
It would be so irritating.
Of course I know! I remained calm outside...but inside these people irritated the heck out of me!
Go away please!
We all know smoking is horrible. We know what can happen. But we do it anyway.
I started out with a goal that I wanted to quit by my 60th.
One month before my birthday I actually started finding myself anxious about this looming quit date. I was dreading in fact. I hated that it was coming up so fast.
Then I got sick on January 7th. I smoked a cigarette but it was awful. The next day I had another, even though I was sick (this should tell you how badly addicting nicotine is if you can smoke and be sick too) and it was awful.
It was my last one.
I have not smoked since. I thanked God for making me sick, because I don't think I would have been able to without the coexisting cold I had.
I went two days.
Then a week.
Then two weeks became a month.
A month turned to half a year and I think that was the turning point.
I realized one day, hey...I didn't even think about a cigarette today.
Once I decided this was my opportunity to quit, I bought a great book that was SO helpful to me. Allen Carr's Easy Way to Quit Smoking. I was fascinated by how nicotine works, how highly addictive it is, and what I could do to lose this rotten addiction for good.
I also went to the Dollar Store and got a lot of bags of hot cinnamon candies.
When I wanted a smoke, I'd unwrap one of these instead. I carried them everywhere.
Over time I didn't need them anymore either.
The easiest way to quit smoking is the ONE THAT WORKS FOR YOU!
Don't give up.
Try harder. This little monster inside your head is something you can beat.
You only lose if you don't try! And sometimes failure leads to success.
Nobody understands like a smoker, and I totally understand.
Have you ever heard of the Allen Carr book?

@dbcooper I smoked cigarettes for 39 years. I quit smoking in 2002. It is now 24 years since I quit. . Very good huh ? BUT, in 2023 I was diagnosed with stage 4 Emphysema. I have now been dragging an oxygen line around for almost 3 years .
Here is an example for you . My Grandaughter is smoking . When we speak to her about it , she says “ Oh, I am only going to smoke for 15 years . Then I will stop so I don’t get any lung disease . “ I think each of us needs to figure it out for ourself. I have stopped giving anyone advice about it . Smoke or don’t , it is your harvest. Blessed Be, Crystalena.