Smoke free dining is in good taste!

While smoking in a restaurant in California has been illegal for quite some time, it looks like one of my favorite Italian restaurants was ahead of the curve!   Way to go Del's!

Big Tobacco Whistle Blower Dead at 72

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Merrell Williams Jr. has died.  Mr. Williams was a paralegal who

AP Photo

stole insider documents, from the third-largest cigarette company in the nation, which led to a massive financial settlement that forever altered the public-policy debate over cigarettes and tobacco.

Merrell Williams, passed away from a heart attack on Nov. 18 at age 72.  He said the he decided to stop up smoking after reading documents, that showed that tobacco executives knew that cigarettes were addictive and that they caused cancer.  Add to that they were aware that the companies were marketing cigarettes to minors.

In 1998, after multiple state sponsored lawsuits, Big Tobacco agreed to settlements that totaled about $240 billion.

Mike Moore, who filed the first of the suits in 1994 as Mississippi attorney general said that Merrell "was a hero of that fight."

Not as well known and The Insider, Jeffrey Wigand,  Mr. Williams was the guy who got the documents out that Jeffry Wigand was asked to examine and authenticate.

"Those documents were the heart of the litigation," according to Mr. Wigand.

"He was deeply proud of his role," said his daughter, Jennifer Smith. And who know how many lives he ultimately saved or at least improved!  Ultimately, Big Tobacco's shady dealings was a MASSIVE motivator for me wanting to stop and help others stop too.

Thank you Merrell Williams for your bravery and for taking a stand!

Just what are you waiting for and why are you waiting?

"Just what are you waiting for and why are you waiting?"  

This excellent question comes to us straight from the mind of Napoleon Hill.  He is a man who studied success with the same vigor as Tesla studied electricity.  Success comes in many levels and tiers.  So if we look at Mr. Hill's words from the point of view one who is looking for success in the battle over cigarettes and nicotine, allow me to repeat the question, "Just what are you waiting for and why are you waiting?" 

What else does Napoleon Hill have to say on this?

"Far too many people spend their entire lives waiting for that glorious day when the perfect opportunity presents itself to them."  Are you waiting for the "right time" to stop smoking?  

"Too late, they realize that each day held opportunity for those who sought it out. If you have not formulated a plan for what you would like to accomplish in your life, don’t waste another minute." 

FYI, there is no right time to stop.  Actually there is, the time is now.

"When you have Definiteness of Purpose fueled by a burning desire to reach your objectives, nothing can stand in your way."  

For many people, they need a purpose greater than them self to motivate them to stop smoking.  There is nothing wrong with that.  Saying something like, 'I won't stop smoking for anyone else, when I stop smoking, it'll be for me.' That's an excuse, not a reason.  Find a purpose greater than you.  Your kids, your spouse, your future kids, your family, your community, your company, whatever the purpose as long as it is bigger than just you.

"Don’t wait around waiting for life to happen to you. When you know what you want and how you expect to earn it, life will agree to your terms, not the other way around."  

This is crucial.  For those struggling with addiction, nicotine is happening to you.  Life is happening to you because every time you have a moment, positive or negative, you need to have a cigarette to go with your moment.  And you KNOW what I'm talking about.  So, you can be the cause of your life or the effect of circumstance.  There is no requirement anywhere in the handbook of life that says you are to be a victim.  Take back control of yourself, your body, your mind and spirit.  Stopping smoking is you taking the power back.  You gave it up, maybe not knowingly, but you did.  This is your time, your moment, your opportunity to stand up for yourself, fight and take it all back.

Quit Tea: A natural way to stop smoking

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Why QuitTea?  Trying to quit smoking?  There's a unique tea recipe the can help.  While a cup of green tea may help, what if there was a potent herbal blend tea to help with the effects of withdrawal?  Just because you decided to go cold turkey, doesn't mean you can't get the support you need to get through the first 3-7 days.  You can stop and there is no need for a pharmacists to drug you, no need for nicotine laced gum, patches and/or e-cigarettes.

The task of becoming a non-smoker again is a simple one.  [NOTE:  "non-smoker again" means you weren't born with a cigarette in your mouth, which means you've been a non-smoker before, you can do it again.  Also, "simple" does not mean easy.  There's no easy way out, it's hard.  Simple?  Yes.  Easy?  No.]

What if you could return to being a non-smoker without having to quit?  Hold on now!  Stick around for another second and hear me out, because this is the entire premise of  my book.  You're brain is addicted to and chemically altered by nicotine.  The concept of never smoking a cigarette again is as foreign to you as not drinking water ever again.  Now add to this, the fact that on multiple occasions you have gone without a cigarette for an uncomfortably long period of time.  You've been able to stop without quitting.  How did you do it?  Long flight?  Long movie?  Long meeting or shift with no break?  Can't smoke?  You got through it somehow and no body got hurt, right?  How?  You knew you'd get through it because you knew you'd smoke again.  Still with me?  Is it possible to stop, but don't quit?  Yes.  I stopped in 2002 and haven't had a cigarette since, but I ain't no quitter either!  12 years later and I still consider myself a smoker who doesn't smoke.  I call this "The Carrot Dangling Technique" and with the right mindset, it works perfectly.

When you read How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone, you'll learn how to get that mindset.  How to get your mind right, how to live in the now and above and beyond, how to take back control of your state from nicotine and Big Tobacco.  Wait, I thought we were talking about tea...?

[Insert Quit Tea here!]

Who doesn't need help?  Kicking the habit is near impossible.  It sucks, it's stressful, your brain's freaking out, you feel like killing innocent people who look at you wrong, it's terrible.  It's also part of the process.  It's part of earning it.  You need to grind this out.  But who says you have to go it alone?

QuitTea was designed to take the edge off.  Weightlifters need a spot when the weight gets heavy.  Ain't nothing wrong with that either because it's how you get stronger.

What I like about QuitTea is that it's all natural.  The ingredients are listed here (I'll cover a few in a second) and they make for a nice herbal blend to ease withdrawal and support the detoxing of the body.  It comes in a box of 20 (what else do we know that comes in packs of 20?) and the cherry on the top for me is the hand to mouth action that comes from sipping tea.  Very similar to smoking in that respect.  You also get the lip stimulation and the bringing of something into the mouth.  Just don't inhale QuitTea as that would be bad.  Probably don't want to smoke it either as that would defeat the purpose entirely!

Some of the ingredients like St Johns Wort, I actually recommend in my book and others include Valerian Root, which is great for chilling out and there's also Red Clover, Licorice, Ginger, Burdock, Oregano, and Fennel for cleansing. Conveniently, there's the right amount of spice and sweet here to make for a flavorful tea and bust through the flavor loss from smoking.  You'll probably notice after a few days on QuitTea that it tastes stronger as you taste buds repair.  I think this would be a good tea even if you're not a smoker.

Final word.  The very name of this tea flies in the face of the premise of my book.  That being said...  what are you going to do?  I'm OK with it if you are.  Personally, I'd have called it Stop Tea.  Perhaps if you decide to try it you can cross out the word "quit" on the box and write in "stop."  ;-)  I'm confident you'll be able to handle it.  Look, it's time to stop.  You owe it to yourself and the people who love you to bring the best you to the party of life.  It's impossible to bring the best you to the party and smoke.  However you get it done, just get it done!  Myself and the crew at QuitTea are here to help you.  QuitTea's quit, I've "stopped" and we both survived and made it through to the other side.  Now it's your turn, so get a copy of my book, make a nice cup of tea and handle it!

What Are the Ingredients In Quit Tea?

Here, as promised, from their site, are the Ingredients In QuitTea

Herbs & Spices That Make Quit Tea The Best Stop Smoking Method

Quit Tea is made from a blend of herbs and spices, that will help you stop smoking naturally. All herbs are safe, healthy, and natural. Below is a description of each ingredient and how combined they make the best stop smoking method available.

Valerian Root
Valerian Root is a powerful relaxant, helpful for reducing anxiety, stress, and nervousness. The root from the Valerian plant has been used since ancient Greek and Roman times as a cure for insomnia and as a muscle relaxant.

Sarsaparilla
The root of the Sarsaparilla plant is used to increase energy, promote the excretion of fluids, and restoring natural lung function. Other parts of the Sarsaparilla plant are used commonly to flavor soft drinks.

St. John’s Wort
St. John’s Wort is a herb used to treat mild depression and stress, helping elevate mood enhancing chemicals in the brain. It has been studied against many prescription medicines and has been proven effective, with far fewer side effects.

Red Clover
Red Clover is used as an appetite suppressant and for purifying the blood. Red Clover also helps the lung regenerate by acting as an expectorant, antispasmodic, and it also has relaxing effects. The flower of the red clover plant is used and is safe for use in high levels.

Licorice
Licorice root is used to increase the fluidity of mucus in the lungs and promote adrenal gland functions (boost energy). Compounds in the Licorice root improve the quality of the mucus that lungs produce to speed up recovery of the lungs after quitting smoking.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a common household spice used in Quit Tea for flavor and to help enhance digestion, increase the metabolism of body fat, and work as an appetite suppressant.

Ginger
Ginger is used in this tea to fight inflammation, increase circulation, and reduce headaches and nausea. Ginger, beside being a wonderful flavoring, is known for helping aid digestion.

Burdock Flower
Burdock is a root known for having powerful detoxification properties, purifying the blood and organs. Burdock is safe and is harvested and consumed as a root vegetables in many Asian countries.

Cloves
Cloves are used in many countries as a pain killer, and in food for its flavor and as a digestive aid. Cloves contain Eugenol, which is an antiseptic and antiparasitic compound.

Oregano
Oregano is a highly beneficial antioxidant as well as a flavorant. Oregano has been used since ancient Roman and Greek times to cure stomach and lung problems. It has high levels of phenolic acids and flavanoids, and has been shown to act as an antiseptic, expectorant, and stimulant.

Fennel
Fennel is an appetite suppressant and is helps clear the lungs. The root of the Fennel plant is also useful for promoting the functioning of the kidneys, liver, and spleen, all essential for detoxifying the body. Fennel is commonly used in many food dishes.

Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne Pepper is important for aiding digestion, improving circulation, and acting as a catalyst for other herbs. Cayenne Pepper adds a useful flavor because the oils act to desensitize the taste receptors that receive pleasure from smoking cigarettes, which will make smoking seem unpleasant.

Black Pepper
Black Pepper is a spice used for flavoring the tea, as well as aiding digestion. In ancient times Black Pepper was believed to help with a whole list of problems, everything from pain to insomnia.

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month

Stop Smoking in November - November is lung cancer awareness month - do you know the facts about lung cancer?  Take a look at these facts.  Will you find yourself one of these statistics?  The sooner you recognize you are the deciding factor between becoming another statistic or a victor in the war on nicotine and addiction, the sooner you can take back your power!  www.StopDontQuit.com

What happens when you stop smoking (for real)

Just STOP!  You don't have to quit.  That's the slogan, the tag line, "Stop, don't quit."  It's too hard to quit anyway.  When you get on a plane, you stop.  When you go into a movie theatre, you stop.  When you're at a restaurant, you stop.  You're stopping all the time.  Something happens in your mind that makes is possible for you to not smoke in that given moment.  Imagine you're on a 6 hour flight.  What do you do?  Sure it's uncomfortable, but you handle it right?  So, as you go through the process of not smoking on day one, here are some things from Daily Infographic to use to stay motivated.

"There are parts of routine that are essential, that if tampered with, would devastate a person’s day. Without a doubt, there are things that everyone knows are healthy or unhealthy.

Smoking cigarettes provides a mental boost at most, but that’s it. There is no aspect other than appeasing the craving that could be healthy. In fact, being temporarily anxious and dealing with the craving is probably the healthiest thing for you. There is nothing healthy about smoking because it allows the worsening of your health.

Cancer is on the rise in the world. It is important that no one puts themselves at unnecessary risks of getting a disease that has taken so many–by indulging in a habit that isn’t moderated. An addiction to cigarettes isn’t a 3 a day type of addiction. It’s not like having a drink or getting high. Being a smoker is an all day event. Think about the time and money being lost. [Stopping] is worth it. (via http://dailyinfographic.com/what-happens-when-smokers-quit-infographic )"

Don't believe e-cigarette hype (reprinted in entirety)

Stop Smoking Virginia - From The Daily Progress in Virginia, comes a thought provoking article from Janie Heath.  A PhD and is the Thomas A. Saunders III Professor of Nursing and associate dean for academic programs at the University of Virginia School of Nursing.  Here it is for your consideration.  Comments below are welcomed and encouraged.

"It’s no joke. And e-cigarettes are uniquely poised at the moment to either be regulated by the government as tobacco products should be or to enjoy looser, less strict regulation.

Companies that make e-cigarettes — battery-operated sticks made of plastic or metal that release vapor, rather than smoke, to deliver nicotine in a warmed mist of diethylene glycol, propylene glycol and carcinogenic nitrosamines — are counting on the latter. These companies hope that e-cigarettes — already a $2 billion a year endeavor — might just save a dying U.S. tobacco industry.

Using the swaying power of actors Stephen Dorff and Jenny McCarthy, companies such as Blucigs — which offers nicotine delivered in flavors from pina colada to peach schnapps, sure to appeal to youngsters who gravitate toward the exploding market of flavored cigarettes — these companies are ramping up for a fight. Promises like “You can smoke at a basketball game if you want to” and “We’re all adults — it’s time we take our freedom back” offer smokers and would-be e-cigarette buyers a chance to tap into the bygone era when smoking was cool and its deadly health effects were not known.

The thing is, today we know better.

What we don’t know is the science as to whether e-cigarettes are a safer alternative or just more of the same. As a professional nurse, I wager the latter.

The American Lung Association is very concerned about the potential health consequences of electronic cigarettes, as well as claims that they can be used to help smokers quit.

There is no government oversight of these products. And, absent oversight by the Federal Drug Administration, there is no way for the public health and medical community or for consumers to know what chemicals are actually contained in e-cigarettes — or what the short- and long-term health implications of using them or being around them might be.

It’s why the American Lung Association is calling on the Obama administration to propose meaningful regulation of these products to protect to public health.

There are roughly 250 different e-cigarette products on the market today. Based on evidence so far, there’s nothing safe about them —not even as a gateway to cessation. In the FDA’s own research on e-cigarettes from 2009, lab tests revealed detectable levels of toxic cancer-causing chemicals, including an ingredient used in anti-freeze, in two leading brands of e-cigarettes and 18 various cartridges. Other analyses have found formaldehyde, benzene and tobacco-specific nitrosamines, a carcinogen, in e-cigarettes’ emissions, pointing out the poisons in secondhand exposure.

This why it’s urgent for the FDA to immediately begin its regulatory oversight of e-cigarettes, which would include ingredient disclosures by manufacturers. While there is certainly more to learn, it’s clear there is a great deal to be concerned about — especially in the absence of any sort of oversight.

As a former smoker myself, I understand all too well the hope for a safe and evidence-based way to break the habit — but e-cigarettes just are not the way. There is no magic bullet; quitting smoking is incredibly hard to do. Nicotine’s the reason. And at present, there is no evidence supporting e-cigarettes as the best way to kick the habit.

Americans have the freedom to decide, of course, what they do with their bodies — and knowing what we know about the debilitating diseases and deaths faced by many former smokers, I think we will choose to kick the e-cigarette habit before it garners a foothold. E-cigarettes might seem to tout a pathway to tobacco-less freedom, but they entangle individuals in the same poisons as their smoke-filled grandfathers.

We’re all adults here: It’s time to take back our freedom — and choose health for ourselves, our children and communities."

e-Meth spoof on SNL makes strong ironic point

Saturday Night Live took an ironic dig on e-cigarettes recently with their spoof commercial called e-meth where there make fun of the "safety" claimed by e-cigarette companies.

Is this just good humor or could it be foreshadowing?

After all, the e-cigarette is just a delivery device for nicotine...  or whatever else you can put in that little cylinder.  

New York Raises Smoking Age To 21

Stop Smoking New York - The city the never sleeps, New York, is banning smoking for those who haven't
hit 21 yet.  Mayor Bloomberg, once again has decided to decide for the citizenry of the Big Apple.

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE HERE:  http://www.wjla.com/articles/2013/10/new-york-city-bans-cigarette-sales-to-smokers-under-21-96227.html 

When you're 18, you get to vote.  When you're 16, you get your licence to drive.  So, apparently the government and Mayor Bloomberg, believes I mature enough to decide who gets to be president and capable to operate a motor vehicle, but NOT mature enough to decide to smoke a cigarette or have a drink.

This is, without a doubt, simply foolish.

REALITY CHECKS:

#1.  People are going to smoke.  If you're 14 and want to smoke, you'll find a way.  I did.  When I was 18, I new everything anyway, so what makes you think you're going to keep me from smoking?  Trust me, I'll figure it out.

#2.  James Dean.  Sorry, it's out there.  "I got the bullets!"  Rebels man.  All of 'em.  As long as cigarettes exist, ironically, youth will connect smoking with independence, freedom, self expression, and individuality.  Making it harder to get cigarettes only adds fuel to that fire.

#3.  How well did prohibition work in New York city?  Organized crime in New York must be throwing a party right now!

#4.  Lost tax revenue will need to get replaced somewhere.  This could give Bloomberg the leverage he needs to tax sugary beverages or what ever else he decides is good for his people.

While I'm not a advocate for smoking cigarettes, and as a smoker who doesn't smoke anymore, I still do not believe this law is in line with the personal freedoms this country guarantees nor is it in line with man's innate ability to choose his fate.

I also am in favor of lowering the drinking age to 18 for the very same reasons.

Prevention starts in the home.  And it needs to start significantly earlier than the gap between 18 and 21.  If you really want to "go there" then there should be a law banning smoking by parents.  It should be illegal for a parent to smoke.  Parents caught smoking wouldn't just receive a fine, but instead be subject to CPS for endangering the life of a child.  That somehow makes more since to me then raising the smoking age.

Peanut gallery's open...  what do you think?  Raising the smoking age, good idea, bad idea, doesn't matter?  Let me hear from you now!