written in my second month of freedom from smoking and originally posted on january 9, 2002, this short tale notes a sobering statistic about ex-smokers and relapse rates after smoking just one cigarette.

just one

2009 January 25

we've all heard this justification (maybe even in our own heads), right? "hey, it's just one...", "just one couldn't hurt, could it?", etc...

ask yourself, "am i feeling lucky today?"

well, i read yesterday that, in a recent study, it was determined that 95% of ex-smokers who smoke "just one" experience total relapse to their previous level of consumption (or higher).

so, if you're toying with the idea of smoking "just one", do like dirty harry said and ask yourself, "am i feeling lucky today?"

well, are you?

kevin - day 52

10 responses leave one →
  1. 2003 February 13
    Batb permalink

    I had to print this page because I keep hearing a voice saying "just one". I'll tape this to my forehead if I have to! Thanks again...

  2. 2003 October 29
    Chrissy permalink

    somedays I just want to give up.....god help me today and everyday I have these stupid thoughts!! Chrissy

  3. 2004 April 13
    Fightn4life permalink

    I have always felt untill this quit that after a time I could smoke just one here and there and it would be ok. Why then had I continued to smoke for over 30 years trying to quit for almost 20 of those years?

    I am a addict and I can never take another puff. I understand that now. Good Lord why did it take so long for me to understand this.

    Sandyz
    Quit date 10 23, 2003

  4. 2004 May 7
    margaret permalink

    I have a saying: "One is ten!" It is, always, when you're talking about cigarettes. Think about it. How much is one for you? Is it 20? More? I need to listen to myself. For me, one is 10. If I smoke one, I'll smoke ten.

  5. 2004 August 15
    Lisa permalink

    You are absolutely right, Kevin. I have fallen into that trap before. "Just one" is never enough. It is so good that the "one" is gone in half a minute---and you need one more, NOW. It takes about 5 to quell that crave. Then you think, "Well, if I have had 5, what's a couple more?" What it is: smoking again and the end of your quit. I have been there a half dozen times. NOT THIS TIME. Smoke-free: 56 days, 12 hours, 35 minutes

  6. 2007 January 10
    Colleen permalink

    When I think oh just one. I close my eyes and imagine im smoking one. For me I find I really dont want it after all. Working so far. Hey what ever works right. day 60.Thank you God.
    Colleen

  7. 2007 January 10
    1littleBit permalink

    Every day when I wake up, I say to myself that I will not smoke today. Our brain has a little tape recorder running continiously with all our past messages. We have to tape over them until they are gone, even if that takes forever.

  8. 2007 November 19
    Dan permalink

    "Just One"

    The worst two words of my life.

    I started smoking at age 15. I turned 26 yesterday. I have tried to quit 17 times (not a made up number) in that timespan. All 17 times I used those two words as the excuse. But now I am proud to say that I am cigarette free for 3 months, and this is the first time I've tried, wait...forget I've tried....I WILL quit using the cold turkey method. As hard as this method is, it's the most self-satisfying method. And sites/blogs like these do nothing but inspire me more...thanks a million

  9. 2007 November 27
    shari permalink

    Gotta love the saying:

    1 is too many, 1,000 not enough.

  10. 2009 January 25

    note: the comments above were left on the original tale at the date and time indicated.

leave a reply

Note: you can use basic xhtml in your comments. your email address will never be published.

subscribe to this comment feed via rss