I was a 2-pack-a-day smoker for almost 15 years, quite 18 years ago. everyone is different but I truly believe you have to want to quit and actually not enjoy smoking in order to do so. Saying I want to quit is easy but the act is very difficult. For myself, I knew I could not like or enjoy smoking or else I would be drawn back to it so I went to 3 packs a day for 2 weeks. The 4th week was partially at 4 packs a day and through that week I started to really hate smoking. On the drive to pick up smokes at 1AM, smoking my last cigarette on the way, I was ready. I threw it out and turned around. Haven't had one since. trigger events were tough, times I always had a smoke. Going to the bar, drinking, driving somewhere... tough for maybe a week or 2 mentally but the urges all faded rather quickly. Had some weird dreams, sometimes smoking in them, and I would wake up pissed I had a cigarette after al those years only to realize it was just a dream. So realistic!

I do occasionally smoke cigars (maybe 1-3 times per year) but that is it. Back when I quit, cigarettes were $2.81 a pack. I remember saying I could never smoke if it reached $3 a pack. back then, I was spending $2k per year on smoking. A cheaper pinball machine per year. I have no idea how people smoke and have lives now at $8-12 a pack. That is $5800-8700 per year if I was still smoking 2 packs per day. That is a brand new LE pinball every year!