When I was a kid, county fair had carnival games any age person could play and win 2 packs of smokes at a time. I saved them up and would sneak out in the cornfields and smoke now and then usually with a buddy. In middle school was being taught how bad it was and i had in my mind i was not going to be a smoker and initially that didn't become a habit, but when my buddies started smoking dope, pure pressure got the best of me and my thought was if I'd smoke a cigarette after a joint it would mask the marijuana smell should a cop pull the car over. So not long after this began, I got to buying my own smokes and when it sunk in I had the habit, made an oath to myself i would quit when I turn 21 thinking a few or so years wouldn't hurt me bad. When I turned 21 I threw the cigarettes out and tried to quit several times a year for most of the next decade. Tried taking up Skoal in or the like in its place, but when i got in awkward places to spit would eventually give in to bumming a cigarette now and then until i started back into buying my own. First thing felt the need to do when i woke was a cigarette then a few or more cups of coffee with multiple cigarettes,eat,then more coffee and cigarettes. Work days it usually would taper off to 2, little more or less packs. Party or card nights seemed like I smoked endlessly. All night poker games often had couple or more smokes burning at the same time before i new it. Nights like that 5 packs wasn't uncommon. I drank beer, whisky, and vodka, smoked dope and tried about every other drug that came to our town .
Only 1 I become thoroughly addicted to was nicotine. Literally a slave to the cigarettes. If I only had a few or less on hand when I woke, felt I had to get somewhere could get some more . Couldn't think straight without some nicotine , my head swim or ache. Quitting never worked, would end up smoking and chewing tobacco at the same time. As a result of seeking out my creator (it wasn't about the addiction), finally making a commitment to try to walk the straight and narrow path that leadeth to life everlasting, my searching pointed to being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, walking in the newness of life, so I asked some people to baptize me and we met at a frozen pond in Feb. and a hole was cut in the ice with a chainsaw and it was done. I had smoked about 5 cigarettes earliar that day, but then tossed the rest of the pack. Not so much as an inkling to ever want to smoke again, a free man, no withdrawals of any kind. Mornings in restaurants were full of smokers in those days, no bother, cut way down on coffee and sugar also, no problems .
I know some don't believe GOD had anything to do with it and think they have another rational opinion to what happenned. But it was my experiences leading up to and after that I will base my assumptions on and I give God the glory for this freedom from being controlled by the flesh in the name of Jesus Christ ...
Hope all the best for you all to...
