"I used to smoke years ago. My smoking habits made me robotlike. When the phone rang, I automatically reached for my cigarettes. Smoking and talking on the phone went together like a glass of wine and a Marlboro. My hand continued to reach for a cigarette at the sound of the phone long after I quit.

Meals didn't seem right unless they were followed by a cigarette for dessert.

I had a friend who still smoked after I had quit. I lit a cigarette for him and dragged on it. Mmm, it tasted too good. I realized how easy it would be to start again. First, it's just a drag, then it's a cigarette and finally, it's two packs a day. Smoking is a tough and hard addiction to break.

Public places with smoke-filled rooms used to be hard to avoid. A couple of years ago, some friends talked me into going to one of the local bars for bingo. The jackpot had grown to a couple of thousand dollars. I went. After an hour or so, I could hardly stand it. It was snowing and cold, but I went outside anyway. I stood there and breathed deep. When I exhaled, I swore it was cigarette smoke that came out of my mouth, not cold air vapor. I left there without a backward glance."

Get the Story:
DORREEN YELLOW BIRD COLUMN: Thanks for clearing the air (The Grand Forks Herald 11/12)

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