You can say that you realize that smoking is totally inappropriate. And you may have tried to quit. “Ninety-five percent of smokers know the dangers of their habit,” says former US surgeon general Luther L. Terry, “and 75 percent want to quit but can't”. However, a person can quit smoking if they have sufficient motivation or motivation.
Terry was a general surgeon in the United States in the early 1960s when the evidence became overwhelmingly clear that smoking is harmful to your health. Then, in 1963, after 25 years of smoking, he decided to quit. He explained: "If smoking was dangerous, and I was convinced that it was, it seemed to me that the surgeon general had to set an example to the public."
But giving up was not easy. “It was hard for me,” observes Terry. “I was tense, I was having trouble sleeping and suddenly I started to sweat. Fortunately, this happened within a few weeks. Psychological dependence lasts much longer ”. Now Terry is trying to help others quit smoking. “My advice is to set a specific date to quit,” he said, “then stop suddenly that day.”
This is without a doubt the most effective way to quit smoking. But there must be a strong motivation, otherwise the person will weaken with the pains of withdrawal and start smoking again. A housewife from Queens, New York observes:
“If I had gone to the doctor and said I would die of cancer if I hadn't quit smoking, I wouldn't have quit. Smoking was the main thing in my life, more important to me than food. He smoked almost constantly. He even walked around the house with an ashtray in his hand. However, in August 1969, this person quit smoking and never smoked again.
She explains: “I was baptized by Jehovah's Witnesses in July 1967. I knew that smoking was wrong and I wanted to quit smoking. But he was so addicted that he didn't have the strength to do it. So my husband accepted the Bible truths he was learning, quit smoking, and was baptized. I was very grateful! I didn't want to do anything that would interfere with our service to Jehovah God in an acceptable way and come to life in his new system of things, so I decided to stop myself.
“I finally succeeded in August 1969. For days the agony was almost unbearable, but I prayed continually to Jehovah and, with his help, kept my resolve never to smoke again. As addicted as I was, if I could quit I think anyone can. "
But there has to be enough motivation. You must recognize that smoking is bad for you and your neighbor, and it is a hateful habit for Jehovah. So if you truly love God and your neighbor, you will give up.
