First off– you are a sovereign human being with the right to make decisions about your own life and health. You are free to do whatever you like.

If you could, don’t smoke around your kids because they’re not being given a choice.

With that frame in place, I’m here with research published today in the BMJ that smokers who scale back to one cigarette per day still retain half the risk of heart disease and stroke faced by people who smoke 20+ per day.

“No safe level of smoking exists for cardiovascular disease. Smokers should quit instead of cutting down, using appropriate cessation aids if needed, to significantly reduce their risk of these two common major disorders.”

If you’re interested in living a longer life, simply cutting back isn’t the best solution. You’re still keeping almost 50% of the risk! Screw that noise.

Let’s start with the how and I’ll circle back on the instant health and cognitive improvements that kick in once you quit.

How

There’s a whole (tobacco) industry that exists to provide a bridge from smoking to non-smoking with nicotine aids: gum, patches etc.

Vaping is another nicotine-delivery system that’s emerged to keep that addiction going.

Speaking from experience, I was a fully paid up and addicted member of the smokers guild. I’d been in the game for about a decade. Tried to quit and cut down a few times and it hadn’t quite worked out. Guess what did work in the end?

Making a grown ass decision with a disciplined choice to go hardcore cold turkey. Kill that nicotine addiction for good.

Choose to be mindful and simply observe the effect of that addiction on your mind and body as you starve it of oxygen (get it?).

We’re seriously talking about three to four days, possibly up to a week of real struggle to escape the clutches of physical, gripping nicotine addiction.

There will be some sweaty, gross and restless nights as you escape the physical hooks. But this is about making a choice and making a break for it.

Think of it like a prison break. The alarms are going off, search lights flashing around as you make a break for the fences and into the getaway car.

What’s next?

You’ll be amazed by how quickly you overcome the debilitating physical cravings.

You will become more vital with greater energy and lung capacity.

If you work in an office, you’ve just increased your odds of promotion and career success. You’re more productive when not taking smoke breaks, plus you don’t smell like disgusting smoke (that’s a real thing).

After a few weeks, maybe a month you’ll walk by someone who’s smoking and actually smell that scent of hot garbage and bullshit. It actually smells bad to you now. You’ve escaped and have no compulsion to return.

Congrats.