Hi, Dave. Congratulations on your quitting tobacco and welcome to the SSC.
As has already been said, nicotine is addictive. It is considered to be the most addictive drug there is, even more than heroin or cocaine.
But the good news is it can be beaten, regardless of the delivery system used (smoking, dip, chew, etc.).
I think one of the reasons smokeless seems to be harder to quit is the media. All the focus is on quitting smoking cigarettes. From that, the extension to pipes and cigars is easy to make. But you never hear any anti-smokeless ads. So that method of nicotine delivery has not been villified, and the dangers have not been hammered into our heads like they have for smoking.
Another reason, and this is only my opinion, is that most smokeless users are men and men tend to not look for support. From what I've seen of smokers, those who don't use a support system are at least 80% more likely to fail than those who do. There's nothing wrong with asking for help for something this major, something you are likely basing your life on. Real men take control and do what ever is necessary to ensure their security, even if asking for help is one of those things.
Check out Infinite_D's threads in this forum. He just passed a year tobacco-free and he did it in the face of some pretty strong obstacles. His first thread was "Here I Go Again!". It's a good read for anyone quitting smokeless.
For some eye-opening photos of what smokeless can do for you, check out ryalan320's thread "This is REDICULOUS!!!!!".
Last, but not least, feel free to peruse this entire board. Just because your delivery system is smokeless, gaining control over the addiction will be the same. Just replace "smoke" with "chew" and you'll have it made. And don't hesitate to hop into any forum. We always welcome different points of view. That's what makes this site so great.
You've made a wonderful decision for your life, Dave. I'm glad you've decided to join us.
Shevie
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/23/2005
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 379
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 7,593
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1440.2
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 70 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 49 [B]Seconds:[/B] 38
