Dave, first, go find the lowest tar and nicotine cigarettes you can find, and start smoking them. Visit this website:
http://www.erowid.org/plants/tobacco/tobacco_nic.shtml (also google "tar and nicotine levels in cigarettes" and start reading.)
Take Carlton and Winston, for example:
Carlton has 1mg tar and 0.1 mg nicotine. Winston Light has 10 mg tar and 0.7 mg nicotine. This means very simply, you have to smoke 10 Carltons to get the damage of one Winston.
Now, you will be taking in much less toxic levels, but your body craves more. So, smoke two if you have to to satisfy that urge. You are still 8 ahead. After a few days (week or less,) you will notice that you have adapted to the lower level, and your craving will return to the amount that you smoke now.
Do this for 3 months, minimum. I went 6 months. What happens is that, since you are taking in a much lower level of tars and nicotine, your body will start to cleanse itself, while you are still satisfying that "urge.". After 3 months, you will be well on the way to clean. Then go buy yourself a quit smoking product, such as Nicoderm or Nicorette (the gum.) Set yourself a specific date to do this. "I will switch to the gum on July 1st!"
Dave, I did this in 1985. After a 20 year habit, once I started the gum, it took about half of one box. I woke up one morning and simply didn't want a cigarette. I didn't even take them to work, just the gum. But, that day was the last day I chewed the gum. I simply didn't want either any more. And I have never looked back. 25 years now.
Some say it is bad to keep smoking. That is true, but 1) they do not realise how freaking hard it is to quit a habit such as this, and 2) even so, for that three months, you have cut your intake by 90%.
90%!!!! Then, after 3 months, you lose the last 10.
Do this, Dave. Don't think about it. Just say, "I will do that!" Go buy yourself a carton of Carlton and get started today.
(If you want to try the quit smoking routine right off the bat, do so, but I have seen some who try that and it just is too hard. Some, instead of trying something else, get discouraged and just keep up their old habit.)
So, Dave, start today. As they say, Today is the first day of the rest of your life. And, yes, start eating salads, one or two a day. Make your own at home, as you will put more into them than a restaurant will serve you. A restaurant salad is 90% lettuce. At home, add broccoli, tomatoes, bell pepper, etc. And use Romaine or Dark green lettuce, not iceberg. For taste, get yourself a light dressing (read the labels.)
You can do this, Dave. And you will be here to see
me take the plunge at age 90. I'll even let you drive me to the cemetery in your truck.
