When the Ban Hits, Chrissy Quits

If you live in the DC area, you've no doubt heard about the (veto proof) smoking ban that was passed by the DC Council yesterday. You may have even participated in heated debates with your friends or patrons of you favorite bar on this very issue. Whichever side you're on, you're going to have to suck it up and stamp it out in January of 2007.

I'm a smoker. It started off in highschool and continued into college, where it quickly became an addiction. Both my parents are smokers and I think when I moved away to college I went into some 2nd hand smoke withdrawal which is why my habit really took off once I was out on my own. I enjoy smoking - not because I like the smell, or the scratchy throat as a result of smoking too much during a night out, but because i'm totally addicted and smoking makes me feel calmer. When the shit hits the fan in my life, or at work - I can always reach for the pack. It's like a (somewhat) socially acceptable comfort object that I can always turn too. And i've always said "hey, at least it's not crack."

Old habits die hard, but as the research shows, if I don't clean up my act the only thing dying is going to be me. I hate not being able to run as fast as I used to and all of the other benefits of clean lungs. That's why my new mantra is "when the ban hits, Chrissy quits."

I hesitate to make a big deal out of this because i've tried to quit before, and when I enlist the help or support of others; they're always so damn miffed when I start smoking again. But here it is - i'd honestly like to quit before i'm forced to go into severe withdrawal at a concert venue or bar next January.