05/09/2026
I remember growing up when smoking ci******es was the epitome of cool. As a child, I was bombarded by advertising in movies, television, and print, showing all the cool and beautiful people who smoked: movie stars, cowboys, detectives, and beautiful models. It seemed like no matter who you were or where you came from, you could embody class and sophistication by inhaling the suspended carbon aerosol of combusted to***co. It's no wonder I started smoking when I was twelve! Ah, how times have changed.
Contrary to what we were told, habitual smoking has never been good for us. Not only is it highly toxic to the user, but second-hand smoke affects those around and can lead to asthma, respiratory infections, and lung cancer.
To***co is one of the toughest drugs to quit. It may come as a surprise that ni****ne is as addictive as co***ne and he**in, and probably more so. About 70% of adult smokers surveyed, say they want to quit, yet less than one in ten succeed in any given year.
I can honestly say that quitting smoking was one of the most difficult changes I've ever made. Not only was it a big habitual shift but also a social shift as well. The friends or co-workers who would regularly "dip out" to share stories and grievances about customers or bosses, seemed much less comforting or insightful when it was rainy or freezing cold outside. Quitting smoking gave me perspective on what a serious addiction it was and continues to be in society.
This new article from the BBC shows the effectiveness of PAT (psychedelic-assisted therapy), along with CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), in helping people with smoking cessation.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260430-magic-mushrooms-could-help-people-quit-smoking
I did it the hard way, "cold turkey", with a couple of relapses, but what if there was an easier and more effective way to stop this addiction available to my younger self? How many years could I get back or dollars could I have saved? If I zoomed out a bit more, would my grandfather have lived longer and had a better quality of life? Maybe that's a question that only Clark Gable can answer?
