My Quest - Breaking An Addiction

            Tobacco use and consumption pre-dates the first millennia. The act of “chewing” tobacco was the most prevalent form of consumption until the 20^th century. With the industrialization of the cigarette, smoking quickly over took the market as the most prevalent form of consumption. Men, women, and children use tobacco in all of its forms on a regular basis even today.  As a chewer myself I know the effects tobacco can have on your life.  Tobacco in any form when consumed is unhealthy. I have decided I’ve had it with this ball and chain weighing me down.

            I’ve been chewing since I was 12 years old. Most of my family smoked, but I liked being able to breath, so I refrained from smoking. In August of 1983 I snagged a free sample off of a fence, surrounding a Skoal booth at the Balloon Nationals in Indianola, Iowa.  Back then the Nationals where held on the Simpson College campus which is just a few blocks from my uncle’s house. My cousin and I snuck in after hours grabbed two of the samples off the fence, and ran home as fast as we could, thinking the cops were going to catch us. We then immediately ran into the bathroom and cracked open our cans.

            That was the beginning of my addiction. Every tobacco user has some tale to tell about how they started, most of us can probably remember where, possibly when, and with whom the event took place. I highly doubt anyone that has taken up its use ever asked why? Well, at least not before hand. After turning three shades of green, losing our breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and / or some other form of bodily rejection, we then probably asked why?

            After years of riding the roller coaster that tobacco use is, I quit in 2001 for 6 months. My life was out of control and this was one step I could take to make it better. I did the research, studied different approaches, scoured the internet, doctors’ offices, and picked people’s brains, every source I could think of. I was so well prepared that I quit just prior to going on a week long, trip to Atlanta, Georgia (a couple of hours before I got on the bus) and none of the team members or other bus passengers realized I had quit. When I told my co-passengers I had quit, while on the trip home, they were flabbergasted.

            At this point you might be asking yourself, “Why did you start chewing again?” Truth is I chose to start chewing again. I enjoy chew, there is nothing like that mini-buzz you get first thing in the morning. Aside from that it’s calming, almost as good as any sedative. On the night in question, I found myself being confronted with three choices; go to jail, go to the ER for a shot of Ketamine, or put in a big fat dip. Obviously I chose the latter. The next morning I woke up and put in another.  I enjoyed it so much that I kept doing it.

            I will be providing you with an introspective look at the process of quitting tobacco as I “quit” again. My life once again feels like it’s out of control. So over the next thirty days I will be quitting tobacco. It’s one thing that I can do for myself. It’s one step towards a better life. Most people don’t realize the level of control that tobacco has over all of our lives. It’s everywhere, and unlike smoking, tobacco users can chew anywhere, still. No, those little “Tobacco Free Zone” signs don’t mean much to an insidious dip user. Why would they, there’s no enforcement. Unless you smoke or are blatantly unsanitary about it, spitting on the floor or whatever, no one seems to care. That is except for the occasional jealous smoker who knows your secret.

The goal is to be tobacco free at the end of thirty days and looking forward to the next thirty days without tobacco. I will be (more or less) quitting cold turkey as well. No drugs, no patches, no nicotine gum, no electronic cigarettes, no hypnosis, and no bull, just done. You wouldn’t give an alcoholic a beer to replace his whiskey, this situation is no different. I have one safety in place. In the unlikely event it looks like chewing is the only alternative, to going to jail or worse, I will be putting in a dip. I believe a little latitude is warranted given the seriousness of such an event. It is now time to kick this ball and chain to the curb and put it in the past where it belongs. You are welcome to join me, that is of course, if you have the nerve.