Easily be beaten ? Surely you jest. As an example: When I was in college, I worked over night at a Federal Corrections halfway house. One of the parole guys told me about his addictions. When he went into prison, he had 2 addictions: heroin and cigarettes. At the time cigs were allowed in prison. Ist he had go cold turkey of heroin. Later, when cigs were banned in prison he had to go cold turkey off cigs. He told me that cold turkey off cigs was much, much worse than the cold turkey off heroin. I can testify that going cold turkey off cigs is a nightmare. The only way I could ever do it is if I was locked up in a cell. I've tried it and I could not do it. If I had only a few dollars and I had a choice between eating and buying cigs, I hate to admit it but I'd buy the cigs.
I have discovered an important thing about cutting down cigs. I noticed that if I can keep my mind busy, I miss cigarettes MUCH, MUCH less. In my case, I am studying youtube videos on how to build a house, step by step from the concrete foundation all the way through the dozens of steps to the installation of shingles. Building girders to support Floor joists, installing floor joists, installing sub flooring, erecting 2 x 4 walls, ceiling joists, exterior sheathing, roof rafters, window installing, plumbing rough in, electrical wiring, insulation, hanging dry wall, "finishing" dry wall. etc etc. You get the idea. It keeps my mind off of cigarettes at least for MUCH longer.
I think that the reason people did not complain about the stench of cigarettes back when it was allowed is because it was in the air in so many places and we were all used to it. When I was growing up, my dad smoked, and we had friends that smoked. They would play pinochle in the evenings, and our house would be full of cigarette smoke, but it was a normal thing, and no one paid any attention to it. It was the same in restaurants, people were smoking everywhere in the restaurant. Once they started talking about the dangers of the tobacco and nicotine, many people didn’t start smoking, and other people stopped. The ones who didn’t stop had to be in smoking areas, and those of us who do not smoke actually learned what it was like to breathe air with no tobacco smoke. That being said, I have lived with smokers most of my life, and I realize that my lungs are compromised from all that tobacco smoke that I have inhaled second hand from the time I was a baby; so I am glad that people are not smoking everywhere anymore.
Which reminds me, from instructions given to me at dentist office, one of the "Things NOT To Do After Teeth Extraction" was about no smoking for a few days. Wonder how that works out for those that love smoking and don't/won't do that?
If I was able to go a few days without smoking, then I would not be a smoker. Addicts can not go a few days without the substance they are addicted to.
My sister in law was scheduled for facial plastic surgery and was told to not smoke leading up to the day (apparently smoking does funny things to your capillaries.) So the day of the operation my brother took her to the clinic, where she fessed up that she had still been smoking. They turned here away. $600 deposit down the toilet. @Richard Whiting I still think you need to do the gum or a patch. When I quit drinking, I weaned myself off of the alcohol. For a period of time I would have 5 regular beers and one non-alcohol beer. Then I did 4/2. Then 3/3, then 2/4, then 1/5, then I stopped. Maybe you could wear a patch and vape as a substitute, and hope you don't pick up the vaping habit...I understand it's not as safe as once thought. But perhaps it could be a temporary placebo.
I think most of the bad talk about vaping comes from the tobacco industry. I had a good friend who quit smoking by first switching to vaping. Then he finally quit that. It seems to be a well-kept secret that you can get vaping liquid without any nicotine at all if you want. It's usually the habit, not the addiction to nicotine, that makes smoking hard to quit. Just my opinion.
You could move to Colorado. They allow non-tobacco smoking products. And you'll forget where you put your cigarettes! Win-Win
I smoked cigarettes for 40 years...about a pack a day. When I was nearing 60, I decided I no longer wanted to push the envelope with my health (and the price of smokes was getting unaffordable), so I switched to vaping. I did extensive research before I tried it and while it's not risk-free, it is 95% safer than smoking. The day I started vaping was the day I gave up cigarettes for good. I feel so much better...my lungs feel perfect. No coughing or shortness of breath that I had with smoking. Don't have to stand outside in snowstorms anymore to feed my habit. LOL No disgusting ciggie butts to deal with. And I don't stink anymore. I love the various flavours of vape "juice." Very pleasant and calming. I do disagree with you about the nicotine addiction. That is the addictive substance in both cigarettes and vape liquid. I vape a very low amount of nicotine (the nicotine content varies with each liquid). It is also the habit, though, too. And yes, you can get nicotine-free vape liquids. I recommend smokers give vaping a try. It might not work for everyone, but it sure did for me!
Cigarettes are addictive, but @Nancy Hart is right in that the physically addictive hurdle is over a few days after you've stopped smoking. After that, you're dealing with the habit and undoing some of the changes that the addiction has made to your brain. Whatever it is that we're addicted to, the addiction has made changes in the way that we deal with life.
I did not know that so many vape options included nicotine. I am shocked, since I thought it was supposed to be a healthy option. I guess they figure that getting rid of the tar is sufficient. I did find a couple of articles on the best nicotine-free vape flavors. Article 1 Article 2
I believe the advantage is that you can start out with a higher concentration of nicotine, then slowly taper off with less and less nicotine.