(Special thanks to Thadryan* for the illustrations!)
Reminiscent of Dr. Seuss, a little rhyme might be of use
For those quitting cigarettes (perhaps vaping or snus.)
If you want to change, go ahead and read it.
There’s help right here, for those who’ll heed it!
If you’re in the mood for some silly rhyme,
I think you’ll have an OK time!
But read it once and read it twice,
It really holds some good advice.
Thanks for taking good care of you!
I do not like sucking all this soot.
It harms my body, head to foot!
I want to stop, I want right now to
I’m just not sure exactly how to.
But maybe by changing some things I do,
I’ll have a chance to start anew.
A step at a time, I think I can do it.
With the help of friends I’ll try to stick to it.
I like the slow and steady approach
I heard about in group, from Coach.
Here I go – starting today
Much more attention I will pay!
I don’t want to be such a creature of habit.
I think about a cigarette and simply grab it!
That’s not the way I want to be living
So those stinky butts the boot I’m giving!
Starting today I’m making new rules
With the support of others and some new tools.
If a sucked soot a certain way before
That means starting today I will no more!
So I don’t suck soot when I first wake up!
I don’t suck soot with my coffee cup!
I won’t suck soot when I walk the pupper.
I won’t suck soot when I finish supper!
I don’t suck soot when I start the car
Whether I drive near or far!
I’ll crank up the tunes and sing aloud
But I’m not gonna puff a toxic cloud!
And coffee without sucking soot might feel a little weird
But it sure beats all those chemicals, the ones we’ve so long feared
Carbon monoxide, polonium, benzene and arsenic
No more sucking soot for me, all that stuff can make us sick!
It won’t be easy to make each change,
But let’s be honest sucking soot is strange!
So whenever I feel like I might cave,
I’ll think of the money I’m going to save.
I’ll get to group and breathe real deep,
And in due season, I know I’ll reap
The signs of healing and better health
And my ciggy bank overflowing with wealth!
And rather than focus on withdrawal pain
I’m paying attention to all that I’ll gain.
No more burn holes in upholstery or stench on my clothes.
I’m breathing with my lungs, smelling sweet things with my nose.
So climb on board, get on the path, this journey is for good.
Stop waiting and come do it now, you’ve always known you should.
Let’s do it all together and share our strength – you and me.
Together we can do this, and we all deserve to be free!
*About the artist: https://linktr.ee/thadryanjs
But seriously, changing some of our behaviors that are related to smoking or vaping (we call them behavioral
triggers) can disrupt and interrupt. Those small steps towards freedom can help us build competence and confidence. So, make a game out of doing things differently and before you know it, you might rediscover what it’s like to drink a cup of coffee without “sucking soot!”
Behavioral triggers are only one of the five aspects of our complicated relationship with nicotine/tobacco. Be sure to read or listen to learn about the others.
