Up in Smoke

1) Why do people smoke?
2) The addictive nature of nicotine.
3) Smoking and physical health.
4) Smoking and mental health.
5) When one behavior accompanies another.
6) The emotional impact of smoking on recovery.
7) The great smoke screen in recovery.
8) Researching the link between alcohol and tobacco use.
9) Moving toward a smoke-free treatment environment.
10) You can make the difference--to yourself and others.

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

"UP IN SMOKE" by Tom O'Connell is A CAREFUL LOOK AT TOBACCO ADDICTION and the reasons why a person recovering from alcoholism or other addictions must come to terms with this deadly behavior. Those whose only addiction is smoking will benefit from the information provided in this publication too. It is also intended for therapists and other caregivers who may have the opportunity to treat or intervene with nicotine-addicted people. In addition, it can be used by friends and family members of tobacco addicts to HELP MOTIVATE THE IMPAIRED PERSON to kick the harmful habit. During its first several years in print through Hazelden in Minnesota, NEARLY 20,000 COPIES OF "UP IN SMOKE" WERE SOLD, primarily for use in conjunction with smoking cessation programs. These messages HAVE HELPED MANY PEOPLE TO BE RELEASED FROM THEIR ADDICTION.

This educational booklet explains:

--why people smoke.

--the addictive nature of nicotine.

--nicotine's effect on chemical dependency recovery.

--the impact of smoking on health.

PUBLISHER COMMENTS:

Note: Nearly 20,000 copies of UP IN SMOKE were used in smoking cessation programs during several years of publication by Hazelden Educational Materials. Recently, the rights to UP IN SMOKE reverted to author Tom O'Connell who is making it available through Sanctuary Unlimited, publisher of inspirational books. Sanctuary Unlimited is now affiliated with amazon.com.

AUTHOR COMMENTS:

The following words are from my dedication page of UP IN SMOKE:

"In 1988, I watched my father die of nicotine-related emphysema. The message he gave me near the end of his life was brief but powerful. He looked at me, pointed at his chest where the deepest pain was, and whispered, 'The cigarettes.' Those two words said it all. We didn't need a team of scientists to interpret the cause of his crippling illness. We knew the truth."

The truth is that tobacco addiction is a deadly disease. And my father was not the only person I had loved and lost to nicotine. That's why I accepted the assignment from Hazelden Educational Materials to write this booklet.

It pleases me greatly that so many people have been motivated to quit smoking after reading this information. Whether you read it because you want to quit, or just for your own information, I hope you find the material helpful.

EXCERPTED:

Page 3..."I believe without cigarettes I wouldn't be able to cope. I'd lose my job because I'd have no energy! I know in my heart that cigarettes give me extra temporary energy." Then he paused and reflected for a moment, looking at his cup of coffee and his burning cigarette. "But...maybe this is what's exhausting me--the false stimulus!"

Page 5...The notion that nicotine is addictive in ways similar to cocaine and heroin is an important one to remember. We are not discussing a minor addiction. For example, opium withdrawal fades in seven to ten days, but nicotine withdrawal symptoms may last for several weeks, or much longer.

Page 11...Now, Mitzi is experiencing new emotional and spiritual growth. Looking back, she remembers how afraid and resistant she was to quitting smoking. Reflecting on her nicotine-free lifestyle today, she says, "Staying away from cigarettes now is no longer a big deal. It's great not to smoke anymore." She has removed the smoke screen of denial from her recovery.

Page 14...Studying a group of recovering alcoholics who successfully quit smoking, Janet Bobo of the University of Washington and her colleagues conclude that "even recovering alcoholics with severe substance abuse histories can successfully quit smoking without jeopardizing their sobriety."

Page 21...If you consider yourself free from addiction and you're still smoking, it's important that you give that contradiction serious thought. I leave you with a statement that sums up what we've been saying in this pamphlet. Dr. Max Schneider has this to say to recovering people who still smoke: "Many people say, and I believe, that if you're still using tobacco, you're not clean and sober. Apply the Serenity Prayer!"

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