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Surgeon General chosen liar of the year

Boston University School of Public Health tobacco control integrity watchdog Professor Michael Siegel has selected the United States Surgeon General as winner of the 2010 Tobacco Control Lie of the Year Award. The runnerup award went to Free & Clear.

How to Quit Smoking

New Years, the biggest quitting day of the year, is almost upon us. What a great excuse to share a basic how best to quit smoking article! Be sure to remember to send all tobacco using friends holiday or New Years invitations to explore WhyQuit.com. Also, a home printed version of Joel's free e-book "Never Take Another Puff" can be a life saving gift to put under the tree!

U.S. Navy Smoking Policy at War with Itself

Sandwiched between a tobacco-free boot camp and tobacco-free submarines, the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense actively encourage students attending Navy submarine training schools to smoke nicotine and relapse.

GlaxoSmithKline Continues Defrauding Smokers

An October 28, 2010 GlaxoSmithKline press release falsely stated that "NRT products offer a step-down therapy that doubles a smoker's chances of quitting versus cold turkey." Quitting rates stalled, thousands needlessly dying, it's time to stop being afraid to speak truth to power.

Joel Spitzer Retires as Freedom Director

On October 13 Joel retired from a decade of active management of Freedom, freeing him to do what he does best, assist each of us in staying nicotine free today. Sincere thanks Joel for the hundreds of behind the scenes management issues you address over the years.

Smoking, Smoking and More Smoking

A new WhyQuit page that musters and presents the consequences of smoking.

Little communication in failed war against smoking

New study suggests why U.S. quit smoking policy is a disaster. There is little communication between the eleven federal agencies charged with battling America's leading cause of death.

Shadow FDA Panel Wants Menthol Out of Cigarettes

There is strong evidence that menthol acts as an anesthetic agent that masks the harshness and bitter taste of burning tobacco and that the cigarette industry uses menthol in targeting African American and Hispanic communities. For these reasons a panel shadowing the FDA's official tobacco advisory panel has recommended that the FDA Secretary order removal of menthol from all cigarettes.

Tobacco Harm Reduction 2010

While vastly understating the consequences and full price of living life as a nicotine addict, and treating those raising valid nicotine dependency and health concerns as if the enemy ("the antis"), this new 304 page tobacco harm reduction (THR) review should be read by every entrenched smoker who doesn't want to quit smoking. But if here at WhyQuit and reading, growing and preparing to fully arrest your dependency you'd be wise to ignore it, as it's fertile ground for tons of junkie thinking. Still, the review's comments about the cigarette being by far the most destructive form of nicotine delivery is beyond dispute (the review claims that clean nicotine delivery is up to 99 times less deadly than smoking).

The Submarine Service Smoker's Dilemma: to Quit or Nic?

A guide to the sub service smoker's options in the face of the new no smoking policy below decks.

Joel's Jukebox: Top 64 Stop Smoking Tunes

WhyQuit visitors are now able to listen to eleven hours of life extending MP3 tunes, critical stop smoking insights presented by Joel Spitzer, author of Never Take Another Puff.

Addiction to Smoking Nicotine a Mental Illness and Disease

Although the title of this article sounds horrible, romanticizing and lying about dependency not only entices youth into a lifetime of chemical servitude, it dooms millions to early graves.

Spring Start to Stop Smoking

Please help spread the word! What better time to begin the greatest personal awakening we'll likely ever know than spring! Why dread quitting freedom and healing? The answer is simple. Nicotine addiction is a brain priorities disease.

Smokefree.gov really Buymeds.now

The National Cancer Institute's Smokefree.gov site contains 173 invitations to use quitting medications while bashing and trashing cold turkey quitting. Why?

Physician's group calls for end to cold turkey discrimination

On March 21, 2010 the American Association of Public Health Physicians (AAPHP) wrote the CDC calling for an end to discrimination against cold turkey quitting. This link is to a copy of the Association's letter.

CDC ignores cold turkey quitters

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) through it's Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) continues to turn its back on millions of cold turkey quitters. This is an open letter to OSH senior scientist Terry F. Pechacek, PhD by John R. Polito, WhyQuit's founder.

New study finds that up to 75% of smokers quit on-their-own without any product or assistance

Professor Simon Chapman of the University of New South Wales in Australia documents how unassisted cold turkey quitters account for more successful long-term ex-smokers than all other quitting methods combined and how health advocates have suppressed this message.

WhyQuit Traffic Report - Historically January is the biggest quitting month of the year. Whether requesting an imagine, quitting video, web page or a copy of one of our quitting books, WhyQuit experienced 3,966,771 January requests (hits).

Five facts Chantix ads keep hidden

Critical insights Pfizer doesn't want quitters to know, including how Pfizer's "I honestly loved smoking" ad campaign toys with smokers.

The Perfect Smoker Gift: Free MP3 Counseling

Why give holiday gifts that ignore your smoking friend or loved one's greatest unfilled need, the insights needed to quit? Download 11 hours of free MP3 audio quit smoking lessons from America's leading cessation counselor, Joel Spitzer of Chicago.

UW-CTRI's Holiday Health Media Manipulation

Read how the University of Wisconsin is attempting to manipulate the media into writing storeis this holiday season that will make smokers spend twice as much on quitting products.

"Please help me quit smoking for New Year's!"

Statistically, 70% of our smoking friends want to quit but don't know how. New Year's is the biggest quitting day of the year and our chance to reach out and invite them to explore the power of knowledge! What do we have to lose?

Petition for Honest Quit Smoking Studies

Read, sign and share a petition demanding that stop smoking studies and policy be driven by honesty, integrity and science instead of frustrations, profits and greed.

Want to stop smoking? There's only one rule.

Do you know the rule?

Great American Smokeout Thursday: Help Your Smoker Quit

Use the Great American Smokeout to download, print, gift wrap and hand your smoking friend or loved one the knowledge, tips and insights needed to quit smoking. Knowledge is power. Help them turn on the lights.

University of Wisconsin: World's Pharm Nicotine Sales Center

A critical review of the new nicotine patch + lozenge study findings of the University of Wisconsin's Professor GlaxoSmithKline

Nicotine causes x3 cancer growth, x9 spreading and x3 regrowth

Imagine a mouse study causing smokers to reflect on the insanity of the battle now taking shape.

Nicorette, Commit lozenge and NicoDerm CQ cancer scares

Two new nicotine replacement therapy safety studies raise significant Nicorette nicotine gum, Commit nicotine lozenge and NicoDerm CQ nicotine patch cancer concerns.

Enslaved college smokers pay hefty price

Breathing, fitness and endurance, while college and university student smokers pretend that smoking's harms and risks are decades away, a new study asserts that they're already being felt.

Joel's "Never Take Another Puff" celebrates 2 millionth download

It's hard to believe that the most popular free quitting ebook in the world continues to be blacklisted by administration health officials. Why?

City and county council inaction hand youth to nicotine industry

Although a rash of recent studies indicate that it may only take smoking nicotine once or twice before the adolescent brain begins begging for more, city and county councils across America continue to allow the nicotine addiction industry to daily assault passing children and teenagers with store tobacco marketing.

"Patrick Swayze's doctor's smoking advice may hasten death"

Physicians and researchers were stunned by Patrick Swayze's treating oncologist's assertion that once diagnosed with cancer that there is little additional harm in continued smoking.

"How can I help a smoker quit smoking?"

It might surprise you to learn that 81% of smokers realize that they're committing slow suicide, that 93% of pack-a-day smokers admit to being addicted, and that last year 40% of all smokers made a serious quitting attempt of at least one day. What they don't know is that knowledge and understanding are the keys to lasting freedom.

ALA's Not-On-Tobacco school quit smoking program not effective

Boasts by the American Lung Association's school-based Not-On-Tobacco (N-O-T) student quit smoking program that it 'really works' and has a '21% quit rate' are contrary to findings from two recent independent Not-On-Tobacco program studies.

Study finds quit smoking weight gain temporary

Although many smokers fear weight gain when quitting a new study reports that nearly all cessation weight gain is temporary. Minor calorie and exercise adjustments can help avoid stop smoking weight gain.

John's quitting book invades the real world

At last the recovery lessons shared at WhyQuit are finding their way into published form. While Freedom from Nicotine - The Journey Home will not be sold at WhyQuit, we're not trying to hide the fact that the book exists. Site visitors will continue to be able to download the free PDF version from WhyQuit's main page.

Want to quit smoking? New study says don't wait, jump in the pool!

As hard as this may be to believe, a second study confirms that "the odds of a spontaneous quit attempt lasting for 6 months or longer were twice that of preplanned attempts," 2.6 times greater to be exact! Why wait? Join us! The water's great!

WhyQuit Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary!!

Hard to believe that ten years have passed but here we are! Sincere thanks to the thousands of contributors who have made this forum one of the finest nicotine dependency recovery tools ever!

Nicotine patch inventor fudges patch study findings

This article reviews how clinical trial smoking cessation researchers snagged victory from the jaws of defeat and the potential cost of doing so.

Cold turkey trounces pharmacology in GlaxoSmithKline quitting study

A July 2009 study not only found that the odds of an unplanned quit smoking attempt lasting six months or longer are 2.6 times higher than planned attempts, it was also forced to admit that cold turkey quitters clobbered the quitting rate seen in those using quitting products.

Why Obama and smokers fear quitting

Most who smoke or use oral nicotine have deep fears that life without it won't be nearly as satisfying. New research demolishes this unhappiness fiction. A May study published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research found that successful quitters were 21 times more likely to report feeling happier after quitting smoking (69.3%) than feeling less happy (3.3%).

The President Needs Your Help to Quit

President Obama's recent comments about his 'habit' being '95% cured' while still smoking, with co-dependency upon nicotine gum for 28 months, evidences a recovery understanding that's an utter mess. He needs our help, a jolt of reality, a quality education and he needs it now. It will only take a few minutes to share your thoughts with the President. Together we can make a difference!

President Signs "Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act"

Read the full-text of the bill signed into law on June 22.

39 Year-old Deborah's Heroic Lung Cancer Battle Ends

... but her message lives on. We lost Deb on June 4. Her sister will raise her 13-year-old daughter. View Deb's memorial guest book.

MSN pulled the plug on Freedom from Tobacco's 9 year home at MSN Groups on February 22. Freedom has reopened at Yuku as Freedom from Nicotine. Yuku was able to migrate (move) roughly half of Freedom's old messages. It'll take a few months to repair links and replace missing threads but in the end the site should be stronger and more focused than ever. Older members are slowly finding their way home.

On New Year's John released his new 244 page, free PDF e-book "Freedom from Nicotine - The Journey Home." It contains more than 400 footnotes, most linked to medical journal articles, and shares the research and science underlying the cessation method which, by far, undeniably accounts for more long-term success stories each year than all other methods combined. "Pharmaceutical industry influence falsely portrays cold turkey quitting as nearly impossible and non-science-based," says John. "The assertions are insane and it's time to fight back."

Long-Term Nicorette Gum Users Losing Hair and Teeth

Read more than 150 user accounts written by long-term Nicorette gum users about the consequences of living life as a slave to pure nicotine.

Obama Can't Quit Smoking for Kinsley or America's Youth

Michael Kinsley attacked president-elect Obama in a November 20 Washington Post op-ed for "fibbing about giving up cigarettes," asserting that he's setting a "deplorable example for young people." Read why the president-elect should ignore the motivational bait Kinsley dangles before him.

South Carolina Legislature Values Civil War Relics More than Children

A new report ranks South Carolina 51st nationally in youth tobacco prevention spending. While the Confederate battle has flown 30 feet above the statehouse grounds since July 1, 2000, there is no flag and is no battle to save the state's youth from a chemical to Amercia's cheapest nicotine. Why?

Have Smokers Been Hoodwinked and Bamboozled by Placebos?

Read how the the greatest medical research sham in medical history continues to be perpetrated upon smokers and no one seems to care.

Pfizer's Chantix Continues Killing Quitters

A just released report by The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), a non-profit medication watchdog, found that during the first quarter of 2008 that varenicline (Chantix) accounted for more reports of serious injury than the 10 best selling brand name prescription drugs combined.

Pfizer Chantix safety assurances contrary to evidence

In trying to salvage Chantix from the FDA chopping block following reports that it is generating far more complaints of serious harm to the FDA than any other prescription medication, Pfizer is attempting to hide Chantix induced harms inside the normal smoking cessation withdrawal syndrome. The problem is that experienced quitters know the differences, are not buying it and sounding the alarm.

Chantix blamed for 3,063 serious injuries and 78 deaths

A May 21, 2008 study examined 6,363 U.S. Food and Drug Administration adverse drug reaction reports implicating Pfizer's quit smoking pill Chantix and found 3,063 involved serious injuries.

U.S. quit smoking policy integrity drowns in pharmaceutical influence

Widespread financial conflicts among panel members authoring the Clinical Practice Guideline for Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence May 2000 Update raise serious questions about the document's integrity.

Does updated tobacco treatment "Guideline" reflect sham science?

The updated U.S. Guideline for Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence will be released May 7, 2008. The Guideline will show that pharmaceutical industry financial influence continues to own official U.S. smoking cessation policy.

Young dying smokers share nightmares online

Increasingly, young and middle-aged terminally ill smokers, and their surviving families, are realizing the value of their stories to youth smoking prevention efforts and in motivating smokers to quit smoking, and sharing them online.

FDA pulls video clip admitting Chantix suicide link

Knowledge and understanding truly is a quitting method, a lesson and path far too few smokers are taught.

"Why can't I quit smoking?"

Knowledge and understanding truly is a quitting method, a lesson and path far too few smokers are taught.

World Tobacco Conference Accused of Prostitution

Boston University School of Public Health professor Michael Siegel today accused the 14th World Conference on Tobacco or Health of selling the scientific integrity of the global tobacco control movement to pharmaceutical influence.

Obama Teaching Youth Unacceptable Nicotine Dependency Lessons

Hooked on nicotine gum for at least 13 months, Senator Obama has led America's youth to believe that he is not battling full-blown chemical addiction but simply some nasty little habit that he claims to already have succeeded in ending.

FDA Chantix Handling Betrayed Public Health

Analysis of a new study suggests 10 of 11 Chantix users may relapse within six months. If so, how could the FDA have been so wrong about both varenicline's safety and effectiveness?

Is physician neglect costing smoking patients life?

A new World Health Organization report predicts that the tobacco epidemic could kill one billion during the 21st century. If true, how much blame should be attributed to physician ignorance of substantive smoking cessation counseling lessons?

This is Your Brain on Chantix or Champix

On February 10, New York Magazine published "This is My Brain on Chantix," a firsthand Chantix use account by Derek de Koff, a features writer, who after taking Chantix experienced vivid dreams, blackouts, hallucinations and contemplated suicide.

Study contends nicotine damages first trimester embryo

A February 2008 study by Professor Slotkin of Duke reviews the destructive impact of fetal and adolescent nicotine upon the developing animal brain, including celluar damage inflicted by nicotine in the neural tube stage in rats, a stage which starts in human embryos within 3 to 4 weeks of conception.

Welcome New Year's Quitters!

Want to Quit Smoking for New Year's?

New Year's is by far the biggest quitting time of the year but what are the keys to success? Here, scores of ex-smokers hand you the keys.

Suicides Compel FDA to Investigate Chantix

On November 20 the FDA announced that it had "received reports of suicidal thoughts and aggressive and erratic behavior in patients who have taken Chantix" and had launched an investigation. On November 29 a Dallas TV station reported that 55 suicides in Chantix users were reported to the FDA in just one week. Follow all Chantix developments as WhyQuit's primary Chantix / Champix article is kept current.

Great American Smokeout Quitting Tips

A list of 41 quit smoking tips for the GASO, which is always the 3rd Thursday in November.

"What if my Chantix or Champix quit smoking attempt fails?"

Statistically, 2.3 million out of 3 million U.S. Chantix users are expected to relapse to smoking. Where can they turn?

Smokers Survey

Still smoking? If so, help Swiss researchers by taking this very short, less than 5 minute survey.

Prison Tobacco Cessation

A why and how guide to aid prison administrators in helping inmates and correctional officers break free from nicotine

Over one million copies not sold

You can't call this book a million seller -- because it's not for sale. "Never Take Another Puff," a 149 page quit smoking e-book has now recorded its one millionth Internet download. It's a blockbuster that hasn't earned a nickle. And that's the way its author, Joel Spitzer of Evanston Illinois, wants it.

Nicotine Cessation Tips

These nicotine cessation tips apply whether seeking to quit smoking (cigarettes, cigars or pipes), stop using oral tobacco (snuff, dip, snus or chewing tobacco) or whether hooked on nicotine replacement therapy (nicotine gum, patch, lozenge, spray or inhaler).

Confessions of a teenage nicotine addict

What is it like to be 15 years-old and find yourself hooked on smoking?

Ten million English smokers plunge deeper into denial

On Sunday, July 1, England becomes the 11^th nation to ban workplace cigarette smoking. Those stepping outside will have no choice but to fabricate new lies for allegiance to their mind's number one priority, smoking that next cigarette.

World No Tobacco Day, Thurs., May 31

A great excuse to send an email to all still smoking friends and loved ones inviting them to explore WhyQuit.

Caffeine levels double when quitting smoking

Studies show that nicotine somehow doubles the rate by which the body depletes caffeine and upon quitting smoking blood serum caffeine levels may be twice as high.

What does it feel like to have quit smoking?

Thirty-five ex-smokers of at least one year tell what it feels like to have quit smoking

Ten Keys to Smoking Yourself to Death

Many articles describe how to quit smoking but few speak directly to those who won't or don't.

Time to quit smoking?

They call it "quitting smoking" but it's about overcoming true chemical addiction, about reclaiming brain dopamine "pay attention" pathways taken hostage by an external chemical.

Flawed research equates placebo to cold turkey

Pharmaceutical industry marketing of quit smoking products boasts that they double the cold turkey quitter's chances of quitting. But is it true?

Nixing the patch: Smokers quit cold turkey

An article by Kevin Millstone of Columbia University Graduate School of Jounalism contrasting cold turkey quitting to pharmacology quitting

Spring excellent time to quit smoking

Spring is the season when life renews and possibly the most wonderful time to end all nicotine use and return home.

Wall Street Journal article explores pharmaceutical industry "Nicotine Fix"

This important article by Kevin Helliker, a 2004 Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, is the first to explore how pharmacology quitting products reign supreme inside highly manipulated double-blind randomized clinical trails yet fall flat on their face in real-world use.

Critical Review: Nicotine for the Fetus, the Infant and the Adolescent?

The UK NHS recently extended nicotine replacement therapy use to pregnancy and children from age twelve. A 03/07 review in the Journal of Health Psychology takes issue with the grave risks associated with this irresponsible policy.

Why Do You Smoke?

Dr. Ginzel, a physician who spent nearly four decades studying smoking and nicotine, shares some rather disturbing insights.

The Secret to Quitting Smoking

Sadly, smokers are being intentionally deprived of the most important quit smoking lesson of all, that nicotine dependency recovery is one of the few challenges in life where being 99% successful all but assures 100% defeat.

90% of Ex-smokers Quit Smoking Cold Turkey

How many times have you heard GlaxoSmithKline or Pfizer announce that during 2006 nearly all successful long-term quitters quit smoking cold turkey? Never. Although true, if widely known it could cost them billions in profits.

Daily Quitting Lesson Guide

Are you in search of a holiday gift for that special smoker? Have you ever considered a gifting a link? This link could make the perfect gift. Joel has arranged and sequenced a number of his video lessons and articles as though he were presenting a full two-week quitting clinic.

School smoking & nicotine dependency: students helping students

An article aimed at getting students involved in both nicotine dependency prevention and cessation efforts within their school.

Great American Smokeout Thursday November 16

Joel's collection of quitting videos has mushroomed to 38 and just in time for the annual U.S. Smokeout. National quitting days are great excuses to send still smoking friends links to quality quitting tools.

Smokeless Tobacco Quitting Tips

Are you hooked on snuff, snus or chewing tobacco? Ready to reclaim your mouth, mind and life?

Is the U.S. Government's Quitting Policy Killing Smokers?

A growing array of FDA approved and widely used quit smoking products promised to double cessation rates. Instead, on October 27, 2006 the CDC was forced to report that for the first time since 1997 the U.S. smoking rate failed to decline.

Joel Is Heard on World Talk Radio

On October 26 Joel was interviewed for an hour on World Talk Radio.

Free Video Quit Smoking Lessons

Imagine bringing your own personal professional quit smoking counselor into your home. Imagine your doctor handing smoking patients counseling lessons as they leave the office. Joel Spitzer's growing collection of more than 20 free video and audio quitting lessons are now available for download in Joel's Library

Champix - an 8 in 10 failure rate or worse?

On September 29, 2006, Pfizer announced European Commission approval of Champix, its new quit smoking pill, boasting that "after one year, approximately one-in-five patients who received the 12-week course of varenicline [Champix] remained smoke-free." This article explores why real-world effectiveness will likely be substantially less.

Downloads of "Never Take Another Puff" top half-a-million

Never Take Another Puff is a free PDF quit smoking book by Joel Spitzer that has now been downloaded 503,678 times since August 2005. Congratulations Joel!

WhyQuit's message featured on World Talk Radio

On 09/14 John was Fiona's guest on Simple Savings, a one hour World Talk Radio show with an Australian flavor. The show was archived as is available for listening at the above link. The program was broken down into three segments: the cost of smoking, why smokers smoke and how to quit.

Will Chantix really help me quit?

This review takes a close look at the Chantix studies and your odds of quitting.

The nightmare of loving a smoker who fails to quit

One-quarter of all adult smokers are dying during middle-age. What price is inflicted upon their loves ones?

WhyQuit Celebrates 7th Year

WhyQuit.com is Google's 3rd ranked U.S. 'quit smoking' destination among 27 million search results. Amazingly, its gradual climb to the top is based upon popularity not money.

"Never Take Another Puff" translated into German

Nie wieder einen einzigen Zug! ... von Joel Spitzer

Nachstehend finden Sie Links zu einem kostenlosen 171-seitigen Buch zum Thema "mit dem Rauchen aufhören" von Joel Spitzer aus Chicago, einem der in der Welt führenden Experten in diesem Gebiet. Es wurde ins Deutsche übersetzt. Egal, ob Sie Zigaretten, Zigarren oder Pfeife rauchen, ob Sie Kau- oder Schnupftabak benutzen, oder ob Sie von Nikotinkaugummi, -lutschtabletten oder Inhalatoren abhängig sind, dieses Buch wird Sie dabei anleiten, sich aus der Gewalt des Nikotins über Ihren Geist, Ihre Gesundheit und Ihr Leben zu befreien.

The smoker's self mutilation

Smoked nicotine's dopamine/adrenaline high comes with a horrible price. The shortness of breath sensed on exertion and the sounds rising from crying lungs are being echoed in every living cell in the smoker's body.

World No Tobacco Day - Wednesday, May 31, 2006

World No Tobacco Day is a wonderful opportunity to e-mail smoking friends a link to WhyQuit with an invitation to visit and explore.

Cold Turkey Twice as Effective as NRT or Zyban

A May 2006 Australian study has produced cold turkey quit smoking success rates that are twice as high as rates for those using the nicotine patch, gum, inhaler or bupropion (Zyban and Wellbutrin).

The Real Cigarette Induced "Roller Coaster" Ride

Do you see quitting as the most emotional roller coaster ride of highs and lows that you could possibly experience? If so, it's time for a reality check. In this new addition to Joel's Library, Joel shares Mike and Sue's treatment journey as they endured a five year ride on the lung cancer express.

Convenience Stores - Nicotine Addiction Central

Neighborhood convenience stores are enticing students to smoke nicotine. This article calls for an end to irresponsible tobacco marketing and for student groups to organize and fight back if the practice continues.