I started at 17. Back then it was ‘Kool’ to smoke Kools. Switched to Marlboro Reds and tried to quit countless times - cold turkey, chewing gum, nicotine gum, patches.... nothing worked (except the 1st 2 weeks of BMT until the TI said “smoke ‘em if you’ve got ‘em”,).
After 20 years of 2-3 packs a day I woke up one morning and said ‘No more’. Haven’t had one since.
The urge hits once in a while, and I do threaten to start again to lose weight, but I find something to do and take my mind off it.
I’m 11 years cigg free, adn STILL get dreams that i start smoking again. Wake up in a sweat- but my breathing issues are enough to keep me from taking the habit up again so far. (And the $$ issue helps me keep off them too)
Similar experience. I had quit for a couple of years before BMT. During marching drills I saw smokers got to get off the hot pavement and stand under a shade tree and smoke. I started again just to have that break and get out of the Texas sun for a few minutes.