Good morning GUSsacks, cheerleaders, and Cheerios-loving lurkers. This is your one-stop shop for quit-smoking talk.
GUS (Gave Up Smoking) is a community support diary for Kossacks in the midst of quitting smoking. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. If you are quitting or thinking of quitting, please -- join us! We kindly ask that politics be set aside.
You can also click the GUS tag to view all diary posts, or access the GUS Library at dKosopedia for a great list of stop-smoking links. Check it out!
Our community will be celebrating its one-year anniversary on June 15, which is less than a month away. That is wild. It was nearly a year ago that Rosebuddear documented a since successful quit-smoking attempt, which blossomed a thread of comments that subsequently belched forth this group called GUS.
There is no power like that of a group of like-minded people. So think about quitting on Tuesday, June 15 (or thereabouts, because it can be easier to quit over the course of a weekend).
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New Jakarta Law to See Full Public Smoking Ban
Ulma Haryanto, Jakarta Globe (May 21, 2010)
Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo announced on Friday that a city bylaw to totally ban smoking in all public buildings would soon be finalized.
If the ban is treated seriously, unlike earlier attempts to restrict smoking in public areas, Jakarta could finally join the growing list of major cities around the world that have virtually eliminated smoking inside bars, restaurants, offices and shopping malls.
As an interim measure, Fauzi on Friday issued a decree to revise a widely ignored 2005 bylaw on smoke-free areas that mandated the creation of smoking rooms in public buildings.
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Public Smoking Ban Would Cut Down On Heart Attacks
Red Orbit: Friday, 21 May 2010, 09:45 CDT
A nationwide ban on smoking in all public places would save more than $90 million in healthcare costs and greatly reduce hospital admissions for heart attacks, according to a study by Henry Ford Health System released Thursday.
In the first year alone, a ban such as this would prevent 18,596 hospital admissions.
The study, presented Thursday at the American Heart Association’s annual Quality of Care and Outcomes Research conference in Washington, said if the smoking ban that exists in many states were extended to 13 states without such a law, these benefits would occur.
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Vaccine may snuff out smoking habit
by Robin Erb
Free Press medical writer (May 21, 2010)
Smoking is a tough habit to kick, even with nicotine patches, lozenges, sprays and inhalers. Different products will work for different people, said Jonathon Henry, an associate professor of psychiatry at Michigan State University and the principal investigator for the Michigan portion of the study.
"That’s the reason we need more treatments. The current therapies are not successful at high rates," Henry said. "We need to see in larger trials how effective this one might be...The more tools people have to try," the more likely something will work for them, he said.
The NicVAX vaccine triggers the production of antibodies which then cling to the nicotine molecule, essentially make the globbed-up nicotine too big to cross the blood-brain barrier where it would trigger that addictive rush.
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More smokers taking it outside to cut secondhand smoke
by Sharon Salyer (Herald)
The number of people in Washington who smoke in their homes has dropped 61 percent since 2000, part of growing public awareness of the dangers of secondhand smoke.
About 1 in 5 people reported that they smoked in their homes in statewide telephone phone surveys of health issues in 2000, according to the state Department of Health.
That dropped to about 1 in 13 in 2008, according to the state Department of Health.
"I think the message is really getting across that secondhand smoke really is a danger," said Annie Peterson, a tobacco prevention specialist for the Snohomish Health District.
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GUS diarists: There has been some discussion about what to do with the ever-expanding Buddy List. Now up to over 250 names, transferring the list from one diary to the next is becoming a task. Check out today's poll options, and please vote, or discuss below.
UPDATE (X1): Additional poll choices derived from comments:
aoeu: should there be a buddy list?
bgblcklab1: maintain a weekly list
flumptytail: make posting the buddy list optional
I will continue to update and stay on top of the conversation as best I can. If a decidedly tangible solution arises through discussion, I will update this here as well.
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UPDATE (X2): Thanks to everyone for their participation. In the interests of gaining widened participation, let's keep the subject open for a few days (h/t Vacationland, in comments).
Below I have compiled the existing poll, along with suggestions from the comments, which I have paraphrased:
What should GUS do with the buddy list?
*Keep transferring it from diary to diary... hey, what's a little name-passing among friends? (all 250+ of 'em)
*Retire the 1st year buddy list to the GUS Library this June 15, and start a new one. New list includes link to old list.
*Keep the buddy list exclusively in the GUS Library, and volunteer a few GUSsacks to update the list regularly (posting the list would be optional)
*Should there be a buddy list?
*Maintain a weekly list, while making sure in all other diaries to invite users to join the buddy list.
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Current members of the GUS team!
1BQ, 3rdGenFeminist, Abra Crabcakeya, addisnana, AfroPonix, aishmael, Alpha99, ambeeeant, American in Kathmandu, amk for obama, andsarahtoo, Anne933, anodnhajo, aoeu, aquarius2001, arcadesproject, Archie2227, Arthur Wolf (in memoriam), assyrian64, awkawk, b4uknowit, bamablue, BARAKABETH, barnowl, bdizz, beatpanda, BFSkinner, bgblcklab1, Bike Crash, BirderWitch, bleeding heart, blingbling65, blue husky, Blue Intrigue, bluestatedem84, BoiseBlue, Brahman Colorado, breedlovinit, BrenP, BrowniesAreGood, bsmechanic, burrow owl, CathodeRay, cee4, Cen Den, ChocolateChris, ChurchofBruce, Cleante, Colorado is the Shiznit, coloradomomma, Common Sense Mainer, coppercelt, dadanation, dangoch, Dauphin, demkat620, Dexter, DiegoUK, Dingodude, distraught, dolfin66, donnamarie, Donna O, DRo, droogie6655321, duckhunter, EdgedInBlue, effervescent, El barragas, ericlewis0, Everest42, Ex Con, fhamme, Fineena, fiona2, fishhawk, Flea, FlipperWaves, flumptytail, FrugalGranny, Garrett, Gator, gchaucer2, Geiiga, Georgianna Darcy, GN1927, gooderservice, gooners, gravlax, greylox, grndrush, GrumpyWarriorPoet, Haole in Hawaii, HeyMikey, hideinplainsight, High Tide, hiliner68, hulibow, I love OCD, Im a frayed knot, imisa, Indexer, indyada, Interceptor7, inventor, I said GOOD DAY sir, itsbenj, Jahiz, JamesEB, janl1776, jbou, Jeffersonian Democrat, jmadlc55, Joe's Steven aka Steven, john07801, johngoes, jsfox, JVolvo's Mom, jwinIL14, Jyrinx, kai99, kailuacaton, Kelly of PA, kestrel9000, khloemi, Khun David, Kitsap River, Kodiak54, Ksholl, labwitchy, Lady Kestrel, ladypockt, Lahdee, langerdang, LarsThorwald, last starfighter, Laurie Gator, Lipstick Liberal, litoralis, lmdonovan, lockewasright, longislandny, luvsathoroughbred, maggiemay, magicsister, mango, Marc in KS, marknspokane, maryabein, Matt Esler, mdemploi, Micburke, michael1104, Mikeguyver, MillieNeon, Minerva1157, MinervainNH, Missys Brother, Morague, Mr Bojangles, mrsgoo, mskitty, msmacgyver, MsWings, nannyboz, ncsuLAN, Nick Zouroudis, notgivingup, NY brit expat, operculum, one pissed off democrat, OrangeMike, Ordvefa, OverTheEdge, paige, PaintyKat, paradox, parryander, Pennsylvanian, phrogge prince, Positronicus, post rational, Proud Mom and Grandma, psycho liberal, ptolemynm, Purple Priestess, PvtJarHead, real world chick, red mittens, Reepicheep, relentless, revelwoodie, revsue, Rex Manning, rexymeteorite, RiaD, rickeagle, ridemybike, rincewind, rkex, roadlion, Roger Fox, Rosebuddear, Rudini, Safina, SallyCat, Sark Svemes, sboucher, scooter in brooklyn, Scrapyard Ape, seenaymah, sfbob, sgary, Shahryar, sheddhead, shmuelman, slowbutsure, smartcookienyc, smeesq, snoopydawg, snorwich, SoCalHobbit, sofia, soonergrunt, sowsearsoup, SpecialKinFlag, spmozart, SpotTheCat, Statusquomustgo, tallmom, Tay, ThAnswr, theatre goon, TheStoopingRabbit, TigerMom, tiredofcrap, tonyahky, Toyotabob7, Treefrog, triciawyse, trueblueliberal, ttanner, Turn VABlue, Turtle Bay, uc booker, Unduna, Unforgiven, Vacationland, valadon, Vayle, waytac, webranding, weelzup, Wes Opinion, willy be frantic, willy mugobeer, Wood Dragon, wolfie1818, Wordsinthewind, Wreck Smurfy, x, yet another liberal, Zotz
Please post a comment in the butt can if you would like your name added to the GUS Buddy List. We'd love to have you join us!
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So you've had some experience with the effects of smoking, and want to write a GUS diary or host an open thread? Please sign up in the Butt Can (Tip Jar), and name the day and time that works for you (AM, PM, late-night, early-bird...)
*Asterisks* indicate regular GUS diary time slot:
Sat AM: **bsmechanic** (you are here)
Sat PM: Vacationland
Sun AM: bgblcklab1
Sun PM: **Safina**
Mon AM: Open
Mon PM: Open
Tue AM: **FrugalGranny**
Tue PM: **aoeu**
Wed AM: Open
Wed PM: Open
Thu AM: Open (Thanks for holding the fort here, Shiz!)
Thu PM: Open
Fri AM: Open
Fri PM: **rexymeteorite**
Diarists: to get a customized embed code for GUS blockquotes, email bsmechanic35 at yahoo dot com. Specify which ones you would like (mission statement, buddy list, diary schedule), and they will be sent via inline text.
How to write a GUS diary on the fly and easy as pie.