Peter Jennings

[Brookie]

It was reported on NBC news tonight that there's now something out in the world called "The Jennings Effect" - people ARE starting to think twice about smoking. See, that's the thing about cancer - it's not picky who it touches. The rich, the poor; the known, the unknown; the prominent, the reticent. Nobody is bulletproof in this life, but let's not invite trouble and give it a party too.

[Deleted]

I do hope he helps others.
I quite smoking on July 1st 1996 after many failed attempts using various methods. I was a two pack a day (Carlton Extra lights). I tried the "cut down", the patch, cold turkey, etc etc. I geared up for it 2 months in advance. I researched how horrible it is for your body and your looks (it WILL make you age faster on the outside, which spoke to my vanity) to motivate me and strengthen my resolve, I joined a yahoo support group, and also found that people had the most success and did not gain weight on the nicorette gum. It helped me with the drug withdrawals and also with the oral fixation. I have not had a drag of a cigarette since.

I think that is the key. Your like a junkie or an alcoholic. You can't take that one drag i.e.
" sip/hit/shot" or you'll go back. And no one ever tells you the craving will always be there, just like any junkie, but it will lessen over the time. AGain, the trick is to not take that first drag EVER. To this day i still get hit with a craving every once in a while. You just can't give in to it. I think it is important for people to know that about the cravings so they are prepared for them.

I read somewhere that after the age of 35, a doctor can tell if you smoke as soon as you walk in the door justby your face. I would have to agree. I can hear it in someone's voice too.

I hope Peter's death will help others get off this damaging drug. It is amazing it's legal and sold in stores when you think about it.

[kostgard]

I think that is the key. Your like a junkie or an alcoholic. You can't take that one drag i.e.
" sip/hit/shot" or you'll go back. And no one ever tells you the craving will always be there, just like any junkie, but it will lessen over the time. AGain, the trick is to not take that first drag EVER. To this day i still get hit with a craving every once in a while. You just can't give in to it. I think it is important for people to know that about the cravings so they are prepared for them.

Congrats on quitting - that must have been very tough. I talked to a friend who was a heavy smoker for many years and quit about five years ago. He was talking about how he feels so much better now and was so glad that he had quit, so I said something like "So you probably wouldn't dream of going near another cigarette again" and he said "Oh, no - I miss it terribly. I miss smoking every day."

I read somewhere that after the age of 35, a doctor can tell if you smoke as soon as you walk in the door justby your face. I would have to agree. I can hear it in someone's voice too.

That is absolutely true. I used to work for a doctor, and he liked to step out into the waiting room to meet and greet people from time to time, especially if he saw new patients out there. I lost count of how many times he'd spot a new patient just sitting there, not speaking or anything, and he'd walk up and introduce himself and say "Just so you know, the first thing I'm going to talk to you about is quitting smoking." And the people were always surprised that he could tell immediately, because it wasn't like they weren't sitting there smoking or had yellow fingers/teeth or reeked of smoke. But he could always tell right off the bat, and he could even spot some people who used to smoke but hadn't in years.

I just saw the news report on the "Jennings Effect" - nice to see that it is making some people more aware, including increasing donations to organizations like The American Lung Association.

[Brookie]

I quite smoking on July 1st 1996 after many failed attempts using various methods. I was a two pack a day (Carlton Extra lights). I tried the "cut down", the patch, cold turkey, etc etc. I geared up for it 2 months in advance. I researched how horrible it is for your body and your looks (it WILL make you age faster on the outside, which spoke to my vanity) to motivate me and strengthen my resolve, I joined a yahoo support group, and also found that people had the most success and did not gain weight on the nicorette gum. It helped me with the drug withdrawals and also with the oral fixation. I have not had a drag of a cigarette since.

*Claps Vigorously and Invites Others to do Same*

ETA: I hope those of us who wanted to catch the ABC Special on PJ tonight did so. It was a moving tribute to a reporter, a man and his principles by those who worked with, admired him and learned from him. The last minute was especially touching, when a single horn (he loved jazz) played the ABC news theme with a large photo of him in the background. We should all be remembered so eloquently.

[Malle Babbe]

I hope his death does get folks to quit. I'm 29 and I am amazed how many folks in my age group smoke (born btw. 1970-1980). I remember when Yul Brynner died and seeing the PSAs he recorded before his death were aired after he died. I was young enough that seeing somebody alive on TV while knowing they had just died was really uncanny and unsettling; needless to say, I've never smoked. (Drinking, that's another story...)

Anyway, it has been a generation since Brynner's death, maybe folks needed another kick in the seat to quit. Like Jennings, Brynner was also a hale and hearty guy who was cut down really fast by cancer.

I guess what I got most out of that special was Jennings' constant itch to know things, and then digest and apply that information. Given how being stone ignorant is becoming increasingly fashionable, that makes his passing that much more depressing. Still, did anyone see David Brinkley giving him the stink-eye when he goofed on the 1984 congressional elections?

Esp. after watching his coverage of the Challenger Disaster and 9/11, I was again amazed at his zen-like steady delivery. It wasn't unemotional, you got the sense that he realized that it was his job to get information to folks, and that having a fit on air wasn't going to do anyone any good. Contrast that with the hectoring, whiny delivery of Faux News, and you'll see what I'm talking about.

[Deleted]

Thanks Brookie. :-)

I just saw the Peter Jennings tribute and it was excellent. What a full life.

I could not help but think that I hope to have lived my life with such purpose and touch lives before I leave this planet like he did. He was blessed to have done that.

That trumpet solo was touching.

[comfortablynumb]

mallebabbe said:

I hope his death does get folks to quit. I'm 29 and I am amazed how many folks in my age group smoke (born btw. 1970-1980).

My kids were born in 1985 and 1987 and they both smoke. They lost both their grandpa's to smoking related cancers in their lifetime and they still smoke. It's still cool to smoke to these kids. I fail to see the coolness. There has not been a generation more educated and warned about this and they still make the stupid decision to smoke. My husband smokes, and has tried to quit and can't. My daughter said she smokes because of him, which is total BS because both of my parents smoked and I never did. I love them so much and it just kills me everyday to know that they're subjecting their bodies to this. >end of rant/pity party

I hope that Jennings did not die in vain. If one person rethinks the habit, that's good. Now Barbara Bel Geddes has died and Dana Reeve is in for the fight of her life.

God bless everyone of them.

I didn't realize how emotional I'd get typing this. I guess it bothers me more than I thought.

[kostgard]

ABC gave him a truly lovely tribute last night. It really hit me last night last night just how much I'm actually going to miss him. He's always been my mother's anchor of choice, so I've heard his voice in my house my entire life. Strange to think I will never hear it "live" again.

[Deleted]

Yea, that background noise, of his voice as you move around the house is comforting. When you don't hear it, it's odd because it becomes such a part of the fabric of your life.

[lpatrice]

Smoking is extremely hard to quit. There is the physical addiction, plus the behavioral habit to break. I personally think it is high time to crack down on the tobacco industry.

Never going to happen, too mcuh money to be made. And there is the matter of personal choice and free will. It's just like being a bad relationship, sometimes people do self destructive things for whatever reason. If we start banning/cracking down on things that are bad for people, it's going to be a long list--and where do you draw the line?

It's a fact of life that people commonly drink, smoke, and eat themselves them death. Not to mention any number of other risky behaviors that people engage in.

I missed most of the Jennings tribute because of work. Does anyone know if ABC or one of it's sister stations will re-air anytime soon?