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There are now numerous resources available on the WWW dealing with every aspect of tobacco use and addiction. In no particular order, some great places to start:
You can chat in real time with AS3 folks at pretty much any hour of the day or night, 365 days a year, thanks to the wonders of Internet Relay Chat. Because these chats move around from time to time, it would be impossible for me to keep the FAQ current with the correct channels, but there is a posting weekly of FAQ's for IRC which provides information on where to chat. Look for the one posted along with these FAQ's during each weekend.
For complete information on IRCs generally, see Ensor's IRC Extravaganza!
A popular chat program for Windows is Trillian. BinnieBee has written a step-by-step tutorial for Trillian downloading and use to get you started.
A smaller Newsgroup with some of the same posters as AS3 can be found at alt.quit.smoking.support. This newsgroup has a weekly posting where you can post your Quit. This weekly posting is currently also handled by Rosie S.
Very recently, the Usenet group alt.recovery.nicotine was formed. If you're interested in the 12 Steps method of recovery, you may find this group works very well in conjunction with AS3. Some information from the group's Charter:
Purpose: To provide a place for people to share their experience, strength, and hope concerning recovery from addiction to nicotine. To provide a forum for the submission of articles, stories, and inquiries dealing with nicotine addiction and recovery.
Posts of the following types are expected:
For more information, contact the proponent of alt.recovery.nicotine: Bill P.
This is just to get you started. Visit the AS3 WWW page for more links to health, addiction, and related sites.
The Virtual Office Of The U.S. Surgeon General includes newly released (6/2000) guidelines on smoking cessation as well as interviews. Many of the documents are available as PDF (Adobe Acrobat Reader) files which can be downloaded and printed:
Kick The Habit; The BBC's stop smoking website. Lots of info and an addiction game... kind of the British version of the Nicodemon. Nice interface. Miss Maggie would approve...
The Center For Disease Control Tips (Tobacco Information and Prevention Source)
Tobacco BBS - News and Resources
The granddaddy of hard-news information resources, garnered from the media, medical journals, and other (fairly) respectable sources. Centred mostly around U.S. news and politics, but trying to expand its geographic focus. The place to look to keep up with the action in Washington, D.C. Also contains excellent links.
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
In their concise words, "a [U.S.] national organization devoted solely to the problems of smoking and to protecting nonsmokers' rights." Good information on lobbying efforts in particular, and samples from their bimonthly newsletter; but be aware, this is a lobbyist group, and they require a contribution of $15US or more for much of their information.
Considering how much more spending power the tobacco lobbyists have, you may decide it's worth contributing the savings of your first unpurchased carton of cigarettes.
Self-Help & Psychology Magazine has a peer discussion forum including the topic Nicotine.
Smoking from all Sides
Many more items on the side of ceasing tobacco use, than there are in favor of using it. Smoking, dipping, etc. are becoming very difficult practices to defend.
Self-help Psychology Magazine (formerly Practical Psychology Magazine) -
An online general psychology publication dedicated to the art of living well - off the net. They carry various types of information and services, which include a full department on Addictions (including nicotine). Articles are posted monthly in an easily-read, "how-to" format. Your feedback is strongly encouraged.
alt.support.stop-smoking
The home page of "the friendliest group on the net." :)
Bud Ellis'
Bud Ellis was a special contributor to the AS3 newsgroup and IRC channel until his death on August 23, 1998. His site contains much room for hope and a lot of room for reality.
He Wanted You To Know
This page is part of the St Petersburg, Florida Times online containing the truly tragic story of a 33 year old young man who died of lung and liver cancer two months after his diagnosis. Not for the squeamish, this may provide some encouragement in your quit; a little aversion therapy can go a long way.
quitsmokingsupport.com
A veritable clearing house of information on quitting smoking. External websites, tons of information (including an article by "our own" Bud Ellis), links to commercial smoking cessation programs, etc.
Off The WWW
NOSMOKE is an e-mail list, meaning, the discussion comes to your mailbox rather than to a Usenet group, and is not presented in public as Usenet is. Nosmoke describes itself as a list that is for support to people who want to quit smoking cigarettes, cigars or stop using smokeless tobacco products. It is for people who want to quit, are already quit, or anyone supporting a significant other who would like to quit. It says "Note that we can't make you quit, or offer any "magic pills" that will. We just support one another in our efforts to quit and stay quit. If you are just curious about smokers, this is NOT the list for you!"
TO JOIN go to www.onelist.com and search for "nosmoke", click on the name to go to the web page and subscribe there - you can also contact the listowner at the address there if you have further questions.