OXFORD – Today marks American Cancer Society’s 34th annual Great American Smokeout, a day that encourages smokers nationwide to take the first steps in quitting for a lifetime.
An Oxford couple took those first steps together nearly a year ago after carrying the habit for the past four decades.
Jerry LeClar lit his last cigarette in December of last year and his wife, Gerry, had her last the month before. They’ve been married 34 years and this past October, they followed through on one of their quitting pledges by taking all the accumulated savings not spent on tobacco products and spending it on a five-day vacation to Las Vegas.
“The money that we would have ordinarily spent every month on cigarettes, after a year, we took a trip to Vegas instead,” said Jerry.
The couple estimated that between them, they smoked around two packs a day. Since quitting, they’ve between $2,200 and $2,500.
“There were some brief periods in my life, special occasions or stressful ones, that for a few days I’d smoke two and a half packs a day just by myself,” recalled Jerry.
Gerry said the moment that convinced her to quit was after her young grandson came in the house on his birthday and complained of how grandma smelled.
“It kind of breaks your heart and I knew that day I needed to quit,” said Gerry.
Both of the LeClars just celebrated their 60th birthdays in 2009 and are keeping busy in retirement. Gerry was an Oxford Elementary School teacher and Jerry worked at Cornell Cooperative Extension.
They both began smoking regularly in their late teens.
“Back then the Marlboro Man commercial was the most popular ad on TV. The Marlboro Man, Joe Camel, there were ads on TV, billboards, in magazines just about everywhere and no one thought nothing of it really,” said Jerry.
“For younger women, I remember Virginia Slims being very trendy,” said Gerry, recalling the Phillip Morris brand. “You weren’t cool if you didn’t smoke,” added Jerry.
Last November, Gerry decided to get involved in a program to help her quit and took the prescribed medication Chantix to help control her cravings.
“It was a really wonderful program. I’d recommend it. They offer you ideas for different activities every day, they check on you with a daily phone call. That worked very well. It was a very supportive program,” said Gerry.
Before quitting completely Gerry, said the program weaned her off the cigarettes over about a week period.
Jerry took a different approach to quitting – cold turkey. Although his wife began kicking the habit last November, Jerry elected to wait until after hunting season before making his attempt.
“I used a lot of smokeless tobacco. I gave up chew and I didn’t want to try medication because we were unsure of what effect it may have in relation to those other products. I didn’t want to take a chance medically,” he said.
Jerry said hunting season was traditionally a time for him to indulge in his habit, but not this time around. “I knew it was coming and I scaled down compared to normal. I knew a commitment had been made,” he said.
The couple said they had tried to quit a handful of times before, but believed this time they are truly finished with big tobacco.
“Basically it became socially unacceptable. Like at a party, you’d be the only one outside smoking. In the old days everybody would be smoking and they’d all be inside. It’s just not like that anymore,” said Jerry. “To a degree, smoking is a social thing.”
“If someone at work says, ‘Hey it’s time for a coffee break,’ it’s the same as saying ‘Hey it’s time for a cigarette break.’ It’s like that; you just get used to taking that time out,” said Gerry.
The couple said they’re fortunate because many of their friends were not smokers or had already quit. Also family members strongly advocated quitting and offered a high level of support.
“You didn’t have the temptation or the urge as much when someone wasn’t in front of you smoking,” said Gerry.
“That addiction is like any other addiction, 90 percent is mind over matter,’ said Jerry. “Basically we all enjoy some things in life and I enjoyed smoking. That’s what we chose to spend our money on. Some people enjoy cars, or a drink or something else.”
The couple without a doubt believe nicotine is a drug and those who use it run the risk of becoming an addict.
“Some people are addicted to caffeine, some to food. It doesn’t have to be a drug. It means they can’t change without special effort or help. If stopping the habit takes a lifestyle change, then it’s probably an addiction,” said Jerry.
Tobacco Free Chenango Coordinator James Mutabiilwa called to personally congratulate the couple on their accomplishment last week.
“Today is a day where people are asked to quit for a day, hopefully they may quit forever,” he said.
Mutabiilwa said smokers could call the New York State quitline 1-866-697-8487 for counsel and advice or visit the program’s web site at www.nysmokefree.com.