The first reason I need to quit smoking hits close to home, literally on my lips.
I have a sun condition, and everything I’ve read warns that smoking will make that condition worse.
The thought of my lips turning black haunts me. It’s a visible reminder that what I’m putting into my body is working against my health in ways noticeably visible.
The Cycle of Unhealthy Habits
When I smoke, I overeat.
It’s not just any food I crave; it’s the worst kind. Not fresh fruits or nutritious meals, but sweets and carbs. Everything processed, everything that makes me feel sluggish afterwards.
This overeating leads to weight gain, which creates a domino effect of health problems like reactivating the pain of a knee injury. I’m essentially paying money to make myself unhealthy, setting myself up for hospital bills I can’t afford and an early grave I don’t want.
The irony isn’t lost on me: spending money to destroy my health, which will eventually cost me even more money to fix.
The Social Reality
I also wish the earthy scent wasn’t so telling. Sometimes I worry about walking into professional spaces or meeting new people, carrying that unmistakable smell. It’s not about being ashamed of who I am, but about recognising that first impressions matter. And those impressions can keep doors I need open closed.
The scent can attract judgment or the wrong kind of attention before people even get to know who you are.
There’s a painful contradiction here: the people who might judge me for smoking might not be my people anyway. But how will I know if the door stays closed?
I have to be honest about how this habit affects how others perceive me.
The Spiritual Conflict
Here's what should have been my first reason, though I realise I buried it beneath everything else: this habit conflicts with my faith.
I keep telling myself that weed is less harmful than cigarettes (which is true), that it is directly from Mother Nature. Pure.
The missing point is "no one sin is worse than another in God’s eyes."
It’s like being cut with a knife; whether the cut is deep or shallow, you’re still bleeding. The harm is still harm.
God should come first in my decisions, but I keep putting everything else before Him. That's my real problem.
The Financial Drain
Every week, I spend money on something that's actively working against my well-being.
Even if I do get temporary fulfilment from it, my conscience feels guilty knowing the cost is more than the money itself.
It costs me peace of mind since I constantly hear the whispering judgments. The internal debates on whether I should stop or simply moderate.
Finding Better Ways to Relax
I’ve discovered I can achieve that same mile-high feeling through other means. Refine the same vice with a healthier approach.
In the form of a cup of tea instead of smoke.
There are also other ways to be with nature, like long walks, some quiet time for reflection at the beach, or even just taking fresh air with deep breaths, which can help without negative consequences.
There have been many times I stopped smoking for long periods, and I realised I didn’t need the puff of herbs to unwind.
Moving Forward
This reflection has put secondary concerns—appearance, money, social perception—before the primary one: my relationship with God and respect for the body He gave me.
While all these reasons matter, they should flow from that central truth rather than overshadow it.
The path forward isn’t just about quitting a habit; it’s about realigning my priorities and choosing practices that honour both my faith and my health.
P.S. I'm almost at 60 days of being a non-smoker.
This post was originally published on Medium and is cross-shared here on Substack with my Travelling Poet Community.
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