Alpha Life Style Center

Re: Michigan Smoking Ban

There seem to be  many questions regarding the Smoking Ban that goes into effect on May 1, 2010 for all Michigan bars/restaurants. The two questions that I have heard most often are 1) Does the Michigan Smoking Ban affect private clubs? and 2) Does the ban apply to patio/outdoor seating areas?

The answer to both is YES. I have heard discussions about petitions requesting amendments to these areas of the law as it is currently written, but who knows!

Currently, the law states that the ban applies ANYWHERE that an establishment has a LICENSE to serve food/beverage. Even if a bar/restaurant WANTED to allow smoking on a patio in lieu of serving food/beverage, they WOULD NOT be allowed to.

Private clubs, Fraternal organizations, Veterans clubs, Country Clubs and other establishments with Club Licenses are subject to the same restrictions as all other licensees.

Thoughts?

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I have too much stress in my life right now…..I can’t quit smoking.

We have been conditioned our entire lives to use cigarettes to cope with stress…..it’s a knee-jerk reaction. What the addicted part of your brain WON’T tell you is how much cigarettes contribute to your stress. You’re likely reading this because you are a smoker, and you don’t like that you smoke. When we deliberately choose to do something that we know we shouldn’t, stress builds inside us on the subconscious level. Also, cigarettes have become very expensive. Spending money on something so harmful contributes to the stress of smoking. Additionally, many smokers are “closet” smokers in one or more aspects i.e. with employers or co-workers, with a mate/spouse, with children, health insurers. The struggle and inconvenience of hiding smoking paired with the fear and consequences of getting caught only compound the stress that this habit causes. The image associated with being a smoker has become increasingly negative. Even if you don’t think you care about this image consider how you felt the last time someone told you, “you know those will kill you,” or when someone hollered at you from a warm car while you were outside alone on 20 below day trying to choke down a smoke-it may have been shame, resentment, or downright anger……either way…..more stress. Let us also not forget to mention the amount of stress that smoking causes to the body physically. We know that smoking contributes to a variety of health conditions; high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks, strokes-to name only a few. If you suffer from one or more of these conditions and choose to continue to smoke…yet more stress that you may not even be aware of. 

It’s natural for individuals who make the commitment to quit smoking to be concerned about stressful situations, and consequently, failure-nobody wants to fail. Stressful situations make an individual vulnerable to relapse because the addicted brain knows how to take advantage of a vulnerable situation. A successful smoking cessation program should equip you with the knowledge and tools to combat those vulnerabilities, and the program at Alpha Life Style Center does just that. But I would also like to assure you that by quitting smoking you are actually eliminating a great deal of stress in your life that you are not even aware of. The power of addiction blocks your ability to see this clearly. You simply need to trust the process, trust us to support you, and trust yourself! As hours, days, and weeks of being smoke-free pass, the fog will lift and you will recognize the relief that occurs by quitting. Quitting smoking is an extremely empowering and liberating experience; ask any former smoker. And it’s that empowerment that can help you better cope with and/or manage other sources of stress in your life. Final thought: If you are a smoker who has attempted and/or succeeded with quitting smoking in the past, think back to the disappointment that an unsuccessful attempt or that the relapse caused. Many former smokers will agree that the event/stress that caused the relapse pales in comparison to the stress caused by the relapse.

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Why you shouldn’t be “trying” to quit smoking.

The word “try,” or any variation thereof is TOXIC when related to quitting smoking. If an individual is only “trying” to quit smoking they still have two options….to quit or not to quit. You see, failing falls under trying, but trying at least satisfies the intelligent minds’ need to make an attempt. You see, most smokers feel uncomfortable if they don’t at least “try” to quit smoking because they know they shouldn’t smoke. A weak attempt to quit smoking allows smokers to check “Try to quit smoking” off of their to-do list and to get it out of their minds, at least temporarily.

There is no accountability with “trying.” At Alpha Life Style Center we hear customers tell us everyday how many times they’ve tried to quit, or how many other different methods they’ve tried. Addiction is complex……a simple word can interfere with success. For example, if you tell a spouse or a roommate that you will try to get to the store after work, and then don’t make it-no big deal, right? After all, you didn’t commit to it. But if you promised that you would get to the store, you’re much less likely to neglect that duty. The same goes for quitting smoking. “Trying to quit” and “quitting” are two VERY different things. If you want to be successful with quitting smoking please understand the disadvantage you face if you are only “trying.”

Obviously the complexities of nicotine addiction go beyond simple words. Trying is a natural approach to quitting smoking….and each attempt is still valuable to your long-term success (see blog “I’ve tried quitting 50 times”). But it is my opinion that recognizing and correcting your words/thoughts can significantly increase your success. Don’t just try to quit, DECIDE to quit! And pay attention to others around you…….this discussion will continue to take on more meaning as you notice how often individuals report “trying” to quit smoking.

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