Staying Smoke Free

So... you've already decided not to smoke.  That's not an easy choice to make - good for you!  So what do you do when someone offers you a cigarette or tries to get you to smoke?  Sometimes it's not easy to say no to your friends.  Read on for ideas how.  Are you quitting smoking and need some help staving off those cravings?  Visit Cessation Resources for more info!

Ways to say NO

When someone tries to get you to smoke... here's some basic ways you can keep in mind to get out of it:

• GIVE A REASON why you don't want to smoke
• CHANGE THE SUBJECT - talk about something else
• SUGGEST another activity
• DELAY... tell them "maybe later"
• Give them a COMPLIMENT

Cool Comebacks

Sometimes it's tough to know what to say. People who try to get you to smoke sometimes have some hard-to-respond-to reasons why they think you should smoke.  Here's how you can shoot them down!

They say: I'll bet you've never tried a cigarette before!
You say: That's true... and I've never jumped in front of a moving car before either.

They say: You're just afraid to try it.
You say: You're right.  Cancer DOES scare me!

They say: Hey, do you want a cigarette?
You say: No thanks, I don't smoke.

They say: You're afraid your parents will find out.  Come on and try it, they'll never know.
You say: It's true they don't want me to smoke.  It's also true that I don't want to smoke.  And I know that they won't find out, because there won't be anything to find out about!

They say: If you were my friend, you'd smoke with me.
You say: I like to be your friend, but what does smoking have to do with it?

They say: If you were my friend, you'd smoke with me.
You say: If you were MY friend, you wouldn't ask me to do something that could kill me.

They say: Just one cigarette won't hurt you!
You say: You're right.  But it won't do me any good, either.

They say: I smoke and cigarettes haven't hurt me.  Look, I can still run faster than you!
You say: That's true, you can run faster than I can.  And if you didn't smoke, you could run even faster than you do now.  If I smoked, I'd only get slower than I am now.

They say: Grown-ups smoke.  Don't you want to be grown-up?
You say: Every grown-up I know who smokes wishes he didn't.  Besides, being grown-up means being independent.  Smoking means being dependent - on a dangerous habit.  What's grown-up about that?

They say: Are you sure you don't want a cigarette - just this once?
You say: No thanks, I don't smoke.

They say: I bet you've heard that your first cigarette can make you sick, and that's why you're afraid to try.
You say: Yeah, I've heard that, and getting sick is not my idea of a good time.

They say: Well just try one puff.  That won't make you sick.
You say: No, that will just make me cough. Why would I want to make myself cough?

They say: If you never try a cigarette, you'll never know what smoking feels like.
You say: You're right, but I don't plan to shoot myself in the foot just to find out what that feels like either.

They say: You know, a lot of people get cancer, even if they never have smoked
You say: I know.  And a lot of people get killed in car accidents even when it wasn't their fault.  But it's still a good idea to drive safely.

They say: I know some people who have smoked for thirty years, and they've never gotten cancer or heart disease.
You say: Some people are lucky.  I don't want to take a chance.

They say: You know, everybody smokes.  You're going to feel weird if you don't.
You say: Not everybody smokes.  I'm somebody, and I don't smoke - and I don't feel any different now than I ever did.

They say: Look, I just smoked a cigarette and nothing bad happened to me.
You say:I guess that depends on what you call bad.  Your heart is working harder now, your eyes don't see as well at night, your blood pressure is higher, and you've added a layer of brown gunk to the inside of your lungs.  I can do without that!!

Have you got more ideas for Ways to Say NO or Cool Comebacks?  Send them to us by Email, and we'll add them to the list!