by Jane Smith

Created on: December 27, 2008   Last Updated: January 07, 2009

Quitting smoking, at any time, is a Herculean task. Resolving to quit smoking during the wee hours of the largest international party of the year is somewhat unnerving, at best, and horribly unrealistic and, therefore, depressingly and unhealthily unsuccessful, at worst.

Speaking as one formerly heavy smoker (who is descended from formerly heavy smokers) to all of the smokers in the world, I finally KNOW the secret to quitting painlessly! So painlessly, in fact, that, if you genuinely wish to begin at one minute after midnight on January 1st, you may without fear of faltering; although I would recommend that you wait until the New Year partying is finished...little says "nightcap with your friends" like a good smoke.

During the worst blizzard in recorded history, our friends were gathered at our home and we played games, told jokes, and discussed a variety of subjects. At some point, one friend noted how much I had smoked during the evening. I laughed and said, in effect, 'I do not smoke all that much. See? I still have two cigarettes in my pack.' Suddenly, I realized that those two cigarettes were all that remained of my SECOND pack of the day. I, immediately, put out my cigarette and quit smoking, right then and there. This is not the method which I am recommending, herein. In fact, it did work, extremely well, for a full decade. I looked and felt wonderfully healthy. Away at school, however, a devotedly non-smoking roommate decided to smoke a cigarette. Feeling (once again) impervious, I said that I would join her. One cigarette. One cigarette. I was that quickly hooked, all over again, although I was unable to admit it to myself until the fifth pack in seven days. Quitting cold, smoking exotic brands, using a cigarette holder, and even hypnosis did not work for me.It was five years, of doing my very best to quit again, before an actress friend told me about the following method which her father used. I, half-heartedly agreed to try it, upon her insistence. It worked. On my schedule!

THE BETTY DAVIS METHOD:

Did you ever notice how elegantly Betty Davis smoked a cigarette on screen? She was a fine actress. She did not inhale, yet, the casual observer would be unlikely to notice it. The Betty Davis Method of quitting smoking is to continue smoking, at will, without inhaling at any time. At some point, approximately one year or so later, you will no longer want to smoke. And you will not smoke, of your own volition, all at your own pace. Moreover, you will be able

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