Holy Shit, I Made It! – Radtech04 HOF Speech

I started smoking cigarettes in high school at the age of 16, just a couple a week to start with, when hanging out with my friends. I didn’t need them, I just “wanted” them, because that was the “cool” thing to do. Well, that changed and next thing I know, I am smoking 1-2 packs a day. After about 7 years, and a nice “smoker’s cough” later, I decided I needed to stop.

So, in January 2005 , I bought my first can of Skoal Long Cut Wintergreen. I knew I could quit smoking by chewing, and that I would never get “hooked” on chew, because my wife thought it was absolutely disgusting, and I new I wouldn’t do it around her. WRONG! It wasn’t long, and I was piling a can or more of that shit in my lip every single day. I had to have it, I enjoyed chewing, it made me feel good.

Well, the “newness” wore off and pretty soon, I didn’t enjoy it anymore, I hated it, I hated who I had become. I wouldn’t even talk to my family in the morning, until I had my first dip. I always seemed to want to be by myself, probably so I could dip in peace and quiet. I was such a fucking douche bag because of that shit. Mowing, Cookouts, Fishing, Hunting, Driving, Working, Coaching, Beer drinking, just about everything that I did on a day to day basis required a dip of Skoal. I was also smoking again too. Maybe just 4-5 a day, but still, not good.

My wife asked me numerous times to quit. My kids asked me numerous times to quit, but I was too arrogant to see “the big picture”. I was thinking I was only hurting myself , not anyone else, and besides life would be too hard without it, so why bother?

Then I discovered this site in the middle of May 2010. I wanted to read some of the stories, and see how this place worked, so I created a user name and started reading. I spent every day on here reading and looking at cancer pictures. The story that touched me the most was the Tom Kern story. It finally hit me(like a ton of bricks), that I would eventually die from this shit.

So, on 6-23-2010 ( 2 days after Father’s Day) I stopped being a pussy and posted Day 1 on this site. I am not going to lie, it was the hardest thing that I have ever done. I joined in on some drama, and spent a lot of time in chat. Actually made some pretty good friends on here.

There is no way in hell I could have done this without the help from my wife and brothers and sisters on this site. A special thanks goes out to; my beautiful wife Adina, my Sept 2010 ANUS Bros, Chewie, MikeA (and his wife), Tabasco, MOA(FAG), Instigator, Tattedquitter, April 2008 HOF, JPine, Redtrain, and the creaters of this awesome site, and many more. You my friends have saved my life, and I am forever grateful!

To all the new quitters who are interested in this site, I highly recommend it! By sticking with the plan, and talking a whole lot of smack, I was able to make it to the HOF. This is just the beginning, and I realize I will always be an addict, and have to fight this addiction forever. However, I feel that now I have the right mindset and resources I need, to never put that shit in my lip again! I don’t know about tomorrow, but I sure as fuck ain’t chewing today! radtech04 (Eric)

NOTE: This piece written by KillTheCan.org forum member radtech04