James F.: Quitting Menthols After 30 Years, for His Diabetes and His Bike

James F. started smoking menthol cigarettes at 14, trying to be like his father — a well-liked, influential man in the community who smoked menthols too. The other African American kids James knew who smoked also used menthols. Thirty years later, smoking had begun to damage his health, and he decided to quit.

James F. Credit: CDC, Tips From Former Smokers.

Diabetes, and a reason to quit

When James learned he had diabetes, he knew he had to stop smoking to manage his health. His provider told him to exercise more, and he found that smoking made exercise hard — which became a key reason to quit for good. Quitting was hard, he says; nicotine patches and sugar-free gum helped, and his health keeps him motivated. Soon after he resolved to stop, a moment with his roommate — the subject of his campaign video "No, I Won't Buy You Smokes" — showed him how easily he could slip, and he took steps to make sure he didn't.

After quitting

Now 48 and smokefree for two years, James has made other changes too. He became an avid cyclist, at one time riding several miles to his doctor at the VA hospital — "a real accomplishment for me." Now that his doctor is closer to home, he still rides 9 or 10 miles every day for exercise. He also swims and does some cardio exercise every morning.

James F. Credit: CDC, Tips From Former Smokers.

His message

James joined CDC's Tips From Former Smokers campaign to reach people who think smoking won't hurt them because it hasn't yet. "I want to help people like me quit smoking — people in their 40s. Maybe nothing really bad has happened to them yet," he says. "Maybe you're lucky, but you're probably not going to stay lucky." If you smoke, he says, you should quit.

Free help to quit

Sources

Based on "James F.'s Story," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tips From Former Smokers campaign; a work of the United States government in the public domain.