Ron feels liberated. Matt is proud. Gregory can’t believe it. Jay loves it. Dustin is confident. James is free.

We’ve come to the end of the road. Our tobacco cessation support group at the Gay City Health Project joins for one last classroom session on Tuesday 2/16. The guys sit around the table and announce how they have quit successfully.

“I’ve smoked for 28 years,” Gregory shakes his head. He smirks impishly and adds, “Which means I started when I was 4...” He can’t believe he has successfully quit smoking. He’s the most alive I’ve seen him in these 7 weeks of the Out To Quit group, cracking jokes and breathing easy.

Ron’s quit is still going well! There are times that he thinks about smoking, but it’s less of a craving and more of a memory as time passes. He joined a football league in Seattle and looks forward to having more energy for his games. With his new success in quitting, he’s gaining the confidence to come out to his family and friends.

The first few days were rough for Jay, as they are for most folks quitting. He said the cravings were difficult and he missed the social aspect of smoking. Now he’s using nicotine lozenges in addition to nicotine patches to prevent withdrawal while he changes his habits. Ironically, he says, he now feels more social without tobacco. He worries less about how he smells. “I’m 100% kissable!” he announces! His boyfriend, who has accompanied him tonight in support, smiles at him.

James had a difficult go for the first few days, too. Insomnia, stress, constantly thinking about cigarettes: these are very common in the beginning of the quit process. He notices that it’s getting much better. “Yesterday, I was surprised at how easy it was!” he says. Though struggles still pop up, he says he can’t believe he used to smell and taste like cigarettes. “I asked my friends, ‘Did I actually stink?’ They were all too polite to tell me I did until after I quit.”

Matt has won out over cigarettes. He tells us about a challenge that arose last week when he was writing in his apartment. A well-dressed man in a striking sports car had parked outside of his building, dipped into the pocket of his blazer, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. No! Matt thought. He was worried the mystique of the scene would lure him into smoking again. But in that moment, Matt told himself that he would rather stay quit and enjoy his success than be tempted by an illusion of charm.

Like many folks quitting, Dustin had a couple slips here and there while he was on a work trip in Washington D.C. “I don’t know why I did,” he told us, describing how he went outside with a friend and simply smoked with her without thinking about it.

I asked Dustin, “What was the best part about smoking that cigarette?”

“I don’t know. It tasted horrible.”

He’s still doing great and winning this battle against addiction. He realizes in our meeting that he suffers from the habit more than cravings or withdrawal. We discussed raising awareness around addiction and asked what he could do with his friends next time instead of smoking. He’s putting together a relapse-prevention plan for himself so he can stay quit.

Lark, Dan and I could not be more proud of this group of gay men. Each of them has successfully quit tobacco. Cravings are a reality. Slips happen. But they have each taken steps on a journey to a fresher, freer, healthier way of life.

Next week we’ll all have dinner together in celebration of the group’s triumph in quitting an intensely difficult addiction. I look forward to seeing all these men one last time to hear their stories:

Matt, and how his writing is coming along.

Ergane, and what he’s using to cope with stress.

Gregory, and if he’s in good health.

Michael, and how his son is doing.

James, and how he’s sleeping.

Dustin, and what he’s doing to prevent slips.

Ron, and his coming out experience.

Jay, and how he’s managing to reinvent himself without cigarettes.

Tony, and what it’s like to be tobacco-free for 4 months!

Lark and Dan, and how happy we are for this committed, successful group.