In all three of the branches of the military, as well as the marines, and I believe as well in the coast guard, all recruits are not allowed to smoke or have access to cigarettes for the entire duration of boot camp, which is a minimum of nine weeks. In other word all recruits into America's armed forces are forced to go cold Turkey.

I was surprised by the high number of young recruits who would go back to smoking the moment they got out of boot camp, but a lot of young recruits, and most of the older recruits, did quit smoking.

Very few officers in the military smoke (those that do are usually older), and the majority of enlisted don't smoke.

Smoking is no longer seen as "cool", and those that didn't start smoking before they were 18, almost never start smoking.

Also, no government or military building allows smoking inside of it.

Kate Harding asked for suggestions that worked on ways to quit smoking. This one worked for me.

I went through an emergency apppendectomy and was unconscious for a little over 48 hours afterwards. Once awakened, habit suggested that it was time for a cigarette. Being in a hospital, that was not permissible. After thinking about it for a little bit, I remembered reading that it took about 48 hours for the drug aspect of smoking a cigarette to fade out of the human body.

I had previously tried to quit smoking on more than one occasion over many years. I decided to try one more time to see if I could do so when not subjected to the constant chemical re-enforcement by more cigarettes. The lack of a chemical dependency worked when nothing else did. I never even opened the package of cigarettes I carried around for a couple of weeks just in case I couldn't do it. Instead, that last pack went into the garbage.

Possibly, your doctor might be willing to help by putting you in the hospital for a couple of days in an unconscious state. Frankly, I think the overall medical costs to society would be greatly reduced if this procedure was financed by the government, particularly if financed by a tax on the tobacco companies.

Like Amyamyamy, I quit, after years of failed attempts, when I got too sick to even smoke. After three days of flu misery, I realized that it had been three days without smoking, the chance of a lifetime. I took it, and haven't smoked since. I was 20, and that was 34 years ago.

Seriously, if you should happen to get sick (and smokers get sick more often and more intensely than non-smokers), grab the chance to profit from the misery by getting a couple of smokeless days under your belt. Each successive day is easier. It took me about a year before I truly didn't ever want one.

It is very hard, and you have to develop the will to be a non-smoker. Once you do, you will be so glad. Good luck with this...it's so much more important for your health than the hormone issue.

And hope that it's insertion will someday soon be cover by medical insurance.

But I never had to quit smoking, because I never started.

I have never met a woman who said "smokers only."

1-800-quit-now. My husband used to work for them - they offer cbt to help people quit. Works pretty well.

AND...

IUD. It's the best.

I would love to use an IUD, but I am not eligible, since I have not had any children, and for some reason, that is a requirement. However, we are not yet ready to make that a permanent decision, so at the moment, the pill is the easiest/best option, given that I am allergic to latex. I'm glad they are doing more studies on use of hormonal birth control for women over 35, since I am not far from that milestone myself. More studies equals better science, in my view!

If I smell a cigarette (not the smoke, just the unlit cigarette) I get queasy.

If I smell cigarette smoke I become nauseated.

If I put it to my lips I gag.

If I take a puff, I vomit.

I'm getting a little sick just thinking about it.

I had been a Nuvaring user for years when I got a non-hormonal IUD. I was totally thrilled to get off hormones (because, like it or not, all our hormonal pee is actually really screwing up the aquatic life downstream) and to have the system just turned off for awhile without having to think about it or pay at the pharmacy every month. Gracious me, what a painful 7 months that was. Constant cramping and spotting and painful intercourse of all things! It's too bad really, works so well for so many, just not for me. Got a uterine fibroid somewhere along the way too - don't know which came first or if that was the pain or what. So back to the Ring while I debate sterilization - just get rid of the system if you really like sex but not into quitting smoking Ms. Harding! Non-surgical Essure blocks the tubes and you have control of your reproductive system!

C'mon - smoking? On the pill?! I'm not a smoker (of cigarettes at least) so I guess I don't get it. But please please don't complain like it's the doctor's or industry's fault. You have a plethora of options to obtain the lifestyle you desire - you are in control, after all.

I take a mini pill called Cerazette (http://www.cerazette.co.uk/main.asp)

I hadn't heard of it until I moved to Europe though, so I'm not sure if it is available in the US or if there is a US equivalent. It may not be as flexible as a combination pill, but it still has a 12-hour missed pill window, which really is enough. I take it to treat my endometriosis (I need something that stops the menstrual cycle completely, doesn't involve estrogen, and keeps my entire abdominal cavity from becoming... icky... at that time of the month.)

Also, I'm somewhat overweight and this pill is still effective, which is another issue for a lot of people wanting to take a mini-pill.