James F.’s Story

James
Meet James F.

James started smoking menthol cigarettes at age 14 in an attempt to be like his father. Thirty years later he decided to quit and adopt a much healthier lifestyle.

Now 48, James has been smokefree for 2 years and has made other important changes to improve his health. He became an avid cyclist and rides up to 10 miles every day for exercise. He also enjoys swimming and does some sort of cardio exercise every morning. He says if you smoke, you should quit.

James F.’s Videos


James F.'s: “I Can't Be Diabetic and Smoke Too”
When James was told he had diabetes, he knew he had to stop smoking in order to better manage his health. His healthcare provider told him that he needed to exercise more, and he found that smoking cigarettes made exercising difficult. For James, this became an important reason to quit smoking for good. This video is part of CDC’s campaign, Tips From Former Smokers®.
James F.'s Story
James started smoking menthol cigarettes as a kid to be like his father. He discusses his father’s health problems and their relationship in this video from CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers campaign.
James F.'s: “No, I Won't Buy You Smokes”
You never know when a decision you make could undermine your efforts to quit smoking. James describes a moment he had with his roommate after he had resolved to stop smoking cigarettes. James realized the potential for relapse, and took steps to make sure that it didn’t happen. This video is part of CDC’s campaign, Tips From Former Smokers®.
Cessation Tips Ad
You can quit smoking! This inspiring TV ad features Beatrice R., James F., and Wilma S. — three people who successfully quit smoking after many years. They share their practical tips on how to quit for good in this commercial from CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers® campaign.

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Today I start my quit journey. Free resources provided by smokefree.gov

James F.’s Biography


James’ father was well-liked and influential in the community. He also smoked menthol cigarettes. So James’ attempts to be more like his father naturally included smoking menthol cigarettes, starting at age 14. He recalled that the other African American kids he knew who smoked also used menthol cigarettes. But 30 years later, the damage from smoking started causing him health problems, and eventually James decided to quit.

James

Now 48, James has been smokefree for 2 years. He says quitting was hard—patches and sugar-free gum helped him—but his health continues to be a big motivator. Since he quit smoking, James has been able to make other important changes to improve his health. He became an avid cyclist, and began riding several miles to see his doctor at the VA hospital, “…a real accomplishment for me.” Now that he sees a doctor closer to his home, he still makes a point to ride 9 or 10 miles every day for exercise. He also enjoys swimming and does some sort of cardio exercise every morning.

James wanted to participate in the Tips From Former Smokers® campaign to send a message to people who think smoking isn’t going to hurt them just because they haven’t experienced a smoking-related health problem yet. He says if you smoke, you should quit.

“I want to help people like me quit smoking—people in their 40s. Maybe nothing really bad has happened to them yet,” says James. “Maybe you’re lucky, but you’re probably not going to stay lucky.”

Additional Resources


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