My dad grew up on those same ads, and has smoked off and on for the last 30 years. Several years ago, he tried a cigar for the first time, and has since given up cigarettes in favor of cigars.

For people who decide to quite smoking, the easiest part of the process is getting past the niccotine addiction, as it only takes a few days for the body to cleanse itself of niccotine. It’s getting used to being an ex-smoker that’s the most difficult, and is what drives most ex-smokers back to the habit. You wind up with so much more time on your hands, that was spent smoking, that you don’t know what to do with yourself when you quit.

Keep an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out.

Accept a claim, then demand proof. “OK, cigarettes don’t have any harmful effects. Back it up.” “OK, so that was a UFO. Where’s the physical evidence?” “OK, so is/causes/generates . Show your work.” Accept the proof unless you have evidence which either directly refutes the claim, or evidence which refutes an underlying principle of the claim.

You don’t have to believe something is true or false to ask for evidence of either.

“1000 years ago everyone knew the earth was the center of the universe. 500 years ago everyone knew the earth was flat, and 15 minutes ago you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what we’ll know tomorrow.”

Things are true right up until the moment that they’re not. Same thing goes for things like slavery or women’s rights. These were all acceptable by the populous at large right up until they weren’t, and today, they’re unthinkable.