Jeanne Noonan, NY Daily News
Some people choose the patch. Others the gum. Not Richie Magic. To kick his 40-year smoking habit, he put out 200 lit cigarettes on his tongue and then chewed them to ensure they were fully extinguished.
In just 6 minutes and 3.7 seconds, Magic, 53, set a world record for "orally extinguishing, chewing and expelling" one carton of cigarettes, Dr. David Adamovich, president of the Record Holders Republic, told the New York Daily News.
"I got pretty bad blisters," says the Scarsdale, N.Y. native. "After I finished I definitely felt dizzy... I was gagging. It was horrible, but I didn't want to leave to go to the hospital."
World record rules only permitted Magic to extinguish five cigarettes on his tongue at a time. However, there was no limit to how many he could have inside his mouth. Since he had to chew the cigarettes to make sure they were fully extinguished, at one point he had 40 or 50 in his mouth.
For Magic, though, it wasn't about himself, the pain or even the world record. It was for the kids.
After retiring from a 26-year career as a Westchester County correction officer, Magic legally changed his last name and became a master magician, a hobby he had been toying with since he was 10 years old. As a result, his new vocation found him surrounded by kids, some of whom look up to him. He didn't want to pass his habit onto anyone else, especially children, so he decided to quit smoking and get his message out loud and clear.
"I came up with the idea to tell [kids] how disgusting it was, for me to say that your mouth is going to taste, smell and feel like a human ashtray," he says. By Magic's count, nearly 100 children and teenagers attended the August 29 event. "After 20 or 30 [cigarettes], I started to feel like I was gagging. I was just staring at the little kids and [wanted to] yell at them, 'This is for you!'"
"I'm not smoking," Jennifer Mitchinson, 9, of England, vowed after watching Magic's act, according to the Daily News.
"I'm still ecstatic. I'm so hyped up with adrenaline. Im so happy that I helped a lot of kids," he says. "They looked at me like a hero."
In the past, Magic hadn't really committed to kicking his two to three pack a day habit. "I chewed the gum, and I smoked with it and got really dizzy," he says. "I guess I wasn't ready."
Even though Magic admits he wasn't concerned with his own welfare, a medical doctor was on-hand to take his pulse and check his mouth while he was performing the stunt. "There were burn marks and blistering, but he wasn't that concerned about it," he says.
Two days later, the blistering in Magic's mouth still hadn't subsided, making it painful for him to talk. The only treatment he's used to assuage his throbbing mouth is gargling with salt water. "I'm going to survive," he says. "But I can never smoke another cigarette. I can't let these kids down. It was so worth it."
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Smoking Cessation Tips
By Mary Kearl
Why Your Help Mattters
Half of smokers will die of smoking-related health problems, so it's terribly important for loved ones and familymembers to help them quit," says Norman Edelman, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the American Lung Association. No matter how much damage smokers have done to their lungs, they can slow it. The greatest chance of successfully quitting comes with a combined approach, medication along with a support system, says Dr. Edelman. So what can you do to help? Find quit assist methods here.
Why Your Help Mattters
Half of smokers will die of smoking-related health problems, so it's terribly important for loved ones and familymembers to help them quit," says Norman Edelman, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the American Lung Association. No matter how much damage smokers have done to their lungs, they can slow it. The greatest chance of successfully quitting comes with a combined approach, medication along with a support system, says Dr. Edelman. So what can you do to help? Find quit assist methods here.
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Smoking Cessation
By Mary Kearl
Why Your Help Mattters
"Half of smokers will die of smoking-related health problems, so it's terribly important for loved ones and familymembers to help them quit," says Norman Edelman, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the American Lung Association. No matter how much damage smokers have done to their lungs, they can slow it. The greatest chance of successfully quitting comes with a combined approach, medication along with a support system, says Dr. Edelman. So what can you do to help? Find quit assist methods here.
Know What to Expect
"A person has to want to quit," says Michael Thun, MD, medical expert for the American Cancer Society. As a loved one your efforts can only go so far, but you can be an attentive listener and guide during the quitting process. The basic phases include deciding when and if to quit, choosing a quit-date and plan, surviving withdrawals and relapses," says Dr. Thun. Nagging someone to stay quit doesn't work, but the support of a child can be very powerful, says Dr. Thun.
Help Set Realistic Goals
Help pick a quit-date, usually 10 days ora few weeks in the future is best. Strategize ways to fight potential slips and cravings -- like taking a walk, drinking water, chewing gum, calling a friend or eating a healthy snack. Make sure you discuss how she or he will deal with relapse. According to the American Lung Association the average person is successful after 2-4 quit attempts.
Celebrate Successes
"Be a cheer leader," says Dr. Edelman. Celebrate the first smoke-free day, week, month, until quitting is second nature. When a loved one of Dr. Thun's was trying to quit, his children sent her a "quit calendar" with a sticker to wear on every day she didn't smoke.
Have the Sex Talk
Many people think of quitting when they get pregnant, now recent studies show that a man's pack-a-day habit can make him nearly 40 percent more likely to struggle with erectile dysfunction than men who don't smoke. Women who smoke have a harder time getting pregnant, and women who breathe second-hand smoke have many pregnancy risks, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or stillborn, and birth-risks including small birth weight, increased illnesses, and learning problems.
Quit Together
"If there are two smokers in a household the very best way to quit is to quit together," says Dr. Edelman. The two of you can keep each other going by saying, "We made the first week together, let's try the next week and one more and one more," says Dr. Edelman.
What Not to Do
If you are a smoker (even a social one), don't smoke or talk about smoking. Don't put them in avoidable trigger situations like drinking, gambling, high-stress environments, or grabbing a cup of coffee. If your friend has gained weight since quitting, don't comment. "It's far better to gain a few pounds than die of a smoking related disease," says Dr. Edelman. Also, if tossing out cigarettes has made your loved one crankier, don't fight back, cautions Dr. Edelman.
Be a Non-Smoking Friend
Do whatever it takes to be helpful and supportive during cravings and relapses. Be the person to talk to on the phone with, to take a walk with during a party where people are drinking and smoking. Provide a social outlet if your friend isn't ready to hang out with his or her smoking friends.
Image credit: Stockdisc
Talk About Who It Hurts
If your loved one lives with anyone or has children, he or she will most likely pass on smoking-related health problems like heart disease and lung cancer caused by secondhand smoke to those they love (maybe evenyou). So, talk to them about the facts. Kids exposed to secondhand smoke are at risk for acute respiratory infections, ear problems, more frequent and severe asthma attacks and now studies show allergies too. Children of smokers are more likely to smoke. The good news is smoking teens whose parents quit smoking are 1.5 times more likely to quit, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Talk About Reward$
Help them calculate their savings from quitting. The average smoker spends upwards of $1000 a year on cigarettes. But not just that, other smoking costs include teeth cleanings, paying to clean cigarette smoke out of clothes, furniture and linens. There are health costs too; American smokers spend about $50 billion each year for smoking-related illnesses, according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Image credit: Getty Images
