Whyquit.com versus the American Cancer Society

For all of the hype about the American Cancer Society being a resource when you want to quit smoking, they aren't. At least not as far as online support or message forums. Their forum is not well visited and they don't appear to even have any kind of a moderator to help people who go there at times begging for answers/resources. It was pretty disheartening. Don't get me wrong, some of their tips could be very helpful but as far as any type of active online community? They should just end the message board rather than tell people:

You're not alone. Connect with others who are trying to quit.

Yes, you are pretty much alone if you use their message board.

Now on to Whyquit.com where the only way to describe Joel is that he's the marine drill sergeant of quitting smoking and the only way he thinks works is to quit cold turkey and if you relapse? You are a miserable failure who should have just not taken that one puff because if you take just one puff you might as well just start smoking however much you did before. Yeah, he's that harsh. He also talks about how wrong other groups are that "understand" relapses. Which means he's talking about the American Cancer Society since they say:

Research shows that most people try to quit smoking 5 to 7 times before they succeed. (It's called a relapse when smokers go back to smoking like they were before they tried to quit.) If a relapse happens, think of it as practice for the time he or she will succeed. Don't give up your efforts to encourage and support your loved one.

WhyQuit's relapse policy:

Freedom's relapse policy is simple. Once we understand the Law of Addiction it deprives us of any legitimate excuse for relapse. Any member who relapses shall permanently lose posting privileges.

Joel's message board "Ask Joel" doesn't seem to be any better than the American Cancer Society's, the last message there was several months ago. Another irony about that particular board is the rules for it state you have to have not smoked for 72 hours which means during that first three day crazy period? No help for you.

:-)