Americans are quite willing to join an organization provided they get a membership card, pay dues that are taxdeductible, and get away from home at least one night a week. But alcoholics, gamblers and dope addicts who join such organizations as A.A., G.A., and Synanon have a special purpose. To get off the sauce, the dice or the pot, they need will power. And obviously will power languishes in loneliness but thrives in company.
Now there is a kind of A.A. for smokers. Like A.A., its meetings have spiritual overtones. It is led by a barnstorming preacher of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and a physician. At the end of their five-day course, they claim, 75% of all signees give up smoking, and up to 40% are still off tobacco a year later.
A Spartan Regime. From Seattle to New England, the Rev. Elman J. Folkenberg and Dr. J. Wayne McFarland have brought their weed-killing message to throngs of dry-throated smokers. Their approach is simple. "We consider smoking an intense neurophysical habit plus straight addiction," says Dr. McFarland. "So it has both physiological and psychological components. We deal with both."
They form penitents into groups of 25. And they install the buddy system: everyone who signs up gets the phone number of one other member, and pledges himself to check daily on his buddy's progress. Folkenberg gets smokers to repeat—in unison at meetings, and countless times a day—"I choose to give up smoking," as evidence that they are exercising their will power.
Along with the will power goes a Spartan regime, which specifies rhythmic breathing, with brisk walks, warm baths, cold rubdowns and a good night's rest. There is also a walloping dose of what sounds like near vegetarianism: a drink of warm water on awakening, only fresh fruit for breakfast (no coffee!), at least three glasses of water or juice during the morning, a sandwich and salad for lunch, more water or juice, and for dinner only light soup, fruit or green salad, with nothing headier than cottage cheese. Liquor is absolutely banned. So are pepper, mustard and other spices, along with spiced meats and rich desserts.
Never an S.A. Folkenberg and McFarland are already training other teachers in their methods. But there will never be an organization known as S.A. Once a smoker has shaken his habit, he is not about to remain anonymous. He is only too willing to tell the nicotine-stained how, through will power, he gave up the weed.