--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anyone who's been a heavy drinker and…" description: "\"Anyone who's been a heavy drinker and heavy smoker and has the good future to survive that and give it up knows what a very different kind of daily exi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/leonard-cohen-448_cigarette_anyone-who-s-been-a-heavy-drinker-and-he_753970.jpg" --- # Anyone who's been a heavy drinker and heavy smoker and has… ![“Anyone who's been a heavy drinker and heavy smoker and has the good future to survive that and give it up knows what a very different kind of daily existence one has. I was smoking a couple of packs of cigarettes a day. And I was drinking heavily on tours.” quote by Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/leonard-cohen-448_cigarette_anyone-who-s-been-a-heavy-drinker-and-he_753970.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/leonard-cohen-448_cigarette_anyone-who-s-been-a-heavy-drinker-and-he_753970.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/leonard-cohen-448_cigarette_anyone-who-s-been-a-heavy-drinker-and-he_753970.jpg) > “Anyone who's been a heavy drinker and heavy smoker and has the good future to survive that and give it up knows what a very different kind of daily existence one has. I was smoking a couple of packs of cigarettes a day. And I was drinking heavily on tours.” [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Heavy drinking and smoking reshape daily life, and quitting reveals a markedly different existence **In simple terms:** Quitting substances changes daily life Key Takeaway Recognize how habits shape your day Themes addiction self‑control transformation Mood reflective determined Type personal reflective When to use this quote - Touring musician life - post‑addiction recovery - daily routine redesign Key Concepts Neurobiology of habit psychology of change Questions to Reflect On - How did quitting alter your perception of daily routines? - What new habits replaced the old ones? A Different Perspective Recovery can be socially isolating and financially challenging ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cigarette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cigarette/) [Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different kinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-kinds/) [Drinker Heavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinker-heavy-5859499/) [Drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking/) [Drinking Heavily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking-heavily-697802/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Good future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-future/) [Heavy Drinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavy-drinker-781641/) [Heavy Smoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavy-smoker-1446100/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Packs Cigarettes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/packs-cigarettes-1619692/) [Smoking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smoking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not really a heavy smoker any more. I only get through two lighters a day now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-m-not-really-a-heavy-smoker-any-more-i-only-get-through-two/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [After that, whenever I drove past Mangakahia, I would empty my ashtray - and I was a heavy smoker in those days - on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/after-that-whenever-i-drove-past-mangakahia-i-would-empty-my-ashtray/) [David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/) > [I'm a heavy smoker. I go through two lighters a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-m-a-heavy-smoker-i-go-through-two-lighters-a-day/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [Until I was diagnosed with mouth cancer, I'd never heard of it. 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They smoked.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baldacci/the-packs-of-cigarettes-available-here-carried-the-typical-skulls-and/) [David Baldacci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baldacci/) > [Two packs of cigarettes a day, e strongest whiskey Kentucky can make. That's a recipe to put a vagabond On his hands and knees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinedown/two-packs-of-cigarettes-a-day-e-strongest-whiskey-kentucky-can-make/) [Shinedown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinedown/) > [My friend is an idiot. He smokes three packs of cigarettes a day. He won't quit, either. His big excuse is, "Why should I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-rogell/my-friend-is-an-idiot-he-smokes-three-packs-of-cigarettes-a-day-he/) [Gregg Rogell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-rogell/) > [“The packs of cigarettes available here carried the typical skulls and crossbones on them, but apparently no one in North Korea cared.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baldacci/the-packs-of-cigarettes-available-here-carried-the-typical-skulls-and-2/) [David Baldacci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baldacci/) > [“You're on a blind date. The only other questions is: Why aren't you drinking heavily?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-adams/you-re-on-a-blind-date-the-only-other-questions-is-why-aren-t-you/) [Alex Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-adams/) > [“..he began drinking heavily and lived in a way which a friend described as making sense "only if he had no expectations of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james-2/he-began-drinking-heavily-and-lived-in-a-way-which-a-friend-described/) [P.D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james-2/) > [“It's impossible to be a good writer if you haven't lived badly. A past life of drinking heavily, fighting and whoring all help to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-scott/it-s-impossible-to-be-a-good-writer-if-you-haven-t-lived-badly-a-past/) [Ken Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-scott/) > [“progeny, started to go off the rails, drinking heavily”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-wilford/progeny-started-to-go-off-the-rails-drinking-heavily/) [Hugh Wilford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-wilford/) > [It's that idea that you can have one drink - and no you can't. Within a week I was drinking heavily. It was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/it-s-that-idea-that-you-can-have-one-drink-and-no-you-can-t-within-a/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) ## More by Leonard Cohen > [The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold and it's overturned the order of the soul...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-blizzard-of-the-world-has-crossed-the-threshold-and-it-s/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Don't matter if you're rich and strong Don't matter if you're weak Don't matter if you write a song The nightingales repeat Don't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/don-t-matter-if-you-re-rich-and-strong-don-t-matter-if-you-re-weak/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“You don't know me from the wind you never will, you never did I'm the little jew who wrote the Bible. I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-don-t-know-me-from-the-wind-you-never-will-you-never-did-i-m-the/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“This is it I’m not coming after you I’m going to lie down for half an hour This is it I’m not going down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-is-it-i-m-not-coming-after-you-i-m-going-to-lie-down-for-half-an/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [My sense of proprietorship has been so weak that actually I didn't pay attention and I lost the copyrights on a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/my-sense-of-proprietorship-has-been-so-weak-that-actually-i-didn-t/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can... reconcile and embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-world-is-full-of-conflicts-and-full-of-things-that-cannot-be/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [ I would say the hummingbird really deserves the royalties on \[some of my songs\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-would-say-the-hummingbird-really-deserves-the-royalties-on-some-of/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [One is given to self-dramatization from time to time. I intend to live forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/one-is-given-to-self-dramatization-from-time-to-time-i-intend-to-live/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [The basic function of popular music is to create an environment for courting, lovemaking, and doing the dishes. It's useful because it addresses the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-basic-function-of-popular-music-is-to-create-an-environment-for/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Blessed are you, embrace of the falling, foundation of the light, master of the human accident.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/blessed-are-you-embrace-of-the-falling-foundation-of-the-light-master/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I continually blacken pages and scribble away, so I always have a number of songs that are half-finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-continually-blacken-pages-and-scribble-away-so-i-always-have-a/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I have nothing against the Queen of England. Even in my heart I never resented her for not being Jackie Kennedy. She is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-have-nothing-against-the-queen-of-england-even-in-my-heart-i-never/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I loved you when you opened like a lily to the heat; you see I’m just another snowman standing in the rain and sleet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-loved-you-when-you-opened-like-a-lily-to-the-heat-you-see-i-m-just/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-time-that-we-began-to-laugh-and-cry-and-cry-and-laugh-about-it/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“I followed the course From chaos to art Desire the horse Depression the cart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-followed-the-course-from-chaos-to-art-desire-the-horse-depression/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) [Explore all 543 Leonard Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## More Cigarette quotes > [“Yeah,' I said and started smoking another cigarette. Unless I inform you otherwise, I'm always smoking another cigarette.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/yeah-i-said-and-started-smoking-another-cigarette-unless-i-inform-you/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [Books were always important. I have to thank my father, he filled my life with books. He didn't write but he always read. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rawi-hage/books-were-always-important-i-have-to-thank-my-father-he-filled-my/) [Rawi Hage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rawi-hage/) > [The risk of developing carcinoma of the lung increases steadily as the amount smoked increases. If the risk among non-smokers is taken as unity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-doll/the-risk-of-developing-carcinoma-of-the-lung-increases-steadily-as/) [Richard Doll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-doll/) > [We have too many preacherettes preaching too many sermonettes to too many Christianettes smoking cigarettes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/we-have-too-many-preacherettes-preaching-too-many-sermonettes-to-too/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [Since I don't smoke, I decided to grow a mustache - it is better for the health. However, I always carried a jewel-studded cigarette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-dali/since-i-don-t-smoke-i-decided-to-grow-a-mustache-it-is-better-for-the/) [Salvador Dali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-dali/) > [If the fact that people make poor decisions is reason enough for the government to second-guess their decisions about dangerous activities such as smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-sullum/if-the-fact-that-people-make-poor-decisions-is-reason-enough-for-the/) [Jacob Sullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-sullum/) > [“When I was young” … “Before I was twenty, I mean, I used to think that life was a thing that kept gaining impetus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bowles/when-i-was-young-before-i-was-twenty-i-mean-i-used-to-think-that-life/) [Paul Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bowles/) > [They represent tomorrow's cigarette business. . . As this 14-24 age group matures, they will account for a key share of the total cigarette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-reynolds/they-represent-tomorrow-s-cigarette-business-as-this-14-24-age-group/) [R. J. Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-reynolds/) > [If all boys could be made to know that with every breath of cigarette smoke they inhale imbecility and exhale manhood ... and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-maxim/if-all-boys-could-be-made-to-know-that-with-every-breath-of-cigarette/) [Hudson Maxim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hudson-maxim/) > [The ratings thing is the real issue. It really hurts movies. For example, in Redbelt, I smoked. The whole plot of my character was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/the-ratings-thing-is-the-real-issue-it-really-hurts-movies-for/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [I am a completely horizontal author. 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You believe in God and life after death. I also believe. When we come to the other world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/you-re-a-religious-man-you-believe-in-god-and-life-after-death-i-also/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) [Browse all 787 Cigarette quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cigarette/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Anyone who's been a heavy drinker and heavy smoker and has the good future to survive that and give it up knows what a very different kind of daily existence one has. I was smoking a couple of packs of cigarettes a day. 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