Joe Arena quits smoking Part One

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - News 4's Joe Arena's daily routine has started with coffee and cigarettes for the past eight years.

For the better part of a decade, Arena has been a slave to nicotine and until just recently, he was OK with that fact.

Although Arena is still an active smoker, he is now aware of just how pointless it is.

Just ask anyone who smokes, "If you could go back and not have that first cigarette, would you?" They'd all probably answer, "You bet."

The first cigarette Arena had was when smoking was still allowed in restaurants. Arena was on a date, and the person he was with offered him one, he accepted without hesitation. But it wasn't until almost a year later when Arena actually began buying them.

Arena moved to West Virginia for his first on-air job, away from his familiar surroundings, and far away from home, he was nervous. Within a months time, Arena was smoking a pack a day. Except for a year between 2001 and today, Arena has been doing so.

A year ago, Arena moved to Buffalo and began working at Channel 4. Like his previous places of employment, one of the first things he did was seek out those who smoke.

Arena can be found around 4:30 a.m. every day, puffing away outside of the station, just before he heads onto the set to co-anchor Wake Up with Victoria Hong.

In fact, when coworkers can't find him they usually end up looking out where he smokes.

Arena recently celebrated his 33rd birthday, a day Arena promised his girlfriend Mary Claire that he would quit. Well, he didn't. But he can say, that he is more aware of what this addiction is doing to him. The fact that he now refers to it as an addiction is a step in the right direction.

Arena used to call it a habit, he eats chocolate every time he sees it but he can go weeks without it. And, he doesn't carry it around with him all the time.

That shiny pack of smokes is something he never leaves home without.

So, Joe is setting a date, November 4th will be the last day he ever smokes. He has too much to live for, and more importantly he now knows it.

"I think it'll be better for both of us, I think Joe will feel better about it, I think he'll feel better about himself for having done it. I know it's something he wants to do, although it is something thats very difficult," said Arena's girlfriend Mary Claire.

While Arena has the support from home, he is also getting help from a coworker, Dr. Peter Ostrow, who is going to get him through this.