It is understandable that some will see Freedom's relapse policy as overly harsh, uncaring and unsupportive. Frankly, we see it as entirely the opposite. If we don't treat our members' relapse, health, life expectancy, and smoking's 50% kill rate seriously, then what legitimate grounds do we have to expect them to do the same? In our minds, absolutely none.
Even upon relapse I take comfort in three factors. First, I'm confident that their time with the group will have permanently burned the law of addiction into their mind as restated by four simple words ... Never Take Another Puff!
The very act of depriving them of the right to post in a nicotine-free forum hopefully tells them that we took their life seriously even if they didn't. It may or may not seem like a big deal to them at the time but a loss of posting privileges pales in comparison to the real losses and risks that they have intentionally reintroduced back into their life
Lastly, I take comfort in knowing that every Freedom, Joel's Library and WhyQuit resource available to you is still available to them as well, with just one exception. As for that one exception, there are a host of wonderful support forums across the Internet filled with quitters having dreams no less than ours. Our links page to free support sites can be found near the bottom under Support on WhyQuit's main page. They'll find that a number of support groups host complete copies of Joel's Library and see his work being openly shared within the group.
Yes, we actually expect members to succeed and truly believe that there is no legitimate excuse for relapse - none. It's our only substantive demand upon every member - that you take your life as seriously as we do.