Why do they call the act of quitting smoking abruptly "Cold Turkey"?

”The etymology derives from the phrase talk turkey, in which someone deals matter-of-factly with a subject. Some, however, believe the derivation is from the comparison of a cold turkey carcass and the state of a withdrawing addict — most notably, the cold sweats and goose bumps. It is often preceded by the verb “to go,” as in “going cold turkey.” Yet another suggestion of origin is that cold turkey is a dish that needs little or no preparation. “To quit like cold turkey” would be to quit in the same way a cold turkey is served, instantly just as you are without preparation.”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_turkey

probably something awefully racist.

“In the 1955 film The Man With The Golden Arm former card shark, heroin addict and reformed convict Frankie Machine (Frank Sinatra) is slipping back into old habits, struggling to kick his heroin addiction once and for all and quits in his own words “cold turkey”, suffering the tortures of heroin abstinence including muscle cramps, chills, tremors and profuse sweating in a legendary performance.” – Also on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_turkey

@ragingloli, lol – why would you even think that??

I take it to mean a turkey without it’s feathers to keep it warm exposing it to the elements and thus the comparison to an addiction, withdrawals,etc. I picture a naked , cold turkey standing in the cold winter….....hey, where’s my hot chocolate?

@SolitaryMan – That’s probably the best description of the term, I’ve ever heard. Let’s all go with that one!

@d_felice
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey
and cold a.k.a. dead

that was supposed to be a joke

Very interesting @ragingloli. That wouldn’t have occurred to me but I guess I can see the correlation.

Basically, because the process of heroin withdrawal gives you goose bumps, so your skin looks like the skin of a turkey that has been plucked and put in the fridge, awaiting being cooked. The phrase dates back to 1910 and states that it originally meant “without preparation,” referring to the ease of making a dish of cold turkey. In 1922, the expression acquired its darker connotation related to drug withdrawal. Source

Since turkeys typically have skin similar to that of light-skinned Caucasian peoples I can’t imagine it would be particularly racist.

@ragingloli If it was meant to be racist I believe the term would be “cold Turk” but I follow @Darwin in the reasoning of skin color as well.

I’ve no idea but I’m 2.5 weeks into the dark belly of the cold turkey. Well lukewarm turkey as I’m using Nicotine Replacement Therapy. One thing that is making me determined to stick with it and not start smoking again is I never want to go through what I am now again.

I quit cold turkey 4½ years ago,,breathing great, I’m proud of myself.

@SolitaryMan did you get ill at all when you quit? I’ve been really quite bad, fully constipated for over a week, when I did finally go I thought I was giving birth to something, still not quite back to my regular self there but getting better. I’ve had stomach cramps, been nauseous, really bad headaches, chronic fatigue, cold like symptoms. Haven’t gotten moody or snappy yet though.

Oh and well done on giving up the evil weed.

No pain whatsoever, just that terrible separation syndrome…....like a bad ex you know was bad for you.

Because of power outages during Thanksgiving.