Vices: Smoking (Tobacco)

[Dave Gray]

This was kind of a hard question to phrase, so do your best with the choices provided.  I have friends that claim they don't smoke, but I see them smoking all the time, which I don't get. 

So, if you smoke: How much?  How often?  What's your brand?  Do you like smoking?  Do you want to quit?  Have you tried quitting?  When did you first start?  How do you feel about cigars vs. cigarettes?

[Dave Gray]

I don't smoke.  I hate it, actually...cigarettes anyway.  I had one puff of a cigarette when I was like 18, and it was only to get my friends to get off my back.  I haven't had a puff since and have no intention to.

I will very, very rarely smoke a cigar....like once every year or something like that, and it's only if I'm given one for celebration.  I had a cigar last year as a prop for a costume I was wearing (The Comedian from Watchmen).  Before that, my old boss had a baby and handed out cigars, which I smoked at Fau's wedding.  That was like 2 years ago.

I don't understand the lure of cigarettes.  I wish they were wiped off the face of the Earth.  They are totally gross.  The smoke coming off them makes me feel sick.  I'm very sensitive to it and probably allergic.

[Frimp]

I smoke. Would like to quit, and have tried unsuccessfully several times. I smoke less than a pack a day, However when I drink, I smoke ALOT more. My brand was Camel Filters until the outrageous tax hike got added to them in 2009. Then I switched to Pall Mall. I am 37, and started when I was 15. If I was able to quit cigs, I might smoke a cigar every once and a while though. I try to be a 'polite' smoker, as in I won't smoke around non smokers in an enclosed area.

One thing to think about though in defense of smokers. If everyone quit smoking, and the government lost that revenue, everyones taxes would go up. Not justifying it, just saying people should keep that in the back of their minds before sneering at smokers, or throwing things at them, and generally being hostile to them. Not saying everyone acts like that, but those things have happened to me while smoking outside.

[Dave Gray]

I don't care that people smoke, really.  I don't mind it too much in open air.  But when I go out partying on Friday night, I have a sore throat the next day, my jacket needs to be washed, my eyes burn, and my hands and hair are chalky.

The Casino here is even worse.  You need to win enough money to pay for emphysema treatment.

As for your statement about losing tax revenue, Frimp, that's true.  But you'd also reduce the amount of money needed to go towards cancer treatment, though.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I have never tried it. 

Well... that is not completely true.  I have no conscious recollection of ever trying smoking.  But apparently at the age of 2 I asked my dad if I could try his cigar and he said yes.  I took a deep breath and got sick. 

Needless to say, this was not one of dad's finest moments in parenting and my mom was apparently quite livid.  But I guess the upside is I never once since then have ever had the slightest desire to smoke. 

My mom smoked at lot so when I was younger I was quite tolerant to people smoking around me and I would hardly notice.  Now it bothers me immensely.  Fortunately, living in New York State where indoor smoking is banned almost everywhere including bars.  But when I lived in Michigan it sucked.

As for the tax revenue argument if everyone quit smoking tax revenues would go down, but so would health care costs the government pays for low income, medicare, government workers who get heath insurance thru their employer.  Also the fire department's costs would go down as there would be less fires caused by smokers.  We would spend less money cleaning up parks and streets of cigarette butts.  Buildings that have smokers in them require more maintenance to clean and need to be repainted more often.  So not allowing people to smoke inside government buildings saves money. 

[Brian Fein]

I have relatives who have died due to smoking-related lung diseases.  For that reason and others, I am very against smoking.  I don't care if others smoke, but I would request it to not be in my home.  I hate the smell of cigarettes and find it to be rude when people blow smoke in your face.

But that's just me.

My opinion - smoking is nasty.

[SportsChick]

Never have, never will

[Pappy13]

When I was about 16 some friends and I thought it would be cool to start smoking so we bought a couple packs of cigarettes.  I smoked maybe 6 or 8 cigarettes in one day and absolutely hated it.  They taste bad, I burned my fingers trying to light them, my eyes were burning from the smoke and my breath smelled terrible.  I never saw the appeal, so I quit that day and I've never tried them again.

I will have a cigar from time to time depending on the occasion and they are ok, but not really anything that I would do on a regular basis.  My dad smoked a pipe and I really liked the smell of his pipe and have at times thought of trying that, but I never have.

My wife smokes about 1/2 pack a day and has since she was a teenager.  The thing that really upsets me is that she quit when she was pregnant with each of our children but then started up again after they were born.  I begged her not to start again after each child but anytime she is around others who smoke the urge is too much and she starts back up.  It doesn't really bother me as she doesn't smoke in the house, she always goes outside to smoke.  We sit in the no smoking section at restaraunts and such because she doesn't like to be around others that smoke when we eat and when we are in the car she cracks her window and holds the cigarette outside so the car doesn't get smokey, but I just wish she would quit for her health.  It would also save us a ton of money as they have gotten outrageous in cost.

[Sunstroke]

I've smoked for 38 years now, which is about 38 too long. Cost considerations aside, I really need to quit...before the slang term for cigarettes, "coffin nails," becomes literal.

[Buddhagirl]

I quit almost 6 years ago and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

When I did smoke I smoked Newports. I didn't start until I was around 22 and maybe a 1/2 a pack a day. It was more a social thing for me than anything. (At the time I was clubbing a lot and it was just kind of something to do.)

I'm indifferent to others smoking.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I've smoked for 38 years now, which is about 38 too long. Cost considerations aside, I really need to quit...before the slang term for cigarettes, "coffin nails," becomes literal.

My mom quit while recovering from triple bypass in the hospital. 

[Sunstroke]

^^^ You'll understand if I look for a different trail to recovery than the one your mom blazed...

(and I hope your mom is doing well)

[Frimp]

Hey Stroke, lets pick a date we both quit, start a thread here about it and give these nonsmokers daily updates on our progress.

[bsfins]

My Mom's the Worst,I don't smoke, while having two packs of cigarettes in her purse....I started stealing cigarettes when I was 10-12....I got busted a few times at school carrying a pack of my Mom's Tall Menthol 120's...Waaay back in the day...When I was in High school, my brother told me...If You're going to smoke,don't hide it,Quit stealing his smokes...

I've said this before....I quit....December 21 2001 Just after 11pm was my last cigarette..My ex and I were flat broke,already been through the couch 3 times for spare change broke.We both smoked and had 3 packs of cigarettes to our name to make it till after January 1st when we got paid...It was the rent or cigarettes,I never wanted to be in that position again...It later got me my computer,and my satellite dish with the money I saved from not smoking...

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

She is.

And I hope you do. 

If I am wrong and there is a heaven and hell in my resume for heaven towards the top of the list will be this incident:

When I lived in RI I would have to pass behind the rental office to get from my apartment to my car.  Very frequently, I would see this girl (about 24) that worked in my rental office smoking.  Sometimes I would stop and talk with her.  One day she casually mentioned that she needs to quit smoking. 

And I respond, "you could quit using the method my mom did."

She inquires, "how did she do it". 

I respond nonchalantly, "she quit cold turkey while recovering in the hospital from triple bypass"

Her face goes ash white.  I didn't think much of it.  But I stopped seeing her behind the rental office.  Next time I go to pay my rent she isn't in the office (must have been her day off) so I assume she quit and got another job, because she once mentioned she was looking.  The month after that (so about 6 weeks from our conversation) I go to pay my rent and she is there.

I say "long time no see." 

She then proceeds to tell me that was the last cigarette she smoked and hasn't smoked in 6 weeks.  She also said she didn't sleep at all that night and was up all night thinking about what happened to my mom and how she did want to windup in a hospital bed because of smoking.  She also thanked me profusely and asked me how my mom was doing. 

Obviously she wanted to quit and did it entirely on her own what I said was just the final straw that was the catalyst.    But it WAS that final straw. 

I bring up my mom, at pretty much any chance I can, on the outside chance, it might be a second straw.