Smokers and non smokers, what do you do, what do you think?

[Phil_UK]

I thought it would be interesting to see how many members here smoke, as opposed to the ones who don't and what people's views are in general on the subject.

I was a 40 a day man up until 4 days ago when I quit. Its not easy, but its something I've been trying to do for some time now. I'm using one of those Nicorette inhulators and its working very well, couldn't do it without it I can tell you. The first two days I was climbing the walls. I just went cold turkey and that was a bad mistake. The problem I had was that I really enjoyed smoking. Sure I knew the health problems, but it was something I chose to do. I was always a thoughtful smoker, never smoked near people, went outside etc. Now I'm not smoking I'm not going to turn into someone who attacks smokers, this I've promised myself.

Regards Phil

 

[GCR]

Interesting topic, especially since today (April 3rd) marks 1 month of NOT smoking for me. I quit a month ago on the day my Grandfather died of Lung-cancer. I used to smoke about a pack / pack and a half a day. Lucky Strikes...good smoke. I did it cold turkey, and I miss smoking, but I have no doubt that I'm through for good. Watching someone you care about die from smoking can have that effect, I guess. Like yourself, Phil, I really enjoyed smoking. And like yourself, I have not become one of those smokers who quits and gets that "holier than thou" attitude with other smokers. I have to say, when I was in the UK last year, I enjoyed the abundance of ashtrays and smoking sections in restaurants and such, compared to the liberal, anti-smoking environment I used to suffer through here at home in the Boston area. BUT, I thought smokes were expensive here in Massachusetts, geeze, they are astronomical over in your neck of the woods! Luckily, if I ever find myself across the pond again, it'll be a traveling expense I won't have to worry about.

-GCR

 

[MK]

I only smoke when I am on fire........though I did try a cigar in London once.

 

[Andykev]

Smoking

I used to be around a lot of people every day, and relatives I visited, who smoked..the old "smoke filled room" thing.
I hate it, my hair and clothes smell of it. Second hand smoke is bad. I hate cigarettes.

I tried a cigar or two, and they are fun to "play with"..but unfortunately for the next day or so everything you eat tastes like a cigar..and the wife has nothing to do with me.

Pipes, now that is something that smells good, takes a lot of work, and looks good.

I have a pipe, and maybe smoke it once or twice a year. Milder than cigars, sweet smelling, and "40's" looking.

No I don't smoke, and am glad they have banned it from restaurants and stores. \

Do you let anyone smoke in your house, car, or around the kids? No!

 

[Matt Deckard]

Last smoke I had was a cigar at a Fedora Lounge meet.

I have never been a fan of smoking, though I am in the camp that believes that it should not be banned.

 

[farnham54]

The odd cigar with a drink and some good company is always a good time, but very infrequently. A few a year don't hurt, but more then that I'd be wary of.

At the same time, I believe it is a) a personal choice and b) the livliehood of many people in the ciggarette industry. It should not be banned; Smokers have been alienated enough. Whats next? Fat people? Glasses-wearers? Anyone who is physically imperfect?

Bah, I say. If a person wants to smoke, let 'em smoke.

Regards,

Farn

 

[kent]

I'm not much for smoking. It's always rather annoying to go out and have to pile the clothes I was in the previous night away from where I can smell them until they're washed. I usually don't mind it too much unless I'm right in the path of smoke. Cigars and pipes are typicly more pleasant, while I've found cloves to be more irritating.

It's nice in restaurants not having to ask whether or not you want to sit in smoking. It's fairly depressing to know some people who can't enjoy a good meal, etc.. without supplementing it with a smoke.

A friend of mine was telling me how her son came home from school one day, and told her he didn't want her to die from smoking and she should quit smoking. She hasn't picked up one since.

 

[Marlowe]

I smoked, for a long time, but not very much--about 20 per day or less. I never really settled on one brand exclusively, I tried all different brands. Some of my favorites were Sobranie "Black Russians," Players (the English brand with the sailor on the front), "English Ovals" by Phillip Morris(?), Benson & Hedges "De Luxe" (they're not your ordinary Benson & Hedges', they come in a flat, English-style pack and have a different filter), Lucky Strikes. The brand I smoked the most of were Marlboro "Reds." I hardly ever smoked cigars, and smoked a pipe about once every blue moon or less. I don't smoke any more, I quit in early December of 2002.

Here's my take on it: Cigarettes are evil. Literally. They do you no good, they can do you great harm, and almost certainly will if you smoke them enough. They insinuate themselves into your psyche by addicting you to the nicotine in them to ensure that you have a difficult time of breaking your habit of smoking them. They make you weaker, not stronger, taking away your capacity to do one of the most basic processes of our from of life: breathe oxygen. They are known to cause emphysema and cancer.

Modern cigarettes are worse than those of times past because of the chemicals added to them. Strange ammonias an nitrates are added to the tobacco, paper and filters for various effects. Nitrates are added to keep the tobabcco and paper burning when you're not actively puffing on the cigarette. Saltpeter is one of these nitrates. It was long used to induce impotence in men by the British Navy and in prisons (and probably by others, as well). Ammonia compounds are added to enable the nicotine to transfer itself more quickly from cigarette to lung to bloodstream, conditioning you more forcefully to light up because of a faster relief from nicotine withdrawal ("nick fit") and therefore making quitting smoking even harder. There are a host of other chemicals added to cigarettes. In the United States of America, the tobacco companies are not required to list these "ingredients" because cigarettes are not food. Tobacco companies even refuse to co-operate with the federal government and provide "recipes" because (they say) the formulae they use are proprietary trade secrets. I personally believe that tobacco has been bred for greater nicotine content.

Banning smoking entirely, while not actually physically harmful, would be wrong. What would such a policy say about our attitude toward personal choice and responsibility? The argument has been made that waitresses, waiters, bartenders, etc. are trapped in an unhealthy environment if people are allowed to smoke inside of bars, restaurants, etc. Also that secondhand smoke is harmful to other patrons. I believe that smokers should be allowed to smoke in outdoors areas of bars and restaurants. That'd be kind of tough on smokers in the winter in some places, or during inclment weather, but hey, you don't HAVE to smoke.

Proposing that banning smoking is undesirable because it would put tobacco farmers out of work isn't a great argument because soil can grow other things. Also, why ban opium poppies or marijuana but not tobacco if people having jobs is your only concern?

If you smoke, I recommend that you quit. But I'm not going to get preachy about it. (I'm posting this reply because someone specifically asked, I didn't bring it up.) If you don't smoke, I recommend strongly that you never start. Life is fragile and short enough without you endangering your health on a hobby/habit that does you no good and can ensnare you into addiction.

I didn't quit smoking so much to avoid the health problems associated with smoking, although that was a large part of my decision, but rather because I was determined that the cigarettes woudn't own me. I refused to let the cigarettes be in charge of my desires and make me the slave of their influence.

Quitting can be pretty tough, but it's doable if you keep at it and don't give up on yourself. And now that I've quit, I sleep better, food tastes better, I have more money to spend on something besides my addiction to cigarettes.

Well, that's probably enough of MY babbling...

 

[Michaelson]

I used to chain smoke cigars when I worked as a forms draftsman back in the 70's. I started out in college smoking a pipe, as I came from a pipe smoking household, but discovered that when pursuing one of my OTHER old hobbies, train watching, that it was next to impossible to keep a pipe lit in a windy train yard. I was offered a cigar by my college roommates, also a train buff, as once lit, it STAYED lit, and was hooked. I continued to smoke at the light table (never smoked at home....only work), as my work mates ALSO smoked cigars, so it was not unusual to go through a large box or more a week of smokes, up until the birth of our first daughter. I then quit cold turkey, as I realized that what I was doing was pretty much playing Russian roulette. I agree that that banning smokers is to extreme, but that said, I am a STRONG proponent of separating smokers FROM non-smokers, as though a smoker has the right to smoke, I also have the right NOT to smoke, and with second hand smoke floating around, my right is violated. I usually end up with a rip roaring sinus headache after being in a smoke filled area anymore... so not only is, my meal disturbed, but I leave a restaurant sick as well from the air I had to breathe. Why? Keeping the two groups separated stops that. I've actually been to restaurents that had only a half wall separating smokers from non-smokers, and the ceiling fans on the smokers side just blew the smoke over the wall into the non-smoking section. That wall just wasn't 'magical' enough to stop it, I suppose.

Do I think it's good or bad? I think it's a definite health risk, but is one that each individual needs to decide, either on an individual basis, or by looking at the larger picture as to how it impacts those around them....i.e. family, friends, work mates, etc. It's a personal decision, and one that should be kept that way, as long as it does not impact the personal decision of the non-smoker to exist in a smoke free environment. It's a tough row to hoe....Regards. Michaelson

 

[BD Jones]

As a wind instrument player, I have never smoked and have tried to avoid second hand smoke like the plague. There are two things that are essential to my lively hood - my lungs and my ears, and try to everything possible to protect then (there are actually many thing I try to protect, but those are the biggies). When Waco passed a no smoking law for restaurants, wife and I rejoiced. As a band director, I stress the importance of not smoking to all of my students not only for their health, but also just in case they decide to go in to music professionally. I have seen the effects of lung disease and cancer caused by smoking, and it is not something I want anyone to have to go through. As a musician and someone who cares about his health, it scares the hell out of me. I don't mind if people smoke, I just don't want them to do it around me.

 

[Michaelson]

A wind instrument man, eh? Well, that explains why us old keyboard/bass players were usually seen with cigarettes or cigars hanging out of our mouths while we jammed. (grins) Regards. Michaelson

 

[Phil_UK]

I was a guitarist myself Michaelson and smoking seemed fine to me as well. Though I have to admit it doesn't help the vocal chords too much. Still today is my one week marker without smoking and I don't feel too bad.

Regards Phil

 

[Canadave]

Originally posted by Phil_UK
...today is my one week marker without smoking and I don't feel too bad.

Regards Phil

Congrats, and keep it up!!!

David

 

[BD Jones]

Originally posted by Michaelson
A wind instrument man, eh? Well, that explains why us old keyboard/bass players were usually seen with cigarettes or cigars hanging out of our mouths while we jammed. (grins) Regards. Michaelson

When I played gigs on bass the only thing I had hanging out of my mouth was a Tootsie Pop (never played with out one - talk about cool!). Oh, and drool! Quick joke for the bass players here (there are a few, myself included):

What does it mean when the bass player is drooling out both sides of his mouth?
The stage is level. LOL

 

[Phil_UK]

Thanks Canadave, its not easy but I'm getting there.

Regards Phil

 

[Ken]

The problem is, despite what people say to the contrary, smoking just looks darn cool. Just watch a Humphrey Bogart film and you'll see what I mean.

Its this image which I think gets people experimenting with smoking and the more emphasis that is put on the bad points of smoking, the more rebellious and thus cooler it seems to be a smoker.

Now dont get me wrong, I think smoking looks cool but that doesnt mean that I would start smoking for that reason. I have never touched a cigarette in my life and I never will without exceedingly good reason (ie - someone poitning a gun to my head and telling me to). Cigarettes are adictive and I see no point starting just to see what they are like and then getting hooked.

Cigars I have tried before and are quite enjoyable, but certainly not the kind of thing I would have more than a couple of times a year if even.

To anyone trying to or sucessfuly quit I commend you in what I can only imagine as being a terribly difficult ordeal.

Ken

 

[Phil_UK]

The funny thing is that the reason I started smoking in the first place was far from trying to look cool. I was a grown man, who had never smoked in his life. I was acting in a play and reading through the script in a small Greenroom with no windows, or ventilation and nine smokers, it was very painful. I couldn't breathe, had chest pains you name it. One of the other guys said take a drag and you'll feel ok. well as they say the rest is history. Within about a month I was hooked, quickly becoming a chain smoker. I spent nine years on 40-50 a day until 8 days ago. And yes its hard, but very worth it. I'm feeling better and I'm starting to smell the smoke on clothes in my wardrobe, which is awful. Food is tasting better too.

Regards Phil

 

[Marlowe]

Yeah, that's basically how I got started. I was in an acting class, doing a little scene from "The Outsiders," playing one of those young "hood" characters, so I smoked because the character smoked. When I was through playing the character, I wasn't through smoking--I was hooked.

When I quit, I quit cold turkey. I figured that nicotine patches or gum or whatever wouldn't address the basic problem, nicotine addiction. Also, after about 3 days, you're no longer PHYSICALLY dependent on the nicotine. Whatever urge you have to smoke after that is due to habit, not addiction. (But habits can be awfully hard to break.)

 

[RadioHead]

Ah, the good old days *hack hack*

I smoked for 16 years, from the age of 14 to the age of 30, and for the last 8 of those years I smoked about 50 a day. First thing in the morning... light up. Last thing at night... light up.

I quit smoking at 12:15 PM, on June 5, 1985. I was at work at the time.

It was a "cold turkey" thing for me, and I really don't remember now if I had a difficult time of it or not, but I do remember moving the furniture around in my apartment quite a lot for about a month.

While I haven't craved a cigarette for quite some years, occasionally I have a dream in which I smoke, somtimes a lot. When I wake up, I feel as satisfied as I used to after the first cigarette following a meal. AND I still have a clean record! All the perks, none of the drawbacks.

"RadioHead"

Oh yeah... I quit because I was scared of getting cancer from smoking.

 

[crazylegsmurphy]

The problem is, despite what people say to the contrary, smoking just looks darn cool. Just watch a Humphrey Bogart film and you'll see what I mean.

I think this is where the whole problem with smoking begins. Smoking doesn't look cool at all, but like with many things in the media they have a fancy way of making things appear to look cool.

I mean think about it, how many times have you seen the hero pull out a gun and blow 20 people away? In real life shooting people isn't cool at all.

I'm sure there are countless examples of things that wouldn't be considered cool at all if it weren't for "hollywood" making us think they are (or telling us they are).

In the real world smokers drive me insane!! Aside from the obvious things like it stinks, hurts your eyes, and makes it hard to breath, there are a bunch of other reasons I can't stand smoking.

Anyone who has ever tried to navigate a dance floor with smokers on it knows the potential dangers to your eyes, skin, and favorite Indiana Jones Jacket. Anyone who has ever had to look at the unsightly reminder of hundreds of buts littering the street. Or what about when you walk out of a building or stand at a bus stop and you get blasted with a wave of smoke into your lungs. Or that I have to pay (in Canada) a health care premium so the smokers who got lung cancer can have access to all the free health care they need.

But what bothers me the most about smokers is when I am driving around and I see a person smoking up a storm, while thier little child sits there in the passenger seat learning the habit, and suffering the consequences.

Honestly, I personally think smoking is one of those things that we need to accept as a society as being simply rediculous. We need to realize that the proof is in the pudding that it has no useful function, and do everything we can to get rid of it once and for all.

:eusa_clap