Smoking

[TSE]

Does smoking a cigar every month or so have negative effects?

My friends and I have started going to the casino once every month just to hang out and gamble (I've broken even all the times we've gone combined )

We usually smoke some cigars or pipe tobaccco while we are there, but this is the only time I smoke.

I excercise every day and play baseball regularly in the summer, so will this have any negative effect on me?

 

[yg17]

Probably not as bad as cigarettes, but I still wouldn't do it.

If you don't mind me asking....IIRC, you were recently asking for college advice so I assumed you were 17 or 18, if that's the case, how the heck are you getting into casinos? Or is the gambling age only 18 in some states? I assumed it was 21 in the entire US.

 

[TSE]

In Minnesota it is 18.

To be honest, I enjoy smoking cigars and pipe. I like the taste and smell a lot... but I know how bad they are for me so I promised myself that if I ever did it more than once a month I would go cold turkey.

 

[iMemories]

To be honest why smoke at all? Think of people around you if you smoke a newport those are some of the worst smelling things I ever came around. Personally I have asthma so I can't deal with the heavy smoke with some random person blows the smoke in the area where I am at.

 

[jeffbob]

its just as bad as smokeing anything

 

[TSE]

To be honest why smoke at all? Think of people around you if you smoke a newport those are some of the worst smelling things I ever came around. Personally I have asthma so I can't deal with the heavy smoke with some random person blows the smoke in the area where I am at.

The casino has smoking areas where you can gamble and are allowed to smoke and non-smoking ones here you aren't. I'm not hurting anyone that doesn't mind it.

And you can say it's as bad as smoking anything, but how bad is it if I smoke once a month?

 

[Ravaroo]

technically, you aren't fully inhaling cigar smoke. Sure, some traces of smoke hit your lungs, but nothing like the amount of cigarettes.

 

[imaketouchtheme]

You are still intaking carcinogens regardless of how often you do it. It's the same with anything else. Obviously, it's not going to be as bad as someone who does it daily, but it's still going to affect you in some way. It'll increase your chances of cardiovascular disease by a fraction of a normal smoker, but it still increases it nonetheless.

 

[leekohler]

I would encourage you not to smoke. It took me a long time to quit, and I still have negative effects afterward. Don't do it. Not worth the trouble.

 

[Signal-11]

First, there's no such thing as a "safe" dose of a carcinogen.

On the other hand, a cigar once a month isn't going to move you much up the cancer curve. Your day to day exposure to environmental cancer risks over a year are greater by several orders of magnitude than a mere 10 cigars a year. As an epidemiologist, I'd tell you that the increased risks are so small, it's not really quantifiable in any meaningful way.

The problem isn't the cancer risk of 10 cigars. The problem is that you're not going to stop at 10 cigars.

 

[Hellhammer]

You aren't supposed to inhale cigars so it's not as bad as cigarettes because the smoke doesn't go into your lungs. Thus smoking a cigar shouldn't have any impact on your oxygen uptake and sports in general. Nor should it cause lung cancer (it can still cause cheek and other mouth related cancers though). Cigars shouldn't cause physical addiction either because the nicotine isn't getting to your brain (maybe some will get absorbed by cheeks but it's not as fast and effective as through lungs).

Is cigars good for you? Of course not. However, if you really enjoy them, then just go ahead. Life is too short for giving up enjoyments.

 

[calb]

I can only echo the sentiments of the post above. Like most guilty pleasures, if you're in control then it's difficult to argue with.

 

[maflynn]

technically, you aren't fully inhaling cigar smoke. Sure, some traces of smoke hit your lungs, but nothing like the amount of cigarettes.

It ends up in your mouth, i.e., mouth cancer and unlike cigarettes its unfiltered.

echo the other poster's sentiments and to advocate that you not smoke at all.

 

[Shrink]

First, there's no such thing as a "safe" dose of a carcinogen.

On the other hand, a cigar once a month isn't going to move you much up the cancer curve. Your day to day exposure to environmental cancer risks over a year are greater by several orders of magnitude than a mere 10 cigars a year. As an epidemiologist, I'd tell you that the increased risks are so small, it's not really quantifiable in any meaningful way.

The problem isn't the cancer risk of 10 cigars. The problem is that you're not going to stop at 10 cigars.

That ^^^

The problem is not 10 cigars a year, but the problem is "I'll have just one more - that can't hurt" The tendency leads to an insidious creep of upward usage. As a cigar smoker (an embarrassing admission of which I am not particularly proud ), I can tell you that the occasional cigar becomes less occasional very easily.

While increase in lung cancer and heart disease risk may be somewhat lower in infrequent cigar smokers, mouth, throat and esophageal cancer is more prevalent in cigar smokers (as well as lip cancer in pipe smokers.

Another poster suggested that you should enjoy yourself- let me suggest the occasional heroin injection doesn't cause cancer.

 

[kolax]

I smoke about 10 cigars a year (monthly or so poker tournaments at friend's and the odd big celebration, such as a wedding).

I just make sure I scrub my teeth and mouth after I've smoked.

The worst thing you can do is chew some chewing gum.

 

[Hellhammer]

Another poster suggested that you should enjoy yourself- let me suggest the occasional heroin injection doesn't cause cancer.

What does heroin have to do with smoking cigars? Heroin is illegal so that should be enough to tell you that cigars and heroin aren't really comparable.

I think it's completely fine to enjoy yourself once in a while as long as you stay with legal substances and enjoy them with moderation. If it becomes a daily thing or even worse, your life starts to be determined by the substance, then you have a problem. However, a cigar once in a month doesn't sound too bad. Even if it was once a week, I still wouldn't worry too much.

Besides, if you give up one bad thing, you usually end up with another. My cousin quit smoking last autumn and since that he has gaines 15kg. That's quite common for smokers and I wouldn't say it's very healthy either. There are many things that are bad for you but you still do them.

One of Finland's oldest men, Arvo Ylppö, once said that "take everything with moderation" when he was asked what is his secret of long life. I think that's pretty well said and personally, I apply that.

FYI, I don't even smoke so I'm not one of those who have been brainwashed about smoking. I may have a few ciggies when drinking but other than that, I never smoke. And I have done this for years. I'm not recommending smoking or any other bad habits for anyone but I would still say if you really enjoy smoking a cigar, then having one by time to time is reasonable.

You must be one hell of a person if you can honestly say that you never enjoy yourself. Smoking is just one way of enjoying yourself, there are many others. Some are worse than the others and smoking is probably one of the worst legal ones but I would say it still not too bad. Everything with moderation.

 

[RWinOR]

If I were to give you fatherly advice it would be this.

Do not start..Smoking anything can have health side affects, why chance it. Smoking cigars smells bad, and it leaves an odor on you that others will smell. When you are done and decide to go kiss your lover they will have the experience of licking an ashtray. I am sure they will enjoy that.

But you are a free person so do as you wish. It is your body, your mouth and your lover who must enjoy it.

 

[roadbloc]

I'm glad I've quit smoking, however, occasionally, I do still have a cigarette. If I was to average it out I'd say about two a month. The the occasional one when on a night out or if I'm offered one by a friend.

But the benefits of quitting smoking daily have been great. Lots of money saved, my lungs feel great and I no longer stink.

 

[reputationZed]

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"...how bad is it if I smoke once a month?"
Not really sure what your looking for here. It should be fairly obvious that it's more harmful than not smoking at all, and less harmful than smoking on a more regular basis. Are you looking for someone to quantify the effects or to tell you it's OK to smoke a cigar once a month? If your looking for quantification your probably going to find as many "it's still bad for you arguments" as "I wouldn't worry about it arguments". If your looking for permission then go ahead and smoke once a month you have our blessing and best wishes.

 

[Shrink]

hat What does heroin have to do with smoking cigars? Heroin is illegal so that should be enough to tell you tcigars and heroin aren't really comparable.
I think it's completely fine to enjoy yourself once in a while as long as you stay with legal substances and enjoy them with moderation. If it becomes a daily thing or even worse, your life starts to be determined by the substance, then you have a problem. However, a cigar once in a month doesn't sound too bad. Even if it was once a week, I still wouldn't worry too much.

Besides, if you give up one bad thing, you usually end up with another. My cousin quit smoking last autumn and since that he has gaines 15kg. That's quite common for smokers and I wouldn't say it's very healthy either. There are many things that are bad for you but you still do them.

One of Finland's oldest men, Arvo Ylppö, once said that "take everything with moderation" when he was asked what is his secret of long life. I think that's pretty well said and personally, I apply that.

FYI, I don't even smoke so I'm not one of those who have been brainwashed about smoking. I may have a few ciggies when drinking but other than that, I never smoke. And I have done this for years. I'm not recommending smoking or any other bad habits for anyone but I would still say if you really enjoy smoking a cigar, then having one by time to time is reasonable.

You must be one hell of a person if you can honestly say that you never enjoy yourself. Smoking is just one way of enjoying yourself, there are many others. Some are worse than the others and smoking is probably one of the worst legal ones but I would say it still not too bad. Everything with moderation.

That was intended as sarcasm, not to be taken literally. I guess I missed the mark.

BTW - I completely agree with you about "everything in moderation". My concern is that nicotine is a substance that can render moderation difficult.

 

[nick9191]

Assuming you're not taking the smoke into your lungs, one cigar a month is not going to do you much harm.

If you can be a social smoker, more power to you, unfortunately, for most people, it will lead to addiction.

 

[GoCubsGo]

A social smoker is a smoker. Whether its one a week or a pack a day, you're a smoker.

 

[MrSmith]

And no one here drinks either.

A stoogie now and again isn't going to hurt you. Loosen up. Just don't go onto cigarettes and start smoking 20 a day as an addiction. But remember, I'm not your father.

 

[0098386]

^ I don't.

That's how a friend of mine got into regular smoking.

 

[ucfgrad93]

You are still intaking carcinogens regardless of how often you do it. It's the same with anything else. Obviously, it's not going to be as bad as someone who does it daily, but it's still going to affect you in some way. It'll increase your chances of cardiovascular disease by a fraction of a normal smoker, but it still increases it nonetheless.

Agreed. Obviously, it is not as bad as someone who smokes daily, but it will still have detrimental effects over your lifespan. If you want to know specifically how bad it is, perhaps you should consult your doctor.