Smoking

[yellow]

I think people forget what it was like 20 years ago. non smoker had ZERO rights.

Very true. It's funny, that I've felt like a hunted animal as a smoker in the last 5-6 years or so. Like a junkie trying to get a fix.

 

[Black&Tan]

My father smoked most of his adult life.
He died of cancer almost 10 years ago.
He never got to see his grandson.

My mother has smoked most of her adult life.
She finally stopped last year.

I'll never smoke.

 

[kretzy]

I think people forget what it was like 20 years ago. non smoker had ZERO rights.

That's if you were around to remember it all those years ago. 😛 😉

But yes, I understand what you're saying, so it's good to know that there have been improvements. Still, I don't think it's too much to ask of parent to go outside to smoke rather than exposing their kids to it.

 

[iGary]

But yes, I understand what you're saying, so it's good to know that there have been improvements. Still, I don't think it's too much to ask of parent to go outside to smoke rather than exposing their kids to it.

Neither do I. It always bother me when I see a car full of kids go by and the mother is blowing a smoke screen inside.

 

[yellow]

That's one thing my wife and I always agreed upon, if you're going to smoke, you're going outside. Which has made my life easier since she still smokes and I don't.

 

[mactastic]

I smoked from the time I was 17 until I was 28. Gave it up cold turkey after a particularly bad winter finals session in college. Smoked like crazy getting my project finished, then just stopped afterwards. Had a couple smokes in the months after that when I'd been drinking, but since then nothing. It's been a little over 5 years since then, and while I still want one now and then (particularly in social drinking settings), but I'm still cig-free. And the longer I go, the more I find that smoke bugs me.

 

[vniow]

Both parents did from before I was born until my sister was about 5 years later so naturally I had an aversion to it and have never bohered to try. Nothing against those who do, that's just silly.

Pot on the other hand...

 

[jayb2000]

voted "quit", but....

I used to smoke, at least a pack a day, maybe 2 on Friday or Saturday (out at the bar), then I started rolling my own (no, not THAT kind of cigarette), then smoked American Spirits. I know still bad for me, but not quite as bad as Marlboro or Camels. Then my girlfriend (now wife) quit, so I pretty much just smoked when I drank. Then I basically quit that as well. She quit with the patch and occasional gum supplements. Plus no bars for a while as that was a major temptation, back when you could smoke in a bar.

I probably still have anywhere from 10-20 cigarettes per YEAR when I happen to be
a) pretty drunk
b) in a place where you can smoke
c) not with my wife
d) not worried about feeling like crap the next day

Assuming those are all true, man do those smokes taste great.
But the next day, I hate the smell, I hate the tightness in my lungs, the hangover, etc.

I appreciate the smoking laws to some extent (inside hospitals and high schools for example), but I think its silly you can go drink a gallon of beer and eat fatty fried foods, both of which are harmful to your health, but you can't smoke in a bar. I think it should be up to the owner, there are so many non-smokers, I would think it would be pretty easy to run a bar without allowing smoking.
As for the employees, hey, if you don't like smoke, work somewhere else.

And the people who get so bent out of shape over smoking, lets start with some bigger issues, huh? Like global warming; pollution from cars, lawn mowers, and power plants; AIDS; Malaria. Things that kill and pollute far more than cigarettes.

 

[leekohler]

I smoked for 20 years. I miss smoking. I loved the act of it. I loved the taste. I am addicted to it. I still crave them.

Gave it up cold turkey on Oct 27th, 2005. Haven't had one since.

This is not the first time I've tried to quit, but the longest I've been successful by far (far far far far far).


Those that have never smoked for a long time (more then 7-10 years) really shouldn't talk smack about something they don't understand at all.

Agreed. I just gave up about 2 months ago, but I will cop to having cheated once in a while. I don't beat myself up about it. That's why I failed last time! It's going fairly well though. I'm pretty well adjusted at this point, although the first two days sucked bigtime. Do I feel better? No. Just not smoking, that's all. And I do have more money! 🙂

 

[yellow]

Yeah.. I don't feel "better". Ostensibly I gave it up for health reasons (not related to it's being bad for me), but it doesn't appear to have helped in that area either. As for the having 'more energy' and whatnot? For me, farce.. But like you said, I do have more money, and I don't smell anymore!

 

[iGary]

Yeah.. I don't feel "better". Ostensibly I gave it up for health reasons (not related to it's being bad for me), but it doesn't appear to have helped in that area either. As for the having 'more energy' and whatnot? For me, farce.. But like you said, I do have more money, and I don't smell anymore!

It took me a good two years to really notice any benefits (and no food does not tasts better, and my sense of smell is just the same).

 

[leekohler]

Yeah.. I don't feel "better". Ostensibly I gave it up for health reasons (not related to it's being bad for me), but it doesn't appear to have helped in that area either. As for the having 'more energy' and whatnot? For me, farce.. But like you said, I do have more money, and I don't smell anymore!

I agree again. Don't you love that little list they have? All this BS about food tasting better, you'll feel better and all that. LOAD OF CRAP. They should spend more time talking about the money thing, that's what got me.

 

[clayj]

I don't smoke... never have, never will. I think it's a disgusting habit.

But I support the right of others to smoke, as long as they do so responsibly (e.g., not inside with their kids) and as long as they are willing to accept responsibility for their actions (e.g., don't ask me to pay for your lung transplant because you smoked).

I also support the right of private businesses such as restaurants and bars to make their OWN policies regarding smoking in their establishments. If a bar chooses to allow smoking and you don't like being exposed to cigarette smoke, go somewhere else. No one's forcing you to go in. Anyone who cries about "well, I *demand* that this restaurant or bar be smoke-free" deserves a strong kick in the ass.

Oh, and people who sue tobacco companies because they contracted cancer after smoking for however long should be thrown out on the curb and held responsible for court costs. There's a damn label on the pack that SAYS they're harmful; if you're too pig-ignorant to get this, you get no sympathy from me. And don't give me that "well, they're addictive" argument... if you really care about quitting smoking, you will find a way to make it happen.

 

[leekohler]

I don't smoke... never have, never will. I think it's a disgusting habit.

But I support the right of others to smoke, as long as they do so responsibly (e.g., not inside with their kids) and as long as they are willing to accept responsibility for their actions (e.g., don't ask me to pay for your lung transplant because you smoked).

I also support the right of private businesses such as restaurants and bars to make their OWN policies regarding smoking in their establishments. If a bar chooses to allow smoking and you don't like being exposed to cigarette smoke, go somewhere else. No one's forcing you to go in. Anyone who cries about "well, I *demand* that this restaurant or bar be smoke-free" deserves a strong kick in the ass.

Oh, and people who sue tobacco companies because they contracted cancer after smoking for however long should be thrown out on the curb and held responsible for court costs. There's a damn label on the pack that SAYS they're harmful; if you're too pig-ignorant to get this, you get no sympathy from me. And don't give me that "well, they're addictive" argument... if you really care about quitting smoking, you will find a way to make it happen.

Here-here! I've always agreed with everything you've said.

 

[devilot]

Yeah this is something I've never understood either. Is it just a matter of becoming addicted after trying it a few times or is it actually because you enjoy the taste/sensation/experience etc?

I think it differs on an individual basis.

My boyfriend wants to work w/ substance abuse patients and I think he said he had no clear cut reason to start smoking other than to see what it was all about. He has (since quitting) said at times that he misses smoking. It's a social thing similar to drinking-- you loiter/ hang out, you light up and chit chat. Do it before a movie starts, do it afterwards. It can end up also being a temporary stress-reliever and something to fight boredom with-- stuck in a traffic jam? Light up w/ the windows down.

He did always hate the taste of it, but the sensation and motions related to smoking are just like any other habit, they become a part of you and your daily life. I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must be to quit; not only are you fighting behavioral habit, your body has grown used to having it.

I think my father uses it as a coping mechanism for stress and whatnot. That and it temporarily ups your metabolism and he figures it's an easy way to drop pounds. He also neglects to mention to his doctor why his blood pressure might have "suddenly" sky-rocketed. 🙄 He just asks for a higher dosage of his meds.

 

[drift1492]

The argument that people who have never smoked should not be able to criticize smoking is ridiculous. Just because some of us are smart enough to realize that smoking kills and have enough common sense to never start does not exclude us from this conversation. Many people never start because they have family members who are dying or have died from smoking.

Everyone should be able to be involved in this argument. How much of our tax dollars pay for cancer research or helping poor smokers pay for their treatment?

An extremist view that I sort of agree with is that the government should issue smoking licenses. Anyone over 18 can get them, and all they have to do is sign an agreement that the government will not pay for any illnesses resulting from their smoking.

 

[mactastic]

Let's also issue skydiving permits, rockclimbing permits, sunbathing permits, fatty foods permits, ocean-swimming permits, and laying-around-on-your-fat-ass permits while we're at it. Anyone over 18 can get them, and all they have to do is sign an agreement that the government will not pay for any illnesses resulting from any of these activities.

 

[devilot]

Let's also issue... sunbathing permits...

Actually, something related to that happened here locally. There's been growing concern w/ all these affluent teenaged young women going to tanning salons. They were pushing for some sort of parental agreement if the customer was under the age of 18. I'm not sure where that stands now, though.

 

[Timepass]

The argument that people who have never smoked should not be able to criticize smoking is ridiculous. Just because some of us are smart enough to realize that smoking kills and have enough common sense to never start does not exclude us from this conversation. Many people never start because they have family members who are dying or have died from smoking.

Everyone should be able to be involved in this argument. How much of our tax dollars pay for cancer research or helping poor smokers pay for their treatment?

An extremist view that I sort of agree with is that the government should issue smoking licenses. Anyone over 18 can get them, and all they have to do is sign an agreement that the government will not pay for any illnesses resulting from their smoking.

oh but us none smoker do have some rights in complaining about it. I dont smoke and dont enjoying being around others when they are smoking. I cannt stand the smell or the taste I get in my mouth from it. I like it when people I been around with do smoke ask me if I am ok with them doing it and have the respect to ask. If out side I general cool with it. you ask me so I give you taht respect of letting you do it. Now in my car or house the answer is a straight up no and they always respect that.

I dont mind goverment saying public places can not have smoking indoors. or if they do the ventilation system has to be set up to keep the area separated. At first bussinuss complained about it but then they noticed they where getting more bussiness over all by not having any smoking in the place. Well that started a trend and other stores in the chains just flat out banned smoking indoors with out having to deal with it.

Reasurants a privent bussinuss but still consider a public place.

For me it all about the respect thing. I like it when smokers have the respect to know that most people do not smoke and do not like the smell of it or anything and have the respect to keep it away from them.
At the dorms the rule on campus was you can not smoke with in 12 ft of any entry way. I though that was fine. On rainy days I didnt mind the fact that they would be really close to the door because it was rainy. I did have an issue when it was not wet out side if they would be within 12 ft of the door. Campus police did start handing out tickets at one point to fix the issue and again on rainy wet days they did not make an issue of it. it raining out side.

 

[drift1492]

oh but us none smoker do have some rights in complaining about it.

I was referring to the comments earlier that non-smokers shouldn't comment in this thread.

 

[yellow]

The argument that people who have never smoked should not be able to criticize smoking is ridiculous. Just because some of us are smart enough to realize that smoking kills and have enough common sense to never start does not exclude us from this conversation.

Criticize all you want, just not to me, I don't want to hear it from you. And please don't imply that I am any less intelligent than you are simply because I made a different choice in 1985 than you did. It's that self-righteousness that burns my hide.

What people seem to forget is that smoking cigarettes isn't a direct-correlation-drug. What I do today, won't necessarily affect me tomorrow. Hell, I can smoke for 50 years before I see the negative effects of cigarette smoking. And that's a tough concept for a teenager to cope with. So what if I can get cancer in 30 years? Teenagers are invincible.

 

[drift1492]

Let's also issue skydiving permits, rockclimbing permits, sunbathing permits, fatty foods permits, ocean-swimming permits, and laying-around-on-your-fat-ass permits while we're at it. Anyone over 18 can get them, and all they have to do is sign an agreement that the government will not pay for any illnesses resulting from any of these activities.

For most of the things you listed, medical care would be needed because of an accident. Different than smoking.

And eating fatty foods and sitting on your fat ass are stupid as well. But they are not illegal for children. By making smoking illegal for people under 18, the government is telling us that children do not have the capacity to make a decision to kill themselves. You can kill yourself after you turn 18.

Also, fatty foods dont have labels telling people they WILL give them heart attacks. Smoking does have labels like this. Sitting on your fat ass is also a passive activity.

Regarding sunbathing - Why would anyone want to "cook" their skin. Let them fry.

Criticize all you want, just not to me, I don't want to hear it from you. And please don't imply that I am any less intelligent than you are simply because I made a different choice in 1985 than you did. It's that self-righteousness that burns my hide.

I am not saying people who do not smoke are any more intelligent. Some of the smartest people I know smoke.

However, I have yet to find a smoker who would say that their choice to begin smoking was a SMART choice. And if you think it was a smart choice I sure would like to hear your reasoning behind that.

 

[tkidBOSTON]

I smoked for 6 years (i smoked "regularly" after the first year or so) and quit cold turkey 6 years ago. (And I'm 24-- do the math if you want to be disgusted 😱 )

Quitting has been the best decision of my life. 🙂

 

[mactastic]

For most of the things you listed, medical care would be needed because of an accident. Different than smoking.

Not different enough. It's still a risk you are taking that I shouldn't have to pay for. Why should I have to pay for care for someone who has willingly engaged in an activity that is known to have a high risk of injury factor associated with it?

And eating fatty foods and sitting on your fat ass are stupid as well. But they are not illegal for children. By making smoking illegal for people under 18, the government is telling us that children do not have the capacity to make a decision to kill themselves. You can kill yourself after you turn 18.

Actually, while we're at it, lets say that I shouldn't have to bear the burden of any person's stupid activity. Why should I pay for any care for someone who got drunk and rolled their car?

Also, fatty foods dont have labels telling people they WILL give them heart attacks. Smoking does have labels like this. Sitting on your fat ass is also a passive activity.

Do you need a label to tell you things are unhealthy? Take some responsibility for yourself man!

Regarding sunbathing - Why would anyone want to "cook" their skin. Let them fry.

Amen to that. Just don't come looking for me to foot the bill when you get a melanoma, that's all I'm saying.

 

[yellow]

However, I have yet to find a smoker who would say that their choice to begin smoking was a SMART choice. And if you think it was a smart choice I sure would like to hear your reasoning behind that.

I don't think I ever implied it was a "smart" choice. Quite the opposite. However, I am more knowledgable of what a bad choice it was than any life-long-non-smoker, as I will undoubtedly have intimate knowledge of my poor choice in later years.

I guess that's the part that I don't want to hear from lifelong-non-smokers. I don't need to be reminded of my poor choice. I got that lesson. Move on. So to speak.