Why do we still have smokers?

[cstreit]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

I've never seen anyone chain-smoke a pipe or cigars.

...because they generally aren't "smokers" but rather are people that enjoy having a smoke now and again. They aren't addicts...

If you aren't or were never a smoker or addicted to a drug, you just have no ideas. When the withdrawal starts you'd do damn near anything to get another fix.

[kach22i]

I've met a man which said he smokes five cigars a day.

Met one the other day, told me he smokes a couple a day.

Anything can be abused.

[rusnak]

I think that as long as people are smoking in a separate area, which is usually the case now, then that should be fine to non-smokers.

But acting like your sh%t don't stink just because you don't smoke and "omg I don't understand how they can do that" is being a bit too self righteous. It's a free country, and people can smoke cigs if they want. I personally don't but would not look down my nose at someone who does.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by rusnak

I think that as long as people are smoking in a separate area, which is usually the case now, then that should be fine to non-smokers.

But acting like your sh%t don't stink just because you don't smoke and "omg I don't understand how they can do that" is being a bit too self righteous. It's a free country, and people can smoke cigs if they want. I personally don't but would not look down my nose at someone who does.

^^^^ this.

[Hawkeye's-911T]

For all of you ex-smokers out there, you have my respect. I haven't had a ciggy in close to 35 yrs. & I find myself at times still wondering/thinking about it. Nicotine is highly addictive & as for me - I don't think I really quit - I just stopped. The negatives of smoking were just too many & too strong to ignore.
Cheers
JB

[jyl]

Smoking cigarettes is highly addictive, in aspects both overt and subtle. It is difficult for a non-smoker to understand.

[cstreit]

Besides, Doctors...

[VaSteve]

I have an 8 year old boy. For a while he was always talking about smoking. Even though he didnt understand it, he was still talking about it...as if it was cool. I think the cool teacher at day care smoked.

[cstreit]

Gah... That's a problem... WTF is any adult in day care letting kids see him smoking?

I'd seriously volunteer to tell any kid the story... ...if I could have talked to my 20 year old self that started, I'd ensure he listened or got a serious beat-down untill he did.

[rusnak]

^ who taught you to say 'dammit', dammit!?

[911SauCy]

I am sure people start smoking for the reasons above...but when they get older and have certain life experiences and understandings...why do some continue?

My parents who have been together over 30 years both smoked when they met...it was cool, right?

-Dad found out I was on the way, quit cold turkey having previously downed 2-packs/day
-Mom, who buried her father when he died of lung cancer at 56 (she was 21) and as a family we buried her brother last weekend, who also died of lung cancer at 64...still hammers a pack a day.
-Me, I enjoy a cigar with friends maybe once a week.

My life experience of smokers is that you have goal oriented people with will power and those who have neither. People like my dad, his brother, and his other brother (who had a heart attack at 49) all quit straight away because they understood the implications of traveling the road they were going down.

People like my mom, who are only lying to themselves, pretend they want to quit for the people around them who care. Reality is, they are incredibly selfish and could give a $hit less about quitting. After years of her drugging herself to "help quit", lying to our family for 2 years that she didn't smoke, and countless nonsense binges I don't even talk to her about it, just ensure that all of her death "stuff" is in order...she's next.

[Joe Bob]

My Dadz (shut up Sid), smoked 2-3 packs a day for 55 years....even while playing College football....quit at 70 and just turned 80. He has some precursors of breathing issues but looks to have survived. My Momz also smoked.....during pregnancy.....I have some issues with asthma....but was a long distance runner and biker.

Funny....my lung capacity is way down the scale. Could be attributed to second hand smoke.....dunno. I've smoked a bit over the years but don't Jones about it.

[RWebb]

kids start b/c of rebellion or coolness issues usually - most addicts started as kids

once addicted it is VERY hard to stop

[speeder]

People smoke because it's an incredibly pleasurable thing to do. You cannot get hundreds of millions of people addicted to something if it's not pleasurable. It hits the right buttons in the brain.

Anyone who claims not to understand this is too stupid to have a discussion with. Smoking is an extremely destructive addiction to most people's health but there is nothing on earth worse than an anti-smoking zealot. I'd rather hang out with a bunch of angry dykes that want to castrate me. And BTW, I don't smoke.

[McLovin]

Seems like for sure in the 50s it was peer pressure that got people started.

People like to do what they see others doing, and "everyone was doing it." Including movie stars, etc.

These days is seems like its out of a (perceived) rebelliousness or expression of nihilism.

[Joe Bob]

Ex Catholics, ex smokers, ex wives......hell hath no fury.....

[Bob Kontak]

I smoke and I like it. However, it is usually when farting around in the garage after sucking down a few beers that the puffin' is fully engaged. If I steal a couple of smokes inside the house near the bathroom fan (really cold days), it stinks like a batch for days.

Hitler was hot on no cigs in the 1930's so there is no "I did not know" argument that is plausible.

[VaSteve]

I think in the 1950s cigarettes came in school lunches as well didnt they?

My Dad quit drinking and smoking. Said quitting smoking was harder.

[911SauCy]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

Ex Catholics, ex smokers, ex wives......hell hath no fury.....

LOL

[fastfredracing]

Quitting smoking was 5 x harder than quitting cocaine. I think I was physically over it within a month, but I was a mess mentally for almost a year. It is a powerful drug.