About Smoking

"Smoking is a practice in which a substance, most commonly tobacco or cannabis, is burned and the smoke is tasted or inhaled. This is primarily practised as a route of administration for recreational drug use, as combustion releases the active substances in drugs such as nicotine and makes them available for absorption through the lungs." - From Wikipedia

Practice of smoking tobacco is well-known, and its negative effects on health have been discussed for a long time.
Smoking however does not affect one individual's health. It can also affect others via passive smoking, and it has been known that smoking affects relationships among family and friends.

How countries and societies handle the problem of smoking are different. In some, the practice is monitored strictly while some might be more easy on the practice.

This thread is to discuss and debate issues related to smoking, be it health issues, effects on relationships, how law handles the problem, etc. Also it can serve as a place to share experiences related to smoking, share opinions on the subject, and provide advice.

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I have never smoked tobacco myself, but my father had, for over twenty years. It affected his health and I think it also affected his interactions with my family. My mother always says that she feels more comfortable talking with dad after he quit smoking. He was always stressed and/or tired before he quit the habit.

I never liked smoking, I never did smoke ether. I see second hand smoking as one of the worst things because of the fact that it hurts people that don't smoke. like if a person has a parent that smokes, they may not be able to get away from the fumes.

I have never smoked nor am I planning to, but my maternal grandparents used to be heavy smokers when I was still very young, an habit they've had all their life. They both managed to stop completely once I was diagnosed with slight asthma and my grandfather won a battle with lung cancer.

Nowadays the only people in my family who smoke are my brother and his girlfriend, although they're both trying to give up the habit since the birth of their daughter. They always smoke outside, however, no matter the weather, which is a nice effort.

Hey, look, what's this?

"Cigarettes"? Hmm, it seems it has a label here conveniently explaining some of the wonderful things smoking these can do for me.

Says here that smoking these can give me several different kinds of cancer. Oh, and here it says that I'll become addicted to the nicotine and be physiologically forced to buy packet after packet after packet with money that I could very well be spending on other things and it will give me the jitters and all of the other usual signs of withdrawl if I don't light up several of them every day and slowly turn my lungs into black-top.

Nah, I think I'll pass on these "cigarette" things.

For all my life, I've had it hammered into my head that I should never even think about trying cigarettes, and for very good reason. I've lost a number of relatives who were heavy smokers in recent years, I really see no point in getting addicted to something that can cause so much harm; if I never try it, I won't miss it and crave it, right? Thank goodness my mum has quit for good.

My grandfather use to smoke until he quit years ago. I have no intention to smoke myself either because of how it causes cancer, but then the Butt Out episode of South Park provided some positive examples on how influential cigarettes have brought to this country and the anti-smokers are a bunch of extremists like PeTA. Now I am uncertain if whether smoking should stay or go.

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Originally Posted by Ghetsis-Dennis

My grandfather use to smoke until he quit years ago. I have no intention to smoke myself either because of how it causes cancer, but then the Butt Out episode of South Park provided some positive examples on how influential cigarettes have brought to this country and the anti-smokers are a bunch of extremists like PeTA. Now I am uncertain if whether smoking should stay or go.

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You do know South Park is mainly parody, right? It's not something to take seriously.

That said, I did smoke a couple cigarettes back in the day. Like maybe 10-15 or so years ago. They did nothing for me, so I never took up the habit. I like my lungs to have as little chemicals and smoke in them as possible.

My maternal grandparents used to smoke. They both quit after my step-grandfather had a heart attack caused by the smoking. I have absolutely no interest in smoking, and the smell of it (tobacco or not. i.e. marijuana and other smoked materials) makes me sick to my stomach. Even though second-hand smoke has evidence of not actually being an issue, I still hold my breath walking past someone smoking. Like Saty said, I like my lungs the way they are.

I never smoked because I learned about cigarettes at school and their side effects. One of my biggest hate about people is why they smoke when they've been taught about its consequences at school or through advertising.

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Originally Posted by Jo The Marten

My maternal grandparents used to smoke. They both quit after my step-grandfather had a heart attack caused by the smoking. I have absolutely no interest in smoking, and the smell of it (tobacco or not. i.e. marijuana and other smoked materials) makes me sick to my stomach. Even though second-hand smoke has evidence of not actually being an issue, I still hold my breath walking past someone smoking. Like Saty said, I like my lungs the way they are.

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My father had a heart attack relatively not long after quitting smoking. Might be a stretch, but the doctor said that my father might not have made it if he hadn't quit.
Since then, dad has become strict on smoking. He won't see a cigarette in the house. He's still loose on drinking as he understands that some situations it's hard not to drink (like when with friends), but not on smoking.
Not that I'd ever smoke. Second hand smoke is painful enough. >_<

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Originally Posted by Force Fire

I never smoked because I learned about cigarettes at school and their side effects. One of my biggest hate about people is why they smoke when they've been taught about its consequences at school or through advertising.

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Once they started, they say it's difficult to quit.
But still, I'm personally disgusted the same way you are. What's cool about burning your lungs? -_-;

Guys back at my school always gave me this bullshit that smoking helped them calm their nerves down and shit, i.e. same effect as, say, stroking a cat. I can appreciate some great booze at a party, but smoking is out of question. It's just as pointless as alcohol (that is, when it's not a special occasion).

I don't smoke, none of my family members smoke. The only person blood-related to me who ever smoked was my great-grandmother, she quit smoking when she was 95 and she's turning 100 next year... XDD

But anyways, I don't like smoking. Are there any good points about it that are strong enough to overcome the usual "it's the source of common lung cancer" thingy? I mean - heaven's sake, it KILLS you. My great-grandmother may be an exception, but smoking can kill.

And while I don't care about other people smoking, I really really wish they wouldn't smoke on the streets when smoking areas are provided. Who gave them the right to make me breathe what they are smoking? They're not even going to pay for my hospital bills if I ever get lung cancer because of secondary smoking effects. To me, it's the same as indirect murder, and please please if they wish to smoke, PLEASE smoke among themselves and do not get anyone else involved.

It really makes me rage when someone smokes on the street and there's a pregnant woman near them who obviously can't move fast enough to get out of the smoking range... :( Poor baby...

My father used to smoke, but luckily he gave it up without too many issues before I was born. My personal stance on it is obviously negative, but like most of my beliefs I generally try to not be too preachy about it. I mean, as long as no one smokes around me, I'm totally fine with them doing it. Sure, it has awful health consequences, but I'm sure they would have heard that all before so I would never really intervene unless it was someone really close to me.

Gee, I suddenly feel so alone and outnumbered.

As you can maybe tell by my Giovanni here on the left, I do enjoy me some tobacco. I used to hate smoking. My dad smoked for almost his entire life. He was trying to cut down when he died, though, mostly due to his high blood pressure. I got my mother to quit smoking when I was only a few years old, although she says now she wanted to quit anyway. And I had no interest in it until fairly recently. Not long after I took it up the stupid government banned smoking in public places. Figures.

While I prefer to smoke cigars and pipes, since I can't just get them at the local gas station down here, I'll smoke cigarettes when I have the money for it, but I won't go out of my way to get them. Maybe it's just me, or maybe it's that I've only been smoking for about three years, but I don't feel like I'm addicted. I know - everyone says that. But I genuinely don't. There's no cravings, no more than I'd get for a slice of pizza, anyway. I can and have gone weeks without a puff, then just take it right back up. It's never caused me to cough, either. Not sure how relevant that is, I just find it odd.

Anyhow, the way I see it, one should live and let live. I smoke tobacco for the same reason I drink alcohol - because I enjoy it (and I could get hit by a bus tomorrow, you never know). Not to get buzzed (or drunk, as the case may be), but just to enjoy a stogie with a glass of scotch, or have a bowl of chocolate flavored tobacco with my coffee in the morning. After all, I should get to choose what I stuff into myself without others constantly berating me for it, and/or telling me I should stop. If I'm smoking, say, at the park, on a bench all by my lonesome, and somebody near me is bothered by this, they could just tell me that my smoking is inconveniencing them, and if they're nice about it, I'll put the thing out. No big deal. But if someone starts fake-coughing, waving their hands around, or citing studies (that they probably haven't read, while we're at it), just generally being a... not-nice... person... about it, I will not feel very inclined to oblige them.

Not to mention how idiotic some of these smoking bans and laws can be. No smoking in restaurants - we always had a smoking and non-smoking section for that, but fine. I can understand it. But at a bar? At a tobacco store? Are you serious? And it's not just about being able to smoke or not - the owner of the establishment often has no say. The person that pays for and runs the place can't decide if he or she wants customers to be able to smoke or not.

I also wonder how people would react if they started putting pictures of car crashes and cirrhotic livers on cases of beer.

Personally, I won't go out of my way to bother anyone with my pastime. But I don't appreciate being bothered about it, either. And, while I admit this may be just from a smoker's perspective- it feels like there's this hatred of smoking and smokers going around nowadays, and it's accepted and even lauded, and it doesn't sit right with me.

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Originally Posted by Vhazhiphor

Gee, I suddenly feel so alone and outnumbered.

As you can maybe tell by my Giovanni here on the left, I do enjoy me some tobacco. I used to hate smoking. My dad smoked for almost his entire life. He was trying to cut down when he died, though, mostly due to his high blood pressure. I got my mother to quit smoking when I was only a few years old, although she says now she wanted to quit anyway. And I had no interest in it until fairly recently. Not long after I took it up the stupid government banned smoking in public places. Figures.

While I prefer to smoke cigars and pipes, since I can't just get them at the local gas station down here, I'll smoke cigarettes when I have the money for it, but I won't go out of my way to get them. Maybe it's just me, or maybe it's that I've only been smoking for about three years, but I don't feel like I'm addicted. I know - everyone says that. But I genuinely don't. There's no cravings, no more than I'd get for a slice of pizza, anyway. I can and have gone weeks without a puff, then just take it right back up. It's never caused me to cough, either. Not sure how relevant that is, I just find it odd.

Anyhow, the way I see it, one should live and let live. I smoke tobacco for the same reason I drink alcohol - because I enjoy it (and I could get hit by a bus tomorrow, you never know). Not to get buzzed (or drunk, as the case may be), but just to enjoy a stogie with a glass of scotch, or have a bowl of chocolate flavored tobacco with my coffee in the morning. After all, I should get to choose what I stuff into myself without others constantly berating me for it, and/or telling me I should stop. If I'm smoking, say, at the park, on a bench all by my lonesome, and somebody near me is bothered by this, they could just tell me that my smoking is inconveniencing them, and if they're nice about it, I'll put the thing out. No big deal. But if someone starts fake-coughing, waving their hands around, or citing studies (that they probably haven't read, while we're at it), just generally being a... not-nice... person... about it, I will not feel very inclined to oblige them.

Not to mention how idiotic some of these smoking bans and laws can be. No smoking in restaurants - we always had a smoking and non-smoking section for that, but fine. I can understand it. But at a bar? At a tobacco store? Are you serious? And it's not just about being able to smoke or not - the owner of the establishment often has no say. The person that pays for and runs the place can't decide if he or she wants customers to be able to smoke or not.

I also wonder how people would react if they started putting pictures of car crashes and cirrhotic livers on cases of beer.

Personally, I won't go out of my way to bother anyone with my pastime. But I don't appreciate being bothered about it, either. And, while I admit this may be just from a smoker's perspective- it feels like there's this hatred of smoking and smokers going around nowadays, and it's accepted and even lauded, and it doesn't sit right with me.

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That's actually what most of the people who are uncomfortable with smokers have a dilemma on. In my case, I don't want to disturb what someone enjoys and if it doesn't have to do anything with me, then I don't care. But the problem occurs when I'm included, or anyone near me is. If someone's smoking nearby, and I don't want them to, then I might as well ask them politely. But the thing is that most smokers are scary. I may be biased but it's actually hard to ask because we might get snarls of "It's none of your business", or "If you can't stand it, YOU get out of here."

If they're all polite like you, then we'd have a less harder time when asking. But when I once asked someone to smoke somewhere else because there were babies nearby, I got told off for intruding his time. It's really upsetting because even the smell of smoke can kill infants (called Third-smoking effects, or something like that).

Anyways, sorry for any offense, but that's really the kind of impression we get on smokers that we can't ask them easily.