Do you smoke tobacco?

[ShredAstaire]

And if you only smoke when drinking, choose yes you bunch of lushes! ;)

[FirstMeasure]

Haven't smoked in over 12 years, and the Hardest one to give up was the one with the Beer. Next came video games, it was hard not to play Street Fighter without a 'garette burning over head in an ashtray atop the machine. Yeah, you could smoke in Arcades back then!

[Thundergod]

I don't smoke right now. Haven't smoked in 5 or 6 years. I also try to avoid places where people smoke, the only times I breath it is when I'm plying in pubs and bars, some people still smokes in them, but I've noticed smoking as a fashion thing is fading away quickly, hopefuly I'll be able to play in smoke free places soon.

 

Before you guys ask, the only thing I've smoked is tobacco, never tried any of the other stuff.

[ShredAstaire]

I've never even tried smoking tobacco...

 

But the green stuff...yup. :)

[Silenced Fred]

Nope. none for me thanks

[SG FAN]

Nope, only left handeds for me:)

[Dennis G]

Quit about 25 or so years ago. My doctor told me that was the single most important decision I could have made regarding my overall health.

[Murph]

I quit Jan 1, 2008 when Illinois passed the "can't smoke in a bar" law.

 

Now I hear they may repeal it.

 

Go figure......

[charlie brown]

NO....I quit (what little I did) 40 years ago! It's the

hardest part, about playing in bars, and private clubs, for me...

putting up with the 2nd hand smoke! As it's unfiltered, it's

actually worse, than smoking filtered cigarettes!

 

CB

[Sinner 13]

since I was 12...working on quitting,

have cut my over all consumption by 75% in the last five days.

hope to be butt free by the new year.

[Thundergod]

I wish they passed a law against smoking anywhere but in your own home in here.

[ChanMan]

I quit when I was 39. They say your smoking related risks increase dramatically once you hit 40, so I quit. Haven't looked back either. For me the key was making it so I didn't want to anymore.

 

Approaching my 10 year anniversary this month.

[cookieman15061]

Quit 15 years ago. 4 of my Mom's siblings passed away from heart disease as well as 2 of my Dad's. Both families were heavy smokers.

Wife and I decided at 35 we would like to meet our grandchildren someday. We've got 2 so far.

 

[milod]

I smoke...

 

Tobacco only. Other stuff is as "bad" as tobacco, perhaps worse, depends on who you believe.

 

Haven't taken a sick day from work except a week and a half for serious, serious dental work since I was 20.

 

I know that the propaganda against tobacco is awfully strong; in fact, stronger than anything having to do with various illegal drugs that most of us would admit are far more injurious to the health.

 

But I find it interesting also how much U.S. exports have dropped since "somebody" decided we'd go strongly against tobacco. I know. That's politically incorrect to mention. It's evil to think that way.

 

Anyway... For what it's worth, and I guess I'm really showing my age here, the smell of leather-covered furniture, polished wood, pipe and cigar tobacco is what always has brought images of what a civil adulthood for males was all about. Not stale beer smell, nor whatever they're using to make saloons nowadays smell like nobody smokes or spills booze, but a good tobacco smell. The friendship rituals of tobacco that have had no replacement even in the maryjane culture.

 

Odd how something that has been a major part of North American culture and economy, especially, has turned into something evil. The fumes from plastics and adhesives the past half century? Naaah, no problem with those. Just quit smoking and blame climate change for your kids (age 40 and below) and grandkids' asthma and maybe even ADHD.

 

The "proofs" of tobacco-related illnesses and deaths? I think you'll find that for the past cupla decades if somebody died, the anti-tobacco statisticians would manage to find a connection. I really saw that at work with one elder family member where the hospital folks did everything possible to find one that didn't exist.

 

Ah, well.... I get grouchy on this one. I dislike that because I'll freely admit I get a bit grouchy when I hear and see things as they are put out in almost identical sorts of terminology as used for prohibition.

 

Yet... one thing forgotten about prohibition is how many strong companies were destroyed - and I've always wondered whether there weren't something about an attack on corporate entities and regional economies as much or more than the evils of nicotine...

 

But of course, that's awfully politically correct to suggest, eh? No honest politician ever would encourage that, would they?

 

m

[Flight959]

Gave up on the 16th October this year! I've witness two live suicide attempts in the last four weeks and still havent gone back!

 

Smoking isn't worth it!

[Shnate McDuanus]

I only smoke petrified unicorn tears.

 

By which I mean, I inhale no smoke of any kind. I was never offered a cigarette by any friends--no close friends ever really developed a smoking habit. Even knew a whole bunch who were very, very anti-smoking. As for me, I've read enough about alleged falsification of death certificates (to the point where basically every case of lung cancer and emphysema which leads to a death in the United States is certified as related to tobacco usage, even if in actuality it isn't) and fudging of statistics by the Surgeon General, the ATF and the FDA to be at least a little suspicious of certain claims regarding the dangers of tobacco usage--not to say they're false, just to say they may be inflated a little (or more than a little.) I've also read about enough life-long smokers ending up with bad respiratory problems to be fairly wary of tobacco smoke inhalation. At the same time, enough statistics produce enough contradictory or paradoxical conclusions regarding tobacco smoke (such as, for instance, the rate of tobacco use in Japan correlated with their life expectancy, or the apparent inverse relationship between smoking habits and several forms of psychosis) to basically be left without any really cut-and-dry conclusion on smoking. Is it good, is it evil, is it healthy, is it dangerous? Frankly, it's probably all of the above in equal amounts, I'd say. I just can't rightfully out-and-out condemn it. But no, I don't smoke tobacco. As I said before, a reason for me to do so never really came up.

[jnastynebr]

since I was 12...working on quitting,

have cut my over all consumption by 75% in the last five days.

hope to be butt free by the new year.

That's my goal, too. I quit for 6 years, but picked it up again right before my wedding. Go figure. Ive been puffing about 5-7 butts a day for the last 2 years. Last new year I quit for almost 2 weeks, but in a moment of drunken weakness, I lit one up.

[craigh]

Anyone remember Woody Allen's mover Sleeper? When Woody's character woke up from his hernia operation some 200 years later, a Doctor offered him a cigarette stating that it was discovered that smoking was one of the best things that one can do for their health.

 

Craig

[MojoRedFoot]

I can't stand breathe of smokers and I'm a little anal about oral hygene so def not my thing. I don't like to literally burn money. That could be used towards gear, strings etc

[WahKeen]

Smoke in your lungs... Yep, (sarcasm alert) not bad for you. I don't smoke and .

can't imagine starting now. I've got relatives I wish would quit... Props to u

guys that stopped. Like Pacino said "as long as I have my health..."

[Andy R]

I smoke... and I hate that I do. I have done A LOT of let's say alternative recreational things over the last 30 years but smoking is the only thing that I just have never been able to put down. I remember when the cigarette companies were maintaining that it wasn't addictive and it's only a habit type of addiction. BS

 

I rarely if ever drink anymore

No other questionable substances

 

I know it isn't good for you health wise

I know it makes you smell bad

I know that it costs me a fortune of money that could be better spent elsewhere

It's inconvenient... Making trips in the middle of winter to get cigs, standing out side freezing my arse off

Being looked at like a second class citizen etc...

Still haven't been able to quit!!

It's not just a bad habit it is an addiction!!!!

 

A little bit of defense here

I don't buy all the second hand smoke stuff, I'm sure there is some truth to it but It "kills me" when people wave their noses and act like I'm responsible for polluting the world as they hop in their cars and spread more carbon monoxide into the environment in one trip to the grocery store than I would in a life time of smoking. My point on this is how many minutes would it take you to die from carbon monoxide poisoning siting in a closed garage with a car running compared to the years it "might" take to see complications from being locked in a garage full of chain smokers. Can't smoke anywhere around an airport as the jets are sitting there burning up fuel???? Because they care about everyones health? Please

 

Second hand smoke is probably not the best thing on earth and I respect peoples decision to avoid it and not smoke. To legislate that someone cannot own a business and choose it to be smoking or not is unfair. If i go to a non smoking establishment. I don't smoke. If you don't smoke or want to be around it then don't patron a smoking establishment. Then comes the argument that it is about the employees health. Well if you don't smoke don't apply for a job at an establishment that allows smoking. If your a vegan don't apply for a job at the butchers market. If nudity offends you don't apply for a job at a strip joint. Etc..

Next comes the insurance and health care costs that make everyones rates more expensive. Uh I believe obesity and diabetes are one of the leading causes of long term illnesses in the US. So when are we gonna make twinkie free areas? It won't be long before you see groups of overweight people huddled in some remote area of a building jamming down twinkies and ho ho's.

 

I think it comes down to the smell more than anything. If you don't smoke Cigarettes smokes stinks. Hell it stinks to me some times. I think that is 95% of issues people have is that they don't want to smell it. I can understand that. I try to be a polite smoker and stay away from people when I smoke. If I see someone walking by especially with a baby I will put it out before they get near me. I still maintain you could take one of those "electric" cigarettes and or smoke something that can be proven to have 0 carcinogens and people would swear it was killing the world because they hate the smell.

 

I believe I should be able to smoke in my car, out in public as long as no one is confined with it. I definitely thing they should have well vented smoking areas in airports. Nothing like having the nicotine fiens as you get delayed for hours on end to keep people calm and relaxed.

 

In summary do I think that smoking is good? Nope? But if it is that bad then just ban it all together, and drinking, and twinkies, bacon, porkchops, cheeseburgers, sugar, caffeine, etc...

 

My grandfather smoked through his mid 50's and is now 89 years old. I smoke, I have no allergies, and am rarely sick. People are all different.

 

I realize this is contradictory but I don't believe all the hype.

 

In summary I don't think smoking has any benefits for anyone.

I also believe in a persons right to smoke or not to smoke.

I regret that I ever started but as another example i grew up in a non smoking home and I smoke like a chimney. My uncle who is 5 years older than I am grew up in a house with chain smokers and doesn't smoke at all.

 

I admire the people who have quit. I ask the people who have never smoked not to treat me like I'm a second class citizen.

 

That's about it. Now I need a smoke.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

Andy

[LPguitarman]

Nope. Never did never will.

[brad1]

Smoked a pack a day for about 15 years. Haven't smoked a single one in over 16 years.

Quitting was one of the best things I've ever done.

[damian]

SMOKING KILLS...........An ex wife had lung cancer ( thank God )...........Did you take my matches ShredAstaire ???? Where ARE they ?????

 

Smoking is for quiters, ah, I mean, all smokers should quit.......My avitar quit, and she's STILL adjusting as you can tell......

[Mr. Natural]

One or two cigars a week.