Smoking.

[CosmicJoghurt]

Greetings.

I'm not so sure where to post this, but...

I've come to an age in which it's a "thing" to start smoking. In other words, a substantial part of my classmates will probably start smoking in this school year. And considering that I don't smoke, and don't intend to try anything of that sort, starting to see some of the colleagues I studied with for a couple of years begin to smoke brings in some thoughts...

For some reason, I regard them smokers will less respect, for some reason... Even the ones I like, am fond of, or have deeper feelings about (that's as far as I'm going with this), It's like there's suddenly a shade of gray around my perception of them...

I don't care if they want to smoke, if they're just addicted, if they think it's cool, if they do it from peer pressure... My subconscious tells me "this gal... bad idea".

Anyone share the same feelings?

 

[australopithecus]

After seeing my Grandmother die of smoking caused lung cancer, and my Dad develop emphysema, my over riding opinion of people who smoke is: "idiot".

 

[Squawk]

Pretty much identical thoughts. I've never smoked, never will, can't understand why anyone does, and it's a huge turn off for me.

 

[Thomas Doubting]

Somebody has to feed the tobacco industry.. they can thank me later.

 

[CosmicJoghurt]

After seeing my Grandmother die of smoking caused lung cancer, and my Dad develop emphysema, my over riding opinion of people who smoke is: "idiot".

I have to disagree, though. I understand that you went through problems like those because of tobacco... But I do understand that we can't all resist peer pressure the same way, nor do we have the same self-motivation, for example... I feel for smokers. Sure, it's stupid, but I try to understand.

 

[Prolescum]

Greetings.
For some reason, I regard them smokers will less respect, for some reason... Even the ones I like, am fond of, or have deeper feelings about (that's as far as I'm going with this), It's like there's suddenly a shade of gray around my perception of them...

I don't care if they want to smoke, if they're just addicted, if they think it's cool, if they do it from peer pressure... My subconscious tells me "this gal... bad idea".

Anyone share the same feelings?

I don't personally. I don't think judging the value of people based on something as unimportant as smoking is very productive, or very enlightened. Everyone has foibles.

If you just mean that you fancy her and are put off attempting to snog her because she smells, well, them's the cards you're dealt. Snogging is generally better than not snogging in my view.

 

[Dean]

Pretty much identical thoughts. I've never smoked, never will, can't understand why anyone does, and it's a huge turn off for me.

The usual story I find among heavy smokers is that it "relieves stress/anxiety". Which might be true. I don't know if ideas like that are scientifically demonstrable. But, yeah, likewise. I do not smoke, and wouldn't recommend anyone to ever start.

 

[Gnug215]

Pretty much identical thoughts. I've never smoked, never will, can't understand why anyone does, and it's a huge turn off for me.

The usual story I find among heavy smokers is that it "relieves stress/anxiety". Which might be true. I don't know if ideas like that are scientifically demonstrable. But, yeah, likewise. I do not smoke, and wouldn't recommend anyone to ever start.

I am fairly certain that the stress/anxiety that smoking relieves is the stress/anxiety smokers are getting from the withdrawals of their nicotine addiction.

I have an excellent way to experience really great relief: hold back your pee for a really long time. Then once you really can't take it anymore, you dash out to the bathroom, let it all out, and let that sweet, wonderful relief wash over you.*






(* Warning! Holding back pee for an extended time can cause great discomfort, wet pants, incontinence, and ultimately death.)

 

[Dean]

You have a commendable sense of humor, Gnug.

 

[Dean]

Gnug215

[. . .] I have an excellent way to experience really great relief: hold back your pee for a really long time. Then once you really can't take it anymore, you dash out to the bathroom, let it all out, and let that sweet, wonderful relief wash over you.* [. . .]

LOL, true, so very true. Although, I would not advise it for much of the same reasons you listed in the line below the one I am quoting herein.

And as for stress relief, there is always the Placebo effect. If medicinal placebos have been successfully implemented in order to relieve one's pain, (50% the effect of Morphine, in fact), then I see no reason why a similar placebo effect could not be utilized to reduce high levels of stress and (hyper)tension. (*grin*)

 

[)O( Hytegia )O(]

I smoke -
but it's a habit picked up from driving through the desert in the middle of the night mounted behind a .50 cal Machine Gun, and a few before and after putting on a relatively heavy suit and playing with high explosives designed to take out armored vehicles.

Nicotine is a 5 minute shot of caffine and smoking a cigarette gives a means by which you can kill time (doing something that takes minutes over and over again idly can kill a bit of time).

Smoking is a man thing - by that I mean that smoking is something that should only be done if you, yourself, are absolutely healthy and you are or have been doing something that could kill you in the next half-hour.

 

[Gnug215]

I smoke -
but it's a habit picked up from driving through the desert in the middle of the night mounted behind a .50 cal Machine Gun, and a few before and after putting on a relatively heavy suit and playing with high explosives designed to take out armored vehicles.

Nicotine is a 5 minute shot of caffine and smoking a cigarette gives a means by which you can kill time (doing something that takes minutes over and over again idly can kill a bit of time).

Smoking is a man thing - by that I mean that smoking is something that should only be done if you, yourself, are absolutely healthy and you are or have been doing something that could kill you in the next half-hour.

Yeah... I'm sorry to say, but... What a load of unadulterated horse-droppings.

Is this seriously the story you tell yourself to explain and justify your pointless little addiction?

 

[Unwardil]

Meh. Everyone needs a vice.

Smoking happens to be a particularly unhealthy and smelly one though but as long as people do it in a well ventilated area I don't really care. My vices are coffee and video games, who am I to judge.

 

[)O( Hytegia )O(]

Is this seriously the story you tell yourself to explain and justify your pointless little addiction?

That I picked it up as a distraction from everyday mortar attacks?
Possibly.

And yeah, the Nicotine does wire you up if you need to stay up quite a while - it's a stimulant.

 

[CosmicJoghurt]

Is this seriously the story you tell yourself to explain and justify your pointless little addiction?

That I picked it up as a distraction from everyday mortar attacks?
Possibly.

And yeah, the Nicotine does wire you up if you need to stay up quite a while - it's a stimulant.

Coffee's probably a bit better for you.

And what I think Gnug means is that although it is understandable that you picked up smoking in the war, it's no excuse for continuing to smoke in your.. calmer life now.

 

[)O( Hytegia )O(]

And what I think Gnug means is that although it is understandable that you picked up smoking in the war, it's no excuse for continuing to smoke in your.. calmer life now.

Calmer?
The second the Navy says that I'm unbroken I get to go right back there.
:lol:
Besides, I still have to stand watch. 12 hours being awake is considerably harder to stay awake than the 16 without the excitement of being shot at, let alone the Wiring I get from my Nicotine Buzz.

 

[Andiferous]

Smoking is a man-thing? Haha.

For me it started without addiction or any kind of sex-linked handicapped. I actually caved into smoking with my friends after years of pressure due to a particular ex-date that I was particularly angry with at the time (he had sometime mentioned that he 'hated' smoking).

Should people start up now? Nah, it sucks. Should they dismiss it without firm commitment and understanding? Nah, won't last.

I've quit a few times and started up again a few times, too. No one should ever feel pressured into smoking, and I rather hope future generations understand better than previous, but I won't cross my fingers quite yet. With women stats in particular, smoking tends to serve as an appetite suppressant for eating disorders.

 

[Dean]

You know .. I've actually met people who have told me something tantamount to "If you stop smoking and/or drinking, you may as well stop living,"

I've met some people for whom smoking and drinking is pretty much all they do. And it's simply sad that they think that's more or less the purpose of their existence. Like many things:

Smoking and Alcohol are a waste of time and brain. And a dangerous waste of time and brain at that.

 

[devilsadvocate]

My favourite vegetable is tobacco.

 

[DepricatedZero]

I started smoking at a young age due to peer pressure and the want to fit in. It's fucked me up.

A few years back I quit smoking, and it may be the hardest thing I've ever had to do. However, where I am now I can be around people smoking and not even want a cigarette. I become nauseous at the thought of smoking.

When I quit smoking, though, I blew up. That is, like a balloon. I had always been out of shape and a little heavy, but the weight gain spiraled out of control. I'm fighting with it now, struggling just to keep it stable. It's shit like this that you don't hear about, that gets swept under the rug because it's less frightening than cancer. In a way, I would prefer to fight cancer than this - cancer has treatments, this all I can do is kill myself at the gym and never do more than stabilize.

I'm not going to condemn someone for smoking, a lot of my friends still do, but if you don't, there's really no reason to, and I think you'll be better off not. I think taking an objective approach as you are may be beneficial here as well.