Do you smoke?

[ferider]

I smoke, started during my divorce, in my early 30s. Never smoked before.

Weight control was the one argument, I admit, that had me thinking (for a SHORT while) that it might be worth looking in to. There was also a LOT of social pressure to keep your weight down, and I would say even more so than today. Fortunately the argument was not convincing enough.

Trust me, loosing 50 pounds is much easier for some than quitting smoking.

Oh well, it's been an interesting thread here. What I do think the group here can be collectively proud of is that close to 80% do not smoke regularly, and only 13% smoke regularly with no intention of quitting. My guess is that this is very close to that of my friends and work associates. Quite a change from the 70s, huh?

Think about who participates in this poll and how representative it is.

I had one family member die of lung cancer. Two others of Alzymer.
Death is not nice. Being in your 70s or 80s is hard unless you have
a supportive family. How many people do you see die in hospitals
completely alone ?

The world is full of people who tell others what is good for them.
Would be nice if we could restrict it to art, technique and gear here.

Roland.

 

[dmr]

What drove me to smoke was simple peer pressure. All my friends smoked, my father smoked, my grandfather smoked pipes

The producers of any product can only wish for the users of their product to recruit others into lifelong users. Amazing how many of our friends acted as unpaid sales staff of the nicotine delivery industry.

I guess I am the exception. Statistically I should not be a never-smoker. Both of my parents smoked, both grandfathers smoked (both grandmothers did not), both of my brothers did for a while, but have since quit. Of my extended family, I can't think of a single aunt or uncle who did not smoke. Many of my friends in HS and college did.

One thing that helped me quit was the lack of peer pressure.

If anything, at work there is now peer pressure to NOT smoke. One of my bosses is now trying to quit and we are his cheering section. At a recent staff meeting one of my co-workers proudly announced that he had resigned his membership in the Smoking Club. (We semi-jokingly refer to the gatherings around the service entrance and loading dock as "The Smoking Club.")

None at the job for sure.

That's great, but unusual. Around here (a few hundred miles N of you I think) any company of any size will have a Smoking Club with regular meetings several times a day. The membership in our company's chapter does appear to decrease consistently.

And since "you all" are my only friends, if you are smoking I can't smell it though the internet.

True, and I was hoping to start a relevant spin-off thread which did not take -- as photographers we can avoid producing images that glamorize or in any way encourage the smoking habit -- AND -- maybe apply some peer pressure to get fellow photographers to do so as well.

When I peruse the gallery I'll occasionally (not too many on this board, but there are some) see photos that do show smoking in a positive light. I've felt like adding a very low rating and a comment, but didn't feel like coming off as a total b*tch. I might start doing that.

 

[PetarDima]

I smoke, started during my divorce, in my early 30s. Never smoked before.



Trust me, loosing 50 pounds is much easier for some than quitting smoking.



Think about who participates in this poll and how representative it is.

I had one family member die of lung cancer. Two others of Alzymer.
Death is not nice. Being in your 70s or 80s is hard unless you have
a supportive family. How many people do you see die in hospitals
completely alone ?

The world is full of people who tell others what is good for them.
Would be nice if we could restrict it to art, technique and gear here.

Roland.

Deep thoughts, Roland ... I understand you ... I quit 10 years ago ...
keep on with Rokkor sea shots - people aroud me often complain,
this sentence is for me :


The world is full of people who tell others what is good for them.

Regards, Vlad.

P.S. My father was smoker too, do you know what was the last thing he did that fatal night( he has died while he was sleeping)? He took a cigarette(the cause of death was heart attack)

 

[freeranger]

I don't smoke and used to be quite anti-smoking.

Since joining RFF, however, I have developed a tolerant attitude towards practitioners of esoteric and expensive habits

 

[sepiareverb]

I was a dedicated cigarette smoker for a long time- well a while anyway, fifteen years 'quit' many times- longest time without was about 6 months.

Then after my son was born and we picked up and moved I was finally able to quit for what appears to be for good. That was twelve years ago this month.

With as many students as I have that smoke I am constantly craving cigarettes during my work days- rarely a day goes by that I don't. I still love the smell.

 

[ernstk]

Cuban Cigars...

Cuban Cigars...

I enjoy a good Cuban cigar on an irregular basis. I like Monte Cristo No2 and also Partagas Serie D. I enjoy them with a good Scotch malt or a small batch Bourbon (Van Winkle). I don't inhale.

Regards
Ernst

 

[varjag]

I quit after 10 years of heavy smoking, but do not regret time or money spent on cigarettes.

 

[pachuco]

I smoke a pipe every now and then. I like the smell more than anything else but my god, do I feel it in my lungs after I smoke it. My morning run just hurts like an SOB the next day.

Living in the Oregon gives me better things to smoke.........like salmon! What did you think I was going to say??

 

[gb hill]

I smoke a pipe every now and then. I like the smell more than anything else but my god, do I feel it in my lungs after I smoke it. My morning run just hurts like an SOB the next day.

Don't inhale it. Just enjoy the flavor. But if it bothers you that much I would quit.

BTW George Burns smoked cheap cigars and drank martinies every day of his adult life, (he said so) and lived to be 100.

 

[Ash]

I've never smoked, and as far as I am aware at my current age and disposition, I never will.

My father used to smoke. My mother still does, several stress-related relapses I guess. Many friends smoke. A few ex-girlfriends smoke also.

I don't mind the smell of a cigar from across the room, something not too bad. Cigarettes will never smell nice. Nor will the taste of a kiss from somebody who smokes them.

 

[mexipike]

I smoke a pipe mainly Penzance tobacco, if their are any pipers here I recomend it. i don't inhale it. However, I do smoke it often and have noticed a strong addiction to nicotine, which makes me smoke an ocasional, but fairly common cigarrette. It's hard to smoke a pipe while walking down the street, or driving a car. I also live in Mexico where most males, if not full time smokers, will smoke a cigarrette. I definitley can see all the bad properties of all tobacco products, but I love nicotine, and at least for now have no intentions of letting it go.

John

 

[BJ Bignell]

I voted "Occasionally or socially" but I should qualify that it's only ever cigars, except for that one alcohol-fuelled bender where a pack of cigarettes appeared at the beginning of the night, and then just as mysteriously, disappeared by the end.

I have to admit, though, that I love the sweet smell of burning tobacco when you first light up a smoke. For that first moment, the smoke is like magic, but it quickly passes. It probably comes from being raised by smokers (who did eventually quit).

Oh, and I forgot that I have a hookah and that I do enjoy the occaisonaly puff of shishah tobacco. The best flavours are mint and rose, and coconut ain't bad either.

 

[enochRoot]

I smoke only weed.

what he said...

 

[Keith]

I'm just trying to remember who the well known world figure was who liked his cigars dipped ... Bill something or other ... the name escapes me! :angel:

 

[bobkonos]

I enjoy a GOOD cigar two to three times a year (Shutterflower: I will try the Padron 3000 maduro, thanks) and one of those times will be this week, in the backyard on a summer night under the aromatic star jasmine (I like irony). Colyn: we are the same age, I lost my dad in 2002 to emphysema so I relate and send condolences. He was a nervous sort, my dad, and he'd chew gum whenever he tried to quit, but ultimately (when my mom died in 1995) he said the heck with a lot of things in life and just did not care anymore. My mom quit smoking when I was a teenager, cold turkey, no regrets. In 24 hours she went from a smoker to a confirmed non-smoker. Boom-that was it. I miss them both all the time.

 

[Eric T]

Melanie,
Your photos on Flickr are great!

 

[Dfin]

So how are all the cancer patients this bright sunny Sydney morning. Tobacco, the only product legally available,that when used as directed, WILL KILL YOU. I use to be a 2 pack a day smoker,gave up 25yrs ago, bloody hard habit to kick. What finally made me stop was not only health reasons but( being of Scottish decent ) the cost!!! A pack of 20 coffin nails is about 11-12 aud, a carton over $100,x10 , there`s an M3 almost,think about it. As for lecturing people, I gave up, it`s their decision, only they can flick the switch in their brain. Still, we all have a drug of choice,mine is surfing.

 

[Taqi]

I like Monte Cristo No2 and also Partagas Serie D.

You are evidently a gentleman.

 

[dmr]

Tobacco, the only product legally available,that when used as directed, WILL KILL YOU.

Can you imagine what would happen, here in the 21st century, if cigarettes were new and had to go before the Consumer Product Safety Commission?

How about the FDA?

 

[rbsinto]

I smoked very heavily (at least two large packs-50 cigerettes) for many years, and stopped twice, once for seven years, and the second time for a year.
In 1990, I put one out, and have never smoked since.
However, I still consider myself to be a recovering smokaholic.