Smokers and non smokers, what do you do, what do you think?

[LizzieMaine]

I have friends who smoke, and I'll admit that I don't mind the smell of a good cigar or a pipe. But I've never smoked myself, and I never will -- because I watched my grandfather die of emphysema. No political statements, no condemnation for those who choose to smoke, no sweeping calls for prohibition -- just the memory of my grandfather desperately gasping for his last breath.

 

[matei]

Both my parents smoked like chimneys when I was growing up. I remember walking up and the house would be a blue haze - like living in a pub.

Oddly enough, I never smoked. I tried a few times when out with the lads, but I invariably felt awful the next day.

I wish they'd get their act together here and ban smoking in public places like restaurants, or at least force them to have smoking/non-smoking sections. Nothing ruins a meal like some eejit's noxious smoke wafting over to you in the midst of your main course.

The gov't voted to do this in Ireland. For us non-smokers, the decision to ban smoking in public places was a... emmm... breath of fresh air. :eusa_doh:

Sure, the publicans and smokers gave out about it, but it made going out a pleasure again. You might have a wee headache the next day from too much drink, but at least you didn't smell like an ashtray.

I have been meaning to keep a really stinky, cheap cigar on me for those occasions where an inconsiderate smoker lights up next to me. I'd wait until they finished and then pollute their air with the fumes of a cheap ol' cigar.

I tried this once many years ago and it worked.

 

[The Reno Kid]

I've never been a smoker, but it doesn't bother me when someone lights up.

 

[RadioHead]

Well, viewed from the other side...

Smoking doesn't look cool at all,

Not to you, perhaps. It looked really cool to me when I was a kid. I had my first cigarette when I was about 9 years old, but didn't start smoking "for real" until I was 14. My brother is 6 years older than I, and I thought he looked as cool as all-get-out when he was smoking, and he was/is my hero (in a very loose sense of that word).

Or that I have to pay (in Canada) a health care premium so the smokers who got lung cancer can have access to all the free health care they need.

Well, I admit, that is a good point. I, too, pay those premiums, but I also pay those premiums to pay for the knuckleheads who weren't wearing a seatbelt when they had a car crash, or weren't wearing a helmet while riding a motorcyle and lost it, and require months of hospitalization- and those actions are illegal! Smoking isn't. Should it be? That's another thread.

Honestly, I personally think smoking is one of those things that we need to accept as a society as being simply rediculous. We need to realize that the proof is in the pudding that it has no useful function, and do everything we can to get rid of it once and for all.

Do you drink alcohol? It's legal, causes diseases, death, depression, abuse and other problems... and serves no useful purpose whatsoever.

'Tis not only beauty, but also "cool" which is in the eye of the beholder.

"RadioHead"

 

[Braxton36]

I've found very few people who, like me, have never smoked. Anything. Not even a puff. I just never had the desire, never thought it was cool, and never liked the smell.

I was around it growing up as everyone seemed to smoke in those days. It didn't bother me even through college - I let people smoke around me at my own place, even dated some girls who smoked. At some point in my 20's it started to irritate me. I got rid of all the ashtrays and started asking people to smoke outside.

Now I've gotten to the point where it really annoys me in public places. I go out of my way to avoid smokers. I won't sit in smoking sections of restaurants and won't stay in a smoking room in a hotel. Anybody who doesn't think stale smoke stinks is fairly delusional. However, having said all that, I'm still of the opinion that they have a right to do whatever they please - whether it's good or bad for them - it's their choice.

 

[Hondo]

Not so Cool

This is an old thread that got bumped, I must have missed it because its an interesting question. The other day on TMC, I caught John Wayne’s 1963 “Hatari!” I just couldn’t help notice at how many times people in the film lit up a cigarette, smoked. (This there a film you’ve seen where all people do is smoke? I’ll leave that for another topic) When relaxing after a hard days work or when drinking, I guess sign of the times. Like the TV or radio ads that made smoking cool, only later we found out how dangerous it is.

I was a long time smoker maybe less than 20 a day, for 35 yrs, it’s a nasty little habit, your clothes, food smell or stink. I loved cigs with alcohol, or coffee, but I finally got it right and quit over 5 yrs ago, I know the long term damage has been made, but I feel and breathe so much better today, food smells good, you wake up without that cigarette after taste that lingers in the air, I used to cough, gag or hacking trying to clear my throat every morning. My sinuses are still bad, but not as when I was smoking. There are so many films that while not intended made smoking look cool. How many of you recall cigarette TV ads, the Marlboro man? "Come to where the flavor is, come to Marlboro country!!" (theme song to the Magnificent 7 movie) I try to sympathies with those who continue to smoke, due to being a ex smoker, but I have trouble understanding that with all the info out the in public view, they continue without regards to the danger to their health, I know first hand like many here, but get real, whether you have a large or small bundle of savings for retirement, wouldn’t you like to be alive, healthily come that time or would you want to be in a hospital, hooked up to a machine trying to breath?
I won’t say anything should someone light up next to me unless it really bothers me, I’ll either get up and leave or ask them, do you mind not smoking please? I know it’s addictive, I did it for over 35 years but try to quit, have some personal honesty with ones self, TRY!!! It’s a nasty little habit, now China or the Chinese people are only now realizing the danger.
Yeah I love to play with cigars, but rarely light up

 

[Quigley Brown]

Do you drink alcohol? It's legal, causes diseases, death, depression, abuse and other problems... and serves no useful purpose whatsoever.

"RadioHead"

Actually a glass of wine once in a while can be good for you.

 

[raiderrescuer]

Movie smoking...

I wonder if the Tobacco Companies subsidised the movies because it portrayed smokers.
Now days it's common for "product placement" in movies...like Mountain Dew in Highlander 2.
I have a Glenn Miller/Andrews Sister CD that was sponsored by Chesterfield Cigarettes...every once and awhile the narrator would mention the cigarette.

 

[RadioHead]

Well, now that you ask...

(...is there a film you’ve seen where all people do is smoke?

Not exactly. However, I'm constantly amazed at how many recent films I've seen where most of the people smoke. I mean, really, nowadays at least in Canada... 6 out of 10 provinces in any case (http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/health07a.htm) FAR fewer than 50% of people smoke.

In movies? MOST people seem to smoke.

"RadioHead"

 

[RadioHead]

Umm....

Actually a glass of wine once in a while can be good for you.

See my "tagline".

 

[Twitch]

I never smoked cigarettes. I did occassionally smoke a good cigar and a pipe. I've tried all types of oral tobacco- chew and snuff. I don't use anything at all now. I never was a heavy user.

I worked in and in allied fields to the tobacco industry. I felt before then and now that people should do what they want to do. I think the sin taxes perpetrated by assorted local governments are a sin since they attempt to exploit users of tobacco and alchohol unfairly. But I'm a Libertarian so it is a natural thing for me to believe in basic personal freedoms.

 

[Quigley Brown]

Ya gotta wonder what 'Casablanca' would've been like if Rick's was a smoke-free bar......[huh]

 

[ortega76]

I do not smoke cigarettes but I do smoke cigars. I limit myself to 4 per week, but I stop altogether if I'm sick. My prsonal rules do not allow me to smoke in the house but I will smoke on the balcony. My town is in the middle of implementing a smoking ban and I must say it IS affecting where I choose to go out for a drink. Right now, I choose establishments that have a beer garden so I can smoke outside. It has cut down on the number of times I go out (it was never a lot to begin).

 

[Girl Friday]

Everything legal in moderation. 40 a day!?! how did he have time to do anything else?

I do hate to smell like smoke though, some of my favorite places are very smokey and my big hair collects a lot of it (horrible!) I would much rather be outside when I do. And I do try to respect others and not blow it in their face. I'm more of a social smoker, still bad I know.

 

[matei]

While not a smoker, and not a fan of smoking, I wouldn't vote for an all-out ban on the passtime. As one of our fellow Loungers pointed out, alcohol can be detrimental to one's health but is still legal.

That being said - I'm still not enamoured of having to breathe someone else's smoke.

 

[SGB]

Never smoked cigs, just good cigars for the past 30+ years. Here in AZ it is still ok to smoke in bars, but there are 2 props on the ballot, one which will ban smoking in bars as well.
One city in CA near where I lived banned all smoking in city limits except your own house, a friend was nearly cited for smoking a cigar in his car at a stoplight with the windows rolled down......the officer told him to roll up his windows or put it out. As the signal changed he gave the officer a single digit salute and drove off, still smoking with his windows rolled down. Crazy stuff.

SGB

 

[Quigley Brown]

One city in CA near where I lived banned all smoking in city limits except your own house, a friend was nearly cited for smokng a cigar in his car at a stoplight with the windows rolled down......the officer told him to roll up his windows or put it out. As the signal changed he gave the officer a single digit salute and drove off, still smoking with his windows rolled down. Crazy stuff.

SGB

That wasn't very mature of him. In my observations that's the image most cigar smokers like to give of themselves...too cocky and too sure of themselves.

 

[mysterygal]

I smoked for about a year when I was a sophmore because it was 'the cool thing to do' I quit because #1. it's an expensive habit and #2. even with not being a heavy smoker, my throat kept getting horribly sore, wasn't worth it.
Something I observed though was, when you're a smoker yourself, the smell coming off other smokers, and yourself doesn't bother you at all, but it seems once you quit, the smell is almost nauseating
I really don't think smoking looks cool at all, it's a bad habit, period! the look, the smell, is not attractive in the least to me. Especially when a woman smokes, really takes away from the 'chick' and 'posh' look. Now, cigars, I think (as long as they're not the cheapie kind) smell pretty darn good, and I actually think the look of a guy puffing on one is kind of sexy [huh]

 

[SGB]

That wasn't very mature of him. In my observations that's the image most cigar smokers like to give of themselves...too cocky and too sure of themselves.

You weren't there to feel the frustration he said he felt, in his own car getting grief for something like this, when there are more important things for an officer to do than bust somebody for smoking in his own car.
I disagree also with your observation, all the cigar smokers I know are very conscious of others when smoking, going out of our way to not offend anyone wth our cigars. The example I quoted above was a singular incident, and in those circumstances I can understand my friends reaction.

SGB

 

[Hondo]

I really don't think smoking looks cool at all, it's a bad habit, period! the look, the smell, is not attractive in the least to me. Especially when a woman smokes, really takes away from the 'chick' and 'posh' look.[huh]

I see so many beautiful women smoking and wonder, geez doesn’t she realize it will hurt her skin complexion? Since I quit (and I’m a guy) my skin got better, I still have bags under my eyes, a doctor once told me after I inquired about surgery to remove bags, he stated its not just from working nights but from years of smoking and drinking, That’ll add wrinkles, lines and bags, plus skin color look pail, so many women worry about weight control and smoke, bad move, you’ll pay a high price way later in life.

Pipes are cool, now findng right kind of tobacco flavor, I might get a pipe soon, if I find the right type, maybe bubble pipe