How old were you when you had your first cigarette?

[Phasmal]

People who haven't smoked, shouldn't smugly proclaim they haven't smoked. Cool story, bro.

This x 9000


What is it with non-smokers and their need to shove their piety in our faces?

Nothing wrong with being glad you never started smoking, considering it's something a lot of people have trouble giving up.
It's nothing to do with your faces.

Its fair enough to say though that smokers are made something of "an example of" though. People are queuing up to tell you that smoking is bad for etc etc but relatively few people have as many issues with such things as alcohol and fatty foods.

When you buy a bottle of whisky you dont have a picture of someones dessicated liver on the label and a sign saying ALCOHOL KILLS. Smokers have to put up with that crap and it gets on a lot of peoples nerve just how hypocritical certain sectors of society are about the issue.

That may be so, but far too many smokers are far too defensive about it.
All things considered, smoking is bad for you. Which is why I'm glad I don't do it.
I'm also glad I very rarely drink, cause that is also bad for you.

Now, food is a weakness of mine. I've always been one of those people who could eat anything and not put on weight so I never really bothered to eat healthy.
But when someone says `Cheeseburgers are bad for you, I'm glad I don't eat them`, I don't go: `Ugh! Salad lovers shoving their lettuce in our faces!`.

It's not an offence against smokers to say that smoking is unhealthy. It's just a fact.

 

[Tropicaz]

about 13. I was a bit of an idiot back then. I occasionally have the odd one when I've been drinking now but it's very rare. Probably about 3 a year.

 

[DugMachine]

15. Didn't start inhaling properly until 16, by 17 I was full blown addict and now I'm 26. Yay cancer!

I cut down to one/two a day for a while but that's all gone to hell now.

Hah yeah. I was probably up to half a pack a day by 19 and tried to cut back to only one or two a day.... yeah it's just a snowball effect once you start.

 

[AngloDoom]

I was six/seven when I first tried one. I just coughed all over the place and pulled a face, but I think I managed to finish half of it in the end before I was almost sick.

Also, why are people getting so defensive again? I've yet to see someone in the topic say something along the lines of "Unlike those dirty smokers, I've never tried smoking because health and stuff." People are just saying "I don't smoke, and here's the reason why" - if you want to get all surly and defensive then STOP TRYNA TELL ME HOW GUD SMOKING IS AND SHOVIN IT IN MA FACE BY SAYING IT RELEEVES STRESS! WHAAAA!

 

[Tropicaz]

People who haven't smoked, shouldn't smugly proclaim they haven't smoked. Cool story, bro.

This x 9000


What is it with non-smokers and their need to shove their piety in our faces?

Nothing wrong with being glad you never started smoking, considering it's something a lot of people have trouble giving up.
It's nothing to do with your faces.

Its fair enough to say though that smokers are made something of "an example of" though. People are queuing up to tell you that smoking is bad for etc etc but relatively few people have as many issues with such things as alcohol and fatty foods.

When you buy a bottle of whisky you dont have a picture of someones dessicated liver on the label and a sign saying ALCOHOL KILLS. Smokers have to put up with that crap and it gets on a lot of peoples nerve just how hypocritical certain sectors of society are about the issue.

That may be so, but far too many smokers are far too defensive about it.
All things considered, smoking is bad for you. Which is why I'm glad I don't do it.
I'm also glad I very rarely drink, cause that is also bad for you.

Now, food is a weakness of mine. I've always been one of those people who could eat anything and not put on weight so I never really bothered to eat healthy.
But when someone says `Cheeseburgers are bad for you, I'm glad I don't eat them`, I don't go: `Ugh! Salad lovers shoving their lettuce in our faces!`.

It's not an offence against smokers to say that smoking is unhealthy. It's just a fact.

Your example is slightly different though. The way alot of people who've never smoked express it, it would be more like they said to you 'I've never eaten a cheeseburger. Why would I want to do that? It's just stupid.' Which seems far more high and mighty.

 

[SlaveNumber23]

I was 17 and had one just to try it, I don't really see the point and haven't smoked any more since then apart from trying a cigar. It doesn't seem worth it at all I didn't even notice the effects of it.

 

[Phasmal]

Your example is slightly different though. The way alot of people who've never smoked express it, it would be more like they said to you 'I've never eaten a cheeseburger. Why would I want to do that? It's just stupid.' Which seems far more high and mighty.

You know, I had a vegetarian friend who said pretty much that.
Surprisingly, I did not have a go at her because it's none of my business what she considers stupid. And if she's happy living meat-free and can live healthily, then eating cheeseburgers may well be stupid to her.

 

[Garrett]

7 years old and that also was my last smoke.

 

[Death Carr]

17 here, never smoked a cigarette, and probably never will.
I have smoked weed before, but it wasn't my thing.

 

[hazabaza1]

Haven't yet. Been around other smokers pretty much my whole life though.

It's not an offence against smokers to say that smoking is unhealthy. It's just a fact.

And I'm sure that they've never been told this before and appreciate you telling them.

 

[Phasmal]

Haven't yet. Been around other smokers pretty much my whole life though.

It's not an offence against smokers to say that smoking is unhealthy. It's just a fact.

And I'm sure that they've never been told this before and appreciate you telling them.

If I was going up to smokers and telling them, I could understand them getting irritated.
Merely saying it as a reason why I have never smoked, however, is no reason for them to get all uptight.

 

[BlueberryMUNCH]

14 I think? Maybe 13.
Meh, I used to smoke when I was out drinking with people (if they felt like giving me free ones haha), but I've never become addicted/bought any.

Smoked my last one in July. Some Russian guy game me a load on holiday in Magaluf. Good times.
But yeah, it's poison so I'm done.

 

[MetalMagpie]

9 or 10

I was given it by my father. I coughed like crazy. I don't plan on smoking again. Is that good or bad parenting?

Sounds like pretty excellent parenting to me!

When my aunt was about the same age, she asked her father (my grandfather) for some of his whiskey. Rather than tell her "No, that's a grown-up drink" he just passed her his glass. She took a huge gulp, then threw up. As far as I know, she has never drunk whiskey since!

 

[Colour Scientist]

If I was going up to smokers and telling them, I could understand them getting irritated.
Merely saying it as a reason why I have never smoked, however, is no reason for them to get all uptight.

It's not so much the "I don't smoke because it's bad for you" it's the "you shouldn't smoke because it's bad for you", as if we were totally unaware that smoking is unhealthy. I've literally had a guy come up to me in THE SMOKING AREA of a pub to tell me how I was killing myself and how bad it is for me. That kind of thing isn't uncommon and it's annoying so when these threads come up, maybe you don't mean to be high and mighty but a lot of people do so it's kind of a knee-jerk reaction to get defensive.

Also things like this:

However when I see someone in their 20s or a teenager smoking now, I am just like, you have to be completely brain dead.

 

[Phasmal]

If I was going up to smokers and telling them, I could understand them getting irritated.
Merely saying it as a reason why I have never smoked, however, is no reason for them to get all uptight.

It's not so much the "I don't smoke because it's bad for you" it's the "you shouldn't smoke because it's bad for you", as if we were totally unaware that smoking is unhealthy. I've literally had a guy come up to me in THE SMOKING AREA of a pub to tell me how I was killing myself and how bad it is for me. That kind of thing isn't uncommon and it's annoying so when these threads come up, maybe you don't mean to be high and mighty but a lot of people do so it's kind of a knee-jerk reaction to get defensive.

Also things like this:

However when I see someone in their 20s or a teenager smoking now, I am just like, you have to be completely brain dead.

I can understand how that would be annoying, but some people seem to be suggesting never to say that smoking is unhealthy where someone who is a smoker could possibly hear you.

I have nothing against smokers. My parents are chain smokers, and while I wish they would cut down, I don't see them ever quitting.

 

[Secret world leader (shhh)]

5. I've been terribly addicted ever since...

Though I might want to say that it was those candy ones.

Never had any real cigarettes. Never saw the point of them.

Holy shit! I loved those things back in the day!

On topic: Never have, 90% sure I never will (i'd like to try a cigar once in my life, even though that's like 10 cigarettes at once, don't question my ways), always seen it as an illogical habit.

Back off topic: I wonder if there's a correlation between teen/adult smokers and people who "smoked" candy cigarettes as a child, just throwing that out there.

 

[Colour Scientist]

I can understand how that would be annoying, but some people seem to be suggesting never to say that smoking is unhealthy where someone who is a smoker could possibly hear you.

I have nothing against smokers. My parents are chain smokers, and while I wish they would cut down, I don't see them ever quitting.

I think it's just a case of smokers becoming very aware of it due to how often people get all 'holier than thou' about it. Sometimes it's difficult to figure out who's making an innocent statement and who means it as a dig or a lecture so the reaction is to be defensive in all situations.

 

[M0rp43vs]

Never, which is extremely odd because nearly everyone in my extended family smokes. All 21 aunts and uncles do, not even counting my cousins and family by marriage.
My parents stopped when I developed terrible asthma at 4, and none of my siblings do.
So yea, My family is the only non-smoking one in a huge family of smokers. Weird, huh?

 

[karloss01]

I was 5 when I took a drag from my Nana's cig when she asked me to fetch it and her ash tray. almost choked on the thing and then lied to her that I didn't try it, though I'm sure she knew.

the thought in my head was "WHY WOULD ANYONE DO THIS!?"

and I haven't smoked since (23 now btw).