Poll: Smoking

[Togs]

Do you smoke? What do you prefer to smoke?
Yup Im a smoker, I smoke Drum by default but much prefer Gauloises when I can get hold of it.
I also smoke a pipe occassionally and cigars on special ocassions.

Why do you smoke/why did you start?
I smoke because I enjoy it, and I whilst I'd nick the odd fag of a friend at the pub I didnt smoke properly till I was at uni.

Do you smoke regularly? Or just occasionally?
About 3 or 4 a day

Do you regret smoking?
Eh.... a little as Ive started to notice my aerovic capacity is even smaller then it used to be, but as I figure it Im only here once so if I enjoy it why not?

Do you think you are addicted to smoking?
Definately, tried to quit last year and for the 3 months I was in a perpetually tense and irritable mood.

What is you opinion on other people smoking? Is it their right to choose?
You bet your fucking arse its peoples right to choose, I have a couple of self righteous friends who lecture me on smoking and try and hide my fags, does my head in.

What do you think of smokers?
Meh theres no hiding that its a dirty habit, but judging someone on it is brain numbingly stupid.

Do you think smoking should be banned, or sales of tobacco banned, or some sort of legal enforcement to halt smoking?
No, peoples right to choose and all- limit it like people limit alcohol, dont let people smoke inside public buildings and thats it.

 

[BonsaiK]

Do you smoke? What do you prefer to smoke?
Why do you smoke/why did you start?
Have you ever tried, or are you considering trying at some point?
If you do smoke, do you enjoy it?
Do you smoke regularly? Or just occasionally?
Do you regret smoking?
Do you think you are addicted to smoking?

If you don't smoke, do you mind others smoking, or do you hate cigarette smoke?
What is you opinion on other people smoking? Is it their right to choose?
What do you think of smokers?
Do you think smoking should be banned, or sales of tobacco banned, or some sort of legal enforcement to halt smoking?
Have you previously been a smoker, and quit? How was quitting?

Answers to your questions, in order:

No.

Not applicable.

I have had a total of one cigarette in my entire life. After all you can't knock it without trying it. Smoked the cigarette, thought it stunk, was ridiculous and had no positive benefits whatsoever so I never did it again. I think I was about 10 years old at the time.

Not applicable.

I don't regret the one cigarette I had, no.

Obviously not.

I don't mind others smoking but I appreciate it when they blow their smoke somewhere else, because it does stink, and I don't let people smoke in my house. They can smoke on my balcony though, I even have an ashtray just for guests to do that.

I don't care if other people smoke, it's their life.

See above. I can understand why it's very hard for people to quit, but why people start puzzles the shit out of me. I once had a conversation with a girlfriend that went like this:

Spoiler: conversation with a girlfriend

Me: So you smoke?
GF: Yes.
Me: Why?
GF: Because I'm addicted, silly.
Me: Yeah, but why did you start?
GF: Because I thought it would make me look cool.
Me: Did it?
GF: (looking at me like I'm stupid) No!

Intelligent girl too, so wtf. Oh well.

No. Furthermore, I think all drugs of all types should be legal. I think it's ridiculous that any government anywhere in the world tries to regulate what you put in your own body. Never works anyway, and just ends up attracting organised crime to fill the demand. Talk about a fruitless cause. Education and regulation is always preferable to banning.

I don't think the one cigarette I did have was enough to get me addicted.

 

[SaltyOrange]

Do you smoke? What do you prefer to smoke?
I smoke only when I go out with friends,I prefer Walter Wolf white or Marlboro red.
If you do smoke, do you enjoy it?
Yes I do,but only if I smoke 2 or 3 cigarettes a night,otherwise I have a cough the next day and breathe heavily.
Do you smoke regularly? Or just occasionally?
Just occasionally,I bought a pack only twice myself and mostly smoke if other people ask if I would like a cigarette.
Do you think you are addicted to smoking?
Nope,I never get nervous if I don't smoke and don't have an urge to smoke at all.

 

[Sonicron]

If you don't smoke, do you mind others smoking, or do you hate cigarette smoke?
What is you opinion on other people smoking? Is it their right to choose?
What do you think of smokers?
Do you think smoking should be banned, or sales of tobacco banned, or some sort of legal enforcement to halt smoking?
Have you previously been a smoker, and quit? How was quitting?

- I mind. Somewhat. I really don't enjoy the smell, now that my nose is sensitive to it again, but I can get used to pretty much anything; my main problem is that the smoke clings to your clothes, which smells really disgusting, and I don't want to have to wash my clothes every other day. So, whenever someone lights up, I usually just quietly move to another room.
- As I said, I don't like it, but I'll be damned before I complain about it to them - it's their right, after all.
- They're people, and I think of them as such.
- No way. As stated above, I believe it's people's right to smoke; I think it's good that you can't smoke in restaurants anymore, but banning it altogether would be unacceptable even to me, on the grounds of principle. Besides, the amount of taxes those folks pay... my God, we need that money.
- I was a smoker from 2001 to 2009, and I quit because my smoking had started to massively exacerbate my acid reflux problems. Luckily, quitting wasn't hard for me - I just did it. No gum, no patch, no gradually reducing the amount of cigarettes, no nothing... and I didn't have any withdrawal symptoms whatsoever. Then again, against all odds I never even got any of those when I was still a smoker - somehow, it never became a full-blown physical addiction. So, all in all, quitting wasn't hard at all. Which I'm very thankful for.
- Advice for quitting...? Well, I can only go from personal experience, and maybe the fact that I know my dad quit the exact same way all those decades ago; As brutal as it sounds: Show your body who's boss. Cold-turkey the sucker, and be done with it. (You gotta want it, though, because forcing yourself to stop doing something against your own will is doomed to failure.)

 

[Heronblade]

I decided at a young age that I would not allow for any unnecessary drug use. The concept of altering my perception of the world artificially is abhorrent to me. My sister getting addicted and becoming unable to quit only cemented that resolve.

I don't generally mind others choosing to smoke, but would prefer it not occurring next to me.

Note: for those having trouble quitting, E-cigarettes appear to be a good option. Every smoker I have talked to who has tried one tells me that for the basic formula, there is little to no effective difference in taste. The things are designed in a manner that would allow a user to slowly step down on nicotine content, and even if they do not, they are breathing in and out water vapor, rather than smoke, tar, hundreds of trace chemicals including carcinogens... As a result they are far less of a danger to themselves and those around them. In addition, after the initial cost, a smoker continuing to smoke at the same rate with E-cigs pays far less for the habit.

 

[Jharry5]

Do you smoke?
No, I don't, though I have tried it once or twice. Not really for me, my lungs are messed up enough as it is.

If you don't smoke, do you mind others smoking, or do you hate cigarette smoke?
A lot of my friends smoke, so it really doesn't bother me. I used to hate the smell, but it really doesn't bother me as long as they don't purposely blow it in my face.

What is you opinion on other people smoking? Is it their right to choose?
I don't mind other people smoking. It's their body and their choice to do with it as they will.

What do you think of smokers?
As I said before, some of my best friends smoke. It really shouldn't be something you judge a person on.

Do you think smoking should be banned, or sales of tobacco banned, or some sort of legal enforcement to halt smoking?
No, smoking shouldn't be banned. Whatever happened to freedom of choice? Completely outlawing it would only drive it underground. If people want to smoke, they'll find a way to do it (just look at Prohibition in the US).

 

[BeerTent]

Well, for shits and giggles, here's my thoughts, as well as the thoughts of one of my friends.

Do you smoke? What do you prefer to smoke?
Yeah, I occasionally take a #7.

Why do you smoke/why did you start?
I started in school. As for why? I had a fairly bad group of friends and a way t relieve stress was needed as my grades sorta sucked.

Have you ever tried, or are you considering trying at some point?
Tried what?

If you do smoke, do you enjoy it?
I wouldn't say I overly enjoy it. I'm not sure. It's sort of those things where I just need it to fix a bad day and afterward, things just seem better. So, I enjoy the latter part, but not the act of smoking so much.

Do you smoke regularly? Or just occasionally?
Depends... Sometimes I chainsmoke, other times, I can go a week without a cig.

Do you regret smoking?
Sometimes, yeah... I feel like I need a better method of coping with stress...

Do you think you are addicted to smoking?
It's like a crutch to me, thinking back to it. So, yeah.




If you don't smoke, do you mind others smoking, or do you hate cigarette smoke?
I generally don't mind, so long as they're not blowing it in my face. I've hung around "circles" before to talk to people.

What is you opinion on other people smoking? Is it their right to choose?
It's a bad habit just like any other. Still though yeah, it's their right... Nobody should be able to take away your right to try something.

What do you think of smokers?
I'm not going to say "dirty" (Look at the account holder.) But after seeing computers owned by smokers... Yeah... Keep it outdoors.

Do you think smoking should be banned, or sales of tobacco banned, or some sort of legal enforcement to halt smoking?
You should... you could take these measures to stop things... but look at alcohol. It's not going to stop with any form of legal enforcement. Even jacking the price will fail as you'll see people walking around with ziploc bags, paying the same price to someone else to get 75 cigs instead of 20. I mean, yeah, we should aim to try get rid of it... But it's literally impossible and may cause more problems than good.

Have you previously been a smoker, and quit?
Nope. I've tried a cigarillo, and the deceptive flavor wasn't my thing.

 

[Tulks]

Used to smoke, stopped last year (on the day I arrived in Darwin, after a week-long road trip from Adelaide). Surprisingly, I've managed to stay off them now that I'm back in the UK.

Started, as many students do, when I ran out of shrubbery and still needed the psychological hit.

I don't have a problem with smokers, though I'm glad that it's banned indoors in many countries - I'd've had a much harder time quitting otherwise.

 

[figday]

For those who don't smoke, god bless you. Don't smoke, nothing good will come out of that

shnip

well then, i started out with -shnip- Currently Gudang Garam Filter. It's from Indonesia, and I'm Indonesian ^^
And it's freaking heavy

Haha, my friend brought some 22g nicotine cigarettes from China, which is apparently 7g over the legal Australian limit. They taste pretty filthy if you ask me.

well this one is 30 mg nicotine xD
i've tried Chinese ones, yea they do taste a bit weird imo
guess they use different stuff in their ciggies

Spoiler: the culprit

 

[k-ossuburb]

Do you smoke? What do you prefer to smoke?

Yes, I smoke Golden Virginia. It's a self-roll tobacco very common where I live. I like it because it allows me the option to choose just how much tobacco I want in my cigarette so I can vary the amount of nicotine I have depending directly on the amount I feel I need to keep up my concentration and lower my stress levels. I also have a pipe I sometimes use when I need something that'll take a lot longer than the standard roll-ups, since the pipe I have is specifically built to be a slow burner.

Why do you smoke/why did you start?

I started in college after it was offered to me. I was suffering from a lot of stress at the time so I wanted to see if it helped or not. Most of my family are smokers, so starting wasn't a taboo subject for them. It was a decent way to get me through the day as it mostly gave me an excuse to go outside and think for a while as I struggled against a creative block trying to come up with new ideas for the project brief. The nicotine helped me concentrate, which was something I desperately needed because of my disabilities. Luckily now I've been properly diagnosed so I also have the medication to help me out, but the cigarettes still help when I'm in a bind.

How much do you smoke? Cigarettes per day (packs per day if relevant)

Actually, since I smoke roll-ups, the amount I smoke is unquantifiable since the amount I smoke varies depending on my mood and how my day is going. Roll-ups are more of an analogue method of smoking instead of digitally putting them into perfectly defined units of 1 cigarette or 10/day, the amount of tobacco in a roll-up can vary in size and strength, so one roll-up can equal 1 cigarette, half of one or any fraction in between since it's all directly controlled by the person who rolls it and not dictated by the factory into a set amount.

To give a basic idea, I would say I smoke one ever half hour or so.

If you do smoke, do you enjoy it?

I would say that I do, insofar as it doesn't bother me. I know that people can point out that I'm inhaling a hell of a lot of poisons for the tiny fraction of nicotine I am gaining from the cigarette itself but it's not really all about the nicotine, it's about the act of smoking. There's a psychological connection there that I would find hard to break, I enjoy being able to just sit down for a bit and think, I like the harsh feeling of the smoke against the skin on the back of my throat and I like that it acts as a placebo to help me focus on the task at hand. Maybe I could do without it, but I can guarantee that I'll instantly take something else up and indulge in that instead; food, alcohol or some kind of medication would be likely candidates for its replacement.

Do you smoke regularly? Or just occasionally?

N/A (Answered above)
Do you regret smoking?

Sometimes, but if I ever gave it up I know that I'll just feel guilty about the next venture I take up to aide my concentration.

Do you think you are addicted to smoking?

Smoking? No.

Nicotine? yes.

 

[The Cheshire]

Do you smoke? What do you prefer to smoke?

Yes I do. I prefer to smoke weed, but tobacco is OK too.

Why do you smoke/why did you start?

I started at 17, I tried it, it was a pleasure and there was also the psychological thing, it made me less shy. Why? Well, because it does!


How much do you smoke? Cigarettes per day (packs per day if relevant)

Sometimes none, sometimes a package, it depends on the day, but the average is around 5 cigarettes a day. Not much.

If you do smoke, do you enjoy it?

Yes I do, I love these cancer sticks.


Do you regret smoking?

No, I don't. I enjoy it, and it's bad for my health, sure, but considering I don't eat crap, I do some exercise and generally take good care of myself, so maybe I do some unhealthy things...well, I'd rather enjoy them, I could die tomorrow hit by a car.

Do you think you are addicted to smoking?

Well, yes but not so much. I mean, I can take a looong flight and never feel nervous at the plane for the lack of smokes, for example. However, if you were to remove it tomorrow, it would hurt

Was your school education on smoking accurate to the real thing, in your opinion?

Well, it was exaggerated, but what can you expect?



Do you think smoking should be banned, or sales of tobacco banned, or some sort of legal enforcement to halt smoking?


Now, this is an annoying question, because I bet many people will say yes, restrict tobacco as much as you can. I wonder why people seem to like turning into annoying moralist flies buzzing around my ears for every single fucking liberty I may like to enjoy. I get the not smoking at hospitals, schools and so on, but bars? Concerts? Piss off! A jazz concert without a smoke is like a half baked cake. If you are so worried about the effects society and fun cause on your system, please build a moralist bunker underground and spend your life praying to Jesus to save your soul, but we need not to have your great morals shoved in our faces while we're enjoying ourselves

In my humble opinion.

 

[SaberXIII]

Do you smoke? What do you prefer to smoke?
-- Yes, I prefer Benson and Hedges Gold.
Why do you smoke/why did you start?
-- I smoke because I enjoy it. Plus, it's a good social thing for parties, I find.
How much do you smoke? Cigarettes per day (packs per day if relevant)
-- Really not as much as others. Once I was smoking one a day I decided it was time to cut back. So, I guess less than one a day, but like 40 is I'm getting wasted.
If you do smoke, do you enjoy it?
-- Yep.
Do you smoke regularly? Or just occasionally?
-- I'd call it occasionally.
Do you regret smoking?
--Sort of. I acknowledge that not starting would have been so much better, but it doesn't cause me too many problems.
Do you think you are addicted to smoking?
-- I was at one point, but now I smoke so relatively little I just drop it whenever and start up again whenever.
Was your school education on smoking accurate to the real thing, in your opinion?
-- We never had any education regarding smoking.

I will say, though, that on occassions when people have asked me 'should I start smoking' or 'can I have a ciggie' (if they don't smoke), I do tell them that it's a stupid idea. Hypocritical, I know, but still the right thing to say. What people do from there is up to them.

 

[Epic Fail 1977]

Do you smoke? What do you prefer to smoke?
Yes. Cigarettes.

Why do you smoke/why did you start?
Because I'm an idiot.

How much do you smoke? Cigarettes per day (packs per day if relevant)
20 cigs (one pack) per day.

If you do smoke, do you enjoy it?
Mostly it just feeds the habit/addiction, but occasionally it "hits the spot".

Do you regret smoking?
Yes.

Do you think you are addicted to smoking?
Yes.

Was your school education on smoking accurate to the real thing, in your opinion?
Yes.

 

[Negotiator]

You might find my answers to the questions quite extreme but I have good reasons for them.

If you don't smoke, do you mind others smoking, or do you hate cigarette smoke?
I hate it. I have asthma and my throat and lungs get real irritated by cigarette smoke. The smoker doesn't have to be further away from me than 10 metres and I start to cough. It also happens if I'm sitting on a buss and a smoker sits near me.

What is you opinion on other people smoking? Is it their right to choose?
It is their right to choose but they should also remember that they are denying other persons right to live a healthy, smoke-free life. This is a question of if a persons right can conflict with another persons rights.

What do you think of smokers?
A few of my friends are smokers and I have told them my view. They have been completely understanding and they also understand that I will leave their company if they start smoking when I'm around. I think smokers are selfish and weak. I do understand that a lot of them are just addicted to the stuff and would like to get rid of the habit but can't. They are not selfish but they are weak.

Do you think smoking should be banned, or sales of tobacco banned, or some sort of legal enforcement to halt smoking?
Yes because it harms other people. I don't oppose banning alcohol (even though I don't drink) because you can drink alcohol without causing other people to suffer. However, you can't smoke without causing harm to other people.

Have you previously been a smoker, and quit? How was quitting?
I have never smoked in my life and I intend to keep it that way.

What's some advice you would give to a smoker for quitting?
Think about your family and friends. Seek help.

 

[KuwaSanjuro]

I do smoke but not regularly, I just stopped didn't make a conscious effort to stop smoking just stopped but I will have another one now and then, Marlboro Reds or roll ups. Obviously as a smoker I don't mind people smoking around me. I smoke cause I enjoy it. I don't regret smoking, yes there arebad health effects from it but I once got told by someone that just driving down the road you could be instantly killed, or just walking into the road, if I'm gonna die, i'm gonna die.

 

[Nihilism_Is_Bliss]

I think it is disgusting and stupid.

Isn't even pleasant...just addictive. People only THINK it's pleasant because they're satisfying an addiction/habit.

 

[Matt-Sama]

Tried it once or twice around friends, never liked it. Used to smoke skunk but haven't done that in about 4 years now.

 

[Zhadramekel]

Never smoked never will. Well, I guess that depends on if passive smoking counts since my stepdad does.

If you don't smoke, do you mind others smoking, or do you hate cigarette smoke?
I don't mind other people smoking but I don't particularly approve.

What is you opinion on other people smoking? Is it their right to choose?
Sure it's their right to choose. That doesn't mean it's good for them though.

What do you think of smokers?
It usually depends on how well I know them. If I don't know them that well I usually lose a little respect for them but if they're family or good friends I don't mind too much so long as a) they don't overdo it and b) they don't try to persuade me.

Do you think smoking should be banned, or sales of tobacco banned, or some sort of legal enforcement to halt smoking?
Not really, just because it's not sold isn't going to make people stop which is just going to mean they're breaking the law as well as ultimately killing themselves.

What's some advice you would give to a smoker for quitting?
Just suck it up and do it.

 

[Tallim]

I'm not going to do all the questions. Yes I am addicted, I enjoy it, I regret it (according to docs my lungs are twice the age of the rest of my body)

I used to smoke a pipe (proper pipe not the "other" kind) when I was at University. Fun times

 

[ShadesOfGrey84]

Used to smoke quite heavily for maybe 6-8 years. Quit about 9 months ago, havent regretted it since.