Smoking in Moderation

[Mr Thin]

My point was simply that its worse than what I am doing in terms of health, yet not looked down upon nearly as much.

Believe me, I look down on them just as much as smokers. Probably more so, at least heavy smokers don't act like they're doing nothing wrong.

But you have a point; I suppose being fat isn't as culturally stigmatic as smoking is these days.

 

[NoNameMcgee]

I would imagine if you were itching for more than one a day, as in it actually took some willpower to say no, you may already be forming some sort of dependance.

I dont crave a cigarette anymore than I "crave" a drink during a hot day, or "crave" hitting the nightclubs on a saturday after a tough week. Bad examples, but its not a dependancy, it's just something I enjoy doing.

 

[NastoK]

My point was simply that its worse than what I am doing in terms of health, yet not looked down upon nearly as much.

Is it worse? Him stuffing unhealthy food down his throat doesn't have a bad affect on me, not while I'm around him, while smoke does. Yes, sir, I shall scold you.. or more likly just walk away. Then again, I - cannot - stand - smoke.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

Depends on what kind of person you are. I smoked for 4 years and was able to quit cold turkey, no problems at all, but I hear horror stories about how hard it is all the time, so I don't know what to make of it.

 

[NoNameMcgee]

I don't understand why you'd smoke if you weren't addicted. I mean, doesn't the lift come from feeding your addiction? I understand just doing it socially, smoking with other people makes everyone more amiable for some reason, but doing it when you are stressed and not addicted seems pointless.

But this is coming from a dude who gets twitchy after half a day with no nicotine, so whatever.

Alleged_Alec already answered this but you may not have seen it since s/he edited his/her post to add the quote in. If not, just scroll up, because s/he answered it exactly as I was going to

 

[Whateveralot]

It's posisble.

I smoke like once every month at best and I don't ever feel the urge to smoke another one straight after, a day after or even a week after. I just get one offered every now and again and I don't mind it so why shouldn't I just say yes? It's like drinking beer, just less often.

 

[Biosophilogical]

I don't understand why you'd smoke if you weren't addicted. I mean, doesn't the lift come from feeding your addiction?

I was under the impression that the lift was because cigarettes were a stimulant (or 12), and the reason people use it to calm down is because feeding their addiction is relaxing (they get relaxed despite using a stimulant).

OT: The chances of you being in the (most likely) tiny percentage of people who can smoke socially without becoming addicted is ... unlikely. A lot of people start of smoking 'casually' or 'socially', and then when the signs of addiction start popping up, they deny them, sticking to the idea that they are in that 'tiny percentage'. Then, by the time they realise they should stop, they are addicted to the point where quitting is incredibly difficult.

Seeing as you are here asking an opinion, I'll give it. I think you should stop while you are ahead. Smoking is expensive, addictive, bad for your health, smells like arse, can be emotionally stressful for the people who care about you, and can do a number on your sense of taste/smell.

 

[New Troll]

I am a more casual smoker, but I don't smoke when my son is in my life. Mainly I smoked when out playing pool, which I haven't done since he was born, or at work, which I haven't done since they removed the smoking lounge. So now, I smoke a cigarette whenever I leave my son with his mother. About one cigarette every week or two. Now if clove cigarettes weren't banned, that number would probably be much higher. I do miss my cloves...

Now, after saying all that, if someone was to ask my advice on starting to smoke, I would recommend them not to. Smelly, expensive, damages your teeth, and has the potential to kill you and those around you.

 

[brunothepig]

Willpower means nothing. Well, that's not true. It's what will stop you from smoking a pack a day when you do get addicted, it's what will help you break the addiction, but no amount of willpower will stop an addiction because cigarettes create a physical dependance. It's why you get withdrawal symptoms.

There's also the fact that, as has been covered by a lot of people already, many smokers start off as "social smokers". I've yet to meet someone who just decided to start smoking a pack a day or a week or whatever. They all started off smoking because they liked it, or because they liked to smoke with friends.

As for the health thing, yes there's worse things you could be doing. Doesn't mean you should keep doing this. I'd advise people who eat fast food every day to lay off, I'd advise you to stop smoking. There are adverse health effects even for a pack a month, they'll just be less severe than if you smoked more.

All this said, I'm not arrogant enough to despise you for smoking or whatever. I think it's a stupid thing to do, but I also think we deserve to do what we want as long as we're not directly harming others. People can smoke as much as they want, as long as they do it away from me.

I dont crave a cigarette anymore than I "crave" a drink during a hot day, or "crave" hitting the nightclubs on a saturday after a tough week. Bad examples, but its not a dependancy, it's just something I enjoy doing.

I've heard this said before too. Be careful, for some time it can be difficult to distinguish between wanting a cigarette and needing a cigarette. Then addiction really settles in, and you'll be wondering how that happened. You might be lucky, you might have a "resistance" to addiction, but you can still become addicted. It'll just take longer.

 

[Monkfish Acc.]

I don't understand why you'd smoke if you weren't addicted. I mean, doesn't the lift come from feeding your addiction? I understand just doing it socially, smoking with other people makes everyone more amiable for some reason, but doing it when you are stressed and not addicted seems pointless.

But this is coming from a dude who gets twitchy after half a day with no nicotine, so whatever.

Alleged_Alec already answered this but you may not have seen it since s/he edited his/her post to add the quote in. If not, just scroll up, because s/he answered it exactly as I was going to

Yeah I saw it. Guess I got told.

snip

Also by this guy.

I guess I just thought that because smoking did nothing for me until I got hooked. Actually, it would just make me dizzy and sometimes I'd feel sick afterwards. I only stuck with it because it provided an excellent substitute for drinking myself silly.

Only now I do both so I guess it wasn't that excellent.

I am in that small percentage that smokes 'cause I got brain problems instead of just because I was a dumb kid once.

 

[derelict]

(Smoker here)

Can I ask how old you are?
The problem is that most start out as social smokers and slowly get a more relaxed attitude to smoking. So it starts out a pack a month, then two, then three... you see where I'm going.

I've been smoking for about 9 years now. I'll finish a pack in a month, if I'm lucky, and then usually go a few months before buying another pack. When does this addiction thing start?

Personally, and this may light some fires, but I see addiction as a convenient excuse for the weak willed. From my experience, it's just a control issue, like anything else. Most people would look at someone who, for instance, eats an abnormal amount of cookies in a day has a problem, but they wouldn't call it an addiction because it sounds ridiculous. Yet smoking has the largest backing of quackery 'stop smoking' aids of any consumer product. It's not that people can't stop, its that they don't even try.

 

[thiosk]

IF someone suggested that you try smoking crack in moderation, or claimed to, would you really consider that anything but a one-way-train to disasterville?

edit In principle, theres nothing wrong with the occasional smoke, but consider this very often leads to general tobacco use. I reccomend hookah use for social engagements, not healthy, but also not recognized as particularly habit forming.

 

[Pearwood]

I don't know if I'd say I smoke in moderation or not, I have days without cigarettes but when I have them I go through a pack in about 3 days.

IF someone suggested that you try smoking crack in moderation, or claimed to, would you really consider that anything but a one-way-train to disasterville?

I don't think the two are really comparable...

 

[Baneat]

It's doable but it's not like alcohol in the sense that a certain quantity or less won't do harm until you exceed it. Every single cigarette is harmful.

 

[goldendriger]

Of couse you can smoke in moderation, i only smoke when i go out and get drunk, which is like 3 or 4 times a year, i smoke 1 cigarette and thats it, i dont "Need" another.

 

[Robert Ewing]

I think smoking in moderation is an excellent idea. It's been proved that smoking severely harms you. BUT, Tobacco does increase your memory considerably.

Harm to your body seems to only be the case with regular smokers, i.e people who smoke once or more a week.

If you're going to smoke in moderation, I'd have just one a month at most. It's not a lot but it shouldn't be. Tobacco smoke is harmful, and you should be careful with it. It's not always apparent what damage it's doing.

Also, try to ignore 'pro-smokers.' They will always try to edge you on to have another, and will stress that it does no harm what so ever, and all the studies have been 'proven wrong.' (as they cough and splutter.) Tobacco is addictive, so you can't take somebody who is addicted to it's word on the matter.

But anyway, I'm all for smoking in moderation, I don't smoke myself because I just don't find it appealing at all. It's expensive, it kills you and it makes you smell like the ass of 10,000 mules.

 

[thiosk]

IF someone suggested that you try smoking crack in moderation, or claimed to, would you really consider that anything but a one-way-train to disasterville?

I don't think the two are really comparable...

i've never met a crackhead who got dependent on purpose, just as I never met a first time smoker who was excited to embark on a lifetime of tobacco use.

 

[Colour Scientist]

I've been smoking for about 9 years now. I'll finish a pack in a month, if I'm lucky, and then usually go a few months before buying another pack. When does this addiction thing start?

Personally, and this may light some fires, but I see addiction as a convenient excuse for the weak willed. From my experience, it's just a control issue, like anything else. Most people would look at someone who, for instance, eats an abnormal amount of cookies in a day has a problem, but they wouldn't call it an addiction because it sounds ridiculous. Yet smoking has the largest backing of quackery 'stop smoking' aids of any consumer product. It's not that people can't stop, its that they don't even try.

I've never tried to quit I said in another part of that post that I enjoy the habit so I've never put my heart into quitting. I'm 20 so I haven't experienced any of the adverse effects of smoking yet. I never once used the word addiction either. You do gain a nicotine dependency if you smoke a lot for an extended period of time which makes it more difficult to quit, not impossible. Don't put words into my post that aren't there, thanks.

 

[Alleged_Alec]

(Smoker here)

Can I ask how old you are?
The problem is that most start out as social smokers and slowly get a more relaxed attitude to smoking. So it starts out a pack a month, then two, then three... you see where I'm going.

I've been smoking for about 9 years now. I'll finish a pack in a month, if I'm lucky, and then usually go a few months before buying another pack. When does this addiction thing start?

Personally, and this may light some fires, but I see addiction as a convenient excuse for the weak willed. From my experience, it's just a control issue, like anything else. Most people would look at someone who, for instance, eats an abnormal amount of cookies in a day has a problem, but they wouldn't call it an addiction because it sounds ridiculous. Yet smoking has the largest backing of quackery 'stop smoking' aids of any consumer product. It's not that people can't stop, its that they don't even try.

Right.... So articles like this one: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2928221/?tool=pmcentrez
What are they about? Are these scientist just fucking about because they smoke themselves and want to give themselves a reason not to stop?

 

[CarlMin]

I wouldn't have any problems with smokers if it wasn't for the environment issue. The way I see it it's just another way to kill yourself, and we all have the right to destroy our health in whatever way we prefer whether it be fast food, alcohol or whatever. Smoking is just the same thing.

However, passive smoking might be hazardous for others and the production of cigarettes together with the pollution they release when used might affect the environment. So there's my issue.