pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

Genuine question following on from the other fake ciggy thread. Not here to preach or tell you what to do ..

BUT

Knowing all the risks and the warnings about smoking, why would anyone smoke ?

I saw a young girl in a school uniform (about 9) walking down the road smoking this morning, I really don't understand the attraction ?

Without getting into a Smokers vs non smokers debate .. is anyone willing to give a smokers side to this ??





edit: Found these

Pros


* Most of the smokers believe that they feel a very strong bonding with other smokers.
* They enjoy a sense of gratification by smoking cigarettes.
* Smoking cigarettes gives them the feeling of creating a ritual.
* Nicotine gives a feeling of pleasure to them.
* Watching the smoke swirl and the cigarette burn is fun for most of the smokers.

Cons

* Cigarette smoke leaves an after smell on everything around you: your clothes, car and home.
* You may not be able to breathe properly.
* A nagging cough may bother you day and night.
* You may suffer from severe headaches and even occasional migraines.
* A feeling of dizziness after smoking cigarettes too fast or after having too many of them is very common.
* Cigarettes may leave you flaunting yellow skin, tooth and fingernails.
* You may have lot of phlegm, which may force you to clear your voice continuously and may even make you lose your voice in middle of a sentence.
* You may suffer from increased rate of hypertension.
* A feeling of inadequacy and substance dependence may take you over.
* Suffering from nausea after too much of smoking is common.
* You may feel anxiety and no relaxation throughout the day.
* You may lack motivation as well as the energy to do anything.
* The sense of smell and taste may diminish.
* Smoking is wastage of your hard earned money and health.
* You may also suffer from lingering colds and bronchitis.

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

Pimmo - do you drink? Do you eat burgers/ready meals etc?

These have similar health risks and in the case of lardy things potentially even worse. The answer is - people like it.

They know it isn't good for them but they enjoy it otherwise they wouldn't do it. Same for driving fast, extreme sports etc etc. Whatever floats your boat.

And no i dinnae smoke but i do the rest and i'm just waiting until those are banned too.

5t.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

No, I don't. I suffer too much with my stomach to eat most things.

But this isn't about me I'm hardly a good choice for a benchmark ...

I don't think you can compare smoking to eating burgers..

As I understand it, smoking doesn't taste nice and only becomes a calming affect when you've been doing it a while ?? I might be wrong and am here to be educated on the matter

t7srt

iTrader: (2)

Looks like the " pro's and cons " were written by a non smoker, LOL

I'm a smoker and smoke because I am addicted, Its as simple as that, If alchohol was to be invented today it would be a class A drug and highly illegal to drink or sell it,

I'll get my coat

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

Course... but what made you start smoking, did you have to push passed a point before you liked it ? if so why ?

I know, I'm annoying ...

Snazy

Slight difference is, the human body thrives by eating and drinking. YES you can consume the wrong foods but there is no part in survival of the human race that ever involved inhaling large amounts of smoke.

Thats my arguement anyway lol.

You need to eat, some choose the wrong foods and get fat
You need to drink, some choose alcohol, and get drunk and ill..

You DONT need to breathe smoke...............so why do it.

That coming from a slightly tubby, non drinking, non smoking mid 30s male
Never have smoked, its repulsed me since the days all my mates were starting to. Same with drink.

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

BBC NEWS | Health | Obesity danger 'rivals smoking'

Apparently its like beer or whisky. There are many varieties and flavours of each, i can't stand whisky yet people will pay £000's for a bottle. Not because they are addicted but simply because they like it even though it is bad for them.

So you don't eat burgers or drink (don't drink don't smoke what do you do?? ) but do you drive quickly ever? That's dangerous to you and those around you. The governemtn is already trialing satellite based speed restrictors to stop you breaking the limit. Should that be brought in?

I am playing a little devils advocate here but i hope you get the point. We do these things because we want to. We know the risks but while we are able to make choices we will.

5t.

t7srt

iTrader: (2)

peer pressure i suppose Pimmo, All your mates doing it when at school,

Agrreed, Burgers taste nice and anything food wise thats bad for you is tasty, However smoking makes you cough for the first time and beer tasted disgustiing untill you get used to it,

I think you have stumbled on an un answerable question there, you try starting a thread "what goes on inside a womans mind" with better results, LOL

Congrats on fatherhood mate, My first is due in 5 days and your threads are really going to help us out,

Steve vRS

I used to smoke but gave up 4 years ago.

I started late, an University when I was 20. Some of my mates smoked and I started - not to fit in but because I wanted to.

I enjoyed it, especially with a pint or when driving.

I decided to stop and after a few attempts, succeeded. Would I start again? No.

Steve

JPL

I started smoking when I was 16, first job YTS trainee, my "peers" used to play chase the butt and pass the cig around, I played and got addicted.

Smoked 30+ a day for years, finally gave up after 22 years of puffing away. That was 2 years ago.

Had a 6 month build up, (bit of nagging from the wife), went to docs and got nicorette patches on prescription (much cheaper!!)

I told my Son I was giving up.

Then I had a 2 week family holiday in the Sun, gave up the day before I flew. First day full of jitters, after that I relaxed on holiday, drank lots and enjoyed myself. (Change of lifestyle.. no "get in car, light ***").

1st week in... got a call from friend at home, house broken into and scoob stolen... enough to make me want a ***? Nope

Basically I never looked back, there was even a time when I lost my nicorette patch in the sea, I was panicking FFS.

I can't believe I don't smoke now, downside is I've put on some weight, but I drink too much, I know that.

Best thing I ever did, and for me the fear factor was massive, but actually giving up, piece of pi$$.

I had a tug on a mates a few weeks ago, just to see what the taste was like.... fvcking awful!!

Will I ever smoke again? Like fvck will I!

Fabioso

Well done mate. If anyone in their 20s needs a bit of motivation to give up smoking, take a look at some of the lung cancer stats. Then take a look at some of the real life tragedies around it. I did this recently becos unfortunately a close friend in their early 30s is having serious respiratory problems.

From what I read I basically was glad that I didn't smoke. Stats wise Lung cancer is extremely rare in the under 40s but then have a look at the over 40s and the direct correlation to smoking...........I know you can find people in their 80s who smoked all their lives etc....but if you look at the trend its pretty clear smoking is not good.

NotoriousREV

Because it's cool.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

Thats good, I want to hear both sides.. I'm not anti smoking, I'm just interested. I don't think smoking should be allowed in public places due to the health risks, but if people choose to smoke then, that's totally their choice.

Posting here is whats helped me cope, apart from the odd comment everyone has been fantastic and I can now tell you it gets easier to cope with .. hopefully you wont gay out like I did but even if you do, the worry and stress of the first few nights gets easier.... and if you do need any advice I have now read the entire internet supply of baby information


Thats awesome, well done mate. I would imagine giving up smoking would be like giving up masturbation

nixxon

Yeah! Harry Dean Stanton smokes! Nuff said!

JPL

LOL! Come to think of it ...
http://www.upperiscope.com.au/humour/masturbation.jpg

M444GY

iTrader: (72)

because its cleaner than breathing the air in london lol

RyanSTI

iTrader: (1)

totally.


live fast die young

Timwinner

iTrader: (3)

I wish I smoked sometimes, It looks like you smokers really enjoy it. My problem is I have a short attention span I can never really keep at anything for too long.

But if Chuck Norris was a carsenogenic he would be a cigarettes!!

M444GY

iTrader: (72)

hodgy0_2

you have got to admit -- it looks cool

wayne9t9

I first smoked at 14 in school. The main reason was to be in the "hard" gang. The swots didn`t do it. So I thought I was impressing the other kids that didn`t do it and I was feeling accepted by those that did. The other main contributing factor was that my parants smoked. Even if they caught me I knew I could play the "hypocrite" card. I gave up in my 20`s, failed, gave up again in my 30`s and failed again. Gave up again and I can`t remember the last time I smoked but I can`t see me ever doing it again..

delcbr

live fast suffer a horrible death is more realistic me thinks.

subaruturbo_18

I have never smoked a day in my life, both my parents smoke, so does my brother, most of the mothers side of the family, and the vast amjority of my mates. I don't know why but i've never seen the attraction to it.

Maybe i failed to see it as 'cool' since its what my mum and dad did, for me it would have been the same as listening to barry white or something when everyone else was listening to drum and bass

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

My mum and nan both smoked as did my granddad .. all died from cancer ... young .. My mum leaving a young family ..

Leslie

Can't understand why you left Cancer out of your first post Pimmo.

When I was a lad, no one knew about the real dangers of smoking, and I thing most started off because they wanted to follow all the grownups, most people did smoke then. and also apart from expense, there seemed to be little reason why not. Had I known what we know now I would never have started. I only started because I was on a long train ride across Canada and it was very boring once we left the country north of the Great Lakes.

It is pleasant to those who are hooked and of course the addiction is the major problem. It was very difficult to stop and I am very glad that I did. The thought of smoking now would disgust me i am glad to say. I can still remember the pleasure of a ciggy at the time though.

I think also that when you are young, you feel as though it is so long in the future that you might get cancer or something that it is not worth worrying about at the time. I remember young people being proud of the fact that they were addicted. Made them feel more grown up some how.

Like so many now, I have to hope that I gave up in time.

Les

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

It was irrelevant to my question and only made me look like I am anti smoking which would have gotten peoples backs up and the defensive posts would have started.

I'm interested in why people smoke, more interested than critical.

_Rich_

i smoke purely because im addicted and i started smoking because when i sarted my apprenticeship the guy i worked with smoked and i got curious, tryed it and never stopped lol. and get more breaks at work too

MJW

Nicotine is a stimulant drug & stimulates the pleasure / reward part of the brain. Works just like any other drug : alcohol, heroin, etc.

Dedrater

People who say they are addicted doesn't make sense to me, if you are a drug addict surly you must want the best/cheap most efficient way to get drugs to your brain. If you went to the doctors you would get patches, gum and inhalers etc pure Nicotene and its free, heroine users have no shame in getting methadone which is a substitute to the drug they are addicted to, but smokers can get the actual drug, this is just a logical win win.

Why do smokers not do this?

monotokpoint

you tugged on a mates what?!