Question Smokers & ex-smokers

[MK Shrimper]

So, simple question. Why did you start, and if your an ex-smoker like me, why did you quit?

I starte quite late (probably 19/20) mostly due to smoking something else that got mixed with tobacco, and whilst that drug wasn't addictive, the other one was and I was hooked. Gave up when I was 27 after smoking about 5/6 a day (if I didn't go out) after realising that I'd missed my regular ciggie (they were at set points) and I haven't smoke since despite going through some moderately tough times.

You?

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

and non-smokers....

I remember asking my Dad for a fag when I was a kid (both my parents were heavy smokers).I was probably about ten at the time.He said okay but I had to smoke all of it, as ciggies were expensive.I did and promply threw up afterwards.

Obviously, he must have known exactly what he was doing and his aversion therapy certainly worked.I was never tempted by the fag down at the toilets routine and despite a brief fling after he died,when I was sixteen,the habit never took.

Thanks Dad.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Late starter too, think I was 17 or 18. Started because the boyfriend at the time did, only a few a day to start with, but then got together with the ex aged 20 who smoked quite a lot and that was that. Gave up when confirmed pregnant with my eldest and stayed off them for the next 3 years till I felt driven back to them because being at home with two under 4, and next to no help, was doing my head in. Packed up 10 years ago, last March, not been tempted back at all this time, although I still get an occasional urge....normally after a really good meal. That after-a-special-dinner cigarette with a nice drop of brandy was always the most enjoyable!

 

[Mad Cyril]

I started smoking to look harder.

I gave up when I realised I didn't have to.

 

[Hotman]

I started smoking to look harder.

I gave up when I realised I didn't have to.

Same here! Started at 12, gave up at 20. Started again during a tough time in my life, for about a year, now clean again.

 

[Benfleet A1]

Started at about 13, mainly peer pressure. Still puffing away now and unlikely to be stopping any time soon.

 

[Bielzibubz]

Started at 14 and gave up at 49. Peer pressure I would assume was the reason for starting but to tell the truth I'm buggered if I remember now. Gave up for a number of reasons but primarily because................

A. After being quite ill for a while and not being able to smoke, once I started again I realized both me, my clothes and my home stank of the stuff.

B. When sitting at a table on regular Sunday lunches with 20 friends, all being non smokers, and feeling like a **** when I was the only one getting up between meals to have a puff outside. Also I now realize what I smelled like when I returned to my seat......................nasty!

Worst times for me is not first think in the morning or even after a meal like so many others. It's seeing someone else smoking while behind the wheel stationary or while they're driving. Still crave one then and always will i suspect.

 

[steveo]

Started when I was 11. Almost everyone smoked then. Was probably up to 40-60 a day depending if I was going out. Randomly checked my blood pressure on a friends machine and a nurse friend of ours said "don't panic but probably best to go down to A&E straight away"

Due to my ignorance of stuff like that I wasnt aware that 220 was on the high side.

Saw the doc on the Monday who said you will quite likely die in the not too distant future so I packed up. Put on weight but found electronic cigs which I puff on permanently.

I dldnt miss smoking at all now and certainly dont miss the 7 quid or more for a packet of fags. When I look back it ruled my life to a large degree. Every shopping trip I was planning on when to have a fag before the next shop. Going out for dinner meant going outside between courses. Sound familiar anyone? We used to take regular day trips to Belgium just to stock up on cheap fags and I would often get up at 2 or 3 in the morning to have a smoke.

Anyone in their forties still smoking should - and does - know better. Give it up Grouty.

 

[Phippsy]

I started at age 14, the only reason was my friend worked in a newsagents and i was in there one day and we said shall we pinch something. So i said lets pinch a box of fags lol. we chain smoked them over the park, both puked up and i ended up hooked smoking 40 a day until aged 31. I gave up because i was bored with it basically, i am quite a bad ex smoker and dont really like being around ciggie smoke now....im clean for 7 1/2 years now :smile:

 

[Benfleet A1]

Started when I was 11. Almost everyone smoked then. Was probably up to 40-60 a day depending if I was going out. Randomly checked my blood pressure on a friends machine and a nurse friend of ours said "don't panic but probably best to go down to A&E straight away"

Due to my ignorance of stuff like that I wasnt aware that 220 was on the high side.

Saw the doc on the Monday who said you will quite likely die in the not too distant future so I packed up. Put on weight but found electronic cigs which I puff on permanently.

I dldnt miss smoking at all now and certainly dont miss the 7 quid or more for a packet of fags. When I look back it ruled my life to a large degree. Every shopping trip I was planning on when to have a fag before the next shop. Going out for dinner meant going outside between courses. Sound familiar anyone? We used to take regular day trips to Belgium just to stock up on cheap fags and I would often get up at 2 or 3 in the morning to have a smoke.

Anyone in their forties still smoking should - and does - know better. Give it up Grouty.

Can't get on with those electronic fags at all and if you don't want a unhinged loony tunes, forced to give up ex-smoker swinging an felling axe around your ears for absolutely no reason whatsoever then please, for the love of the children, please don't ask me to give up.

 

[leeblue]

I started smoking when I was 17. Most of my mates were I just kind of joined in. Although I never really was a full timer. Five a day at the most. I stopped when I turned 31. Just stopped no patches no nuffink. The body can repair from the effects of smoking up till you are 35 ish

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

Never had a drag - it's ******* smoke into your lungs - never even been fag curious.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Do they make electronic cigarettes that look like massive cigars or crack pipes?

 

[Hotman]

Can't get on with those electronic fags at all and if you don't want a unhinged loony tunes, forced to give up ex-smoker swinging an felling axe around your ears for absolutely no reason whatsoever then please, for the love of the children, please don't ask me to give up.

That's a shame - my old man has gone onto them and found them a revelation

 

[OldBlueLady]

I started smoking when I was 17. Most of my mates were I just kind of joined in. Although I never really was a full timer. Five a day at the most. I stopped when I turned 31. Just stopped no patches no nuffink. The body can repair from the effects of smoking up till you are 35 ish

That's funny, I just had a full health check and was told I am effectively as good now as someone who has never smoked.

 

[londonblue]

Can't get on with those electronic fags at all and if you don't want a unhinged loony tunes, forced to give up ex-smoker swinging an felling axe around your ears for absolutely no reason whatsoever then please, for the love of the children, please don't ask me to give up.

But, do you want to give up?

 

[londonblue]

That's funny, I just had a full health check and was told I am effectively as good now as someone who has never smoked.

My understanding is that your body will repair itself over time, I don't think age makes any difference other than that the older you are the more likely it is that you've been smoking for a longer time, in which case it will take longer for your body to recover.

 

[londonblue]

A few other things I've learnt about smoking over the years:

1. If you haven't smoked by the time you reach 21 the chances are you never will.
2. If you have given up and are tempted to have one cigarette, the chances are you'll be back where you were before you gave up after about two weeks. So if you were on 20 a day before you gave up, and then have one, the chances are you'll be back to 20 a day 2 weeks on. This statistic doesn't change based on time. So someone that has not had a cigarette for 20 years is just as likely to fall back as somone that has given up for 1 year.
3. When smoking a cigarette the whole cigarette acts as a filter so the end of a cigarette is much worse for you than the beginning because the end has trapped a lot of the tar from the beginning. The obvious conclusion is to leave the last part of a cigarette, if you can...

 

[leeblue]

That's funny, I just had a full health check and was told I am effectively as good now as someone who has never smoked.

Good stuff, did they do spyromerty readings and chest x rays

 

[OldBlueLady]

Good stuff, did they do spyromerty readings and chest x rays

Errr.....what? :unsure: No x-rays - fasting blood tests, checking for signs of heart/stroke indication, diabetes onset or high cholesterol or blood pressure. Had mine needed further investigation, they'd have sent me for it. My blood pressure was a little high so that's being checked again in a month, but my records show that it tends to go up if I'm nervous about whatever they're doing!