Question Smoking....do you or Don't you

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

I was having a chat with a friend today about a further dramatic step in a decade-long campaign to curb the consumption of tobacco products by graphically depicting images on cigarette boxes. The pictures will include rotting teeth and lungs and throat cancer. The pictures will replace the written warnings introduced five years ago.

The last ten years have seen 1.9 million less smokers due to a number of measures, including adverts referring people to their pharmacist or doctor for advice on quitting. Public smoking bans, bans on the sale of 10's and "under counter selling" but the Department of Health says smoking is still the country’s biggest killer, causing around 87,000 deaths every year, i could not believe that figure when i read up on it tonight....87'000 DEATHS A YEAR. That is an incredible amount of people, i can only equate that to football crowds to get an idea of how many that is.

I used to smoke from the age of about 16 up until I was 35 and fortunately I was one of the lucky ones who managed to give up smoking over night. I always said that it would not be the health risks or the cost but purely because I did not like smoking any more and fortunately that is what happened. I don't berate smokers....live and let live IMO but i am glad i am no longer one of them

What with it becoming a more and more antisocial habit to take part in, cost and the health implications, i am interested to find out how many of the Zoners smoke now days.

I will make it a private poll so no finger pointing, I am estimating about 35% will be smokers, but I could be way off.

 

[Yer Blues]

i smoke. in fact im having a marlboro light as we speak

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

i smoke. in fact im having a marlboro light as we speak

As long as you are enjoying it mate and no one else is i guess there is no harm in it!!!

 

[Crabby Shrimper]

They discussed years back about having "cigarette cards" with different diseases on them. Mate and I could see how this'd go. Kids swapping diseases in the playground, getting mugged for your impotency, snoking related diseases, gotta catch 'em all. Needless to say we weren't impressed.

I gave up smoking about three years ago. I'd been thinking about it for ages, but being stubborn every time the government tried to make smoking harder, I dug my heels in further. Eventually some people at work decided to quit, so I joined them. Smoked a couple of puffs of my last ciggy, then just burnt it. Within a week I was in smokey pubs with no problems or temptations. Different methods for all, but you have to want to give up to succeed

 

[SUFC_Al]

Yes I do. I don't smoke as much as I used to after changing to hand rolling tobacco, overall cheaper and a nicer smoke than "tailor mades". I probably spend a fiver a week compared to say twenty quid in a week when I smoked packet fags.

I'm not particularly bothered about the smoking ban, I can understand both sides of the argument and to be honest it has made me smoke less when I'm out, which was my biggest concern.

 

[Nobby Snide]

never smoked..ever

 

[Phippsy]

I smoked for 17 years but gave up Jan 7th 2006 at 2:30 pm.................not that im still counting of course, i guess i am one of the lucky ones who have managed to stay smoke free, so far .

 

[canveyshrimper]

I gave up smoking almost 25 years ago, and I was very pleased to do so. However I know that if I had a cigarette now I'd be back on 30 a day again.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Having been a smoker for 11 years, I gave up as soon as I had my pregnancy with my son confirmed. I stopped completely cold, and this went on for 3 years. Having then had my 2nd child, and not coping very well with the demands of a baby and a two and a half year old I went back to it. Always in the garden, and never in the house, mind. That continued up till 5 and a half years ago, 15th March 2003 (my dad's birthday) when I finally felt ready to stop once and for all. Used patches for a month and then that was it, never looked back since. Still crave them every now and then, particularly at times of major stress or upset. Healthwise, probably the best decision although it apparently masked quite a lot of things which I'm now having to deal with. Seeng the price of them now, I just don't understand how anyone can afford it. Seems to me though that despite everything it's still a rite of passage that young people have to go through, thankfully my son has and realised the pointlessness of it, just waiting for the other one now.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Used to, though only 5 or so a day unless I was in the pub. Gave up quite easily in 1998 and never looked back. I'm now the worst example of an ex-smoker because I loathe the smell of it and won't allow anyone to smoke in my house!

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

Used to, though only 5 or so a day unless I was in the pub. Gave up quite easily in 1998 and never looked back. I'm now the worst example of an ex-smoker because I loathe the smell of it and won't allow anyone to smoke in my house!

Same here mate.....i try to live and let live but find the smell utterly disgusting.
I would never let anyone smoke in our house or cars....and Mrs AS hates it even more then me.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Same here mate.....i try to live and let live but find the smell utterly disgusting.
I would never let anyone smoke in our house or cars....and Mrs AS hates it even more then me.

The old man has been a smoker for 30 years, and smokes in the car. It drives me mad! I have to have all the windows down to air it afterwards.

 

[Ulysses]

I gave up back on August 24th, was only on about 10 a week. Social smoking!

 

[MK Shrimper]

Morning Chaps!

I tend to just smoke crack or chase the dragon these days. I find that normal ciggies don't quite pack the same punch..
For another cheap buzz, I frequently huff petrol fumes.

WOO HOO!!!
200th post and I think you'll agree, it was as inane and pointless as my previous 199!

Magic.

Ah, don't do yourself a dis-service TF, this one was far more inane than all the others ;)

Don't ever change now!

 

[beemamad]

I quit 7 months, 2 weeks, 12hours and 10 minutes ago. Used patches for a month and then found it real easy. Not actually counting the time but got a pc popup counter to remind me of quit time.........

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

I gave up around the start of June after smoking for nearly 25 years i lasted 3 1/2 weeks but then running out of patches coincided with my birthday and i was back on them ... i know i ought to give up for financial reasons but i have so little self control i feel i'm doomed to failure before i start

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Gave up a few years ago - I am noted for my incredible willpower.

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

Where do Jamaican woodbines fall into this discussion?

 

[Crabby Shrimper]

i know i ought to give up for financial reasons but i have so little self control i feel i'm doomed to failure before i start

Next time try the trick of setting yourself a stop time, and then taking a drag out of your last cigarette before burning it (without inhaling the smoke!) It sounds daft, but if you can do that, and watch your last ciggy get wasted, then you'll have proven to yourself that you have the willpower not to smoke.

Worked for me anyway

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Where do Jamaican woodbines fall into this discussion?

They don't. Hippie.