That's it.............

[xBinny]

.....who in this forum is a smoker? How did you take up smoking? Do you want to quit?

If you're a non-smoker, do you hang out with any smokers? Does it make it harder for you to walk into a pub/club knowing there will be smokers?

I'm personally a smoker.... well, until the 15th I am. I picked it up socially, and then started smoking heavily because when I was at my ex's house I was surrounded by smokers and it was just something to do with them (sad huh?).

Now I'm with my new boyfriend who's an asthmatic and his Papa died of enphasima (sp?), and after many attempts on patches I'm going in for hypno. Paying a lot for it, so it better work!

Now, I've read the posts about smokers being the scum of the earth blah blah blah, but I'm looking for something further in peoples responses. Like, what put you off smoking? Do you pressure your friends to stop? Do you want to stop? Did you take it up because of image? etc etc etc. I've had a good discussion with someone already on the subject, so I was hoping for everyone elses opinions too.

(Please refrain from "death to all that smoke" statements.)

Thanks

 

[Desredandwhite]

I don't smoke, never have. My dad smoked pretty heavily, until he decided to stop when I was about 8? 10? Pretty amazing, he just stopped.

I had a little asthma when I was a kid, but nothing major. My girlfriend is asthmatic though, she chokes up in pubs etc so we don't go often (and if so, towing about 10-million ventolin pumps!). Some of my mates, workmates etc smoke. I don't really mind hanging out with them as long as it's out in the open, or somewhere with good ventilation. You can do whatever you like, just not in my house and I reserve the right to turn down invitations to places if I know it's going to be very smoky - I will still go sometimes though, but it DOES make it harder to always say yes.

 

[mel 40]

Im not a smoker and i never will be cause i hate the smell of it.I dont see the point of smoking, but hey i cant stop anyone cause its there choice.
When i go to a pub i dont like to stay there to long because of the smoke. It gets all over my clothes and when i walk out of there i cant breath properly.

 

[xBinny]

It gets all over my clothes

Oh yeah! I can't stand the smell of my hair in the morning after a night at the pub. It's gross!

 

[mel 40]

Originally posted by xBinny
Oh yeah! I can't stand the smell of my hair in the morning after a night at the pub. It's gross!

It is, and then when im driving home from a pub or sumthing that all i can smell in the car.

 

[Spidergirl~RiCkChiCk]

Used to smoke in high school actually in primary school as well for that matter hehe. Grew outta it i guess and was never a heavy smoker in the first place. Was easy to quit as i just cut down gradually till i reduced them to none plus the odd choof every now and then helps kick the ciggie habbit

 

[Uncle Steve]

One of my mates - a long-term, pack-a-day-plus smoker - recently gave up. He's been off them for about 4 months now.

He used the patches, but also had a couple of other tricks:

Firstly, he made a point of hanging out with all of his smoker friends. He figured that he had to learn to breathe in smoky environments once he'd given up, so he might as well start right away. That way he wouldn't give in the first time he went back to a smoky area, 'coz he would already be used to it.

Secondly, he told nobody that he gave up. That way, nobody would talk about it to him, and it wouldn't be brought to mind. The less you think about the ****, the less you're likely to want one. Nobody even noticed he wasn't smoking, not even the other smokers, 'coz he didn't make an issue out of it.

Best of luck!

 

[Pornstar]

People who smoke are just showing off and trying to act tough.

 

[lioness]

Well interesting that there's a smoking topic here, I am 5 cigarettes away from quitting!!!!!!!! I've smoked for about ummmmm 8 or 9 years, never really heavily, I took it up because everyone else was. I've tried quitting a few times but never really lasted. I do admit I hate the smell, for me it's been more of an addiction than anything else. My boyfriend has just given up coffee (trust me for him that is HUGE LOL) and is eating right and stuff so I told him if he stuck with it, I'd quit smoking and am about to.

I also have slow circulation so it's in my best interests to quit, and no I have never been one to pester others to quit, IMO it sounds stupid for a smoker to tell others not to smoke. I do actually dread being round smokers while I'm quitting because I find I wanna light up too.

The hypno sounds very interesting X Binny!!!!!! Do post and let us know if it works or not.

 

[lioness]

Originally posted by Uncle Steve

Secondly, he told nobody that he gave up. That way, nobody would talk about it to him, and it wouldn't be brought to mind. The less you think about the ****, the less you're likely to want one. Nobody even noticed he wasn't smoking, not even the other smokers, 'coz he didn't make an issue out of it.

Similar point came up with me last night, a friend asked me why I won't use patches when I quit. Apart from the fact that they smell awful I also don't want anything that will remind me of smoking. I live in a non-smoking household so it's not that hard. I mean I may get REALLY desperate and run for the patches but gonna try not to.

 

[ThePowerFromPort.com]

I started at 14 because my best friend smoked. It didn't take long for me to become a pack a day smoker. It was quite pathetic how smoking influenced my life. I couldn't get by without having a packet on me. If I ran out at night I couldn't wait until the next day, I had to go out and find a place open to buy some.

I stopped after 11 years with no patches or nicorettes and it was one of the hardest things to do but after a week I was coping quite well. I was keeping company with non-smokers so that also helped. The day I realised I was free from the addiction was when I was at a relatives house where I was surrounded by smokers and I noticed I couldn't stand the smell.

I never really thought about taking it up again until I left my first husband 8 years later and was under a lot of stress. I made a new lot of friends and most of the people I was mixing with were smokers so one day I bludged one and it sort of went out of control again from there. One a day led to a few a day and within a couple of weeks I was a heavy smoker again.

Fortunately this time the addiction only lasted a couple of years. When I was pregnant with my 2nd son I was watching an anti smoking ad on TV and it just hit me that I can't keep smoking if I want to be around for my kids and I can't tell them not to smoke if I was doing it myself. That was enough to get me to stop. Unfortunately my 2nd husband was still smoking around me and it made it harder. Being pregnant I couldn't use anything to help me at all as they could endanger the baby. One thing that helped was orange juice whenever I felt a craving. I'm glad to say I succeeded and within a few months my husband also gave up. I rarely get a craving but have felt like one a couple of times when I see someone smoking but I can't stand the smell of cigarette smoke so I doubt I would ever have one again.

One day at the kids footy a lady walked past my car with a tiny baby in her arms and a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. I was surprised the ash didn't fall on the baby. It looked so bad and I mentioned to my husband how horrible it looked and wondered how I could have ever smoked with my kids around. I know I can't go back to them because I don't want to go through giving it up a third time.

So far my kids are anti-smoking. The eldest one often remarks about how he can't stand the way the smoking kids at school smell. He says they stink which brings a smile to me face. All through their childhood I have reminded them when the subject of smoking came up how mummy used to smoke, how hard it was to give up and how disgusting a habit it is. I never threatened them about smoking themselves or said don't do it as I know that can often be a challenge to defy your parents. Hopefully they keep that attitude.

 

[Darky]

Never been a smoker... can't understand the appeal.

Some people manage not to smell like complete **** after smoking, others you can smell it on them for ages, especially at work where people generally wear the same clothes for a couple of days a week and the smell lingers.

As a non-smoker, there are few things worse than coming home to a lounge room full of smoke, four or five people sitting drinking and smoking in the same spot for several hours, all the windows shut, sometimes you almost can't see to the other side of the room. Clean up the next day and everything is covered in ash, people have used everythign EXCEPT ashtrays to put butts in, and even the dog smells like smoke.

Unfortunately the person I live with smokes, as do almost ALL her friends, and the above happens just about every weekend. One of the many drawbacks of not being able to afford to live alone...

 

[val]

xbinny - what a coincidence, my goal is the 16th to give up; but I am definitely going to try the patches. I have smoked for 40 years and finally realised how disgusting it is. To anyone contemplating smoking please don't. My health is very effected by the chemicals. I have diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, so it will be a do or die effort for me. Good luck xbinny, I will be thinking of you. Val

 

[DeLs]

I've been a smoker since I was 13 (about 7 years now), I quit around a month ago for a week, and it was the best thing I could do, I felt so much better. But I picked up a smoke again while I was drinking, now I'm battling to quit again.

 

[Damp Squarie]

I am a 46 & Ive smoked cigarettes since I was 16, ( And decided to give them away as of New Years Eve)...so far so good [cold turkey]
Its tuff and without trying to so like a defeatest I dont expect it will last but the good thing is, this is day 63.

 

[xBinny]

xbinny - what a coincidence, my goal is the 16th to give up; but I am definitely going to try the patches. I have smoked for 40 years and finally realised how disgusting it is. To anyone contemplating smoking please don't. My health is very effected by the chemicals. I have diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, so it will be a do or die effort for me. Good luck xbinny, I will be thinking of you. Val

Thanks Val. I've chosen the 15th because that's pay day, and that means I can make room on my credit card for my sessions. I've decided that having some patches at home will be good, as apparently it takes about 3 sessions to properly kick in. I've asked my doctor about getting that tablet (can't remember the name - zyban or something?) that's supposed to be really helpful, but I'm not allowed to take it due to depression.

I went cold turkey once when I was with my ex, and he promised he'd quit if I stayed off them for 2 months (really not helpful), and I stayed off them for 3 months, and the mongrel kept chain smoking around me. Though on the first night of quitting I totally lost it and told all of my friends what I thought of them, and had a total melt down, hence why I'm using other methods to quit.

My b/f (current one) was very good with me last time I attempted to quit. He took me out for dinner one night a week if I didn't have a smoke. He was really encouraging.

Good luck to all that are trying to quit! I fear we will no longer be "toughies"! te!he!

 

[Macca19]

Im 21 and have smoked on and off since i was 16-17ish. Not to sure why i started. Im not an everyday smoker. I dont need to have a cigarette at everytime. There was a stage where i started smoking quite a bit...around 15 or so a day while doing my course, and someone bet me $100 i couldnt quit for 6 months cold turkey. Well 6 months later i got $100
I only ever really smoke when im at a pub, club or rave. Keeps my hands busy. Sometimes at work if its been a big stressful day ill have one at lunchtime but thats fairly rare.

I generally go thru about 10-12 smokes when i go drinking.

 

[LionsForever]

I had my first and only smoke at age 9 I got peer-pressured into doing it and something i regret.
A few of my friends smoke i try and talk them out of smoking but they just never listen

 

[Spidergirl~RiCkChiCk]

heres a question for ya...do u think men would quit something for us?

 

[evade28]

i dont smoke and i hate it, i hate the way it makes your hair and clothes etc stink.
and u get YELLOW teeth and all these other disgusting things (ie CANCER)

i dont know how neone can smoke, knowing what it can do to you.

having to breathe through a HOLE in your NECK is something i would be striving to avoid!

 

[Katthawk]

Grrr. Since when did anyone like being told what to do.

It's not as though we DON'T KNOW its bad to smoke, it's just.... well..... I ..... haven't decided I have enough reason to give up.

Absolutely pathetic I know, and I have more willpower being stubborn about not giving up it seems.

But maybe I'll get a 'round toit' some time.

 

[Mooster7]

Originally posted by xBinny

I'm personally a smoker.... well, until the 15th I am.

The Ides of March, eh? Watch out Julius.

I don't smoke and I never will. The worse place is in a bar. I do love to go to small live band venues in town. Mostly to watch local bands, occasionally to play. Come back soaking in smoke. You don't really notice it so much at the time. Especially if you're righteously drunk. Yet experience dictates that a shower is in order before hitting the sack. Waking up to the stench - not only on yourself, but on your bedding - is worse than the savage hangover you're hosting.

Bringing a girl home with you makes it an even bigger problem. You are trying to keep everything gunning under a false pretense of randomness, and you have to tell her, "hit the shower or you're not getting in my bed."

 

[lioness]

Originally posted by Spidergirl~RiCkChiCk
heres a question for ya...do u think men would quit something for us?

Actually yes. My boyfriend hasn't been well lately, and I have been hinting that MAYBE he should take better care of himself and he's done it all himself, but at least SOME of what I said sunk in. Or at least I like to pretend it did.

 

[Darky]

Re: Re: That's it.............

Originally posted by Mooster7


Bringing a girl home with you makes it an even bigger problem. You are trying to keep everything gunning under a false pretense of randomness, and you have to tell her, "hit the shower or you're not getting in my bed."

That's where you suggest the "twosome shower" alluded to in another thread. Casually mention that you don't want to go to bed smelling of smoke, and chances are she will agree and follow you into the shower.

Then you can try your luck and see if you can cop a chew while you're in there.

 

[Katthawk]

Re: Re: Re: That's it.............

Originally posted by Darky

Then you can try your luck and see if you can cop a chew while you're in there.

Oh very classy way of putting it