A question to smokers

[JoyfulC 132299]

I have never smoked in my life. It wouldn't be possible for me to, as I react violently to tobacco smoke. And even marijuana, the couple times I tried it, I made a spectacle of myself going into coughing convulsions. So I'm asking because I really don't know, but today, for some reason, I wondered:

 

What is it you get out of smoking tobacco?

 

Do you get a buzz or a high, like with drinking or doing marijuana?

 

Or is it more a tasty treat, like a banana split or a chocolate bar?

 

Or is it more a fetish, something to do with your hands and mouth?

 

My husband smoked, but just briefly (maybe a couple years, very casually) in his early twenties, but wasn't that into it and had no trouble quitting cold turkey upon deciding to. So he isn't much help.

 

What can you tell me about the experience of smoking?

 

Additional Comments:

Oh, and also, how does smoking a cigarette differ from smoking a cigar? Why are cigars desirable?

[Guest p**h*x]

Do you get a buzz or a high, like with drinking or doing marijuana?

Or is it more a tasty treat, like a banana split or a chocolate bar?

Or is it more a fetish, something to do with your hands and mouth?

 

Additional Comments:

Oh, and also, how does smoking a cigarette differ from smoking a cigar? Why are cigars desirable?

 

It's pretty much a combination of all those things. The high or buzz isn't the same as drinking or smoking a joint but there is a similar sense of relaxation. Which mostly comes from satisfying the nicotine cravings.

 

I do think it becomes a tasty treat as well. The thought of having a cigarette and a cold beer is delicious to me.

 

But mostly it is about the routines that go along with smoking. Part of the habit is the schedule you develop. I smoke when I get home from work, if I barbecue, before I go to bed, etc. You develop a schedule and your body starts to crave the routine because it knows it's about to get nicotine at certain times.

 

As for Cigars, they do taste different and I enjoy them as well but not often. In general they take longer to smoke so the appeal is more for longer drawn out settings. If I were to be at a camp fire with friends I might have a cigar instead of pounding in 10 cigarettes.

[roamingguy 300292]

I've often wondered the same thing about smoking. Many many many years ago, while still a puppy in high school LOL our teacher in Health class wanted to try an experiment. First, at that time (don't know about today) kids were allowed to smoke at school, there was a designated outdoors smoking area for kids. Now at that time, the only concern about smoking was the risk of cancer. In Health class, our teacher asked all non-smokers to raise their hands. Me, being one of them did. He asked if we would smoke a cigarette, all of it, inhaling it, not just blowing the smoke out. But first, take your resting heart rate. So took my pulse, wrote down my heart rate (as did the other guinea pigs LOL) Lit up and smoked an entire cigarette. Well the side effects from that first cigarette, first heart rate through the roof, which was explained as oxygen deprivation from your blood. About 10 to 15 minutes later, dizzy, sick to my stomach, and basically a all round lousy afternoon.

I asked some friends who did smoke why they did. They said it takes smoking a few cigarettes before you don't get that sick feeling. Well why would I do that to myself go through feeling ill just so in the future that activity won't make me feel ill. Not smoking made me feel fine, I didn't need to start an activity which in the early days would make you feel sick just so in the future you wouldn't feel sick...to me that was just plain dumb. Not to mention the health concerns about smoking.

If I was ever tempted to smoke, that experiment stopped me right there. Smoking was dumb IMHO

Irony is, if that was done today, the teacher would likely be fired. But that experiment saved me, and probably some others from ever starting to smoke.

But as to why to smoke, damned if I know

RG

[billybob 20128]

The reason I started smoking was peer pressure. It was indeed difficult to start smoking but my friends got me through it :)

 

I haven't had a cigarette in over 20 years, one of the "good" decisions I made in my youth.

[Andee 220524]

I don't smoke, however a friend of mine who was visiting me recently, lit up a cuban cigar and I took a puff and it tasted very nice, so I can understand the attraction there.

 

As for cigarettes, gross, gross, gross.

[Miss Scarlett 25073]

Before I was born both of my parents smoked. As a baby who was in the whome of a smoker it was inevitable that I would crave cigarettes. I was born addicted to nicotine. As I grew older the craving became worse. So as a teen when everyone was going out for a cigarette I of course joined them. Unlike RG I did not feel sick, I felt relieved that the cravings were settling down. I have tried to quit many times for health reasons but it is very hard.

 

Kids that are born into non-smoking households are less likely to smoke. (Note: I did not say all)

 

Out of 3 kids in my family 2 of us smoke/smoked cigarettes. The other one smokes a pipe. I think cigars taste horrible. I don't even like the smell of them.

 

As for the OP's questions:

 

1. Why did I start? (It was not my choice).

2. Why do I continue? (Because it is very hard to quit).

3. Is it the taste? (heck no, they taste and smell horrible).

4. Is it a physical habbit? (yes very much so in my case).

 

I find everyones reasoning is different and this is just my opinion and not meant to offend anyone.

[Guest p**h*x]

I didn't need to start an activity which in the early days would make you feel sick just so in the future you wouldn't feel sick...to me that was just plain dumb. Not to mention the health concerns about smoking.

If I was ever tempted to smoke, that experiment stopped me right there. Smoking was dumb IMHO

RG

 

Unfortunately for me I actually enjoyed it right away. My first cigarette I didn't get sick or nauseous and really liked the flavour and feeling. I took to it like I was a pro. But you're right, it is incredibly dumb.

[billybob 20128]

Before I was born both of my parents smoked. As a baby who was in the whome of a smoker it was inevitable that I would crave cigarettes. I was born addicted to nicotine. As I grew older the craving became worse. So as a teen when everyone was going out for a cigarette I of course joined them. Unlike RG I did not feel sick, I felt relieved that the cravings were settling down. I have tried to quit many times for health reasons but it is very hard.

 

Kids that are born into non-smoking households are less likely to smoke. (Note: I did not say all)

 

Out of 3 kids in my family 2 of us smoke/smoked cigarettes. The other one smokes a pipe. I think cigars taste horrible. I don't even like the smell of them.

 

As for the OP's questions:

 

1. Why did I start? (It was not my choice).

2. Why do I continue? (Because it is very hard to quit).

3. Is it the taste? (heck no, they taste and smell horrible).

4. Is it a physical habbit? (yes very much so in my case).

 

I find everyones reasoning is different and this is just my opinion and not meant to offend anyone.

 

I agree with most of what you say, both of my parents smoked and I had older siblings who smoked so it was inevitable for me to smoke too. I don't believe I craved cigarettes but I can't speak for you. Even though I lived in a smoking household I still had a hard time starting to smoke, well inhaling specifically. We used to tease the people who didn't inhale :)

 

One confusing part of the post was the fact that you think cigarettes taste and smell horrible. I realize nicotine is addictive but I would think if you found the habit so distasteful it would be easier to quit. I'm not judging you, just a thought as I read your post.

[roamingguy 300292]

Before I was born both of my parents smoked. As a baby who was in the whome of a smoker it was inevitable that I would crave cigarettes. I was born addicted to nicotine. As I grew older the craving became worse. So as a teen when everyone was going out for a cigarette I of course joined them. Unlike RG I did not feel sick, I felt relieved that the cravings were settling down. I have tried to quit many times for health reasons but it is very hard.

 

Kids that are born into non-smoking households are less likely to smoke. (Note: I did not say all)

 

Out of 3 kids in my family 2 of us smoke/smoked cigarettes. The other one smokes a pipe. I think cigars taste horrible. I don't even like the smell of them.

 

As for the OP's questions:

 

1. Why did I start? (It was not my choice).

2. Why do I continue? (Because it is very hard to quit).

3. Is it the taste? (heck no, they taste and smell horrible).

4. Is it a physical habbit? (yes very much so in my case).

 

I find everyones reasoning is different and this is just my opinion and not meant to offend anyone.

 

I must say I was born into a non-smoking household. I was told my father smoked, but quit, and that was before I was born. My mother never smoked. Is that a factor why I never smoked, possibly.

And I'm not saying everyone is going to get sick smoking (inhaling) their first cigarette, but from the green faces on us guinea pigs in Health class that day, we all did LOL

RG

[JoyfulC 132299]

I was wondering about that too, if children born into homes with smokers craved or even just were accustomed to the taste/smell.

 

Both my parents were born to heavy smokers, but neither ever smoked.

 

My sister, however, did smoke and last I heard, has been unsuccessful quitting. With her, I'm sure it was peer pressure. She was very cliquey.

[fortunateone 156618]

^^ My father smoked, and quit, then started again off and on after he initially quit. But I grew up in a one smoker house, and my mother offered to us kids that if we decide we want to smoke, she'll buy the first pack.

 

None of us smoke, or even tried and quit afaik. I don't think anyone wanted to say hey, what about that money for smokes? Or be smoking and have her ask why we didn't ask for the $ freely offered.

 

I hate to say but the health risks in my family seem to be minimal. Heavy smokers after 70 years of chain smoking finally die at 85, as far as I can see (one of my grandfathers rolled his own, so unfiltered). The non smokers who live with second hand smoke die at 95. It is pretty hard to take us out. My dad is 87 as well, very good health after clearing out his arteries which was more due to bad eating habits in his 30s lol

 

The other thing she did was say that we can swear but not until we are 19 or something, can't remember what it was, but none of us really swear either.

 

For myself, I could never justify paying for cigarettes when there were other things I would prefer to use my money on. I find it a huge waste of money, money that could be spent on so many other interesting things from travel to cars.

[JoyfulC 132299]

For myself, I could never justify paying for cigarettes when there were other things I would prefer to use my money on. I find it a huge waste of money, money that could be spent on so many other interesting things from travel to cars.

 

How much does it cost to smoke? Average costs per week? Month?

[fortunateone 156618]

http://www.nsra-adnf.ca/cms/file/pdf/120424_map_and_table.pdf

 

 

Must depend on the frequency. Some say they are a half pack a day, others 2 packs?

 

Ontario it says $80.00 for 200 (which I think might be 10 packs.)

 

 

Smoking info:

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/07/29/f-smoking-statistics.html

[jafo105 39057]

http://www.nsra-adnf.ca/cms/file/pdf/120424_map_and_table.pdf

 

 

Must depend on the frequency. Some say they are a half pack a day, others 2 packs?

 

Ontario it says $80.00 for 200 (which I think might be 10 packs.)

 

 

Smoking info:

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/07/29/f-smoking-statistics.html

 

 

There used to be 25 cigarettes to a pack. I don't know what it is now...

[Andee 220524]

I was wondering about that too, if children born into homes with smokers craved or even just were accustomed to the taste/smell.

 

Both my parents were born to heavy smokers, but neither ever smoked.

 

My sister, however, did smoke and last I heard, has been unsuccessful quitting. With her, I'm sure it was peer pressure. She was very cliquey.

 

Both my parents were smokers and honestly I think that is what turned me off from smoking. My dad was a 3 pack a day chain smoker (export plain, no filter) had nicotine stained fingers which I found disgusting. My mom would light cigarettes up and leave them burning in ashtrays all over the house.

 

I woke up every morning with a runny nose. When I moved out when I was 19, I remember the runny noses stopped, but I started craving cigarettes and it was the weirdest feeling. I guess I was actually in withdrawal from second-hand smoke. I am glad I didn't give into the urges because I'm sure I would have been hopelessly addicted.

 

So sometimes it works the other way. In my case, it did.

[LeeRichards 177238]

How much does it cost to smoke? Average costs per week? Month?

 

God Damnit Joyful C !!! Do not answer that folks !!!!! I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW ! lol