Cigarettes

[3PointMan]

Even if I ever got addicted I would think of the cost. My aunt and uncle, who both go through about a pack and a half a day total said they spend thousands of dollars a MONTH on cigarettes. That's insane, and it's bad for you. I would force myself to quit, because I can control myself over the nicotine. Don't say, you don't know of you haven't tried it.

[Lateralus]

Even if I ever got addicted I would think of the cost. My aunt and uncle, who both go through about a pack and a half a day total said they spend thousands of dollars a MONTH on cigarettes. That's insane, and it's bad for you. I would force myself to quit, because I can control myself over the nicotine. Don't say, you don't know of you haven't tried it.

 

 

 

Where do you/they live? I'm from the UK, where cigarettes are typically much more expensive than the states, and a pack and a half a day adds up to just over 200 pounds (about 330 dollars). I'm not arguing that it's not expensive as hell (and like I said, it's worse here) but it's not as expensive as you/they say.

[3PointMan]

Even if I ever got addicted I would think of the cost. My aunt and uncle, who both go through about a pack and a half a day total said they spend thousands of dollars a MONTH on cigarettes. That's insane, and it's bad for you. I would force myself to quit, because I can control myself over the nicotine. Don't say, you don't know of you haven't tried it.

 

 

 

Where do you/they live? I'm from the UK, where cigarettes are typically much more expensive than the states, and a pack and a half a day adds up to just over 200 pounds (about 330 dollars). I'm not arguing that it's not expensive as hell (and like I said, it's worse here) but it's not as expensive as you/they say.

 

South Dakota. And I meant a pack and a half each. So it's only $660? Well that's still expensive as hell.

[Nero]

I would force myself to quit, because I can control myself over the nicotine. Don't say, you don't know of you haven't tried it.

 

 

 

Seriously. You don't know if you haven't tried it.

 

 

 

It's like saying: "I could never get addicted to heroin, even if I did it everyday. Nope. My willpower is too strong for that!"

 

 

 

Honestly, if you really think that it's as easy as just deciding "oh [garden tool] hum, I'm going to quit", there wouldn't be patches and gum and all this other hooblah that helps you quit, and there'd be a helluva lot less smokers.

[Meta318]

Is the nicotine in cigarettes physically addictive like heroin? I know you can become addicted to heroin after one shoot up and it's not that you want to do it again, its that your body feels like it needs it and so you go through withdrawal and I think withdrawal can lead to death(not sure I know you feel like [cabbage] though.) But heroin is one of the most addictive/harmful drugs there is. You might be able to quit cigarettes right there and then but i don't think it would be that easy with heroin..

[Lateralus]

Is the nicotine in cigarettes physically addictive like heroin? I know you can become addicted to heroin after one shoot up and it's not that you want to do it again, its that your body feels like it needs it and so you go through withdrawal and I think withdrawal can lead to death(not sure I know you feel like [cabbage] though.) But heroin is one of the most addictive/harmful drugs there is. You might be able to quit cigarettes right there and then but i don't think it would be that easy with heroin..

 

 

 

Nicotine is generally considered more addictive than heroin I believe, at least in terms of dependency.

[GordanFreeman]

Smoking for me is more of a social thing, though I tend to enjoy cigars more than I do cigarettes (and therefore I don't harm my lungs as badly, at least with cigars). When I do smoke cigarettes, it's when I'm with friends, just relaxing. I'll have one by myself occasionally if I find myself overly stressed out, or nervous, but that's about all I use them for. Cigars, on the other hand, I'll enjoy anywhere. Plus, I find they give you more of a nice, relaxing buzz, most likely from the reduced amount of nicotine entering my system (through my mouth instead of my lungs). That's something I hope to become more knowledgeable and experienced with when I'm old enough to buy them. Around half a year at the moment :| .

[Omar]

Personally, I find cigarette smoking a disgusting habit, but I'm fine with people doing it so long as it doesn't involve me in any way.

 

I agree. I couldn't date someone who smokes.

[Meta318]

Is the nicotine in cigarettes physically addictive like heroin? I know you can become addicted to heroin after one shoot up and it's not that you want to do it again, its that your body feels like it needs it and so you go through withdrawal and I think withdrawal can lead to death(not sure I know you feel like [cabbage] though.) But heroin is one of the most addictive/harmful drugs there is. You might be able to quit cigarettes right there and then but i don't think it would be that easy with heroin..

 

 

 

Nicotine is generally considered more addictive than heroin I believe, at least in terms of dependency.

 

 

 

Oh it was just what I saw on some charts and whatnot. Maybe it's that heroin gets addictive faster(like one shot)

[Nowayout59]

I can't hug my mom when I am off in the town by myself, or with friends. There are other ways to release stress, but smoking is one of the best ways for me. I don't get stressed to that extreme often, that's why it is 2 a month.

[i_love_burritos]

Personally, I find cigarette smoking a disgusting habit, but I'm fine with people doing it so long as it doesn't involve me in any way.

 

I agree. I couldn't date someone who smokes.

 

 

 

Yep. Recent Australian study shows that if your spouse is a smoker and you are not - divorce rates increase dramatically.

[StrOwez]

here's an interesting fact for all the arrogant none-smokers;

 

 

 

'100% of none smokers die'

[l0rd]

here's an interesting fact for all the arrogant none-smokers;

 

 

 

'100% of none smokers die'

 

FALSE.

 

Vegetarians, people who don't have sex or get intoxicated, and non-smokers all live forever. The only method of death is decapitation by silver blade!

 

 

 

Oi, fill your lungs men! Feel superiority in your deep breaths.

 

Exhale with contempt at any smoker-sucker you spot.

 

Tread on their vapid, tar-filled heads, filled with false righteousness.

 

Oh, and necks shall be broken, the necks of these suicidal inferiors!

 

They shall die with smokestick in hand, remembering regrets of addiction.

 

Their deaths amusing. A seemingly similar creature, dying like flies from self-loathing habits.

 

If you wish to prevail to the end of time my friend, remove the evil from your fingers, lips, and lungs.

 

We are gods!

[darkace21]

Lol'd@ l0rd's post.

 

 

 

It's true everyone dies.

 

It's just that us smokers decide to hasten the process.

 

 

 

No one has the right to judge us for our smoking habits.

 

I get there are probably rude smokers out there, that blow smoke in non-smokers' faces. But not all are like that. >>

[Earth_Poet]

I've been smoking for about 15 years now, and I can definitely feel the toll it's taking on my health. It's a nasty habit that leaves me with bad breath. My clothes stink. I have to sometimes leave my group of friends to go smoke. It's gotten way too expensive, as a pack of cigarettes have essentially quadrupled in cost since I started, but if I'm down to deciding to buy groceries or cigarettes, I'm always choosing cigarettes. So why don't I just quit? Easier said than done. I've tried quitting three different times; once I even quit for nearly a year.

 

 

 

It's really hard to explain to someone who doesn't have first-hand experience of addiction why it's so hard to quit. Some people do have the willpower to do it, and I applaud them for it. I see people fresh out of open heart surgery lighting up, so it's a tough habit to quit.

 

 

 

At the same time, it's a little annoying at the demonizing of cigarette smoking in the United States. Statistics have often been cherry-picked to provide the results they want, or phrased in a manner to portray a dire circumstance. The huge tax increases on cigarettes are often coupled with politicians boasting that the tax hike will increase revenue to spend on healthcare costs (By the way, how much have these taxes helped lower your costs?), and encourage smokers to quit. That's an oxymoron. If people quit smoking, then that would mean less tax revenue on cigarettes. But if revenue increases, then that means people aren't quitting. You can't have both.

 

 

 

It's about money and politics. If cigarettes were really as dangerous as they have been made out to be, then why aren't they illegal? Because if they were, you'd see the biggest underground crime organization since Prohibition. Those in power aren't interested in seeing me quit smoking. They haven't provided any program to help people quit. Instead, they've created laws to ostracize smokers from any public place. California is teetering on entrapment. They are legal to purchase, but you can't smoke them anywhere? It sounds like a clever way to appease the groups who oppose smoking, while raising money through fines and taxes.

 

 

 

I would like to quit smoking for good, but I don't appreciate being shamed and harassed into doing it.

[darkace21]

I've been smoking for about 15 years now, and I can definitely feel the toll it's taking on my health. It's a nasty habit that leaves me with bad breath. My clothes stink. I have to sometimes leave my group of friends to go smoke. It's gotten way too expensive, as a pack of cigarettes have essentially quadrupled in cost since I started, but if I'm down to deciding to buy groceries or cigarettes, I'm always choosing cigarettes. So why don't I just quit? Easier said than done. I've tried quitting three different times; once I even quit for nearly a year.

 

 

 

It's really hard to explain to someone who doesn't have first-hand experience of addiction why it's so hard to quit. Some people do have the willpower to do it, and I applaud them for it. I see people fresh out of open heart surgery lighting up, so it's a tough habit to quit.

 

 

 

At the same time, it's a little annoying at the demonizing of cigarette smoking in the United States. Statistics have often been cherry-picked to provide the results they want, or phrased in a manner to portray a dire circumstance. The huge tax increases on cigarettes are often coupled with politicians boasting that the tax hike will increase revenue to spend on healthcare costs (By the way, how much have these taxes helped lower your costs?), and encourage smokers to quit. That's an oxymoron. If people quit smoking, then that would mean less tax revenue on cigarettes. But if revenue increases, then that means people aren't quitting. You can't have both.

 

 

 

It's about money and politics. If cigarettes were really as dangerous as they have been made out to be, then why aren't they illegal? Because if they were, you'd see the biggest underground crime organization since Prohibition. Those in power aren't interested in seeing me quit smoking. They haven't provided any program to help people quit. Instead, they've created laws to ostracize smokers from any public place. California is teetering on entrapment. They are legal to purchase, but you can't smoke them anywhere? It sounds like a clever way to appease the groups who oppose smoking, while raising money through fines and taxes.

 

 

 

I would like to quit smoking for good, but I don't appreciate being shamed and harassed into doing it.

 

Very, very well said.

[RichieMcD]

I smoke, I hate doing it, but it's incredibly addictive and it is relaxing. There's somethings about smoking which you just can't explain to people who don't smoke, the addiction, the relaxation and stress release you can get from it.

 

 

 

Unless you've smoked and successfully given up, you will not know how hard it is to give up. Unless you've had some form of physical addiction you will not know how hard it is to give up. It's not just a matter of simply giving up, you're giving up something that helps you relax and relieve stress, when you give it up it makes you stressed, guess what you want then? A smoke, it will satisfy the craving and relieve the stress.

 

 

 

The funny thing though, like the vast majority of smokers, if someone asked me should they start smoking I would try and convince them for eternity not to.

[Guy]

where i live, when you walk down the street you will always, without fail, walk into someone smoking. Sure, its their own choice, but they're giving me lung cancer too -.-

 

 

 

and the nhs spends millions on their smoking helpline and all... so it wouldnt be too bad if it was banned, but all the big ciggy companies would kick up a fuss..

 

 

 

its also not nice when you have parents who smoke and you know exactly what it does to you... coughlungcancercough...

 

 

 

it would be nice if it was made illigal to smoke in public.. but i can't see that happening, wish it would so i would stop getting second hand smoke, but meh..

[forestfrolic]

It's illegal to smoke inside stores, restaurants, and bars in New Jersey.

[Brad25891]

It has been proven that tobacco has a greater physical harm than marijuana, LSD,and MDMA(ecstasty). Anways I don't smoke ciggarettes, I hate them.

 

 

 

A friend of mine took an ecstasy cocktail at a rave and died.

 

I've been smoking for 3 years, i'm still alive and kicking.

 

 

 

Wheres the logic in that?

 

 

 

Although I'm pretty sure Weed is less dangerous than tobacco.

 

 

 

EDIT: If you meant long term, then that could be right, but I was thinking short term :)

[Latinoking]

Apparently the FDA is warning against E-Cigs.

 

 

 

FDA and Public Health Experts Warn About Electronic Cigarettes

 

 

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that a laboratory analysis of electronic cigarette samples has found that they contain carcinogens and toxic chemicals such as diethylene glycol, an ingredient used in antifreeze.

 

 

 

Electronic cigarettes, also called e-cigarettes, are battery-operated devices that generally contain cartridges filled with nicotine, flavor and other chemicals. The electronic cigarette turns nicotine, which is highly addictive, and other chemicals into a vapor that is inhaled by the user.

 

 

 

These products are marketed and sold to young people and are readily available online and in shopping malls. In addition, these products do not contain any health warnings comparable to FDA-approved nicotine replacement products or conventional cigarettes. They are also available in different flavors, such as chocolate and mint, which may appeal to young people.

 

 

 

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/ ... 173222.htm

 

 

 

So it seems the alternative isn't better if at all.

 

 

 

the amounts of those are so small it doesn't matter. it is the better alternative. Nicotine itself is derived from tobacco, and thusly will contain very small trace amounts of the carcinogens, less than the nicotine patch/gum/whatever too.

 

 

 

These products are marketed and sold to young people and are readily available online and in shopping malls

 

 

 

BS. you still have to be 18 to buy it because it's still considered a cigarette.

 

n addition, these products do not contain any health warnings comparable to FDA-approved nicotine replacement products or conventional cigarettes. They are also available in different flavors, such as chocolate and mint, which may appeal to young people.

 

 

 

more BS. the kiosk next to mine has the standard FDA smoking warning on them because that is currently the only control the FDA has over them. also, OMG FLAVORS APPEAL TO EVERYONE GOD DAMMIT. NOT JUST YOUNG PEOPLE.

 

 

 

also, the FDA is being challenged by a ton of US doctors and stuff (don't have the article on me, not sure if it's online) to put out quantitative information about what they found, instead of saying "yeah we found them" because they'll be there in any nicotine product, just in lesser amounts depending on how pure the nicotine is.

 

 

 

also, the kiosk next to me at work has a report from new zealand's equivalent of the FDA from a year or so about the e-cig. it deems them exactly as they are marketed, a healthier alternative. the FDA doesn't control everything, they just want the tax money from cigarettes. if they produce quantitative information that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that e-cigs are bad, i'll eat my shoe and go back to regular cigarettes all the time.

 

 

 

I can understand your point of view on this, thanks. But you would think that the electronic cigarettes companies would fight this, but they haven't.

[forestfrolic]

Can someone explain to me exactly how electronic cigarettes work?

[GordanFreeman]

where i live, when you walk down the street you will always, without fail, walk into someone smoking. Sure, its their own choice, but they're giving me lung cancer too -.-

 

 

 

That's completely ridiculous. I could see the children of chain smokers getting lung cancer from second hand smoke, but walking by someone smoking a cigarette, even every day, isn't going to give you lung cancer.

 

 

 

Can someone explain to me exactly how electronic cigarettes work?

 

 

 

Nicotine and batteries are placed into a small device that looks like a cigarette, you inhale through one end, and when doing so the device changes the liquid nicotine into a vapor, which is then inhaled. No smoke, no additives, no paper being inhaled, just nicotine.

[FunPhish]

It's illegal to smoke inside stores, restaurants, and bars in New Jersey.

 

 

 

Same here in Bama', it's not such a big deal this time of year but when Winter rolls around it's like torture, I always end up half finishing my cigarettes because I just get too damned cold.

[Earth_Poet]

It's illegal to smoke inside stores, restaurants, and bars in New Jersey.

 

 

 

Same here in Bama', it's not such a big deal this time of year but when Winter rolls around it's like torture, I always end up half finishing my cigarettes because I just get too damned cold.

 

 

 

Try January in northern Minnesota. I'm glad I don't live there anymore, but I feel sorry for all my drinking buddies.