How many of you smoke?

[scrabbler1]

I suspect this had a lot more to do with people's desire to avoid confrontation than supporting smoking. My guess is they were upset because you "made a scene". The average person does not like that......regardless of who is right and who is wrong.

I doubt I would have made the effort to confront him, but I sure would have been pleased as punch to see someone else confront him, and would have supported your position.

To me, it was the rude smoker who was causing the scene. I refused to be a doormat and ride in an elevator which would feel like a gas chamber and be a fire hazard, so I stood up for myself. Arrogant smokers count on others to suffer in silence when they smoke in places they are not supposed to.

Before all the people left the elevator, I had yelled out, "Security!" to get the old guy who watched the lobby area to get the smoker to leave. However, he (a smoker, unfortunately) just walked away when I pointed out the smoker inside the elevator with me. If I had the assertiveness back then I would acquire later, I would have reported that lobby guy to my company's administrative services department and to the building's management. To top this off, this confrontation happened to occur on my birthday.

I guess I thought yelling "Security!" would have had the same positive effect it had the year before when a smoker tried to do the same thing at my college. She entered an elevator with a lit cig and I stood in the doorway and asked her to leave or put out the cig. (There were no other passengers this time.) She snarled at me so I yelled for security. The uniformed guard walked over and ordered her out of the elevator. She snarled again at me and I let the door close and went on my merry way.

Back then, I was always careful to look for smokers trying to "hide" their lit cigs between their fingers and would make sure to board the elevator near the control panel so I could hold the Door Open button if I had to. This was a common occurrence when I was in college, as students who smoked were frequently rude in this way.

Again, in my mind, it was always the smoker who was causing the scene with his rude, inconsiderate, and illegal actions. Reacting to such acts to thwart such actions was the only right thing to do and not be a doormat.

 

[Koolau]

Thirty years later and I still have that dream about once a year......


My uncle lived with emphysema for years. I remember my mother saying emphysema won't kill you - it will just make you wish you were dead. He committed suicide a couple years ago. As heart-breaking as it was, I think his kids and wife understood. Life was hell for him.

Yes - for many, smoking is not just a bad habit. It is a drug addiction.

I made the decision never to smoke after watching a family friend die of smoking-induced COPD over a period of about 4 years. He described his life as being slowly strangled or of drowning. Every breath was more difficult than the last. Eventually, even with O2, he gasped for every breath, his eyes bulged out, his skin was blue, his chest was visibly the largest part of his otherwise shrinking frame, his every effort was to breath - not walk, talk, eat, etc. I can't imagine a more cruel death. It was difficult to visit him, but I felt I had to as he had been such a good friend. This - - isn't too much of an exaggeration of his last few months, confined to a bed.

I wish I could show his agony to anyone today considering even trying a cigarette. I make no personal judgement on anyone who smokes. It is their decision. I just hope they are ready to endure the possible consequences. I would definitely consider the 9mm solution if such a fate ever awaited me - whether smoking-induced or otherwise.

 

[johnoh]

Reports from California or New York lead us Spaniards to believe that smoking is for you something akin to a crime/rude behaviour.

When I'm waiting to cross a crowded street corner and someone's cigarette smoke next to me is hitting me in the face, I cannot believe it took humanity this long to realize that the smoker is being rude. So yes, more of us are coming to see this as rude behavior, and its baffling that it took this long.

 

[73ss454]

I agree, if I sat down in a restaurant for dinner and spent the night passing gas would that be much different than smoking? Both are rude, no?

 

[BigNick]

I agree, if I sat down in a restaurant for dinner and spent the night passing gas would that be much different than smoking? Both are rude, no?

I've been known to pass gas in a restaurant. I don't ever recall it being a conscious decision. Although that would be a cool party trick.

 

[73ss454]

Nick, you need to get a little older. (heh)

 

[BTravlin]

When I'm waiting to cross a crowded street corner and someone's cigarette smoke next to me is hitting me in the face, I cannot believe it took humanity this long to realize that the smoker is being rude. So yes, more of us are coming to see this as rude behavior, and its baffling that it took this long.

Not so baffling. Over time we've gone from most smoke to most don't smoke. The majority determines right and wrong.

 

[Rustic23]

My father smoked. There are 5 kids in our family, none of us smoke. In the late 60's, in the Air Force, it seems like a lot of the pilots smoked. A standard briefing room was smaller than 10x10. It was not unusual for you to have four to eight pilots in the room for an hour and a half briefing and have 6 of them smoking. Fast forward 20 years, and there was no smoking in the squadron. Out of the 20 of so pilots assigned to my last squadron, I would say no more than two or three smoked.

 

[Amethyst]

Methane smells even worse than cigarette smoke, but AFAIK isn't dangerous to those around you. Plus, I never heard of anyone inadvertently lighting up a cigarette! (And going "oops," or trying to pretend it wasn't really them).

Amethyst

I agree, if I sat down in a restaurant for dinner and spent the night passing gas would that be much different than smoking? Both are rude, no?

 

[Moscyn]

Don't smoke and none of my immediete family members smoke. I used to share office with a guy who smokes. At that time I was working in Malaysia and there was no ban on smoking indoors - the company did not even have a policy of no smoking indoors. At the end of every day, I smell like an ashtray. Good thing the guy was asked to leave shortly - turned out he had an alcohol problem.

 

[kumquat]

Methane smells even worse than cigarette smoke, but AFAIK isn't dangerous to those around you. Plus, I never heard of anyone inadvertently lighting up a cigarette! (And going "oops," or trying to pretend it wasn't really them).

Amethyst

Actually, methane is odourless. Pharts aren't. Which were you talking about?

 

[jimnjana]

Recently read where 20% of adult population in US smokes and rate among teenagers is holding steady around 20%. I really don't see it, I think the rate is lower. Of the smokers I know, they tend to manage their smokes per day, don't know any two pack a day smokers anymore. From what I've seen in Europe and read, smoking rates are declining, but still a majority of adults smoke.

 

[Ohioquotes]

I smoked for a week while in the 9th grade. I haven't smoked since. And no...I'm not in 10th grade right now!

 

[BUM]

Cigarauction.com At these prices I can't afford NOT to smoke them.

 

[chinaco]

Never started.

 

[oldtrig]

I quit March 3rd 1983 and have not lit up since. Both my parents smoked and died early from smoke related disease. I have not even thought about smoking for many many years. You know, I do not even remember smoking?

I am now 63 and so glad I kicked that awful habit.

My solution would be educating people in the very horrible effects that tobacco does have on the human body, also the people around them.

Telling this a smoker is like talking to a wall though I deal with those everyday at work. They always tell me, you got to die of something. Oldtrig

 

[haha]

Actually, methane is odourless. Pharts aren't. ich were you talking about?

May be, but what most of us associate with methane is natural gas, which has a very smelly mercaptan additive. Interstingly, this same compound produces most of the bad smell in intestinal gas and feces.

Ha

 

[73ss454]

May be, but what most of us associate with methane is natural gas, which has a very smelly mercaptan additive. Interstingly, this same compound produces most of the bad smell in intestinal gas and feces.

Ha

And you like woman who smoke because.......

 

[heyduke]

my wife says I smoke... oh wait you meant cigarettes

never smoked but parents did for over thirty years before quitting...

 

[bright eyed]

College roommates were all smokers so I tried it. Marlb*ro nearly scorched my throat! It was gross and made me feel sick. Tried the all natural kind and was not a problem at all. No after-feeling nasty feelings, burns far slower than the kind w/ all the chems added on. If you take a Marlb*ro it will burn down fast on its own - if you take a natural cig it will burn out and you have to re-lite it if you haven't been puffing on it.

So for a while, if I ever did smoke (usually when out with friends partying) then it was natural and never got addicted. I really think it has more to do with the stuff they add to the tobacco than the tobacco myself.

 

[martyb]

When I was teenager, I tried to smoke a few cigarettes, but never really could inhale without coughing my guts out. For some reason, I didn't have that trouble with the "funny" cigarettes. I could smoke a joint with my buds with no problem! I don't do that stuff anymore. Once I enlisted in the Air Force and they started doing random drug testing, bringing in the drug dogs, etc, the ante was substantially upped for getting busted, especially once I became a family man. Way too much to lose...so I gave that activity up when I was around 20 or so. No smoking anything for me now. I have enough troubles without going looking for more...

 

[Midpack]

I smoked for 8 years, about a pack/day M-F but very little on weekends, quit successfully about 30 years ago.

I have about 80 employees, just under 20% are smokers if that's an insight.

 

[ratface]

It will kill you in about twelve different ways

I smoked most of my adult life. Was a cop for 27 years. My first roll call was a cloud of smoke. everyone lit up as soon as they entered the room. Pipes, cigars. and cigarettes. It leads to lung cancer, head and neck cancer, COPD, and hardening of the arteries as well as a bunch of other medically related problems. There is no good in it. I still like the smell of it and secretly want to tell people to stop. It almost killed me last year with my cancer diagnosis. I had quit a couple years before. You can never reverse the damage it causes. Please stop if you currently smoke as I don't wish you the anguish it has caused me.

 

[Danmar]

Good advice Rat. Sorry to hear about your health problems. My sister died a horrible death caused by smoking.

 

[Meadbh]

Getting back to the original question....
Here are some current Canadian statistics.

CBC News - Health - Statistical look at cigarettes and Canadian smokers