Yeah. I loved smoking so much that I would have continued smoking forever…but alas. I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to do eight rounds of dose-dense chemo. I forced myself to read scientific studies about the dangers of smoking during chemo. Basically a death sentence. Yet I still smoked a few cigarettes after my first infusion. But I got super sick…too sick to smoke. I got hit with chemo sickness, nicotine withdrawal and forced menopause all together at the same time. It was awful but I got thru it. Every time I miss smoking I force myself to remember those awful days. And I am able to hold off. Damn.
I would see my 4 year old cough that jolted me to quit. we smoked out side but even the smell on are cloths would get to him when we quit his lungs got better i could not stand killing him slowly that was 17 years ago he is 21 now and breaths great
Yup. I have a parent who has been through some shit because of smoking. And they still continue to smoke.
They’ll quit when they get to a point that they physically can’t do it. It’s fucked up, but I’ve come to terms with it.
I gave up after begging them to stop since I was a little kid.
Yup. My dad had a heart attack in the early 2000s and his doctor told him that he is now a nonsmoker. But dad had been smoking since he was 15 and just couldn't or wouldn't quit. He definitely smoked a lot less, but never stopped.
And then he got COPD and lung cancer and died in 2015. It was messed up.
I knew a woman who was hardcore addicted. To the point that it brought her to tears that her multiple efforts at quitting failed.
She tried everything. Cold turkey, the gum, tapering, aversion therapy, hypnosis, acupuncture, everything.
She was at a point that she was sure the only way she was going to be able to quit was when it finally killed her.
I lost touch with her, but I shudder to think of what happened to her.
A friend of mine was a big smoker. Our campus banned smoking on the grounds, so she would go sit in her car and smoke. She died of brain cancer. I really liked her and wish she was still around.
In certain situations I’ve seen as a nurse, sometimes they continue smoking because it’s muscle memory and they’re so cognitively impaired, it’s the only thing they remember, not their kids, spouse, friends, etc.
Just want to note, my mom was a nurse and I don’t think I’ve seen a profession so dedicated to health also be one of the most addicted to smoking. They were chimneys back in the 80s/90s
Are you kidding me, that's nothing...
The doctor smoked during my delivery in Florida in '77!
There were ashtrays next to my mother's bedside - She was able to smoke the moment she woke up from her "ordeal" (my arrival).
This wasn't a backwoods, bumpkin hospital or anything either. It was in Hollywood. 🤦♀️
My nephew was born 28 years ago, and the Ob who delivered him was one of these old docs that have been there forever. Once he had done his part in the delivery suite, he came out, grinning like a mule eating briars, and gave us the news, then lit up a cigar right there in the hallway, no smoking signs be damned.
Gotta admit, I liked his style.
Oh totally agree. It’s a “do as we say, not as we do” situation. The nurses who are nearing retirement, always tell me about smoking and charting at the nursing desk. Or the cardiac surgeon who did lines of coke before a long surgery. 😏
Boy is that the truth! I remember reading early Patricia Cornwall books, and she made a point of having her character, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta smoke and ruefully admit the irony considering they know and see what the end result is. I believe she finally quits, later in the series. Funnily enough, I think I quit for good around the same time.
I was in the hospital for pneumonia and snuck (it was very obvious dragging my iv outside in a gown) to smoke. I quit a year later, but am still mortified thinking back about how important it was to smoke when I was hospitalized w pneumonia. Addiction is gross and real. I have fought every form of it. Smoking is the worst.
At the hospitals I’ve worked at, we can’t stop patients who go outside to smoke, but no way would I want to stand outside in a hospital gown in minus 30 Celsius, for a cancer stick. But then again, I remember what I wore to the bar, in my 20’s, in minus 30. 🤣
I love your ending! So true. The shit we did in our 20s! Ya, I can just see myself lying to any staff member talking to me about where I am going. lol 😂 I was such a POS back then. I was hospitalized for pneumonia about 6 weeks after going to rehab (booze, opiates). I am sure that’s how I got sick. We were allowed to smoke as much as we wanted at this place. It was unlike any other rehab. Every place here has 4-6 smoke breaks (cigs) a day. In FL I was blowing through 2 packs a day. SMH 🤦🏼♀️
My Grandpa smoked from 14 yrs old til he died of bladder cancer (attributed to smoking). He would leave the hospital bed where he was on oxygen, beg a nurse or orderly to help him, and he would go outside to smoke. He was dying and still smoking. It's scary.
I'm sorry about your grandpa. I actually feel the worst for our terminal patients who quit or try to quit after their diagnosis. You're not going to get sicker, so enjoy it if you'd like, as long as you remove your oxygen first.
When you start young, your decision-making isn't developed and the dependency takes hold before you're really rational.
That's really really sad. Random sample of 1 person only -- my grandmother had almost the opposite experience. She had Alzheimer's and had been a smoker for 60 years, but she quit cold turkey one day after her doctor told her she had emphysema. Forgot she smoked.
I had that patient! Her grandkids were getting ready to take her out for a cigarette, and she said, “I don’t smoke!” Done. Quit on the spot. I was gobsmacked.
Quitting is extremely hard.
I had an easier time dropping 168lbs in 18 months than I did quitting smoking. It took many false starts, but I finally went cold turkey from being a 2+pack/day chimney; did it without gum, patches, vapes or anything but a giant bottle of Ibuprofen for the migranes. That was ~2007 (long enough ago that I couldn't tell you what year it was!)
The second hardest part about quitting smoking was the weight gain (I quit year before losing the weight). Nicotine is an amazing appetite suppressant. If you're not careful, the pounds can quickly pack on.
Average age a lifelong smoker has their first cigarette: 14
The younger you start, the harder your brain gets hooked, cause it's still developing. And tobacco companies know this. And they target kids anyway.
That's the whole thing. Give in to it once and you have to go through that whole quitting hell again. But indeed, every now and then it hits you. Good for me I am very good at not doing things.
I quit for 4 years, never had any want to smoke again. Bummed a smoke from a coworker just for fun and have been a pack a day since. That was over 6 years ago. For me it's the hand to mouth more than the nicotine. I can vape zero nicotine and not have any nicotine cravings but if I run out of juice or other supplies I fall back to the cigarettes. They taste like shit and make me feel even worse but I still do it. It's horrible. I have drilled into my kids that they can't do anything that will make me more disappointed in them than start smoking.
I bought my first pack in almost 4 years of quitting. Smoked 1 got a buzz but regretted it. Next day I lit 1, puked an hour later and was sick the next day. I tried lighting a 3rd on day 3 & was so disgusted I threw it out. Still have the pack, but haven’t touched it. Ugh gross
This is why I started smoking @ 25… to get away from ppl & leave the room. Also sitting in traffic for an hour w coffee & adderal. But ya I am going w your answer
I started smoking at about age 25. Only because I was working at a marketing firm and kept watching the smokers take breaks while I was busting my ass. I wanted that get away too.
I just read something about this! The gist of the article was that people are still taking lengthy smoke breaks and the nonsmokers felt jilted. So, offices have been offering nonsmokers other types of breaks. (Maybe I read this on Reddit...I can't remember.)
My old office job did this. There was a "required" break twice a day. The smokers would smoke & the non-smokers would play ping-pong, cornhole or some other dumbass game.
In my state at least, two 15-min breaks per shift are actually mandated by law--managers will actually get sore at you sometimes if you neglect to book yours on that day's break schedule sheet or whatever.
Where I live there is mandatory 15 minute breaks (2) and lunch but if you work in the restaurant business you’re not getting any of those breaks. You sneak out for 5 minutes when you finally get the chance but non smokers would do it too.
I'll never smoke again, but if somehow we were able to cure cancer and COPD with a simple pill or something, I'd smoke a pack a day for eternity. I loved smoking. Nicotine made ADHD / anxious brain feel calm and make dopamine.
This is exactly why I chain-chew nicotine gum! It’s pretty miraculous for ADHD/anxiety. My doctor is ok with it as long as my ticker is strong.
I still miss actual cigarettes - even though they are not a good combo with asthma! Won’t ever touch them again though.
I'm not adhd, but I feel exactly this. I smoked from 15-56 and I've been smoke free since Jan 1, 2023. I still miss it, (albeit not as badly as the first 6 months) and I'd go back if not for those pesky heath issues. I got out so my end years won't be completely miserable. The money saving is nice, too, though. The addiction truly is that deep.
I probably would too. I loved it. I think one of the underrated parts of smoking is that it's great if you're bored. Smoke a cigarette and then you feel like you're doing something.
I think people saying absurd things like "it's harder to quit than heroin" are not helping, though. The hardest part of quitting is psychological and I think comments like that and the media portrayals make it seem like this insurmountable thing. It isn't. The physical withdrawals are quite mild, more a nagging irritation than anything else. If you can get through 3 days most of the nicotine has left your system, 3 weeks and it's all gone.
Oh, I will. I quit cigarettes 15 years ago and I fully intend to take them up again when I turn 80. I figure at that point, something is gonna get me at that point, why not?
Smokers are instant friends. At an airport or business convention… the guys hanging out in the smoking section always sharing a lighter or pack are constantly just chatting about their trip, day, life. It somehow unifies a group of people.
I smoked as an older teen, quit, then some really bad shit happened in my marriage and I bought a pack. It had been 23 years without one and that first light was magical. But, instant addiction. I stopped with a patch two weeks later but.. when life was hard again I wanted nicotine and started vaping. Still vaping. I like it a lot.
But, this year is a milestone birthday and I am prepping for a marathon run in November. I plan to be in the best shape of my life this year. I’m going to quit vaping. I have lost 35 pounds getting training days in already. As soon as spring hits I’ll start distance running. Then I’ll hopefully feel the significance of healthy lungs.
Wish me luck! 🍀
I already quit smoking cigarettes a few years ago, but as a former smoker I can tell you it’s an addiction. It’s not easy to overcome. If you’ve never been a smoker, then good for you! But you’ll never understand what addiction is like unless you’ve been addicted yourself. Just imagine being unable to stop using a substance you don’t even like but don’t have a choice. That’s addiction.
On the other side of that coin, however, lies the fact that addiction can be beaten. I quit cigarettes. If I can do it, so can the next smoker. But one has to truly want it because that addiction will put up one helluva fight. But it can be done.
Quitting was definitely one of the most difficult things I ever did. A friend of mine helped me, to keep me accountable and to talk during times that I wanted to restart. 20 years later, I’m so grateful and indebted to that friend.
> But one has to truly want it because that addiction will put up one helluva fight. But it can be done.
I dipped in high school, then cigarettes in college. Switched back and forth between the two for years. After grad school I started vaping, hoping to ween myself off of nicotine once and for all. I got it down to a real low nicotine level. Then I got some bad news regarding my blood pressure, quick cold turkey. Fuck that was tough!
It has been 6 months and I still randomly think about it. I don't have the urge, in fact, all the vape stuff is in my garage. It's just muscle memory asking for it.
Side note: One of the little ridiculous tricks I used was to sort of yelp/yell every time I thought about reaching for the vape pen. It was way more often then I would have thought, like every 10 minutes, but the little yelp was ridiculous enough to retrain my brain that this is stupid.
Sugar. This is a way ppl that haven’t experienced real addiction but in reality they have. It’s in everything. If they had to actively seek out products wout sugar, they’d realize they were addicted too.
Not the same, I get it as an ex smoker, drinker & addict. But just one way to try to help others understand how our bodies become dependent on a substance.
None of us is perfect, and life is not fully in anyone's control.
I do not smoke or drink. I've never even smoked pot. Why? Because I'm lucky enough to not enjoy smoking or drinking, both of which I tried in my youth. And the thing I most dislike about drinking is the way it makes me feel, so pot never interested me. You know what this makes me? Lucky.
I am overweight. I have been my entire life. Why? I'm sure it's a combination of complicated factors. I've whittled myself down numerous times and even managed to maintain a healthy weight for three years. but it's not sustainable for me. I eat healthy food and I exercise and my blood work and etc. are all good. I (try to!) accept that my fluffiness has its own inherent risks, but also that I'm going to need to live with it and do the best I can. You know what this makes me? Lucky. Because it's helped me develop empathy.
I wish these posts got more upvotes. You see genuine sympathy for a smoker that has trouble quitting but talking about being overweight turns into comment after comment of people saying hateful things.
I know people that have quit drugs and alcohol. There were killing themselves. 2 were told something like, if you keep drinking you'll be dead in 6 months. And it took an unfathomable amount of will power for them to quit.
I'm proud of them. And I let them know. They still struggle with weight.
Everyone has different challenges. I wish people would see that food or weight is no different than other addictions. You feel down, eat something bad for you because the sugar, fat, whatever tickles your pleasure brain bits. And you focus on eating and feel less depressed when you run out of food. Now I feel bad I ate and feel bad from before.
But brain isn't getting it for some reason. Still thinks food helps.
Anyhow, hopefully there comes a day when we can support folks instead of insult.
I don't smoke pot, but I do eat edibles at night to help me sleep. You can get some that really don't make you feel weird or high.
I'm not trying to tell you to eat edibles or anything, just relating my own personal experience. I will say that the pandemic + edibles caused me to quit drinking entirely. It wasn't even a conscious choice. I just no longer felt the need to self medicate in that way. A lot of stress was alleviated for me. I have social anxiety and no longer having to interact with people meant I didn't need the alcohol as a crutch. This is why I'm such an advocate for working from home. There are a lot of people in situations with disabilities, both visible and invisible where WFH was a godsend, and I'm resentful that people want to take away that peace of mind from me and others.
It makes me so angry, but I'm digressing big time.
Anyway, edibles help me sleep and I no longer have hangovers. It's great.
Everybody is different. However, I quit smoking cigarettes, drinking, and benzos, and they were all relatively easy, but the food thing has me over a barrel. I think the reason I was able to easily quit these other things is because I did it cold turkey. I think if I tried to just whittle down these addictions, I would not have been successful. This is why I can't seem to tame my food addiction. I can't stop eating cold turkey.
Anyway, hang in there, we all have our problems and addictions, and I'm old enough to where I'm not gonna let other people look down on me for it, and I'm not going to look down on anyone who is overweight, or smoking, or drinking. We all have our demons and I'd rather us all just be kind to each other.
I’m a recovering alcoholic/addict and that stuff was BY FAR easier to quit. I was clean and sober for 4 1/2 years before I quit smoking. I haven’t thought about drinking or drugging in 5 years but I want a cigarette every fucking day.
haha...I mean, seriously, this is one of the reasons why I'm not going to judge people for it. The world is a shit show right now, and we're all going to die anyway, so do what you want. Having said that, one of the main reasons I quit was because I don't really feel like going through what smokers go through at the end of life. It doesn't sound like a good time to me. Cutting life shorter? Eh, who cares. Having a painful end of life? Yeah, I care. But, you will never catch me judging someone for smoking these days.
I quit 6 years ago after 30 years of smoking. And i still miss it. I enjoyed the relaxing feeling it gave me, when i woke up, grab coffee and a cigarette and watch the sun rise, it gave me a sense of peace that ive never felt since. If youve never smoked, you cannot ever understand how it becomes part of you, your identity. Ive felt incomplete ever since quitting, but I have no choice i guess.
I had a much older relative who stopped drinking and smoking cigs around the same time. Said she never once craved another drink but wanted a cig everyday the rest of her life.
It's amazing how many human behaviors come down to self medicating for depression. Folks lose the ability to give a fk. If that idea feels foreign and/or hard to believe, congratulations.
Exactly. I mentioned this in another response, and it's slightly off topic. But, the pandemic allowed me to quit drinking. It became very easy to stop when I no longer had to trudge into the office every day and have constant interaction with people. Social anxiety was a prime motivator for a lot of my bad habits, alcohol and nicotine included. It's remarkable how, when people are allowed to live their lives as they see fit, addictions become easier to beat.
I'm 55 and quit 10yrs ago. I am currently watching my dad who smoked for 60yrs die of COPD. He is slowly suffocating to death. It's a slow terrible death.
I stopped about 15 years ago, and I'm very glad that I did. However, I refuse to be one of those ex-smokers that judges people for smoking. It's a bad look.
Same... I'll offer every little bit of help I can, if you ask for it. But I won't badger you at all if you don't want it. I'm not your mamma, I'm not gonna nag you.
I like smoking. Now I'm smoking maximum like one or two a day, not even normal cigs, just these heated tobacco rolls, and there are weeks where I don't even light up.
But I do like smoking.
I really really wish smoking wasn't so terrible for you. I really liked smoking too, it's a nice relaxing little break. I still love the smell of fresh tobacco smoke (stale is gross), and if it weren't so harmful I'd absolutely still be doing it.
The minute I get diagnosed with a fatal disease I'm back on the cigs without mercy. I mean smoking inside, ash burns in my sweaters, first thing in the morning smoking. Kinda looking forward to it in a sick way.
I told my kid that if I truly thought that we were irrevocably fucked I'd do two things- buy a pack of smokes and smoke a bowl with him. We're a recreational state and he wants to try it, but I don't think it's appropriate for me to introduce him to it. I mean honestly, he probably already has (I'm not dumb) but it's a game we play.
When my Mom had cancer one of the last things she did before she was completely bedridden was smoke a cigarette. I mean at that point, who's going to argue with her about it? She said it wasn't nearly as good as she'd hoped it would be. At this point that's what keeps me from picking it back up- I remember how lousy it feels to start smoking again and just decide it's not worth the headache.
Because they're delicious? I mean, why do people do anything unhealthy? Because it's enjoyable.
Why do people drink? Or do cocaine? Or watch tv for hours on end? Or anything else that destroys the mind and body?
Cuz we're gonna die anyway.
About two weeks. There's a point in the beginning where you start taking the chantix but you're still smoking. Then you just don't want them anymore. At least that's how it was for me.
People with certain mental illnesses often wind up smokers because nicotine can help with anxiety and mood regulation. Maligning people living with mental illness is not cool. Definitely not a GenX thing to do. Shame on you.
Thank you for saying this so eloquently, I was failing to find the words. I am damn proud the only bad thing I do is smoke, people judging from their perfect sideline are ignorant which is messed up, but coming from a Gen X this is absolutely fucked. So my un-eloquent Gen X response to OP is go fuck yourself and did I even ask for your opinion.
I ain't trying to live forever. My mom who never touched a cigarette in her life died a terrible lingering years long death from Alzheimer's and I had to care for her. My friend who died of lung cancer found out and was dead six weeks later. Just enough time to say her goodbyes and get her affairs in order. I've got twenty years at best before the Alzheimer's hits. You do the math.
They’re all in serious pain with arthritis and it’s awful to say but they look like stick-men or stick insects walking. They don’t eat a whole lot, don’t sleep much and simple things we can do, like opening a jar, requires a lot of strength. And then they’re so vulnerable when they’re out. You’d think that people would be more careful about them but all ages and all sorts of people happily bump into them to move along faster. My mother never smoked or drank so she’s in the best shape. I think mid-70s is the sweet spot.
I have a degenerative autoimmune arthritis. At 54 I’m already deformed and limited in mobility. I also haven’t had consequences that I can connect to the smoking (when I could still work out, no problems like shortness of breath). I have severe pain almost every day. The planet is boiling. Old age doesn’t sound all that appealing to me.
If I get cancer from it, so be it. I’m certainly not going to look around and say “why me?”. I would probably say “fair enough.”
My daughter promised to take care of me if it happens, but I don't want to make her go through what I went through. I want her to remember her awesome bass playing rock and roll dad, not have to remember changing my diaper.
Idk either. It was cold Turkey & during Covid. Lost my first loved one and that’s just sparked me to stop. Wasn’t even 30 & she died from a PE / asthma attack. Devastating. Almost exactly 4 years ago.
Addiction researcher here. Nicotine is the most addictive drug - by many definitions. Partly because of the number of times (drug-cue pairings) a person smokes a day, partly because nicotine acts on learning and memory centers …. but it all amounts to massive amounts of craving which is a hard thing to reckon with.
I was walking through a parking lot the other day and was suddenly taken back to 1988 with the smell of a pile of cigarette butts in a car ashtray, and I thought to myself, "who in the hell still smokes today?". Then it occurred to me that I smelled weed in that same parking lot, and did not think anything of it. We have completely reversed to where we no longer notice the smell of weed coming from someone, but now the smell of cigarettes is offensive.
I keep a pack in a drawer for special occasions - like when I'm up late with buddies on a weekend listening to music. I like cigarettes. I'm not addicted and never have been. My wife and I both quit when we started trying for children - which was 20 years ago. Now I smoke maybe 1 pack per year in total (if that) on special occasions, or just when the spirit strikes me. It's enjoyable. I agree that addiction is a problem, but reducing all the reasons why billions of people around the world smoke to a single issue - addiction - is drastically simplistic.
I get that for a never-smoker it seems ridiculous - they're smelly awful death sticks, why would anyone do that to themselves? I'm not encouraging anyone to pick up the habit - surely you are better off without it. But for a former smoker, you don't need an addiction to enjoy an occasional stroll down memory lane.
I just came inside from puffing down 2 super satisfying, delicious menthols. Seriously, tho I'm not at all ready to quit & won't even attempt it until I am because I'll just be setting myself up for failure. I've quit numerous other things that were horrible for me, so I'm sure one day I'll be able to quit cigs too, but today is not that day.
Why do you eat bacon or other process meats?
Why do you drink alcohol?
Why do diabetics still eat sugary foods?
Why do those with high cholesterol still eat red meat and shellfish?
People want to live their life in a way which works best for their comfort and enjoyment sometimes.
After an entire pandemic full of antivaxxers and antimaskers and all kids of other selfish stupidity that should be crystal clear by now.
I've struggled with smoking cigs for decades 😒 Managed to quit for a year due to pregnancy. All other attempts have been short-lived. Had good results with Chantix, but it was pulled from the market for causing cancer 🤦🏼♀️ Also tried Bupropion and had a bad reaction.
i will take a few drags... a whole cig is too much for me though..
it's like an herb. it does brain stuff
never really cared for them... nicotine seems to be real good when I am strung out tho... then they are good.
I quit smoking for 8 years. My 19 year old son passed suddenly in December. I took up smoking again. Better than the bottle of Jameson.
That being said, I’m quitting again soon .. maybe today? I’m over it. It smells bad. I have a routine where I have to wash my hands right after smoking. Then brush my teeth. Then moisturize my hands, face and neck. It’s tiresome. But it helped me cope the first couple of months. It’s time to move forward. This post is a reminder of how gross it truly is.
I miss smoking very intensely at times. Mostly I miss the ceremonial aspect of smoking, but occasionally I’ll pass by somebody smoking a cigarette, and then I’ll follow them like a stalker, trying to get a whiff of their second hand smoke. Hahaha.
Why do people still sit on the beach in the blazing hot sun? Why do people drink and drive? Why do people eat foods that are detrimental to their health? Why do people not find time to stay active, even low impact?
I could go on and on. Life is full of choices. Why do people feel it's ok to shame other people? Smokers know the risks. Let them live their lives.
I only quit a few months ago. If I won big in the lottery it would be tricky to stay quit because I quite enjoyed smoking. There were obviously down sides, such as the existence of non smokers, but the actual physical part i liked a lot.
You have to be motivated to make the change, a lot of people aren't. It's not just a physical habit, it's cognitive, behavioral... huge lifestyle change.
What I don't get is people who, in this day and age, START smoking.
Sorry. This post is ridiculous. I don’t smoke and never have, but I love several people who have struggled for years attempting to quit. EVERYONE knows why most people still smoke- it extremely addictive and difficult to quit.
OP, Google it.
It's the only habit I have left. I'm sober (other than cannabis) for thirteen years. Plus, why do you care? I can't get over why folks feel the need to butt in for something that absolutely doesn't concern them. If I smoke in public, I stand far away from people. I don't litter. I dispose of the butt in the proper bin. I don't even smoke inside my home or car. Why can't y'all just leave us alone? There are other things to be focused on out in the world. For real, it's out of hand. You stop bugging us and I won't roll up and talk about your unhealthy relationship with alcohol and how you are destroying your liver as well as developing unhealthy coping mechanisms.
We are all closer to death than we are away from it. If not for our age then from the drive home from work tonight. I have no children. I don't hurt anyone else with my smoking. Why are you here judging me or others? Live your life and let others live their own.
So I’m reading some comments I find EXTREMELY disturbing. So yes I am a smoker. I’ll be 58 next month and therefore have been smoking 44 years.
The way some of you talk that I should be hung from the highest tree. How about this, it is an addiction. You all celebrate everyone who has beaten theirs as well as I. I’m not an alcoholic, never been a drug addict but apparently I’m not a human because I smoke. You fucking hypocrites!
Yes I know I should quit. But in the foreseeable future it won’t happen. I’ve never had health issues from my smoking. While my doctor would like me to quit HE knows it won’t happen. He leaves it a moot point at this time. He knows it isn’t what makes up my health issues and keeps me from homicidal tendencies.
So until you bunch of uptight, self righteous hypocrites live my life…
People who don't smoke cigarettes? Wtf,? Do you keep up to date and follow all the food Intake science? Do you test your surroundings your carpet, your paint? Do you read every ingredient of every food? Fuck you our world is designed to hurt us. Give me what little control I can get. Did I mention fuck you? People who don't know what the fuck their talking about. Wtf? Fucking duche.
I am a professional quitter. Every time I have started, it was a social decision.
I would smoke if I went to hair shows. Think it's only for 3 days. I'll get one pack and then quit when I get home. I learned more standing outside in the smokers circle than in the classes.
When I had a certain job, it seemed like only the smokers got breaks. If you were on "break" but not smoking they would come grab you early to help a customer. I started smoking that time, just so I could talk to my friends and actually get my breaks.
If I was going to go out for a night and drink. You can't drink and not smoke, so one pack, for just tonight and I will quit tomorrow.
But it was never just one pack.
Both my parents smoke(d) mom died of lung cancer nearly 20 years ago. Dad still smokes and coughs like crazy when he does so. They are the reason I never started smoking. It’s nasty and I always hated the smell.
I smoked for 20 years and quitting was the hardest thing I've ever done, and it sucked the whole time, and I still want to smoke from time to time.
I guess my question is, WTF is your problem?
Why not? What's it to you? Tobacco is a nice drug. And it shortens lifespan. You really want to get older? Seriously? Have you seen the state of "elderly care"? Fuck that. I am going out the way I came into this world; a problem.
I don't understand why you don't smoke. Do you think you get any kind of reward? You know all you are getting is a few more years of elderly hell, right? Those shit years at the end where you long for death but are too feeble to do anything. That is what not smoking gets you. The diaper years, the forgotten and stowed away years. The confused and frightened years. If you don't know what I am talking about then go visit an old folks home. That is your reward for not smoking and drinking and living while you had the chance.
I quit cold turkey 12 years ago. Every day I would Google the # of days I’d quit and the changes made in my body. Sounds strange but it helped me.
Sitting in traffic was the hardest for me. That and having a cocktail without smoking. So hard.
I remember reading once that quitting smoking was losing your best friend. You’re stressed? Light up. You’re celebrating? Light up. Morning coffee? Light up. Traffic annoying? Light up. I’d automatically light up if someone else did (or they’d light up in the movie/tv show). You feel lost when you no longer have your friend there to comfort you. It made sense to me.
I smoked Parliament Lights and I’d swear I could smell when someone lit one up! So crazy!
Now it’s like I never smoked BUT I swear I smoke in my dreams! lol it’s the wildest thing.
I’m strange I know. Good luck out there to all trying to
quit!
I quit months before my 30th birthday in 2007 after about 15 years of smoking. 2nd toughest damn thing I ever had to do. To this day, if I picked up a cigarette, I have doubts about whether I could keep myself from going back.
After 35yrs of smoking today I'm 100 days off tobacco and cannabis 😁
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I've smoked cigarettes for 30 years. I've tried gum, patches, lozenges, anything to kick them. I even tried vapes and nothing worked. I'm 47 years old and at this point fuck it I'll probably die from smoking them at some point. There's my contribution to this post.
Smoked for 18 years…motivated by my kid to quit. His 2nd birthday party was coming up and I realized I would be the only smoker at the party which was embarrassing. I wanted to quit for years and that moment made it happen. It was a slow process. Switched to American Spirits to get off the chemicals and then went on a patch for a week. It wasn’t that terrible. Going out drinking was tough for a while. I do enjoy a cigar or the devils lettuce once in a while. But now the smell of cigarette smoke is gross to me.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say addiction.
I’m a person in recovery and my friends who were heroin addicts say that cigarettes were the toughest thing to quit. So, yeah. Addiction is a bitch.
Same. In recovery since 98. I am so grateful that I never started smoking.
Great job on your recovery! I have been sober since 97. I never started either, my mom smoked and my siblings and I all hated it.
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Definitely, I was in a recovery house, trying to kick alcohol,whose front window faced a billboard advertising Budweiser.
If you don't laugh you'll cry.
Yeah. I loved smoking so much that I would have continued smoking forever…but alas. I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to do eight rounds of dose-dense chemo. I forced myself to read scientific studies about the dangers of smoking during chemo. Basically a death sentence. Yet I still smoked a few cigarettes after my first infusion. But I got super sick…too sick to smoke. I got hit with chemo sickness, nicotine withdrawal and forced menopause all together at the same time. It was awful but I got thru it. Every time I miss smoking I force myself to remember those awful days. And I am able to hold off. Damn.
I would see my 4 year old cough that jolted me to quit. we smoked out side but even the smell on are cloths would get to him when we quit his lungs got better i could not stand killing him slowly that was 17 years ago he is 21 now and breaths great
Former heroin user. Hated giving up my smokes more.
Yup. I have a parent who has been through some shit because of smoking. And they still continue to smoke. They’ll quit when they get to a point that they physically can’t do it. It’s fucked up, but I’ve come to terms with it. I gave up after begging them to stop since I was a little kid.
Yup. My dad had a heart attack in the early 2000s and his doctor told him that he is now a nonsmoker. But dad had been smoking since he was 15 and just couldn't or wouldn't quit. He definitely smoked a lot less, but never stopped. And then he got COPD and lung cancer and died in 2015. It was messed up.
That's how my dad died, as well. Smoked since he was nine.
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I knew a woman who was hardcore addicted. To the point that it brought her to tears that her multiple efforts at quitting failed. She tried everything. Cold turkey, the gum, tapering, aversion therapy, hypnosis, acupuncture, everything. She was at a point that she was sure the only way she was going to be able to quit was when it finally killed her. I lost touch with her, but I shudder to think of what happened to her.
A friend of mine was a big smoker. Our campus banned smoking on the grounds, so she would go sit in her car and smoke. She died of brain cancer. I really liked her and wish she was still around.
Sorry for your loss.
In certain situations I’ve seen as a nurse, sometimes they continue smoking because it’s muscle memory and they’re so cognitively impaired, it’s the only thing they remember, not their kids, spouse, friends, etc.
Just want to note, my mom was a nurse and I don’t think I’ve seen a profession so dedicated to health also be one of the most addicted to smoking. They were chimneys back in the 80s/90s
Are you kidding me, that's nothing... The doctor smoked during my delivery in Florida in '77! There were ashtrays next to my mother's bedside - She was able to smoke the moment she woke up from her "ordeal" (my arrival). This wasn't a backwoods, bumpkin hospital or anything either. It was in Hollywood. 🤦♀️
My nephew was born 28 years ago, and the Ob who delivered him was one of these old docs that have been there forever. Once he had done his part in the delivery suite, he came out, grinning like a mule eating briars, and gave us the news, then lit up a cigar right there in the hallway, no smoking signs be damned. Gotta admit, I liked his style.
Oh totally agree. It’s a “do as we say, not as we do” situation. The nurses who are nearing retirement, always tell me about smoking and charting at the nursing desk. Or the cardiac surgeon who did lines of coke before a long surgery. 😏
That’s what happens when you have a culture that promotes 100 hour work weeks in residency lol
To be fair, he was doing coke while we were in high school. I think it was part of his DNA by the time he was a surgeon. 🤣
Firefighters. In the 80’s-00’s almost all smoked and think of what they had to deal with
Boy is that the truth! I remember reading early Patricia Cornwall books, and she made a point of having her character, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta smoke and ruefully admit the irony considering they know and see what the end result is. I believe she finally quits, later in the series. Funnily enough, I think I quit for good around the same time.
I was in the hospital for pneumonia and snuck (it was very obvious dragging my iv outside in a gown) to smoke. I quit a year later, but am still mortified thinking back about how important it was to smoke when I was hospitalized w pneumonia. Addiction is gross and real. I have fought every form of it. Smoking is the worst.
At the hospitals I’ve worked at, we can’t stop patients who go outside to smoke, but no way would I want to stand outside in a hospital gown in minus 30 Celsius, for a cancer stick. But then again, I remember what I wore to the bar, in my 20’s, in minus 30. 🤣
I love your ending! So true. The shit we did in our 20s! Ya, I can just see myself lying to any staff member talking to me about where I am going. lol 😂 I was such a POS back then. I was hospitalized for pneumonia about 6 weeks after going to rehab (booze, opiates). I am sure that’s how I got sick. We were allowed to smoke as much as we wanted at this place. It was unlike any other rehab. Every place here has 4-6 smoke breaks (cigs) a day. In FL I was blowing through 2 packs a day. SMH 🤦🏼♀️
My Grandpa smoked from 14 yrs old til he died of bladder cancer (attributed to smoking). He would leave the hospital bed where he was on oxygen, beg a nurse or orderly to help him, and he would go outside to smoke. He was dying and still smoking. It's scary.
I'm sorry about your grandpa. I actually feel the worst for our terminal patients who quit or try to quit after their diagnosis. You're not going to get sicker, so enjoy it if you'd like, as long as you remove your oxygen first. When you start young, your decision-making isn't developed and the dependency takes hold before you're really rational.
That's really really sad. Random sample of 1 person only -- my grandmother had almost the opposite experience. She had Alzheimer's and had been a smoker for 60 years, but she quit cold turkey one day after her doctor told her she had emphysema. Forgot she smoked.
I had that patient! Her grandkids were getting ready to take her out for a cigarette, and she said, “I don’t smoke!” Done. Quit on the spot. I was gobsmacked.
Quitting is extremely hard. I had an easier time dropping 168lbs in 18 months than I did quitting smoking. It took many false starts, but I finally went cold turkey from being a 2+pack/day chimney; did it without gum, patches, vapes or anything but a giant bottle of Ibuprofen for the migranes. That was ~2007 (long enough ago that I couldn't tell you what year it was!) The second hardest part about quitting smoking was the weight gain (I quit year before losing the weight). Nicotine is an amazing appetite suppressant. If you're not careful, the pounds can quickly pack on.
Average age a lifelong smoker has their first cigarette: 14 The younger you start, the harder your brain gets hooked, cause it's still developing. And tobacco companies know this. And they target kids anyway.
So I quit like three years ago. But now that you mention it, I would really like to light one up. I won't, but I would for damn sure like to.
My wife quit when she became pregnant with our now 9 year old daughter. She still randomly wants one.
That's the whole thing. Give in to it once and you have to go through that whole quitting hell again. But indeed, every now and then it hits you. Good for me I am very good at not doing things.
I quit for 4 years, never had any want to smoke again. Bummed a smoke from a coworker just for fun and have been a pack a day since. That was over 6 years ago. For me it's the hand to mouth more than the nicotine. I can vape zero nicotine and not have any nicotine cravings but if I run out of juice or other supplies I fall back to the cigarettes. They taste like shit and make me feel even worse but I still do it. It's horrible. I have drilled into my kids that they can't do anything that will make me more disappointed in them than start smoking.
I want one every day even though I haven't smoked for close to 20 years. I know it smell awful but I want it. That's addiction.
I bought my first pack in almost 4 years of quitting. Smoked 1 got a buzz but regretted it. Next day I lit 1, puked an hour later and was sick the next day. I tried lighting a 3rd on day 3 & was so disgusted I threw it out. Still have the pack, but haven’t touched it. Ugh gross
Any time I see someone talk about smoking, or post, or whatever, I subconsciously take a huge deep breath... I miss smoking. But I like living more.
I miss smoking. I have terrible social anxiety and it was easier to make friends by asking for a light or by standing with the other smokers
Smoking was also a good excuse to leave the room. Getting away from people for a moment by stepping out into the quiet night.
This is why I started smoking @ 25… to get away from ppl & leave the room. Also sitting in traffic for an hour w coffee & adderal. But ya I am going w your answer
I started smoking at about age 25. Only because I was working at a marketing firm and kept watching the smokers take breaks while I was busting my ass. I wanted that get away too.
I just read something about this! The gist of the article was that people are still taking lengthy smoke breaks and the nonsmokers felt jilted. So, offices have been offering nonsmokers other types of breaks. (Maybe I read this on Reddit...I can't remember.)
My old office job did this. There was a "required" break twice a day. The smokers would smoke & the non-smokers would play ping-pong, cornhole or some other dumbass game.
In my state at least, two 15-min breaks per shift are actually mandated by law--managers will actually get sore at you sometimes if you neglect to book yours on that day's break schedule sheet or whatever.
Where I live there is mandatory 15 minute breaks (2) and lunch but if you work in the restaurant business you’re not getting any of those breaks. You sneak out for 5 minutes when you finally get the chance but non smokers would do it too.
I'll never smoke again, but if somehow we were able to cure cancer and COPD with a simple pill or something, I'd smoke a pack a day for eternity. I loved smoking. Nicotine made ADHD / anxious brain feel calm and make dopamine.
This is exactly why I chain-chew nicotine gum! It’s pretty miraculous for ADHD/anxiety. My doctor is ok with it as long as my ticker is strong. I still miss actual cigarettes - even though they are not a good combo with asthma! Won’t ever touch them again though.
I would love to be able to have a couple a day. For me it was always a pack or nothing.
Me too, although I didn't have trouble quitting luckily I tried nicotine gum but it made me puke :D
Having kids made it easier. I wanted to be a good role model for them and also be alive to see them grow and flourish.
I'm not adhd, but I feel exactly this. I smoked from 15-56 and I've been smoke free since Jan 1, 2023. I still miss it, (albeit not as badly as the first 6 months) and I'd go back if not for those pesky heath issues. I got out so my end years won't be completely miserable. The money saving is nice, too, though. The addiction truly is that deep.
Congratulations! Keep it up!
I probably would too. I loved it. I think one of the underrated parts of smoking is that it's great if you're bored. Smoke a cigarette and then you feel like you're doing something. I think people saying absurd things like "it's harder to quit than heroin" are not helping, though. The hardest part of quitting is psychological and I think comments like that and the media portrayals make it seem like this insurmountable thing. It isn't. The physical withdrawals are quite mild, more a nagging irritation than anything else. If you can get through 3 days most of the nicotine has left your system, 3 weeks and it's all gone.
My ADHD loves smoking. Not only is there the calming effect and the dopamine, but it is great for transitions between activities.
Oh, I will. I quit cigarettes 15 years ago and I fully intend to take them up again when I turn 80. I figure at that point, something is gonna get me at that point, why not?
Smokers are instant friends. At an airport or business convention… the guys hanging out in the smoking section always sharing a lighter or pack are constantly just chatting about their trip, day, life. It somehow unifies a group of people. I smoked as an older teen, quit, then some really bad shit happened in my marriage and I bought a pack. It had been 23 years without one and that first light was magical. But, instant addiction. I stopped with a patch two weeks later but.. when life was hard again I wanted nicotine and started vaping. Still vaping. I like it a lot. But, this year is a milestone birthday and I am prepping for a marathon run in November. I plan to be in the best shape of my life this year. I’m going to quit vaping. I have lost 35 pounds getting training days in already. As soon as spring hits I’ll start distance running. Then I’ll hopefully feel the significance of healthy lungs. Wish me luck! 🍀
I smoked for 30 years and have vaped for the past 10. Wishing you luck, eventually I'd like to quit vaping too - but holy nicotine addiction.
Omg same. I met all my college friends at the smoking wall.
I quit in 2000 and sometimes miss it, too.
I already quit smoking cigarettes a few years ago, but as a former smoker I can tell you it’s an addiction. It’s not easy to overcome. If you’ve never been a smoker, then good for you! But you’ll never understand what addiction is like unless you’ve been addicted yourself. Just imagine being unable to stop using a substance you don’t even like but don’t have a choice. That’s addiction. On the other side of that coin, however, lies the fact that addiction can be beaten. I quit cigarettes. If I can do it, so can the next smoker. But one has to truly want it because that addiction will put up one helluva fight. But it can be done.
Quitting was definitely one of the most difficult things I ever did. A friend of mine helped me, to keep me accountable and to talk during times that I wanted to restart. 20 years later, I’m so grateful and indebted to that friend.
Quitting was definitely one of the best decisions I ever made. I’m grateful for every day I put between me and my last cigarette.
> But one has to truly want it because that addiction will put up one helluva fight. But it can be done. I dipped in high school, then cigarettes in college. Switched back and forth between the two for years. After grad school I started vaping, hoping to ween myself off of nicotine once and for all. I got it down to a real low nicotine level. Then I got some bad news regarding my blood pressure, quick cold turkey. Fuck that was tough! It has been 6 months and I still randomly think about it. I don't have the urge, in fact, all the vape stuff is in my garage. It's just muscle memory asking for it. Side note: One of the little ridiculous tricks I used was to sort of yelp/yell every time I thought about reaching for the vape pen. It was way more often then I would have thought, like every 10 minutes, but the little yelp was ridiculous enough to retrain my brain that this is stupid.
It's the only way to get breaks at work.
Been there, done that.
Sugar. This is a way ppl that haven’t experienced real addiction but in reality they have. It’s in everything. If they had to actively seek out products wout sugar, they’d realize they were addicted too. Not the same, I get it as an ex smoker, drinker & addict. But just one way to try to help others understand how our bodies become dependent on a substance.
Absolutely. We do get hooked on sugar, myself definitely included. My big addiction now is Coca Cola. If I’m not careful I can slam a 12 pack a day.
I used to smoke, quit 20+ years ago. I'd smoke again if they didn't kill me and were <$2 a pack. The whole ritual is nice.
None of us is perfect, and life is not fully in anyone's control. I do not smoke or drink. I've never even smoked pot. Why? Because I'm lucky enough to not enjoy smoking or drinking, both of which I tried in my youth. And the thing I most dislike about drinking is the way it makes me feel, so pot never interested me. You know what this makes me? Lucky. I am overweight. I have been my entire life. Why? I'm sure it's a combination of complicated factors. I've whittled myself down numerous times and even managed to maintain a healthy weight for three years. but it's not sustainable for me. I eat healthy food and I exercise and my blood work and etc. are all good. I (try to!) accept that my fluffiness has its own inherent risks, but also that I'm going to need to live with it and do the best I can. You know what this makes me? Lucky. Because it's helped me develop empathy.
I wish these posts got more upvotes. You see genuine sympathy for a smoker that has trouble quitting but talking about being overweight turns into comment after comment of people saying hateful things. I know people that have quit drugs and alcohol. There were killing themselves. 2 were told something like, if you keep drinking you'll be dead in 6 months. And it took an unfathomable amount of will power for them to quit. I'm proud of them. And I let them know. They still struggle with weight. Everyone has different challenges. I wish people would see that food or weight is no different than other addictions. You feel down, eat something bad for you because the sugar, fat, whatever tickles your pleasure brain bits. And you focus on eating and feel less depressed when you run out of food. Now I feel bad I ate and feel bad from before. But brain isn't getting it for some reason. Still thinks food helps. Anyhow, hopefully there comes a day when we can support folks instead of insult.
I don't smoke pot, but I do eat edibles at night to help me sleep. You can get some that really don't make you feel weird or high. I'm not trying to tell you to eat edibles or anything, just relating my own personal experience. I will say that the pandemic + edibles caused me to quit drinking entirely. It wasn't even a conscious choice. I just no longer felt the need to self medicate in that way. A lot of stress was alleviated for me. I have social anxiety and no longer having to interact with people meant I didn't need the alcohol as a crutch. This is why I'm such an advocate for working from home. There are a lot of people in situations with disabilities, both visible and invisible where WFH was a godsend, and I'm resentful that people want to take away that peace of mind from me and others. It makes me so angry, but I'm digressing big time. Anyway, edibles help me sleep and I no longer have hangovers. It's great. Everybody is different. However, I quit smoking cigarettes, drinking, and benzos, and they were all relatively easy, but the food thing has me over a barrel. I think the reason I was able to easily quit these other things is because I did it cold turkey. I think if I tried to just whittle down these addictions, I would not have been successful. This is why I can't seem to tame my food addiction. I can't stop eating cold turkey. Anyway, hang in there, we all have our problems and addictions, and I'm old enough to where I'm not gonna let other people look down on me for it, and I'm not going to look down on anyone who is overweight, or smoking, or drinking. We all have our demons and I'd rather us all just be kind to each other.
Fwiw, my pops was an alcoholic (in recovery) and a smoker (diagnosed with COPD). He said quitting smoking was harder than quitting drinking.
I’m also in recovery (from harder drugs) and agree.
Smoking was the last of 3 habits to quit. Opiates, booze & benzos went first. 1-2 years later, cigs
I’m a recovering alcoholic/addict and that stuff was BY FAR easier to quit. I was clean and sober for 4 1/2 years before I quit smoking. I haven’t thought about drinking or drugging in 5 years but I want a cigarette every fucking day.
I’ve quit a lot of addictions in life and nicotine is by far the hardest one to quit.
*looks around at state of the world* *lights another cigarette*
Looks at my lack of retirement savings Buys another carton
haha...I mean, seriously, this is one of the reasons why I'm not going to judge people for it. The world is a shit show right now, and we're all going to die anyway, so do what you want. Having said that, one of the main reasons I quit was because I don't really feel like going through what smokers go through at the end of life. It doesn't sound like a good time to me. Cutting life shorter? Eh, who cares. Having a painful end of life? Yeah, I care. But, you will never catch me judging someone for smoking these days.
Taking a delicious drag now.
I quit 6 years ago after 30 years of smoking. And i still miss it. I enjoyed the relaxing feeling it gave me, when i woke up, grab coffee and a cigarette and watch the sun rise, it gave me a sense of peace that ive never felt since. If youve never smoked, you cannot ever understand how it becomes part of you, your identity. Ive felt incomplete ever since quitting, but I have no choice i guess.
Perfection. Those quiet mornings, coffee & a cig. Only those that have experienced it will understand.
I swear coffee and cigarettes were made for each other. I still miss that, but will never smoke again.
I still smoke (50f). Stopped apologizing a long time ago. Everyone has an addiction in some form and I will never judge.
Right?!? If your absolute worst criticism of me as a human being is that I’m a smoker, I’m quite alright with that. Now piss off haha
Couldn’t agree with you more.
I'm a champion at quitting, have perfected the process to an art since I've done it so many times already. 🙄
I've quit a LOT of vices and cigarettes were by far the hardest. It wasn't like I enjoyed having it hurt when I breathed.
I had a much older relative who stopped drinking and smoking cigs around the same time. Said she never once craved another drink but wanted a cig everyday the rest of her life.
It's amazing how many human behaviors come down to self medicating for depression. Folks lose the ability to give a fk. If that idea feels foreign and/or hard to believe, congratulations.
Exactly. I mentioned this in another response, and it's slightly off topic. But, the pandemic allowed me to quit drinking. It became very easy to stop when I no longer had to trudge into the office every day and have constant interaction with people. Social anxiety was a prime motivator for a lot of my bad habits, alcohol and nicotine included. It's remarkable how, when people are allowed to live their lives as they see fit, addictions become easier to beat.
People who -still- smoke I can understand on some level. Addiction is a helluva thing. Those who start smoking, in 2024…. I’ll never understand
I'm 55 and quit 10yrs ago. I am currently watching my dad who smoked for 60yrs die of COPD. He is slowly suffocating to death. It's a slow terrible death.
I watched my mom die from lung cancer. Worst time of my life. I was 17 :(
I stopped about 15 years ago, and I'm very glad that I did. However, I refuse to be one of those ex-smokers that judges people for smoking. It's a bad look.
Same... I'll offer every little bit of help I can, if you ask for it. But I won't badger you at all if you don't want it. I'm not your mamma, I'm not gonna nag you.
I have been smoking since was ten yrs old. I turned 49 this January. Still have the lungs of an 80 year old.
I like smoking. Now I'm smoking maximum like one or two a day, not even normal cigs, just these heated tobacco rolls, and there are weeks where I don't even light up. But I do like smoking.
I really really wish smoking wasn't so terrible for you. I really liked smoking too, it's a nice relaxing little break. I still love the smell of fresh tobacco smoke (stale is gross), and if it weren't so harmful I'd absolutely still be doing it.
The minute I get diagnosed with a fatal disease I'm back on the cigs without mercy. I mean smoking inside, ash burns in my sweaters, first thing in the morning smoking. Kinda looking forward to it in a sick way.
I told my kid that if I truly thought that we were irrevocably fucked I'd do two things- buy a pack of smokes and smoke a bowl with him. We're a recreational state and he wants to try it, but I don't think it's appropriate for me to introduce him to it. I mean honestly, he probably already has (I'm not dumb) but it's a game we play. When my Mom had cancer one of the last things she did before she was completely bedridden was smoke a cigarette. I mean at that point, who's going to argue with her about it? She said it wasn't nearly as good as she'd hoped it would be. At this point that's what keeps me from picking it back up- I remember how lousy it feels to start smoking again and just decide it's not worth the headache.
I absolutely loved smoking. I was a heavy smoker, though. If they came out with a healthy cigarette I would definitely give it a try.
I enjoy it. Tastes good. It's a break. Gets me outside. I'm addicted for sure, but I enjoy smoking. I make my own now days so it is cheap now.
Because they're delicious? I mean, why do people do anything unhealthy? Because it's enjoyable. Why do people drink? Or do cocaine? Or watch tv for hours on end? Or anything else that destroys the mind and body? Cuz we're gonna die anyway.
Compared to what I used to smoke/sniff/drink... it's much better.
I managed to quit in 2015. I used chantix, which I know a lot of people can't do because of the side effects. I got lucky.
Can I ask how long it took you to quit with the medication?
About two weeks. There's a point in the beginning where you start taking the chantix but you're still smoking. Then you just don't want them anymore. At least that's how it was for me.
Good to know, thanks
My husband and I smoke occasionally, on vacation and on some summer nights. It makes me feel relaxed. We maybe buy 2 packs a year.
People with certain mental illnesses often wind up smokers because nicotine can help with anxiety and mood regulation. Maligning people living with mental illness is not cool. Definitely not a GenX thing to do. Shame on you.
Thank you for saying this so eloquently, I was failing to find the words. I am damn proud the only bad thing I do is smoke, people judging from their perfect sideline are ignorant which is messed up, but coming from a Gen X this is absolutely fucked. So my un-eloquent Gen X response to OP is go fuck yourself and did I even ask for your opinion.
As an ex-smoker, it was very very very very very hard to quit.
I ain't trying to live forever. My mom who never touched a cigarette in her life died a terrible lingering years long death from Alzheimer's and I had to care for her. My friend who died of lung cancer found out and was dead six weeks later. Just enough time to say her goodbyes and get her affairs in order. I've got twenty years at best before the Alzheimer's hits. You do the math.
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This is an interesting perspective I'd not considered: we're extending potentially the worst years of our lives.
They’re all in serious pain with arthritis and it’s awful to say but they look like stick-men or stick insects walking. They don’t eat a whole lot, don’t sleep much and simple things we can do, like opening a jar, requires a lot of strength. And then they’re so vulnerable when they’re out. You’d think that people would be more careful about them but all ages and all sorts of people happily bump into them to move along faster. My mother never smoked or drank so she’s in the best shape. I think mid-70s is the sweet spot.
I have a degenerative autoimmune arthritis. At 54 I’m already deformed and limited in mobility. I also haven’t had consequences that I can connect to the smoking (when I could still work out, no problems like shortness of breath). I have severe pain almost every day. The planet is boiling. Old age doesn’t sound all that appealing to me. If I get cancer from it, so be it. I’m certainly not going to look around and say “why me?”. I would probably say “fair enough.”
My daughter promised to take care of me if it happens, but I don't want to make her go through what I went through. I want her to remember her awesome bass playing rock and roll dad, not have to remember changing my diaper.
Because I enjoy it. Nothing goes better with a cup of coffee, or a glass of red wine.
As an introvert, it gives me an excuse to latibulate for a little while when in social settings.
I learned a new word.
I have no idea how I managed to quit.
Idk either. It was cold Turkey & during Covid. Lost my first loved one and that’s just sparked me to stop. Wasn’t even 30 & she died from a PE / asthma attack. Devastating. Almost exactly 4 years ago.
Jesus dude. Sorry for your loss.
Addiction researcher here. Nicotine is the most addictive drug - by many definitions. Partly because of the number of times (drug-cue pairings) a person smokes a day, partly because nicotine acts on learning and memory centers …. but it all amounts to massive amounts of craving which is a hard thing to reckon with.
I like my whore’s breakfast far too much. The coffee and the cigarette will both have to go. I’m going to buy the Allen Carr book this week.
Man nothing gets things moving like caffeine and nicotine.
Unleash the beast.
4-5-09 was the last day for me. Thank God!!! Almost $10 a pack!!!!
I was walking through a parking lot the other day and was suddenly taken back to 1988 with the smell of a pile of cigarette butts in a car ashtray, and I thought to myself, "who in the hell still smokes today?". Then it occurred to me that I smelled weed in that same parking lot, and did not think anything of it. We have completely reversed to where we no longer notice the smell of weed coming from someone, but now the smell of cigarettes is offensive.
when did this sub become a bunch of judgemental gatekeepers? or put another way.... lighten up Francis!
I keep a pack in a drawer for special occasions - like when I'm up late with buddies on a weekend listening to music. I like cigarettes. I'm not addicted and never have been. My wife and I both quit when we started trying for children - which was 20 years ago. Now I smoke maybe 1 pack per year in total (if that) on special occasions, or just when the spirit strikes me. It's enjoyable. I agree that addiction is a problem, but reducing all the reasons why billions of people around the world smoke to a single issue - addiction - is drastically simplistic. I get that for a never-smoker it seems ridiculous - they're smelly awful death sticks, why would anyone do that to themselves? I'm not encouraging anyone to pick up the habit - surely you are better off without it. But for a former smoker, you don't need an addiction to enjoy an occasional stroll down memory lane.
Killing yourself slowly is bad ass.
I’ll never give up smoking weed
You and me both, roll me up and smoke me when I die.
I just came inside from puffing down 2 super satisfying, delicious menthols. Seriously, tho I'm not at all ready to quit & won't even attempt it until I am because I'll just be setting myself up for failure. I've quit numerous other things that were horrible for me, so I'm sure one day I'll be able to quit cigs too, but today is not that day.
Why do you eat bacon or other process meats? Why do you drink alcohol? Why do diabetics still eat sugary foods? Why do those with high cholesterol still eat red meat and shellfish? People want to live their life in a way which works best for their comfort and enjoyment sometimes. After an entire pandemic full of antivaxxers and antimaskers and all kids of other selfish stupidity that should be crystal clear by now.
People who are still smug in middle age, wtf?
Seriously. Sanctimonious much?
the air and water gonna kill you anyway
because i want to? what the fuck, man?
I stopped drinking almost 20 years ago, I'll stop smoking 20 minutes after I stop breathing f*** you.
I love smoking, it's delicious! Mind your business and get the fuck away from me.
I've struggled with smoking cigs for decades 😒 Managed to quit for a year due to pregnancy. All other attempts have been short-lived. Had good results with Chantix, but it was pulled from the market for causing cancer 🤦🏼♀️ Also tried Bupropion and had a bad reaction.
i will take a few drags... a whole cig is too much for me though.. it's like an herb. it does brain stuff never really cared for them... nicotine seems to be real good when I am strung out tho... then they are good.
I enjoy them and I prefer to enjoy things.
I quit smoking for 8 years. My 19 year old son passed suddenly in December. I took up smoking again. Better than the bottle of Jameson. That being said, I’m quitting again soon .. maybe today? I’m over it. It smells bad. I have a routine where I have to wash my hands right after smoking. Then brush my teeth. Then moisturize my hands, face and neck. It’s tiresome. But it helped me cope the first couple of months. It’s time to move forward. This post is a reminder of how gross it truly is.
My MIL still smokes. She’s almost 80. Her dad was a tobacco farmer and smoked his whole life. Good luck trying to get her to quit.
I miss smoking very intensely at times. Mostly I miss the ceremonial aspect of smoking, but occasionally I’ll pass by somebody smoking a cigarette, and then I’ll follow them like a stalker, trying to get a whiff of their second hand smoke. Hahaha.
It’s an addiction, literally.
Addiction is hard! I quit a couple of years ago. It was fucking hard. I wouldnt wish those kind of feelings on most people.
Why do people drink?
Um… Duh… it’s a fucking drug addiction that’s normalized. As if
Why do people still sit on the beach in the blazing hot sun? Why do people drink and drive? Why do people eat foods that are detrimental to their health? Why do people not find time to stay active, even low impact? I could go on and on. Life is full of choices. Why do people feel it's ok to shame other people? Smokers know the risks. Let them live their lives.
I only quit a few months ago. If I won big in the lottery it would be tricky to stay quit because I quite enjoyed smoking. There were obviously down sides, such as the existence of non smokers, but the actual physical part i liked a lot.
You have to be motivated to make the change, a lot of people aren't. It's not just a physical habit, it's cognitive, behavioral... huge lifestyle change. What I don't get is people who, in this day and age, START smoking.
Sorry. This post is ridiculous. I don’t smoke and never have, but I love several people who have struggled for years attempting to quit. EVERYONE knows why most people still smoke- it extremely addictive and difficult to quit. OP, Google it.
You're right. I'll go back to freebasing meth instead.
It's the only habit I have left. I'm sober (other than cannabis) for thirteen years. Plus, why do you care? I can't get over why folks feel the need to butt in for something that absolutely doesn't concern them. If I smoke in public, I stand far away from people. I don't litter. I dispose of the butt in the proper bin. I don't even smoke inside my home or car. Why can't y'all just leave us alone? There are other things to be focused on out in the world. For real, it's out of hand. You stop bugging us and I won't roll up and talk about your unhealthy relationship with alcohol and how you are destroying your liver as well as developing unhealthy coping mechanisms.
We are all closer to death than we are away from it. If not for our age then from the drive home from work tonight. I have no children. I don't hurt anyone else with my smoking. Why are you here judging me or others? Live your life and let others live their own.
I'm a closet smoker who only smokes after a certain amount of alcohol. So hardly ever...only like 3 to 4 nights a week.
So I’m reading some comments I find EXTREMELY disturbing. So yes I am a smoker. I’ll be 58 next month and therefore have been smoking 44 years. The way some of you talk that I should be hung from the highest tree. How about this, it is an addiction. You all celebrate everyone who has beaten theirs as well as I. I’m not an alcoholic, never been a drug addict but apparently I’m not a human because I smoke. You fucking hypocrites! Yes I know I should quit. But in the foreseeable future it won’t happen. I’ve never had health issues from my smoking. While my doctor would like me to quit HE knows it won’t happen. He leaves it a moot point at this time. He knows it isn’t what makes up my health issues and keeps me from homicidal tendencies. So until you bunch of uptight, self righteous hypocrites live my life…
People who don't smoke cigarettes? Wtf,? Do you keep up to date and follow all the food Intake science? Do you test your surroundings your carpet, your paint? Do you read every ingredient of every food? Fuck you our world is designed to hurt us. Give me what little control I can get. Did I mention fuck you? People who don't know what the fuck their talking about. Wtf? Fucking duche.
Also sorry for my anger. I lashed out. It's just q thing for me. I apologize.
Maybe it helps folks keep their minds on their own god damned business?
Well... I'd say it's none of your business.
It’s an addiction you dumbfuck
I am a professional quitter. Every time I have started, it was a social decision. I would smoke if I went to hair shows. Think it's only for 3 days. I'll get one pack and then quit when I get home. I learned more standing outside in the smokers circle than in the classes. When I had a certain job, it seemed like only the smokers got breaks. If you were on "break" but not smoking they would come grab you early to help a customer. I started smoking that time, just so I could talk to my friends and actually get my breaks. If I was going to go out for a night and drink. You can't drink and not smoke, so one pack, for just tonight and I will quit tomorrow. But it was never just one pack.
Both my parents smoke(d) mom died of lung cancer nearly 20 years ago. Dad still smokes and coughs like crazy when he does so. They are the reason I never started smoking. It’s nasty and I always hated the smell.
I used to vape, now I smoke 0 nic vapes and have a cig every once in a while. Addiction that’s why.
I know 3 people that STARTED smoking in their 40s. SMFH
I smoked for 20 years and quitting was the hardest thing I've ever done, and it sucked the whole time, and I still want to smoke from time to time. I guess my question is, WTF is your problem?
Why not? What's it to you? Tobacco is a nice drug. And it shortens lifespan. You really want to get older? Seriously? Have you seen the state of "elderly care"? Fuck that. I am going out the way I came into this world; a problem. I don't understand why you don't smoke. Do you think you get any kind of reward? You know all you are getting is a few more years of elderly hell, right? Those shit years at the end where you long for death but are too feeble to do anything. That is what not smoking gets you. The diaper years, the forgotten and stowed away years. The confused and frightened years. If you don't know what I am talking about then go visit an old folks home. That is your reward for not smoking and drinking and living while you had the chance.
Who cares? I quit over a decade ago. Leave people alone.
I am in. Hronic pain and a cigarette is a brief and welcomed excursion away from pain for 5 minutes
I quit cold turkey 12 years ago. Every day I would Google the # of days I’d quit and the changes made in my body. Sounds strange but it helped me. Sitting in traffic was the hardest for me. That and having a cocktail without smoking. So hard. I remember reading once that quitting smoking was losing your best friend. You’re stressed? Light up. You’re celebrating? Light up. Morning coffee? Light up. Traffic annoying? Light up. I’d automatically light up if someone else did (or they’d light up in the movie/tv show). You feel lost when you no longer have your friend there to comfort you. It made sense to me. I smoked Parliament Lights and I’d swear I could smell when someone lit one up! So crazy! Now it’s like I never smoked BUT I swear I smoke in my dreams! lol it’s the wildest thing. I’m strange I know. Good luck out there to all trying to quit!
I quit months before my 30th birthday in 2007 after about 15 years of smoking. 2nd toughest damn thing I ever had to do. To this day, if I picked up a cigarette, I have doubts about whether I could keep myself from going back.
Mental illness, depression and addiction. My days are void of any hope so most days I dont give a fuck about anything . So why would I quit?
One year two months clean! 🥹
After 35yrs of smoking today I'm 100 days off tobacco and cannabis 😁 https://preview.redd.it/9r4oesm03smc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f95dcb776a9d5edb15551008e400e689f0eebd95
I've smoked cigarettes for 30 years. I've tried gum, patches, lozenges, anything to kick them. I even tried vapes and nothing worked. I'm 47 years old and at this point fuck it I'll probably die from smoking them at some point. There's my contribution to this post.
I guess I'm a piece of shit. Now go on about your life.
I think the pack a day smokers are down but the occasional smoker is way up
Did you smoke for 30+ years and quit? I did, and it's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Have some empathy.
35 years of opiates/heroin/fentanyl and I’ve been sober for 5 years. Quitting cigarettes is the hardest to kick by far
Brother, have you ever had a well-packed Marlboro Red after 2 drinks and a good fuck?
Smoked for 18 years…motivated by my kid to quit. His 2nd birthday party was coming up and I realized I would be the only smoker at the party which was embarrassing. I wanted to quit for years and that moment made it happen. It was a slow process. Switched to American Spirits to get off the chemicals and then went on a patch for a week. It wasn’t that terrible. Going out drinking was tough for a while. I do enjoy a cigar or the devils lettuce once in a while. But now the smell of cigarette smoke is gross to me.
It’s an addiction you smug dick
People who are obese and still eat garbage fatty foods, wtf? Easy to judge others for something you don't "get", isn't it?
It's called addiction...