Smoking habits among Americans

So, I'm curious—where does everyone on here stand on smoking?

I'm still smoking, unfortunately, and I've been mulling over a way to quit. Anyone got any solid advice?

.

I’m a former smoker... I’ve quit more times than I can count, but I always end up stumbling upon some Cuban or Costa Rican cigars, light one up, and I'm right back at it. Once, I even lasted nine months.

The last time I smoked was two and a half years ago, and I don't plan on ever picking it up again. If I'm out at a restaurant, I'll grab a different table if people near me are smoking. Honestly, I can't stand social smokers. They just smell terrible to me.

Smoking rates are highest in places like Turkey or Greece... maybe around 4,000 cigarettes per person annually. And that includes everyone—from kids to non-smokers.

Smoking?
Why does anyone even start?
Mostly, we want to feel like someone, to establish an identity or stand out from the crowd. Boredom is another big factor. Sure, there are other reasons, but they aren't nearly as important.
What I hate most is seeing parents smoke right in front of their kids.
Some say that while Native Americans lost the war and were wiped out by settlers, they are still slowly but surely killing themselves off today.

At some point, you just have to face the music.
I’ve been a smoker—having a cigarette with my morning coffee, out at bars, etc.—since high school.

After more than a decade, something just clicked,
and I finally walked away from such a pathetic, disgusting, and toxic habit.
I believe people need to focus on self-improvement in general; once you truly realize how pointless smoking is, that clarity will drive you to quit.
🙂

Look, I don't smoke. 🎉 🎉

el_mariachi said:Some people argue that Indians lost the war and were wiped out by white settlers, yet even today, Indians are killing them off, slowly but surely.

So, the Indians are the ones at fault? It seems to me that the "white settlers" are just blowing smoke regarding how they actually conquered Indian land.

I quit back when I was thirteen.. 😁

My grandma caught on eventually, and she stopped handing me cash for ice cream every time I walked by.. 😁

Quitting smoking is actually the easy part; I have a buddy who’s "quit" at least eighty times now.. 😁 😁 😁

I started smoking back in the 7th grade—just a kid, really—and kept at it until about halfway through my freshman year of high school. I had actually worked my way up to a full pack of Marlboro Reds a day before it finally clicked in my head—that sudden, sharp realization of what I was doing to myself—which led me to quit almost immediately.

To be honest, I don't look back on that period with any regret, though I am absolutely certain that if I could go back, I wouldn't have ever picked up that first cigarette.

mistybear4 said:Quitting is easy. My buddy has "quit" at least 80 times already... 😁 😁 😁

I'm right there with you. 😲

It’s basically impossible when everyone else in the house is a smoker, buying weekly bulk packs and leaving cigarette cartons and ashtrays all over the place. 👎

Smoking is this terrible—yet wonderful—habit. There’s nothing quite like starting the morning with a massive breakfast, stepping out onto the sidewalk, and having that very first cigarette—that first beautiful moment, used sparingly before it's gone forever.
Some people just have a way of smoking that's pure art; they treat the filter like there's no limit, refusing to let a single wisp of smoke escape their lungs, ah, gold to achieve... my mother smokes like a pro... and if you take that the wrong way, well, honestly, screw you.🙄

velvetmaker86 said:Smoking is a terrible—yet wonderful—habit. That first cigarette in the morning paired with a heavy breakfast, stepping out onto the sidewalk just to take that first hit. It’s a fleeting moment of perfection.
Some people just know how to smoke. They hold that filter tight and don't let a single bit of smoke escape their lungs. Man, gold to achieve... my mom smokes like a pro... so shut your mouths if you're judging.🙄

👏 👏 👏

I smoke, probably way more than I should
There are days when I find myself burning through two packs a day 😢

Megan Diaz33 said:I smoke—probably way too much, honestly.
Sometimes I'll find myself burning through two packs a day. 😢

Well, you must have some absolutely dazzling, pearly white teeth.😁

Thank God, I don't smoke.
I’ve never had much respect for smokers—honestly, they really ought to stop lighting up in any space where non-smokers are present. It’s just common decency.

I smoked exactly two cigarettes in my entire life, and let me tell you, I didn't sleep for two straight nights afterward—turns out I'm deathly allergic to smoke. They tried to push it on me when I was just a kid, too, but I've always been more of an individual than to follow the crowd just because everyone else is doing it.

Besides, kissing a female smoker? Not exactly a great experience.

Jesse Fox14 said:Personally, I don't find kissing a smoker particularly appealing.

Well, I actually find the opposite to be quite great.😁👍

They say every cigarette you light shaves eleven minutes off your life, 😢
while every orgasm adds fifteen back to the clock. 🙂

So, if you're looking to actually stick around, maybe smokers should just stop smoking and start getting laid. 😁

MacGregor said:Every single cigarette cuts your life short by about 11 minutes, 😢
whereas every orgasm adds 15 minutes back to the clock. 🙂

So, to all my fellow smokers out there—get busy if you want to live! ... 😁

And since apparently any bit of stress can trigger brain tumors, I guess I’d better go light up right now just to be safe!😁

joujou said:I don't smoke.🎉 🎉

I couldn't agree more.😬

I don't smoke, and I never have.
I really don't mind people who smoke. It only bothers me when someone is inconsiderate enough to blow smoke directly into my face. And, unfortunately, my eyes start stinging and watering whenever I'm in a heavy smoke environment. There’s nothing I can do about that. It feels like I'm just a sponge for smoke. 😁 Even just a few minutes in a smoking area is enough to make my hair and clothes soak up all that scent... 🙄 😁

My partner is a smoker, but he doesn't bother me at all. If anything, I wish he’d cut back just for his own health. He is incredibly thoughtful when we're out together, though. I never, ever feel the smoke from his cigarette because he always holds it away from me, maybe behind the back of a chair or something similar. 🙂 I’ve never even had to ask him; he’s just always been mindful of it on his own. 🙂
Plus, I never smell it on him. It truly never bothers me, and I don't even notice any scent when we kiss after he's been smoking. 🙂

My mom smoked for about 35 to 40 years... then she just suddenly stopped. There wasn't some major medical reason; it just happened. She still carries a pack of cigarettes and a lighter in her purse because she thinks she might want to pick it up again someday 😁, but she hasn't lit one once. This month marks exactly five years since she quit. 🙂 My sweet mom... 🙂

A close friend of mine was also a smoker and simply decided she was done. It wasn't hard for her at all. She might have a cigarette here or there a few times a year, but she doesn't need it anymore. For my mom, it was actually quite a struggle.

I personally think that if you want to quit, you have to go cold turkey. I haven't heard of anyone who tried to taper off and actually stayed quit forever. I do know a few "quick quitters," but I suppose that isn't a universal rule.

Good luck with your journey to quitting!