Smoking...

[Sage Asuka]

In case you weren't joking about your Natani addiction, I know someone that mite help. He's a bit of an [censored], but he likes people.

...is this who I think it is...?

[supervanman64]

In case you weren't joking about your Natani addiction, I know someone that mite help. He's a bit of an [censored], but he likes people.

...is this who I think it is...?

You mean batmanperson?

[Holy_458]

In case you weren't joking about your Natani addiction, I know someone that mite help. He's a bit of an [censored], but he likes people.

...is this who I think it is...?

It's not batmanperson or Ornais, just so you know. This guy's rude in a respectable way.
And has the strangest obsession with the "human condition" I have ever seen.

Staying on topic....uhh....smoking is bad, don't do it. Otherwise I will have to wag my finger at you via the internet.

[Verilidaine]

In 2009, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act was introduced in the US Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama, giving the FDA significantly more regulatory power over tobacco; one of the provisions in the law includes a ban on the use of flavors in tobacco, other than menthol. The ban includes [clove cigarettes]. As of September 21, 2009 the clove cigarette was no longer legal to sell or distribute in the US. However, Kretek International Inc., importer of the Djarum brand continued to offer the clove / tobacco products as small cigars.

Maybe you're seeing the small cigars, Phyco.

Believe me, I think the clove thing is bogus and that the government is exercising way more power than they should have on a federal level (topic for another thread, though). I personally don't think they're a gateway drug, but that is the logic.

There's evidence that in the long run, cloves are more harmful than regular cigarettes, but they are also less addictive, so people tend to smoke less of them.

Ryusen, it's hard to understand smoking if you've never done it (or done it and enjoyed it). It is a completely illogical thing, but I guess I could explain why I smoked (maybe, like, three times per year, and always cloves) and why it appealed to me. It's a very physical sensation, with the taste from the smoke and the slight lung burn. For me, it satisfied a small self-destructive craving and was a treat I allowed myself very, very infrequently, and never while crew was in season. I think smoking in moderation doesn't have to be bad, but only if you know that you'll be able to stop whenever you want to. I know that about myself, so I would let myself smoke.

So Furry, it's a little hypocritical for me to advise you on this matter, though I will say that if you actually could do moderation, you'd be okay, but it's really better to not smoke at all, especially if it's making you feel this good. That's sure to get you addicted. Nicotine is not your friend.

[Ryusen]

It is a completely illogical thing, but I guess I could explain why I smoked (maybe, like, three times per year, and always cloves) and why it appealed to me. It's a very physical sensation, with the taste from the smoke and the slight lung burn. For me, it satisfied a small self-destructive craving and was a treat I allowed myself very, very infrequently, and never while crew was in season. I think smoking in moderation doesn't have to be bad, but only if you know that you'll be able to stop whenever you want to. I know that about myself, so I would let myself smoke.

I suppose.

It's not often I choose willful ignorance, but I'll defer to you on this.

[Ultramus]

I'm just going to jump in without reading the thread, because i know it is almost entirely comprised of the same advice to quit, it's bad for your health, et cetera. So I'm going to give everyone my take on things.

To build some ethos, I smoke sparingly, a pack a month if that, and I smoke a tobacco pipe from my grandfather when I really need to think. I'd wager I'm healthier than a lot of people no less, I'm an athlete. The fact is, anything in excess is bad for you, why people single out smoking is really perturbing, I'd say going out eating fast food everyday is just as harmful. To simply say smoking is bad and ignore all the other bad habits people have no qualms with is just hopping on the bandwagon.

As for it clearing your head, it does, this isn't a psychosomatic effect, it's purely chemical. It's a nicotine buzz, that good sensation can be very enticing, and very hard to give up. I started smoking by chance at 17 in a restaurant I worked at, and to this day I'm not addicted. I'm sure lots of people say that but it has literally been well over a month since my last cigarette. I think not being addicted is more about being able to have something every now and then, then just not having something because you will fall into previous habits. The reason that I'm not addicted, is because i only ever smoke when I want a cigarette, at the restaurant every time someone had a bad tip or customer, they would go and have a smoke, for them, it was a crutch, and you use a crutch for so long you won't be able to stand up without it. From what i see, you aren't really falling into that slippery slope yet, you use it to clear your head and relieve stress, if you leave it at that you'll be fine. There is nothing wrong with using a cigarette as a tool to reach catharsis in your life, especially when you lack the time for anything else. It's when you begin thinking it is a fix for everything that you become an addict, bomb a test, smoke a cig, have a bad day, smoke a cig, ad nauseum.

Back to my earlier point, I work in a pharmacy, day in and day out I deal with people physically dependent on drugs, from opiates to benzodiazepams to anti-depressants. People who will go into withdrawal without these meds, and all of them do worse for your body than cigarettes ever could. It's the whole paradigm, prescription drugs aren't vilified like tobacco, so those same people taking those meds would never smoke a day in their life, because it is "Bad for them."

Finally, don't look for justification for it, it is your body, do with it what you will, everyone has their vices, sometimes it is necessary to depend on something, yes there are healthier dependencies, as are there worse. Stress can be just as detrimental as smoking can anyways, so if it helps you in your life, go ahead and light up and take a drag

[PhycoKrusk]

Back to my earlier point, I work in a pharmacy, day in and day out I deal with people physically dependent on drugs, from opiates to benzodiazepams to anti-depressants. People who will go into withdrawal without these meds, and all of them do worse for your body than cigarettes ever could. It's the whole paradigm, prescription drugs aren't vilified like tobacco, so those same people taking those meds would never smoke a day in their life, because it is "Bad for them."

Most cigarettes (in the States, at least) are also made with chemically treated paper so that once lit, they will burn all the way down to the filter. By contrast, most clove cigarettes and cigars will go out if left to sit (in which case, just light them again). I imagine pipes are the same way; unless you puff periodically, the flame goes out.

Tobacco products are also easier to vilify because of the way in which they were pushed in the past, and because they just don't "sit" in the conscious the same way that alcohol does. Western civilization has had alcohol since time immemorial, but only had tobacco for six hundred or so years. Even then, tobacco had to be imported from the New World and was expensive. Alcohol could be produced by anyone who could get ahold of some wheat, hops and yeast. This is part of the reason that marijuana gets hammered in ways alcohol doesn't. You see lots of commercials showing the evils of marijuana (forgetting to pick your kid brother up from band practice, hitting a little girl while speeding away from the drive thru, etc.), but not many showing the evils of alcohol, which are largely the same. However, this is a completely different discussion.

[Scorpio803]

The reason presciprion drugs, alchohol, and cigarettes aren't slammed as hard as marujana and other illegal substances is becuase they are being sold by powerful corporations who have lobbysists and pay large amounts of taxes! The US and Canada are the only countries that allow commercials for prescription drugs. Of course, all of these things are disgusting and being the habitual person i am, i would never do any of them.

EDIT: i find it ironic my siggy has a bunch of drunk people... well... that's a joke and doesn't apply to this conversation.

[Ryusen]

The reason presciprion drugs, alchohol, and cigarettes aren't slammed as hard as marujana and other illegal substances is becuase they are being sold by powerful corporations who have lobbysists and pay large amounts of taxes! Of course, all of these things are disgusting and being the habitual person i am, i would never do any of them.

Actually, the only reason alcohol and cigarettes are able to pass the FDA inspections is because they are so deeply ingrained in our culture. Humans have been indulging in these substances for thousands of years (specifically, depressants and tobacco, but let's keep it general); they are accepted culturally in almost every part of the world. If they were to have been suddenly introduced today, you can bet they'd never see FDA (nor GMP) approval.

For something to see FDA approval, it must show that one of two things:

The risk of not taking this product is greater than the risk of not taking it (it possesses more "pros" than "cons")
It is the BDAT, Best Demonstrated Available Technology, if it cannot abide by the first condition.

Because these products cannot claim to cure any disease, nor do they have negligible side-effects, I would bet my bottom-dollar that the FDA would reject them without a second thought.

Of course, all of these things are disgusting and being the habitual person i am, i would never do any of them.

Yes to the first, yes to the second, maybe to the third. Alcohol and tobacco can be avoided without repercussion, but prescription drugs are just that - for prescription of a medical disease. They are given on a "needed" basis, not a "wanted" basis (or at least, that's the way it ought to be). If taking an anti-coagulant can increase you life span by 10 years, would you find a moral reason to object to it?

[the red soldier]

I dont smoke and I dont plan to but I dont care if someone starts smoking next to me (I wont freak out like I've seen other people do). I just find the things to be a money waster overall.

[FastChapter]

I get thoroughly annoyed when people light up within breathing distance of me. Aside from the stink, I don't appreciate people putting my health at risk for the sake of a quick puff. I don't ask them to move or leave, I'll do that myself, but I won't sit in the smoke if I don't have to.

[the red soldier]

Thats reasonable, what I'm talking about is people seriously freaking out completely, almost screaming they want to poison there children... it happened just yesterday...

[Schrodinger]

My mother bought an electric cigarette. Hopefully this attempt to quit is successful, every time she tries I need to light up.

[Ike1694]

Even though I'm only 15 I should say that you shouldn't continue with somking.
1.) Bad health man if you keep that up good luck trying to live longer that you planned
2.) You shouldn't smoke when your stressed do something else that releaves your pain like I don't know...

Normally when I get stressed I just hit something really hard on a solid surfface with my fist. That really helps out alot when so much stress is built up inside me.

I say try to quit while your ahead because later on this could really impact on your personal life more than likely.

[Tygron]

Stop smoking. It's going to be hard to quit, and when I say hard I don't mean that it is hard to stop. No you actually can make yourself just stop... but there are some side effects. A friend of mine smokes, and he said he tried to stop. And for a while he did, but apparently he eventually got major headaches from it and vomited alot. Of course he pretty much went from... I think 3 or more a day to pretty much none. And I hate that he's still smoking but there isn't much I can do to stop him. I think you need to stop right now... just stop for your own good.

If it's a focus issue when your doing things like homework and whatnot i've found that at least for me listening to music through some headphones helps. Preferably ones that cancel sound so all you can hear is the music. Try to pick music you won't be jamming to or at the least jamming to it in a distracting way. I usually listen to an internet radio stream which plays whatever they want so I don't get distracted by knowing what songs are going to play, it kinda makes it more of a background thing instead of something you focus on. Make sure you're oblivious to the world around you while you are doing your homework, getting the work done is more important than that flock of birds that just dropped dead out of the sky right outside your window.

But yes please quit smoking, it may seem to help... but you're probably going to be kicking yourself for it later.