Does anyone here still smoke?

[Slik Geek]

I recently asked a co-worker (who smokes) when he started. He said about three years ago. Totally caught me by surprise - the guy is about 35-40 years old!

I asked, "why in the world did you start?" He replied it was stupid - he was going through a tough time and was hanging around the night club scene. He just decided to try it and found himself hooked. He claims he going to stop... soon. (Heard that before?)

He told me that he was surprised at how addictive it is.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

My wife is interviewing with a company that will not higher smokers. Nicotine testing is done along with drug testing. This is a high level job. We were just talking about it and wondered if they are getting a decent discount on their health insurance.

[footprintsinconc]

there should have been a option "who is planning on quitting (in the near future)"

[smc331]

Two days ago on the way home from work...

...I became a non-smoker for the final time. (See, there's that "want to" mental thing.)

I first seriously started smoking when I was in my early 20's - musician, bars, everybody doing it...(dumba$$).

I smoked 'til the late 80's - smoked my last cig in the pack on the way to take my son to school (I know - with him in the car and all). Stopped at a convenience store to buy a pack and realized I'd left my wallet at home. Drove home, left the car running to run inside and grab my wallet and said to myself, "Why?" Put 'em down and didn't smoke for seven years.

Fast forward to '96 - breakup of a marriage - started again ...(dumba$$). Smoked for three years, Doc prescribed Wellbutrin - kicked the habit again.

Started again in 2001: "I'll just have a cigar occasionally..." then "Maybe I'll just get a pack of those 'little cigars'..." then "Might as well smoke cigs considering how many of these things I'm smokin'..." Wham! Back to a pack and a half a day habit! ...(dumba$$).

Late 2007 - Doc prescribes Chantix (I have had no problems other than vivid dreams and impressive gas - YMMV). I tapered off to two to three a day - and two days ago, it just felt right.

I'm Scott ("hi, Scott!") - and I'm finally a non-smoker for good.

[cwithboat]

You did not allow for multiple choice. I have quit many a time.
signed
confirmed nicoholic
You also did not account for gum, lozenges, patches and sneaking up behind a smoker to inhale second hand smoke. Thank God for Rudyard K.

[chopnhack]

Dont smoke.....do enough damage from the saw dust

[germdoc]

My father died of smoking-related problems at age 60, so I'm pretty familiar with the addictive effects and consequences.

I see so many smoking-related illnesses in my practice. Everyone knows someone who lived to be 99 smoking a pack a day. I tell my patients, that person's 1 in a 1000 and you're not that person.

I'm pretty much a libertarian on all social matters, but if I could waive a wand and make smoking go away I would.

[cwithboat]

To paraphrase chopnhack
....$hit, I lit the wrong end again

[JR]

I'm pretty much a libertarian on all social matters, but if I could waive a wand and make smoking go away I would.

Which is why I sheepishly admit that I quit when i took a job at a non-smoking company. The rules dictated my behavior. I'm glad to have quit, but am embarassed that it took big brother to induce it.

JR

[mater]

I quit cold turkey 18 years ago when an xray showed emphysema forming in my lungs. I remember walking out of the Doctors office and throwing my cigs away and I haven't smoked or wanted one since. About 6 years later my lungs had healed and the emphysema was no longer there.

[annunaki]

Smoking

Started at age 10.
Had permission ( but not approval) at age 15.
Stopped when they jacked the price up to 35 Cents for a Pack.
I would try by telling myself that after I finish this pack, I'll quit.
After the pack was finished, I'd want just one or two more, would go and buy a new pack. then decide that I might as well finish it, then quit. This went on and on till one day I realized that if I was ever going to do it, I had to stop in the middle of a pack. So that is what I did, but instead of throwing the remaining half-pack away, I placed it on top of my dresser by the bedroom door, so that it was the first thing I saw when I got up in the morning, and the last thing at night. I didn't want to hide from the temptation, but confront it every day and "spit in the eye of the Devil".

That was about 45 years ago. Strangely, I am now very allergic to tobacco smoke.

[jackellis]

I think I puffed once - as a kid talked into trying it by an older kid - but never picked up the habit. In fact, I was the only one in the family who did not smoke at one time or another.

Smoking contributed to my mother's early death (age 51 from a heart attack), my uncle's ( stroke and heart attacks at 78), and possibly my younger brother's early death (colon cancer at 51). I'm in favor of banning smoking in public places and eliminating tobacco subsidies but I'm not in favor of an outright ban on tobacco sales. Anyone who wants to smoke should be able to so long as they don't harm others.

[eccentrictinkerer]

My mother-in-law smoked from age 17 to 82, when she was diagnosed with throat cancer. She's had radiation therapy and two surgeries. The last surgery took a chunk of her tongue, so her speech is severely impaired. Her weight is down to 89 lbs. But, she pushes on.

After her last surgery, she remarked to my wife that, maybe, if she hadn't smoked, she probably wouldn't be going through all this.

It's too bad the light goes on when it's too late.