Cigarette Smoking

I smoked as a teen and again for 8 years when kids was young. Have not smoked for 10 years. Cigs are so expensive now, and I have notice so many still smoke. Working in health care it shocks me how many drs and nurses smoke...all of us here on med help have one thing in common being interested in health. That being said how many of you smoke and if you do could you say how long and why?

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42%

 (11) 

I have never smoked

42%

 (11) 

I smoked in past have quite

3%

 (1) 

I am trying to quite

11%

 (3) 

I smoke

26 Members voted

[Savas]

Savas is going to be impolitic and say he likes smoking.  

It's his one vice nowadays and should he stop he will probably get mistaken for a Franciscan Monk and end up having to move into a monastery. I could deal with the robes but I don't dig the haircut.

Sadly, smoking has become "the poor man's vacation". In a world where people often work 10-12 hours day and lack the money to go away for a weekend, a day... even out to a dinner (here in NYC the average outing costs $100 dollars. minimum).

Should it become any more cost prohibitive than I will probably have to take up lecturing squirrels on the evils of greed. Do squirrels charge a a lecturing fee?

[crabby70]

My mom is a smoker and my sisters....So around 14 I started stealing cigarettes...Stopped when I was 24....

[dominosarah]

Im with Savas here minus the squirrel lectures!!!

[msniki412]

I started smoking when i went to high school (15). I did it almost everyday until I was 20. I had my last cigarette 2 years ago this month. Now I can't stand the smell of cigarette smoke. It actually makes me gag when i smell it.

[HelpinUtah]

I started smoking when I was about 14 or 15.  When I was 16 my mother gave me permission to smoke and in the house.  Both my parents smoked and most my family at the time did.  I was up to 2 1/2 packs a day when I quit at 19.  It's been over 25 years since I quit.  I also can't stand the smell of cigarettes and if I walk by someone smoking outside I start to gag and my eyes start to burn.  I'm so sensitive to it now.  

[MJIthewriter]

Never smoked.... My mom used to.  She got bronchial asthma and that did not feel so great, so she quit.

[Please_Help950]

I have never Smoked and I never will. :)

My dad does though and I have been trying to talk him into quitting.

[Cherie762]

Savas , I appreciate your honesty and find your humor about the squirrels funny. Sarah same for you. I do get why people smoke sometimes I still crave a cigarette. but I know if I ever picked up one cigarette it would be all over Id be back to two packs a day in a flash.

[April2]

I used to smoke as a teenager through my 20's. I quit when I heard it takes 20 years to get lung cancer and that once you got it there's no cure. That scared me. I had quit many times before, during my pregnancies especially for my babies. But once I came back to God in my late 20's, I gave it to him and never went back. That was the first and only time I was able to quit for good with no cravings or anything. God is good. :)

[halbashes]

I too have never smoked, and never will.

[April2]

Good for you. :) You're much smarter than I was. I think attitudes about smoking has changed a lot since I was a teen. We used to be able to buy cigarettes out of machines and their was even smoking on airplanes when I was younger. Remember that, anyone? I'm glad attitudes have changed about it now. It's a good change. :)

[Cherie762]

people in stores used to sell me cigarettes when i was 12 and I always looked younger,,today cops set up just such senerios..glad,,and btw I remember paying 35 cents a pack ...wow.,.imagine that.

[zodiacqueen]

I'm sooooo glad that I quit!  I was a 2 pk a day smoker for a long time.  I quit a year and a half ago, and STILL have major cravings.  What has helped me to quit, is fear of emphysema.

By the way, I'm not sure how many people know this, but smokers are MORE likely to get emphysema than lung cancer. Emphysema/COPD is much more common.  Just the thought of having to drag around oxygen and struggling to breathe everyday, was enough motivation for me.

Sara and Savas-I hope that you both decide to quit!!!!

[redheadaussie]

I smoked when I was a teen, only to look cool and be part of the group. I hated it! Never drew in,just pretended to. I gave it up quick smart, when I realised how much it was costing out of my very small wage!
  I have a sister who smoked for over 25 years she just gave it up recently. Her teeth are rotten, she is 10 years younger than I, and she looks 20 years older than me! Her house still smells of cigarettes a year after she quit! BLeurgh!