For the smokers... again ...hoping this makes you think

[skylive5]

Don't usually read these...but since it thews started it I did. Here is my take:

 

There are those that have smoked forever...some live a long time...some don't. There are those that quit smoking...some live a long time...some don't.

 

I have been smoking for over 50 years. At one time I smoked 5 packs a day of unfiltereds. Got down to 2 and now go through probably 4 packs a day. I enjoy smoking. I don't blow smoke in someone's face and I don't smoke in a non-smokers car or house. I have no plans to quit. And I have no plans to listen to anyone about smoking. You live your life and I will live mine. I will not give you advice on how to live yours and I appreciate you not giving me advice on how to live mine. I don't need anyone to lead me down the right path.

 

Fanatics are a waste of time...no matter what the subject. Don't become a fanatic thews.... be happy with what you have done and let it go at that. I understand where you are coming from.... have no problem with that.... just don't go overboard like some here.

[Hat Trick]

A little over 5 months and 159 days. I could care less if someone else smokes, but I would agree that I'm very negative about smoking now. I think the reason most of us quit and turn that way is because we know how hard it is to quit. We know it took a lot to quit and we don't need/want anyone around us doing it. It's nasty. That said, the last time I quit it was for over a year and a 1/2. Until I hit the 10 year mark in my mind I have not quit. I have every intention to never do it again, but I'd be lying if I said I couldn't pick one up and it wouldn't taste good to me, I know it would from past experience. I did it for my wife and kids.......and for myself lastly. I want to grow pretty old, not REALLY old, but I also don't want to die suffering.

 

Sky, after 50 years I'm afraid you already know your fate. You may think it's kind of pointless to quit now, you've lived a long life and the mental part of it all would be extremely tremndous to come over on now. All those mental things when you say "I enjoy smoking", I used to say the same things, but I still knew it was killing me, surely you don;t want to die, right? As a husband to a wife who's grandfather died of cancer suddenly and painfully I truly hope you do not have to experience that. It was very painful for him, his wife and family. Quite expensive too, you could quit now and save all that money up for when those bills come so that they wouldn;'t be a burden on your family. Now I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life.......I see where you are coming from......just saying is all....your a tremendous guy, and you can chose to do whatever you want.

 

Carry on.

[alexgaddis]

I have never smoked, its easy

[SheikYerbuti]

At one time I smoked 5 packs a day of unfiltereds. Got down to 2 and now go through probably 4 packs a day.

 

 

I'm not being judgmental, just crunching numbers. . . I would estimate that smoking this much for this long costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $200,000.

 

[dmarc117]

the fil just passed away last november from lung cancer. brutal disease.

[Azazello1313]

the thing I will say about thews here....as I'm sure many of you recall, he was just as negative toward smoking when he was a smoker. there was no, one day, "I like smoking, anything can kill you, you live your life I'll live mine", then the next day, "see the light and quit like me!" nah, his attitude has been consistent, even when his willpower as far as making it happen hasn't been

[Azazello1313]

my mom smoked 2-3 packs a day her whole life from the time she was like 15. she tried to quit once in her late 30s, and it sorta worked ok for a couple months. I was certain she would never be able to quit for good, despite constant haranguing from me, my stepdad, my sister (until she became a smoker herself ). but on her 50th b-day, she quit. 5 years later she is going strong. she made me awfully proud of her pulling that off.

[skylive5]

Sky, after 50 years I'm afraid you already know your fate. You may think it's kind of pointless to quit now, you've lived a long life and the mental part of it all would be extremely tremndous to come over on now. All those mental things when you say "I enjoy smoking", I used to say the same things, but I still knew it was killing me, surely you don't want to die, right? As a husband to a wife who's grandfather died of cancer suddenly and painfully I truly hope you do not have to experience that. It was very painful for him, his wife and family. Quite expensive too, you could quit now and save all that money up for when those bills come so that they wouldn't be a burden on your family. Now I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life.......I see where you are coming from......just saying is all....your a tremendous guy, and you can chose to do whatever you want.

 

My fate. Hmmm.... you mean I am going to eventually die? As Gene Wilder said in Blazing Saddles: " When?"

 

Money for medical bills is not now, nor will it ever be, an issue. There won't be any bills coming along to be a burden to anyone. Trust me on that.

 

As far as the mental trick of "I enjoy", well I have to say that I have always enjoyed smoking.... even when it wasn't hazardous to your health. So saying that I have no plans to quit really has nothing to do with mental. Or addiction for those getting ready to pounce. I have no goals. No plans to live to a ripe old age. Dying is part of the life cycle and I firmly believe that it really doesn't matter what one does... when the number comes up it comes up. No matter what your plans, no matter who you are, no matter how good you are, or bad, God comes along and kicks you in the rear when he pulls your number outta the hat. Just they way things are. So I can tell you... I have no plans on having anyone say "and he was in the peak of condition too" when I go. I want to be sick, not healthy, when He picks my number. There are very few pleasures left in this life for me. Smoking is one of them.

 

However.... the whole point of this exercise is that it's alright, even great, to change some aspect of your life... but you don't have to become a soapbox fanatic about it. Just be happy for yourself that you have changed for what you believe to be the better and live and let live. That's all.

 

===============

And in response to the alexgeddis post.... so what. I have never used, or use, coke-smack-grass or any of the other drugs everyone seems to be using nowadays. It is easy.... but I don't come here and blast all those that do. And while thews didn't/doesn't portray the holier than thou attitude, there are those that do... and it wears thin.

[skylive5]

I'm not being judgmental, just crunching numbers. . . I would estimate that smoking this much for this long costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $200,000.

 

Well... for a whole lot of years it was a .90 a carton for seastores and 1.10 ashore. So I would say a whole lot less than that. And what are you going to do with that money anyway.... you can't take it with you. No one ever wanted for anything just because I smoked. That is a lot of money though.

[Ursa Majoris]

No plans to live to a ripe old age. Dying is part of the life cycle and I firmly believe that it really doesn't matter what one does...

 

[pinkfloyd]"And I am not frightened of dying, any time will do, I don't mind. Why should I be frightened of dying? There's no reason for it, you've gotta go sometime."[/pinkfloyd]

[dmarc117]

for those that dont care about dying......

 

do you wear a seat belt while in a car?

[skylive5]

for those that dont care about dying......

 

do you wear a seat belt while in a car?

 

It's the law here so I do. Not really interested in paying fines. HOWEVER.... it is still legal to smoke.

 

And just to bait the trap a bit.... I wouldn't be here had I been wearing a seatbelt back in '66.

 

But this thread isn't about seatbelts... so enough said about that.

[dmarc117]

It's the law here so I do. Not really interested in paying fines. HOWEVER.... it is still legal to smoke.

 

And just to bait the trap a bit.... I wouldn't be here had I been wearing a seatbelt back in '66.

 

But this thread isn't about seatbelts... so enough said about that.

 

 

no but is about making healthy decisions. its your choice. just wondering the mind set of people that continue to smoke knowing the adverse affects.

Edited April 3, 2008 by dmarc117

[Bier Meister]

While i completely understand the randomness (or some might argue pre-destination) of life span, i also believe that certain behaviiors are within our control. by doing A= certain risks are attatched, by doing B= other risks are attatched, etc. while not everything equates to reducing life span...some things definitely do. when i found out i had high cholesterol, i made changes to my diet... levels got better. i won't tell you that i cut out everything that was bad for me, but made serious modifications. life is about choices.

[Kid Cid]

no but is about making healthy decisions. its your choice. just wondering the mind set of people that continue to smoke knowing the adverse affects.

I'm thinking that extracting every last possible breath out of the air regardless of the cost is not their highest priority.

[Azazello1313]

[pinkfloyd]"And I am not frightened of dying, any time will do, I don't mind. Why should I be frightened of dying? There's no reason for it, you've gotta go sometime."[/pinkfloyd]

 

it's one thing to be at peace with dying. it's another thing to facilitate it.

[Ursa Majoris]

I wonder if we'll ever get away from the need to tell other people how to live their lives?

[Azazello1313]

I wonder if we'll ever get away from the need to tell other people how to live their lives?

 

hey, you want a country where the government is in charge of taking care of everybody's health. that makes your choices everybody else's business. so get used to it.

[cliaz]

Sky, after 50 years I'm afraid you already know your fate. You may think it's kind of pointless to quit now, you've lived a long life and the mental part of it all would be extremely tremndous to come over on now. All those mental things when you say "I enjoy smoking", I used to say the same things, but I still knew it was killing me, surely you don;t want to die, right? As a husband to a wife who's grandfather died of cancer suddenly and painfully I truly hope you do not have to experience that. It was very painful for him, his wife and family. Quite expensive too, you could quit now and save all that money up for when those bills come so that they wouldn;'t be a burden on your family. Now I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life.......I see where you are coming from......just saying is all....your a tremendous guy, and you can chose to do whatever you want.

 

Carry on.

 

If there is one person on this board that I would suggest not directing the anti-smoking chatter to, its Sky. As for people like Ursa :Putsonantismokinggear: - You, sir need o quit! Smoking is bad, so are eggs, driving, swimming, pooping, etc, etc.

 

All and all, everyone knows smoking it bad for your health and stuff but there are a few who are not disingenuous when they say they enjoy smoking.

 

One thing i hate is when you are in an elevator with someone who just had a jack. Bleh.

[Ursa Majoris]

hey, you want a country where the government is in charge of taking care of everybody's health. that makes your choices everybody else's business. so get used to it.

Some *cough* Blitz *cough* already say it is their business because of health premiums so there'd be no change there.

[Ursa Majoris]

If there is one person on this board that I would suggest not directing the anti-smoking chatter to, its Sky. As for people like Ursa :Putsonantismokinggear: - You, sir need o quit! Smoking is bad, so are eggs, driving, swimming, pooping, etc, etc.

 

All and all, everyone knows smoking it bad for your health and stuff but there are a few who are not disingenuous when they say they enjoy smoking.

 

One thing i hate is when you are in an elevator with someone who just had a jack. Bleh.

Actually I did give up, you proselytizing toad. I gave up because I wanted to not because some f'n goody twoshoes told me I should conform to their f'n idea of how to live.

 

And I hate being in elevators with people who fart. So what?

[Azazello1313]

Actually I did give up, you proselytizing toad. I gave up because I wanted to not because some f'n goody twoshoes told me I should conform to their f'n idea of how to live.

 

And I hate being in elevators with people who fart. So what?

 

here's a question for ya....do you really think anyone would care if you choke down the cancer sticks if they didn't have to deal with it in their day-to-day lives? people flicking their butts out the car window, flicking them on the ground, stubbing them out in flower planters, creating the hazy, vile moat surrounding office building entrances, smelling the nasty chit on addicts' clothes? for the record, I am very much opposed to anti-smoking legislation, exorbitant cig taxes, and the like. but do you really think those things would have so much momentum behind them if other peoples' smoking truly didn't have any impact on nonsmokers at all? there's a little more to it than someone else's idea of how you should live.

[dmarc117]

here's a question for ya....do you really think anyone would care if you choke down the cancer sticks if they didn't have to deal with it in their day-to-day lives? people flicking their butts out the car window, flicking them on the ground, stubbing them out in flower planters, creating the hazy, vile moat surrounding office building entrances, smelling the nasty chit on addicts' clothes? for the record, I am very much opposed to anti-smoking legislation, exorbitant cig taxes, and the like. but do you really think those things would have so much momentum behind them if other peoples' smoking truly didn't have any impact on nonsmokers at all? there's a little more to it than someone else's idea of how you should live.

 

 

+1

 

exactly, if it affects me then i should have a say. i dont care if you dont wear a seatbelt, but i do care if you drive drunk. both are very stupid decisions by someone. one affects me, the other doesnt.

[cliaz]

Actually I did give up, you proselytizing toad. I gave up because I wanted to not because some f'n goody twoshoes told me I should conform to their f'n idea of how to live.

 

And I hate being in elevators with people who fart. So what?

 

 

1. Congrats on quitting but i know you did it because you love me and you wanted to conform to my standards of an attractive man.

 

2. I love being in an elevator with people who fart. Its the truest form of liberty and equality we have. Once those doors shut, no matter what, everyone has to take in a lung full of my delicious butt dust.

[Ursa Majoris]

here's a question for ya....do you really think anyone would care if you choke down the cancer sticks if they didn't have to deal with it in their day-to-day lives? people flicking their butts out the car window, flicking them on the ground, stubbing them out in flower planters, creating the hazy, vile moat surrounding office building entrances, smelling the nasty chit on addicts' clothes? for the record, I am very much opposed to anti-smoking legislation, exorbitant cig taxes, and the like. but do you really think those things would have so much momentum behind them if other peoples' smoking truly didn't have any impact on nonsmokers at all? there's a little more to it than someone else's idea of how you should live.

This is a very valid point.....or it would be if it wasn't for the plethora of rules already in place to deal with all the things you mention (except the stink on the clothes - and smokers aren't alone in stinking, BTW). How about actually enforcing the rules against littering, making smokers move at least 25 feet from the door (as my company and the local city does)?

 

Smoking is, IMO, rightly banned in restaurants, the workplace and places of shared entertainment e.g. movies, stadia. I disagree with all bar owners being forced to comply with anti-smoking laws, though. How about simply putting a notice on the door to say "we allow smoking in here" and having the bar staff sign a waiver?

 

So far we seem to be in agreement but you ignore the majority herd element of human nature - the need to always be part of a "superior" majority so that members can point at non-members and feel superior. That is a definite driver of the onward march of the fanatics who are NEVER going to be satisfied until tobacco is made completely illegal. Here in Minny, we have the first vanguard of the fanatics trying to get smoking banned even in your own home.

 

And when they're done with that, they'll turn their attention to some other perceived imperfection. Drink more than the "guidelines"? Don't exercise enough? Been to Burger King twice in two weeks? Bad, bad, bad. Eventually they'll achieve Nirvana - we'll all be absolutely identical in every way.