Though I've alluded to this a couple times on the forum, I think I'd like to extrapolate on something I've been doing for the past three or so months. Namely, smoking (tobacco). It all started as a fairly informal scientific inquiry and knowledge-gathering endeavor, and I did certainly learn a lot with no lasting harm. Let me review some of my findings...

Nicotine is damn addictive. I started out with like three cigarettes a day and ended up around a pack each day, tempered by my insistence that I not bring my cigarettes with me to campus (which cut down on the time I could smoke significantly). But I can definitely see where the addiction comes from...it gives you something to do, at first gives you a buzz (which disappears once you're hooked), and damn if that doesn't make the urge to smoke powerful. I quit Friday, and I'm still jonesing for some smokes. Not going to happen, though, because...

Smoking ain't healthy. Yeah, we all have seen the lung cancer statistics, but even in the short-term...yikes, this is not good for your body, folks. Coughing and hacking galore, phlegm, and feeling like shit when you wake up, it's all there. I had no idea the effects were so quickly felt.

Smokers are very brand-loyal. I bounced around brands for a while at first, trying Camel, Marlboro Reds, American Spirits, Parliament (once thanks to a friend who smoked them), Camel Frosts (which were my introduction to menthol), Newports, this weird brand called Real, and finally, Marlboro Smooths, which became "my" brand. In addition, I tried a couple cheap cigars: Swisher Sweets and Black & Milds. The former were okay, the latter I hated.

All in all, I think I accomplished what I set out to accomplish here. I learned a lot about addiction and why the hell people smoke (which I had never understood prior to this), and moreover, I got out while I still could. Do I recommend anyone to smoke? Nope. But it's an interesting way to explore addiction, and yourself. Quitting is harder than it sounds.

i do it to stop myself from killing my co-workers, seriously.

Ah, Swisher Sweets... yum :). I'm an occasional social smoker and have been for about 4 years. Even at the height of my smoking (a year or two ago), I have never smoked more than a pack a week, and now I'd be surprised if I go through 20 cigarettes in two months.

I love cigarettes, but only for the taste... I still get the buzz every time I smoke, and I don't enjoy it at all. Nicotine makes me feel weird. That's why I never smoke more than one cigarette in a row; it makes me a little jittery.

Anyways, I'm glad you're quitting. It worried me that you started, considering how vehemently against smoking you were before.

wow Borg;
Lab rat on yourself...
Have you got hooked on them???
I used to rag on my brother a lot. He would quit for months even years then one day just start again. I never understood completely.
I smoked once in my life..I was 13 and on a plane to Winnipeg by myself..I was very shy. I had a two hour lay over in Vancouver. I read a few magazines and was very uncomfortable as people stared at me...I guess because i was young and traveling alone.. I went to the gift shop and bought a package of player light.. Well in that two hours I smoked the whole package. Needless to say i was feeling kinda green by the time I had to board the plane. I sat up front as being under age the stewardess had to keep and eye on me. lol
I ended up throwing up on the plane in the bathroom..The stewardess gave me lots of ginger ale and it kinda helped...
But I tell you it cured me from ever wanting to smoke again and I haven't....

It was interesting to read how you felt and how it changed your opinion...thanks for making it understandable to others like me who just didn't get it...

considering how vehemently against smoking you were before.
That would impress me, not worry me.

That would impress me, not worry me.
Well at the time I took it as possible evidence that me breaking up with him had somehow turned him insane...:p

Insane isn't what you have to worry about, it's gay. :D

Borg,

I commend you on kicking the cigarette habit. I began smoking at age nine and was up to three and a half packs of unfiltered Camels a day before I quit in my thirties. Even though I quit I wound up with smoking related cancer.

I would strongly urge everyone to give up smoking.

I only smoke when I'm drinking, and I really don't drink all that often. I average 10 cigs a month probably, if even that.

I have smoked since I was 17. I gave it up with each of my pregnancies but ended up going back to smoking. You're right Borg,quitting is a bitch and I commend anyone who quits and sticks to it.

Im 3 1/2 years clean..........:hula:

I smoked from the tender age of 14

Hubby would love to quit,,,he has tried countless times,,,just cant do it.......

Jelly Beans and Cherries helped me to do it........

Now,,,if only i could give up chocolate.........:rolleyes:

How's my favorite Brit this morning?

Gonna be in your country early Wednesday morning. Will be arriving at Gatwick about eight in the AM.

Only going to be in London a short while. Any suggestions as to what to see?

U could go to the London Dungeon and see the mad axe man who i thought was a wax work dummy,,,,the same one who chased me and made me wee out of fear !!! lol

Morning Frogger,,,I hope u have a great time in London,,,,try go visit Harrods,,,,try Carnaby Street...If u have time visit the London Dungeons (tacky and touristy,,,but interesting and fun)
Hope it dont rain too much for u...

Borg,

I commend you on kicking the cigarette habit. I began smoking at age nine and was up to three and a half packs of unfiltered Camels a day before I quit in my thirties. Even though I quit I wound up with smoking related cancer.

I would strongly urge everyone to give up smoking.

I've been smoking since I was 7, my grampa used to buy them for me, I started on Marlboro reds, tried Grams unfiltered camels, yuk! then moved on to newports and have smoked menthol since.

I got a nicotrol inhaler recently *which is nasty* but I'm trying to use that instead of smoking as much. I wish I could quit.

Jelly Beans and Cherries helped me to do it........

Now,,,if only i could give up chocolate.........:rolleyes:
You're spoiling the image I have of you as being a hot nurse Helen.....

Geez Borg a three month experiment, good that you can quit. I quit 8 years ago and still occasionally long for one. I could inhale without passing out when I was 6. It was a trick I was coaxed to do for my brothers friends. I didn't get serious about it till I was 15 or so. By the time I quit I was a pack to a pack and a half.

The thing that bugged me about it most was once I decided to quit, I just did. I didn't even get bitchy. I thought it would take me more than one try. I think perhaps I was not physically addicted. Apparently some people aren't. I used being addicted as an excuse to not try quitting for years. It sure does keep your appetite suppressed I miss that part.

i do it to stop myself from killing my co-workers, seriously.


Yeah, that works for me, too.

WTF? you started smoking on purpose to se if you would get hooked? what is wrong with you boy? You are right though, it gives you something to do, and something to look forward to. that is why so many people in the militray take up smoking. Long periods of nothing to do but smoke. PLus it helps keep you awake, and scares off mosquitos.

I chewed tobacco in HS and weened myself onto cigarettes to save my lower lip... I only smoked a few a day but it did take a toll on my physically... I came home to many times and the smell of smoke lead to accusations that i was at a bar all night so I came up with something. I use those patches... I put one on every day in the morning after a shower for the past 5 years. And with the price of smokes these days it is almost cheaper to use a patch a day than a pack a day.

The one big advantage to the patch is dreams... You will have vivid dreams... (it says so on the box) .... I am talking wild and crazy dreams that to me feel so intense and real. Unfortunately i haven't been able to swing them to a sexual nature... try as i might

My dad eats those little nicotine lozenges like candy, 2 and a half years since he's smoked. Since he eats so many, it would actually probably cost less for him to smoke a pack a day. Those things aren't cheap.

I didn't even get bitchy.

C'mon, Sal. Didn't get bitchy. Hel, gal, you get bitchy now if someone crosses you. I'll bet you bit the heads off little kids when you were giving up cigarettes.:lolhit:

I crave one of those Black and Milds every month or so. Usually when drinking with friends or family. It's a tasty social affectation. Mild, sweet pipe tobacco, really. In a small, slender cigar form.

Never smoked cigarettes. Nasty cleaning up after them.

:cool:

got to hand it to you, doing that shit to your body just for the sake of science, its good you quit while your ahead. man I smoked since i was in high school, Ive been quit for fifteen years now, I just can`t stand the smell of those things anymore.

Last time I had a smoke, my mouth tasted like ashes for a week. Every food I ate, every drink I had tasted like ashes. I don't know how you people could ever take up smoking...even for an experiment.

So now that we know Borg's reason for smoking...what's everyone else's? How did you get started?

So now that we know Borg's reason for smoking...what's everyone else's? How did you get started?

My daddy came home from Veitnam when I was 5 with PTSD. He used to stress me and I would actually shake in fear. By the time I turned 7 I realized a cigeratte helped calm me down. I grew up around adults all the time who smoked and had no problem with me doing it. They thought it was cute and 'grown up'. :rolleyes:

I smoked because I just wanted to try it, continued because I like the taste.

I chewed tobacco in HS and weened myself onto cigarettes to save my lower lip... I only smoked a few a day but it did take a toll on my physically... I came home to many times and the smell of smoke lead to accusations that i was at a bar all night so I came up with something. I use those patches... I put one on every day in the morning after a shower for the past 5 years. And with the price of smokes these days it is almost cheaper to use a patch a day than a pack a day.

The one big advantage to the patch is dreams... You will have vivid dreams... (it says so on the box) .... I am talking wild and crazy dreams that to me feel so intense and real. Unfortunately i haven't been able to swing them to a sexual nature... try as i might

Liquid are you saying you still put a nic patch on...now, today, everyday for five years?

C'mon, Sal. Didn't get bitchy. Hel, gal, you get bitchy now if someone crosses you. I'll bet you bit the heads off little kids when you were giving up cigarettes.:lolhit:

Well actually "bitchy" is a relative term. I have bitten the heads off of little kids my whole life. You say that like perhaps it is a bad thing. I rid the world of rug rats! Heroic.

Well actually "bitchy" is a relative term. I have bitten the heads off of little kids my whole life. You say that like perhaps it is a bad thing. I rid the world of rug rats! Heroic.

With her duck teeth. She gets a kick out of eating halos, too.

Last time I had a smoke, my mouth tasted like ashes for a week. Every food I ate, every drink I had tasted like ashes. I don't know how you people could ever take up smoking...even for an experiment.

So now that we know Borg's reason for smoking...what's everyone else's? How did you get started?
I enjoyed smoking from day one. It decreased my appetite and made me feel calm when I needed it, energized when that was my preference. It was a motivator to get up. It was my breakfast with a coffee. It was a drug legally available to me all day. In those days I smoked at my desk. I lit one up when I got to work and probably never put it out until I left work in the evening, many, many hours later. It was the first thing I did when I got into my car and the last thing I did before I got into bed.

Liquid are you saying you still put a nic patch on...now, today, everyday for five years?

Yepper... i have worn a patch everyday for years... 14 patches cost me 45 bucks usually.. same as a carton of high end smokes pretty much....
i switch to the step 1 (21mg) and step 2 (14mg)...

The only effect i have ever had is if i put the patch in the same place three or more times in a row my skin will turn reddish and burn a little...so i switch arms each time... the clear patches are not good. The adhesive wears out after about 12 hours. The normal tan ones will stick all day.

Patches can cause dementia and double posts, use em wisely.

Nicotine is one bitch of an addiction. People that haven't smoked simply cannot understand it. It's a drug you need every hour or less once addicted & I personally could not function without it - after a few hours of no nicotine then I could not think, could not do anything basically, my head was only consumed with one thought - get some nicotine.

There is a new quit smoking drug out called Chantix that is very good - I had tried everything before - zyban, patches, gum etc - none were successful for me beyond a few days, everybody who smokes is addicted to different levels, some lucky people can "chip" - ie smoke now and again & remain not addicted. My addiction was pretty damn strong.

In mid-June - I quit - for 2 months & started exercising (run/walk 5 miles a day on the treadmill). 2 months is like a miracle - I'd figured that it was impossible for me to quit - but that Chantix really works.

Then stupidly - after 2 months - after several beers I smoked a cig! - beyond it being the best cig I ever had in my life (I had to lay on the floor after smoking it) - it was downhill after that & I was back smoking probably more than I was b4 I quit.

I've quit again now, but only recently.

I have never tried a cigarette, I hate breathing second hand smoke. My dad smoked, it made the house and his clothes smell.
Good luck, Drew, I am sure you can be successful.

I never tried smoking but know of many people who are social smokers, and addicts too.

Smoking here in the UAE is viewed as really bad among Emirati nationals, especially among girls. Some parents would beat her up over it to get her to stop. But if it's a male smoker, then it's okay, he might just get a long lecture if any.

During one of my rebellious moments I thought of picking up a cigarette and just trying it for once, to see what all the fuss was about. I didn't do it though, but who knows :p

want some advice Borg, don`t try crack or meth just to see if you get hooked.

want some advice Borg, don`t try crack or meth just to see if you get hooked.
Thank you, Ann Landers.

Don`t mention it, its the least I can do:confused: Thank you, Ann Landers.