Smoking - did you? Do you? What are your thoughts on smoking..?

[MorningHood]

Inspired by another thread about smoking around a baby.. I’m curious what people think of smoking in society these days?

Were you a smoker or have you never smoked? Did your parents/close family smoke around you growing up? Do they still smoke? Have you lost family members as a direct result?

Personally I smoked from mid teens till early 20’s, mainly socially, but daily and was definitely addicted. Although it was around 5-10 per day unless I was on a ‘big night out’ where it was more like 20+! I gave up for 2 years in my mid 20’s and then foolishly started again when I was late 20’s, again socially and this went on/off till I was early 30’s when I quit for good.

Both my parents / step-parents smoke(d) and I lost one parent to COPD in their early 60’s. Other parent and partner both smoke and are SO adamant about never stopping to the point it’s caused family arguments as one of them clearly has some breathing issues. They are very good about not smoking around grandchildren and don’t smoke inside the house though (anymore).

I find smoking just utterly detestable now, it truly stinks and it’s hard to get the smell out of fabrics etc. It’s also outrageously expensive.

Hate it. Never smoked, it stinks. People who smoke think no one can smell it on them when in fact they smell like dead racoon. Also hate vaping though, the stink of strawberry or worse, weed.

I sometimes wonder if smokers would object to me going round and squirting them with stinky perfume. Probably, but the group of 6 men who smoke outside my train station think nothing or creating a wall of stink to walk through every morning so my lovely smelling washed hair gets ruined.

Smoked on and off since I was a teen (mostly on) sometimes just socially, sometimes 'full time'.

DH smoked fairly heavily from teen to 41.

We'd both switched to Iqos / HEETs at the start of 2023, and both stopped cold Turkey when I got pregnant at the end of 2023. Very proud of DH who was properly addicted.

Honestly, I miss it sometimes. Would never pick up smoking properly again but can't say I'll never have 1 or 2 after a few drinks in a beer garden again. Never ever around DS though.

Note that the big tobacco companies knew of the health issues but worked tirelessly to gloss over them and are doing their best to make sure sales in eg Africa and the Far East stay high. They give cigarettes away to children in these places to get them smoking.

Never have, never will and I’m fortunate to have raised a young adult DD with the same feelings (out of pure luck, no lectures from me!). It’s an absolutely disgusting, anti-social habit. Nothing worse than smoker’s breath, never mind the long term health conditions that come with it. DD finds it particularly alarming that within her age group (early 20s) smoking is gaining popularity as it’s being seen as cool and edgy again.. I despair!

Never smoked, never tried. My Dad's younger brother died aged 43, not from the throat cancer he had but by haemorrhaging from the trachaeostomy he had to have during his treatment.

I started at 14 and stopped for good when I was 26 as I was trying for a baby but before I quit for good I had had a few years where I'd quit and then started again.

I wouldn't pick up the habit again. I have probably smoked two full cigarettes in the last 8 years.

I always said I never wanted my children to see me smoking and I think that's powerful. My mum smoked and whilst she was pissed off when she first found out, she ended up allowing me to smoke in the house at age 15. I had planned on never telling my kids I used to smoke but they were asking about my vape the other day and why I use it. I do plan on giving up the vape soon but I really want to lose weight and my doctor told me my weight is a greater health concern than the vape.

I much prefer the smell of cigarettes over vapes

I smoked for years. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

It is of course, terrible for one’s health and bank balance.

Disgusting. Cigarette consumption and the machinations of the tobacco industry to keep it going are such potent representations of capitalism. It’s the ideal product really isn’t it – lasts all of two minutes and if you get them early you’ve got a customer for life, possibly against their will (power). The only drawback being the product kills the customers.

The customers have a limited life span anyway. The trick is too keep each generation doing it by whatever means possible.

It is one of the great sadnesses of my life that smoking cigarettes is so bad for you and so expensive. It is just the most equisite perfect little hit as you go about your day.

It was really hard not to join in smoking growing up in the 1980s and 1990s. I hated smoking but became a smoker because everyone did it. Then it became the norm, addicted, associate with the best times. Gave up several times, gave in time and time again. If growing up now ot would be different. Xx

I have never smoked a cigarette in my life, but I don't really care if other people do - we all have our pleasures/vices in life.

I’ve never smoked. I always thought it was gross. I grew up mostly with my grandparents as my primary caregivers from 3 months old and they both smoked heavily. I got pneumonia as a baby (because of the secondhand smoke exposure, no doubt) and nearly died and have asthma now, so I’ve always thought smoking was disgusting. Don’t really know anyone who smokes as an adult, but probably because we wouldn’t be friends.

I’m 51. Started smoking at uni when I was 20, and smoked until I was 48. My mum smoked when I was a kid, and gave up at 60. She’s 78 now.

Unlike most pp, I really loved smoking and just reading this thread has made me think I could go a cigarette now!

I’m a lecturer and absolutely loads of our students smoke - mainly around 18-22ish, mature students less likely to. I’m honestly astonished anyone can afford to smoke now. I think my brand of fags (Marlboro Gold, used to be called Marlboro Lights) are about £15 a pack.

My mum smoked all through my childhood.

I started when I was about 14 - I used to steal hers.
As I got to be an older teen all my friends smoked.

I stopped when I was about 30 but have had the odd one since then.
I always enjoyed smoking, I wouldn't have done it otherwise.

Former smoker. Not too heavy, between 5-10 a day. Smoked from high school age until 29. I stopped for around a year whilst pregnant and thought it would be it, but did start again (much less maybe 4 a day max.) one day randomly stopped as I couldn't be bothered to stop and get some. I was also hiding it from my long term partner who never realised I smoked & didn't want my kids to see/smell it. I was pleased I stopped.
Although when I see people smoking a cigarette I do still think, yum I know how good that feels for you. On nights out I fantasise about buying a packet to enjoy, but never have 🤣 I'm glad I didn't have the struggle to quit, but I'm still not 100% disgusted by it like most ex smokers.

Former smoker here. Never really bothered me since, still vape if I have a drink.

BUT, I was at the beach the other day and walked by a pub and someone was smoking and despite not having smoked for maybe 15 years I could have taken it and smoked it

My parents smoked. DM gave up when pregnant with me but stayed the occasional social smoker. DF also smoked for all his life but later only when drinking.

I now smoke maybe 10 cigarettes a year, only when drinking and mostly when abroad

To add: the only other smokers I know are similar upper middle/upper cigarette smokers who have a cigarette occasionally/on holiday.

But i also know a lot of working class vapers who are vaping constantly.

I do wonder about the media targeting, the cost, and the long term implications

I smoked from 15 to 22, stopped because I was pregnant and then 5 years later, stupidly started again. I’m now 42 and still smoking. I have tried to quit many times but the real problem is even if I never touch another cigarette, deep down I’ll always be a smoker.

DP also smokes and has just bought a vaper thingy, if he isn’t smoking it will be easier for me to quit.

I never smoked apart from the odd cigar at new year's eve. My parents never smoked.
My partner smoked when I met him, he switched to snus and has many times tried to quit but can never manage it, which has reinforced my hatred of nicotine in all its forms.

I smoked when I was younger and you couldn't pay me to do it now. It's a big regret that I did it at all.

Smoked in my teens/early 20's because of peer pressure to fit in. It was difficult to quit because there were so many smokers! I never took it back up. It was too hard to quit first time.

It helped that the prices here in Aus are eye watering & you can't smoke (almost) anywhere in public.

Now I can't bear being near the stink. It triggers my migraines & I move away from anyone stinking of smoke.

Vapes are far worse now. So many kids & young adults, who'd never touch smokes, are taking it up.

I would sometimes share a cigarette with my friends when I was a teen, it was usually at the weekend or at a party. I never really liked it though & haven’t touched one since I was 17. I’m 39 now.

It’s a horrible habit, the stale, rancid smell, the way the nicotine stains things. What it does to your lungs is appalling. It’s a strange thing to do when you think about it, you’re literally sucking on a stick and breathing poisonous smoke into your lungs😵‍💫

Dhs mum & stepdad used to smoke in the house and the car when dh was a kid. His mums ceiling was stained yellow for years. They both stopped smoking about 15 years ago but still vape a lot.
Dh has always despised smoking & has never tried one. He’s pretty vocal when people smoke near him or blow it near our kids.

I see more people vaping than smoking cigarettes nowadays.