... to wish that I could smoke indoors again?

[Rommell]

Yeah, I know, smokers stink, what about Roy Castle, you make my clothes smell, cancer sticks, idiot sticks etc. But there was something nice about having a pint and a fag, or a cup of tea and a fag, or watching telly with a fag, or punctuating the good bit of a book with a fag, or staying up all night writing an essay with a hundred fags. I miss it. Plus these days people seem to be offended by a fag even in the open air, or by vaping which as far as I can make out is similar in effect to standing next to a boiling kettle. Anybody else nostalgic for days gone by when tenants could do as they liked in their own living-rooms?

I'll go with 0.0001% chance of face explosion over lung cancer, yellow teeth, stinking and paying seven quid a day for a 20 pack

I have such major guilt tonight- I have a 4 mth old DS. I havent smoked for about 18 mths, but this evening felt the urge to have a cig on the back porch. (my son is asleep and so I could hear him if he stired). I am so conflicted as just for five minutes wanted to do it, just to do something purely selfish for once, almost like a mini meditation.
Any smokers or ex smokers know what I mean? Just to be me in that moment.

I'm glad it's not just the pubs that's I frequent that smell pretty nasty. People need to have a good scrub a bit more often a wear flipping deodorant. I would take cigarette smoke over that any day of the week.

However, cafe's, restaurants etc no wouldn't want it back. Too young for the buses, planes and cinema's but again no wouldn't want it back. And nobody get's to smoke in my house (unless I'm a tad drunk but even then it's out the kitchen window and only if the little one isn't here).

I remember smoking on planes....in shops....and trains/tubes....(the one carriage with empty seats in the morning rush hour) those were the days. And I gave up 3 years ago.
YANBU .

I have not smoked in 10 years it miss it everyday.

Chuggabo I get you. Not worth it if you're not sure if you'll stop at one. You have 18 months under your belt that's an achievement. Also it'll probably make you feel a bit dizzy and a bit sick.

grassy what is a good, inexpensive first vaping kit?

Chuggabo I understand the need to have that moment of punctuation, but you'll be happier in the long run if you don't. Could you perhaps think how good you feel about the last 18 months; I mean, really think about it? And then close the door on it, happy that you have.

Thank you Cupid, you are totally right - I just wish I could transfer that "self" feeling into something else.

Chgaboo, I get you. I gVe up through pregnancy and breastfeeding woth both children, but started having the odd sneaky fag out the back door once they were about 6 months old. Depends what sort of smoker you are/were. I was a dedicated 10- a -day smoker and for me, those sneaky fags were the route back, eventually, to smoking for me. I finally gave up in January (my kids are 9 and 5). I had reached the stage of hating myself for smoking. Try to resist if you can. I dint say that in judginess, but just because of you were a proper smoker, it is NEVER going to be just the one.

Pigs, I so agree. It's everywhere. My kids say "Eww, what's that stink?" and it positively reeks out of some houses / people / parents. I know Skunk when I smell it, which I do with increasing frequency. Probably a lot more harmful and offensive than the odd fag.

Offside, I remember literally stalking an old man round Liverpool Street station once because he smelled of my grandad's cherry tobacco, and I missed him. I ended up speaking to him, and it turned out he had been in the Fourth Army at the same time. He was selling Poppies. We had a great chat. Smell is so evocative. Suddenly he WAS my grandad, at Monte Cassino, and he got a massive donation and i felt better. It turned out they had probably even met.

Years back, when I was a consultant and not ateacher, the only way to meet sane people was to smoke on the fire esacpe / doorway.

I know it's easy to romanticise it, but smell, time, place, were / are so important, and this sort of division emphasises it. All my elderly male relatives were smoke of varying types and either mints, booze, or allotment smells. My mum and all females were smoke and varying perfume.

The cinemas were popcorn and fags.

Pubs smell a bit of wee now. And the better ones, that don't, have no character or are now "eateries". I mourn pubs. I might be mourning the me that could go to pubs, mind, i'm not sure. Now i'm 43 and knackered.

letgotostonehenge - I started on the cigarette-a-like e-cigs (E-Lites). I didnt like them at first, but was determined to stop smoking. After 3-4 weeks, I got used to them, but within another month or so I got pissed off with a few aspects of them (battery dies after a few hours; refills are pricey, although not compared to smoking; the 'smoke' wasnt thick enough/didnt gve me that hit at the back of the throat that smoking does).

I have been using VIP electric 'cartomiser' cigs for the past 2 months. A starter pack is about 20 quid I think, and then I buy about 15 quids worth of 'juice' every 6-8 weeks. I bloody love them now I have got used to them (takes a while to get used to smoking something which doesnt look/feel like a fag, to get used to the slightly fiddly charging/topping up the 'juice', and to find a juice you like the flavour of)....but now, I actually LOVE my VIP. I prefer it to smoking (and I LOVED a faaaaaag and had smoked on and off quite heavily for 20 years). It feels like smoking (nice thick 'smoke' and the throat hit), its reasonably cheap, the battery lasts 24-48 hours and I can do it almost anywhere. Its a revelation.

There is a really extensive vaping thread somewhere on MN, if you do a search. Try it!

Laymizzrarb I remember all of those things too, and also smoking rooms at work, which were always the most interesting part of the office. In fact, i got my first job after graduating due to a (high up) erstwhile smoking buddy from a job I'd had as a student recommending me after I'd applied and the recruiter had an informal chat with him.

I used to fly a fair bit, and remember even a long time after BA and the like had banned it, I would try to use Air France because they kept up the smoking section for longer.

I can honestly say I havent felt even a twinge of a craving fr a ciggie since I started vaping, by the eay, and can say hand on heart that I know I will NEVER smoke again. I am currently trying to wean myself off the nictotine juice in the e-cig and go for just a flavoured juice, but I know that if I ever am going to be in a situation where I'll want to smoke (night out etc), I'll bring my VIP with a nice strong nictine juice in it and that will sort me out.

YABSOOOOOU

I hated going home and having to wash my hair and clothes to get rid of the stench of other peoples stale smoke. Losing my voice because of the clouds of smoke in I spent all night breathing in. The general fact cigarette smoke smells VILE and not therefore what I want to inhale while eating something I've paid lots of money for. Renting? Great that you aren't allowed to smoke, because guess what, the smoke soaks into the walls, carpet and any shitty furniture and NEVER fully comes out, meaning the house stinks long after you've left.

Blimey.

When I am ruler of the known universe and all I survey, I will introduce 'smoking bars' where it is not only welcome but compulsory to have a fag in your hand. I will employ people to go round saying things like: "Excuse me, sir, but I noticed that you haven't actually had a cig in the last thirty minutes; would you mind lighting up, please - this is a smoking bar, after all."

YANBU! Chain smoking whilst essay writing was the highlight of uni.

Good times.

What Bank said.smoking is foul.

thanks grassy

GrassIsSinging I have been intrigued by vaping for some time now, especially about being able to smoke in bed etc. I would want a nicotine hit though - can't be doing with all of those flavours. As I understand it, the cigar-type holders are better than the others. Am I right? Should I just get myself onto the vaping thread and if so do I have to read the whole thing or can I just launch my questions and get a bit of advice?

Rommell - Join the thread and ask questions - I couldnt be arsed to read the whole thing either . People on there are friendly and patient and answer quickly.

When I started on VIPs (theyre one of those weird looking cigar holder ones) I was on 2.4% nictotine (strong, like red Marlboro or B&H) and am now on 0.6% (like Silk Cut, but still have a strong hit). I cant be doing with chocolate or apple or whatever either.

I'm with Bank. Nights out used to mean headaches, no voice and breathing issues (whether or not I was drinking). The odd slightly smelly person (and it isn't more than that in the range of pubs I use) is not comparable with that.

Having kids made me stop smoking indoors and take it outside. Really miss those days of lying in bed with a coffee puffing away...

It would seem so alien to do it now.

Thanks, GrassIsSinging, that has encouraged me to take the plunge. I do increasingly think that vaping is the way forward.