Smoking

[SinaJolene]

Do you smoke or not? And what about the rest of your family?
We're an all smokers family...

Family of ex-smokers now vapers here, largely.

Me - started smoking age 12, switched to vaping mid 40's

DH - started smoking age 15, switched to vaping mid 40's

DS - started smoking age 15, switched to vaping age 17, quit completely age 20 (simultaneously ashamed and proud )

DD - never smoked or vaped.

DM - started smoking age 17, quit age 78 because she physically could not breathe due to COPD. Still misses it.

DSis - started smoking age 14, still struggling in early 50's, has cut down thanks to vaping, COPD.

Various other family members are ex-smokers-now-vapers, or in the process of switching or quitting.

If you're thinking of stopping and want support, head over to the stop smoking topic. We're very friendly, whatever method you're using

Both my parents smoked. My dad dies from a heart attack and my mum from COPD. It was horrible to see her struggling to breathe, and to hear her chest gurgling was quite possibly one of the most revolting sounds I have ever heard.

As a result my sister and I cannot tolerate smoking. One of my cousins smokes and one of my nieces smokes. No-one else in the family does. As far as I know only one of my friends smokes.

What is your AIBU?

DHs family are smokers.

FIL & MIL both in their 70s and smoke despite having health scares in the past. They are constantly coughing so sadly probably heading for COPD and worse health conditions but showing no interest in giving up.

None of my friends or family smoke, except possibly my sister (she's given up but Mum's not convinced!). Both parents did at some point and I did a little bit 'socially' as a student, but stopped when it was banned inside.

Ex smoker here. 7 years this month. It fucking disgusting. I wish I could turn back the clock and never touch a cigarette.

I never understand why people are shitty about older relatives with COPD. It's not catching and they haven't done it to spite you, it's just a horrible end result of an addiction they've probably had since childhood or early adolescence.

I'm far more concerned with whether my Dmum can get out of the house and live her life than if her breathing sounds disgusting.

Perhaps some people hate their older relatives for unrelated reasons but smoking is a handy peg to hang it all on.

Ex smoker- stopped (for the final time) 13 years ago.Am currently suffering from chesty cough- the doctor told me that I had probably done damage when I did smoke and might therefore be more prone to chest trouble than average.
So glad I stopped before it got much worse.

DH smokes, I don't. My dad smokes, mum is an ex smoker

You have got it so wrong Plenty. I loved my parents. I was trying to illustrate, and clearly very unsuccessfully, how awful the results of an addiction to smoking is. It ain't pretty.

My parents used to smoke in the car (only 2 doors) with the windows closed. My sister and I loathe the smell of cigarette smoke. My mum used to spit up phlegm all the time and leave it in ashtrays around the house. Her cough was awful, and we always knew where she was sitting in the audience during school productions.

Smoking is a horrible, horrible addiction.

I also used to hate travelling by car when my dad was driving as he also smoked with the windows closed. Bad memories!

Only when I go out drinking I smoke. Doesn't bother me any other time

Yep, awful, not pretty, loathesome, spitting up phlegm, awful and horrible, bla bla bla I get it.

Why do non-smokers who have lost someone to smoking think they are so unique in understanding the dreadfulness of smoking? Half of all long-term smokers die prematurely, losing on average a decade of life. Smoking runs in families so of course most of us who come from families where smoking is the norm have lost people we love and / or have relatives who have smoking-related health problems. It's shit. The shit thing is that someone you love is no longer there or struggles to breathe or is in pain, not that their breathing is a bit disgusting or they need to cough up phlegm. Who cares about that in the scheme of things?

DMum today has managed to walk farther than she has for several months. The cooler weather seems to be good for her. She's thinking about maybe going out on her own for a short walk soon. I'm dead pleased because it means she will maybe retain her independence a bit longer than I thought she would. She's declining fast and I will miss her dreadfully when she's gone. I don't care if her breath is wheezy and gurgly, she's brilliant and I love her.

Agree, PubeGardens. Nana is 89 and has smoked for 70 years. If she wheezes or coughs, or gurgles, well, so what. I've helped her to the toilet (just as she did with me when I was a child), I've dressed her weeping wounds and sores. She could phlgem on me, I wouldn't give a fuck. She's strong, and amazing, and if she didn't manage to give up smoking, so fucking what? I'm glad your Mum is doing well.

No, and I don't know many smokers at all except for my sister and her husband. Never been tempted as I despise the habit. A lady came into our office toilet the other day and I was nearly sick from the smell of her. Stale smoke - eurgh.

Times have thankfully moved on since it was acceptable to smoke in a car or the house!

I'm sure some still do this however it's just not how it used to be...

My dad was a heavy smoker and died of a heart attack when I was 13, my mum was a non smoker as was the rest of my family other than one uncle.

DH and I are non smokers, none of Dh immediate family are smokers either.

No one in my or dh's family smoke. I can only think of 1 friend who does. I don't think anyone in our street smokes either.

No-one in my immediate family smokes any more, although I think at one time or another in the past they pretty much all did (myself included). I think my brother still vapes though.

I went to a family party a few months back and was surprised to see that the only smokers left, were all over the age of about 55 probably.

It's definitely something that has gone out of fashion, thank goodness.

I have to say though, I really hate the 'MN' hypocrisy surrounding smoking.

So many people bursting with insults and vitriol towards nicotine addicts, yet often the very same people will have nothing but sympathy and empathy for food addicts.

Addiction is addiction and often the reasons for various addictions are exactly the same, yet smokers are so often looked down on here and called 'thick', 'disgusting', 'vile' and a whole host of other bollocks.

Ah I miss the days when we all lived in a big cloud of smoke...

Agree with you WorraLiberty

None of us smoke, thank god but I used to. Smoking is an addiction like any other and I still struggle sometimes even though I stopped 20 years ago.

I did have to 'have words' with a colleague who was rather viciously having a go at another friend for smoking whilst wiping the powder from his own nose. Massive hypocrisy.

No-one in my generation or that of my children smokes in our family. My mother is dying from stage 4 lung cancer (smoked for 58 years)

I don't neither does OH. My parents were smokers. My mums parents were and so were all 5 of her children and married smokers too. Some of my aunts and uncle have gone onto vaping now. Curious that out of 4 couples, my aunties/uncles and 8 cousins (their children) none of my cousins smoke.