Why does MN hate smokers so much?

[PalmTreesPurple]

Not all of MN of course but I’ve seen a lot of negativity about it. I understand not liking smoking yourself because of the health issues, I’m a smoker after giving up for nearly a year and I was stupid to start again but it’s a nasty addiction to kick. I only smoke outside, in designated smoking areas, and never around people who are eating/close to other people. I also don’t smoke in places like parks or walking through town. It is either in my garden or in a designated spot. Would a smoker like that bother you, or is it people who don’t have any courtesy, or do you just not like smokers in general?

Not being aggressive at all, just very interested.

Would also like to know if anyone on here smokes themselves?

It stinks and most certainly you have that bad breathe. Also I personally think its selfish if you have kids.
Both dh and I are not smokers, so are our dps. I honestly feel nauseous if I enter a place where there is that smoke smell.

I have never smoked but I don’t actually have a massive problem with it. I don’t want to sit eating with smoke around me or smoke around my children at all but seeing people smoke doesn’t bother me at all.

I don’t think it’s anything to do with intelligence. I have friends who smoke and have done for years and they’re of well above average intelligence. They enjoy it and are considerate to others so it’s upto them. I drink wine, on occasion lots of it..that’s my choice...

I do judge people who take drugs though. Again it’s not something I’ve ever done but I do have a problem with it...

And I wish you well with giving it up, OP!

Tell me what you LOVE about smoking op?

Here are some of the things I hate about it, in no order (non smoker)
-stinks
-makes your hair/breath/clothes/car/house stink, and mine if you do it near me
-prioritising smoking over other things
-average cost per packet it nearly a tenner
-health issues
-mindset of knowing all the above and still not able to resist lighting up

So my mum was diagnosed with a smoking related cancer. Life changing surgery later and she still struggles.

Over the years she smoked - 50 years, 20 a day- she could have saved, at today's price of her own brand, £130k. That's almost what my house cost when I bought it. One Hundred And Thirty THOUSAND POUNDS.

We were skint when I was a kid. No holidays, no nice trainers, embarrassed at non-uniform days at school, knackered horrible old car that had more welding than the Flintstones car and ended up being pushed more than it drove. But the ciggies always came. Layers of smoke in the lounge for me and my siblings to breathe in.

I don't know if I have any lifelong damage due to passive smoking, but I know I cannot forgive my mum for the things we went without, and for her current health worries, due to smoking.

It stinks and it's a supremely selfish habit.

I think they're selfish.

I know this a very personal view coming from a child of smokers who couldn't even manage a 50 minute train journey without making us sit in the smokers carriage on the train (back in ye olden days when you were allowed to smoke anywhere) and smoked in the house constantly. Who refused my pleas to give up and eventually died of cancer still sneakily smoking.

Yes, I know it's an addiction. Which is why I think anyone who takes it up these days must be quite stupid.

And no matter how many times you say you smoke only outdoors, it still makes your house smell, unless you do go to the end of the garden. (Most people I know only stand by the door)

And I could tell which kids were parents of smokers when I worked in a school. Which makes me sad as these kids don't realise they stink. I didn't realise till I moved out at 19 and went back to visit then went home again. Oh god, I was mortified when I realised I must have stunk of smoke my entire childhood. It's really not nice.

I hate everything about smoking. I just cant understand why people do it. In my mind it makes them look less intelligent and a bit common.

This sort of attitude is frankly far more disgusting than smoking.

There’s such an enormous amount of evidence that clearly links smoking to mental health issues, and childhood trauma especially in women.

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120712224628.htm

academic.oup.com/ntr/article-abstract/9/11/1071/1063477?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Those with severe depression are not only more likely to smoke but there are observable physiological differences in the brain’s response to withdrawal from nicotine, making it more difficult for those with mental health issues or past trauma to quit smoking:

www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/s/smoking-and-mental-health

For me, my history of smoking and my history of childhood trauma are inextricably linked since my (physically, mentally and sexually) abusive father got me addicted to cigarettes when I was 13, quite deliberately.

Despite more attempts than I can count, I’ve only managed to successfully quit twice and both times I’ve fallen off the wagon spectacularly both times - once when my mother died, and once when I thought my son was going to die.

I hate that I smoke. I wish I could quit and stay off them. Before my mum died I quit for a year and craved cigarettes every hour of every day for the entire year. You name it, I’ve tried it.

I am an intelligent person - I have a high IQ, a good degree from a top university, I am not stupid. I understand that it’s likely to kill me and that it will be horrific - I wish that could stop me. Nor am I “common” (which is a vile way to talk about people regardless). I am quite fucked up though, after a horrendously abusive childhood, and this is the main way it impacts me.

Personally I despise heavy drinking and find drunk people and the smell of alcohol on people repellant, but I don’t go around calling alcoholics thick and common. For some reason people generally seem to understand the link between alcoholism and mental health issues, but disregard the links with smoking. People argue that smoking is harmful to others and drinking isn’t - having been raised around abusive alcoholics I would beg to differ.

So hate the smell as much as you want, hate smoking as much as you want, but stop with the unfounded judgement.

@Muppetry76 Sorry for what you’ve been through. I’m fortunate enough to be in a good, well-paid job so that isn’t a concern for me right now. If you look through my posts you will see that I have said that I only picked it up again because it helps me alleviate my stress, but that I have been encouraged to give up again.

I don’t think it’s anything to do with intelligence. I have friends who smoke and have done for years and they’re of well above average intelligence.

Intelligence and common sense are totally different things.

Sorry one more thing OP; this is really weird tip that may not work for you because I found it helpful for alcohol not smoking BUT it's worth a go. I found I could throw my dopamine response off a bit by eating something either really sweet or salty when the craving kicked in. Sounds random I know but try it if you get a chance - I found Vegemite on toast with a hot chocolate really knocked it on the head.

Im a smoker
I enjoy it
People who wouldnt talk to me cos of it is a bonus, weeding out the uptight ones early. The non smokers, from the never smoked to the ones who quit in my life dont act or talk like some posts here.

Why do you care what a bunch of randoms on MN of all places think?
Dare i say its a roundabout way of starting a smoker bash thread

@PalmTreesPurple It really shouldn’t matter what other people think, you can’t live your life by other peoples preferences. Obviously quitting smoking is fine, but it should be something you want to actively done, not done to please other people. If you do think smoking helps your mental health (which it commonly does for people with mental health issues) then please think about seeking professional help from your GP. I’m on ADs, I had mine increased when I tried to stop smoking last year as it would reduce the impact on my mental health. In the end I kept the cigs and kept the increased dose for a few months as well.

Don’t be hard on yourself either, you’ll probably slip up at some point, making a big deal out of that slip up will be of absolutely no use to you. It also doesn’t make you weak.

I wouldn't assume someone was intelligent but when I see younger people (below 30) I just don't get it, it hasn't been 'cool' for a long time and is such a waste of money. When my dad or BIL come anywhere near me they stink but they'll totally oblivious

It's disgusting, stinky, bad for everyone's health, a drain on the NHS.

I totally get it's an addiction, DH is a former 20 day smoker, but there are so many substitute options for quitting these days, I don't feel it's acceptable to not even try.

I'm an ex smoker and I love the waft of a fag in a beer garden! I can smell a smoker a mile off though and if I go to a smokers house I can smell it on me afterwards, even if they didn't smoke while I was there. I think because I used to smoke I get why people do and certainly don't hate smokers. Giving up is bloody hard!

Here's another example of the sheer selfishness: in the past few years I've seen at least four people smoking underground on the tube. Even though smoking underground was banned in 1987, after 31 people died in a fire caused by a discarded cigarette at King's Cross. I realise these people don't represent all smokers but FGS, the mentality of people to do something that could literally cause people to die in a fire.

@SinkGirl I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through and thank you for highlighting this. I have bipolar disorder and was diagnosed with CPTSD three years ago from trauma in my late teens. I also have a high IQ and am in a very good job which requires a lot of intelligence. So I do find it upsetting to be called thick.

Smokers and fat people are thought of as the lowest of the low on MN.

No idea OP. On MN cig smokers are the devil's incarnate who should die horrible deaths. But weed smoking is fine. even though smoking weed makes you an utter loser. Imagine if the stuff was legal? Doesn't bear thinking about

But no. Smoking a cig makes you thick and smelly.

Love a smoking thread me

My mum smoked from when she was 13 until she was about 45. I begged her to give up...she did!!

She then was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung Cancer in April 2014 and she died in June 2014.
She was 67. She had not smoked for 20 odd years...
I abhor smoking !!!

I have no problem at all with smokers who smoke in their own house/in their own private space and respect their right to do so. What I HATE is walking along the road and having disgusting clouds of smoke blown in my face by people walking along in front of me. I think there should be smoking buildings a bit like public toilets where smokers have to go if they want to smoke when they’re out and about. I don’t think it should be allowed on the streets as it affects others.

Funnily enough I want to add that my addiction started due to mental health reasons. I had an eating disorder and had been told that smoking curbed your appetite, so I started smoking in replacement of eating.

You're not thick pal. Maybe mute this thread if it's getting a bit much. It's good you've now got more motivation to quit but don't let it tip over into self-hatred. Hop over the the addiction support board, we're all cheerleaders on there.

I don't mind smokers they're just people. But the smell is revolting. It's like asking if you mind someone with BO near you. Obviously you do.

Thank you @Hangingover. I will have a look over there. It has tipped me into a little self-hatred but I am the one to blame as I asked the question! At least I’ve got a positive out of it which is the realisation that I really do need to quit.