What is your view on smoking? (and cigarette warning labels)

[ephect]

its kinda funny, they want the pack to be plain to display a massive health warning, but in shops they are locked in cabinets because of the new laws that class visiblity in shops, advertising. by the time you even see the pack, you've just paid for it..

and if the warning is really of-putting, they have covers. the warnings dont do shitall. its whats inside

 

[albert5268]

I honestly don't know anyone who enjoys smoking. The smokers I know only do it because they are addicted and can't, or don't choose to, quit. There's no arguing it's a waste of money and it's a filthy habit.

It definitely reduces stress and anxiety if you are already addicted to it.

I'm not really sure why people are arguing over something so obvious.

 

[quick308]

I used to love smoking when i was out drinking, when i wasn't drinking it did not do much for me. I have to agree with the people saying how hard it is to break the addiction. I've grown up watching my grandparents trying to quit, they last a couple of months then they're straight back on them. I never had this problem, when i decided i did not want to do it anymore i just stopped. But alcohol on the other hand, well thats a weak spot.

 

[Tatiana]

I also want to raise another point and that is these health warnings on cigarettes. I do not believe that the use of graphic imagery has any effect on people to stop smoking.

I agree, any more than graphic adverts about car accidents caused by speeding, knocking off 5, drinking or taking drugs hits home with those that offend.

I used to smoke and the addiction over rode the warnings on the packet and the adverts on TV of cigarette by-products being squeezed out of veins etc. In fact I would see a anti smoking ad and it would make me think of having a cigarette.

Same for the cost of smokes, they kept increasing, I kept buying because I was addicted.

CSP has said repeatedly throughout this thread and others regarding smoking that no one makes you smoke and if you want to quit you will. It is all about willpower. I woke up one morning and decided for a plethora of reasons I no longer wanted to smoke and haven't since. OK so I have strong willpower and I know for many it is not that easy, but there are many products and help out there today to assist you.

 

[Calaber]

Okay, so the basic theme to this thread has been flogged to death, but here's another aspect to the question and it's directed to those who smoke and those who used to.

What made you start smoking?

Sash, you say you have strong will power, and to have stopped smoking, that makes sense, but if you had strong will power, what attracted you to smoking in the first place?

I confess that I have never smoked and never even been tempted to want to try. I detest the stink. Yet many keep taking the habit up. Why? I'm not looking for the old "peer pressure" responses as a generic reason for people smoking - I'm more interested in finding out why members of this forum started doing it.

 

[MR.HG]

I'm more interested in finding out why members of this forum started doing it.

i ran out of weed one day ><

 

[quick308]

I was curious, thats mostly the reason i took it up. I was one of those people that had to try everything.

 

[GetToDaChopa]

I would like to also point out that stress is serious. Prolonged stress can be damaging to the immune system as well many other problems. As a result i can fully understand why someone would want to smoke to relieve stress and anxiety.

Although that does not fix the root of the problem but provides a temporary fix.

References:
Effects of stress on immune cell distribution. Dynamics and hormonal mechanisms ? The Journal of Immunology
http://www.stressfocus.com/stress_focus_article/stress-effects-on-body.htm

 

[2DIE]

What made you start smoking?

At around 13 all my friends in school used to smoke, Back then a packet of 40's cost about $6 and people used to sell smokes at school for anywhere between 50c and $1 each. I bought smokes to sell at school. Could make from $20 to $40 a packet and sold about a packet a day a few smokes at a time. I ended up just smoking my friends socially but in less than a few months I was smoking whenever I had the chance, even when I was alone. Never bothered me at the time. In about 16 years of smoking I have tried to give up many times, the longest was 2 weeks when I was sick and smoking would make me spew. Usually its about 1-2 days before I give in.

 

[Tatiana]

Sash, you say you have strong will power, and to have stopped smoking, that makes sense, but if you had strong will power, what attracted you to smoking in the first place?

Teenage stupidity ie: peer pressure. Everyone else was doing it so I wanted to be cool like them. Only cost 45 cents a pack, group of us used to stop and buy a packet (back before there were age restrictions on selling cigarettes) and share them on the way to school. Obviously as a teenager you are invincible and will never die so even the few warnings back then failed to deter me. It was only as I got older and became a parent that I started to ponder the ramifications of smoking.