I am planning to start smoking

[illbreaker]

If you want to pour your money into a costly addiction, then by all means do it.

[James81]

Its been two and a half months since I've smoked, and I can tell you this much...once you are hooked, its extremely tough to stop. The chemical nicotine actually changes your brains physiology in such a way that you become dependent on the chemical reaction created by the nicotine.

Aside from that, I don't really see it as stupid. Its a choice, a way of coping with the world and a choosing of an experience. That choice can and does cause health problems, but if you are willing to accept that choice, then I wouldn't call it stupid.

[Beingist]

Originally Posted by James81

That choice can and does cause health problems, but if you are willing to accept that choice, then I wouldn't call it stupid.

That it causes so many health problems rather makes it a stupid choice.

In my humble opinion, of course.

[CroMagna]

Who are you to call someone else's choices stupid?

With that said, OP, I believe the consensus is: don't start smoking.

[Beingist]

Originally Posted by CroMagna

Who are you to call someone else's choices stupid?

Someone who made the same choice, and knows from experience that it's stupid.

But, indeed, whatever you want to do.

[Somnium Dico]

Originally Posted by illbreaker

If you want to pour your money into a costly addiction, then by all means do it.

You guys REALLY like your passive-aggressive comments today, don't you?

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by Somnium Dico

In short, make your own decision.

Agreed. And be prepared for some ex-smokers to call your decision stupid if you decide to take up the habit. I can freely admit that I've done a lot of really stupid things in my life and made a lot of stupid decisions, but the decision to take up smoking was way up near the top of the list of stupid things.

Originally Posted by Beingist

Someone who made the same choice, and knows from experience that it's stupid.

Exactly.

I will concede that it's not a stupid choice if your goal is to become an addict who burns up their money, smells like an ashtray, and risks all manner of health problems, some of them potentially fatal. If that's what you're after, smoking is definitely a great way to achieve all that.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by ButterflyWoman

I will concede that it's not a stupid choice if your goal is to become an addict who burns up their money, smells like an ashtray, and risks all manner of health problems, some of them potentially fatal.

In that case, the choice is not stupid. The goal is stupid.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by ssandra

Some delicious brownies as well...

Or chocolate crackles...

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by ButterflyWoman

Agreed. And be prepared for some ex-smokers to call your decision stupid if you decide to take up the habit. I can freely admit that I've done a lot of really stupid things in my life and made a lot of stupid decisions, but the decision to take up smoking was way up near the top of the list of stupid things.

Ex smokers are the worst.

I'm an ex smoker and I try very hard not to do the whole "It's stupid' spiel to people, but when I see someone start a whole thread stating they want to start smoking I think...why tell us dude? Just start. Are you looking for validation or what?

The main thing that I hate is how people smoke because they think it looks cool and will make them cool in the eyes of others. There is nothing more uncool than seeing some young person puffing on a ciggie, posing for the world to see and thinking they look cool when in reality they look silly...nothing.

[CoolBee]

I think it's daft too, from MY perspective, but it's not necessarily stupid from a NON_HEALTH perspective.

I don't know what country he is in, but in the UK, you can sometimes get higher pension annuity rates if you are a smoker because they figure you will die sooner so they can afford to pay you more. Same goes for some other health conditions.

Maybe he's got some calculation like that going on and wants to be able to prove in 40-50 years time that he's a life-time smoker?

"Does that mean the cost of the enhanced annuity is a lot more expensive? No, an enhanced annuity provides a higher annual annuity income compared with a standard annuity, and are aimed at retirees who, statistically, may have a shorter than average life expectancy. A smoker fits into this category, so the income would be higher each year for the same annuity purchase price. The same applies to retirees with ill health, they are also likely to be eligible for higher enhanced annuity rates."

Source: More annuity options and higher pension annuity rates, smoker and enhanced | Right Annuity


(And this is why, at present, a woman with £100k to buy her pension annuity will get less p.a. than a man with £100k, because women tend to outlive men so the company will be paying out longer. New legislation in the UK is set to make then 'equal' from next year I believe without checking it out.)

[bluelighth]

One thing I didn't see mentioned here is second hand smoking - if you take up smoking you take it upon yourself to harm anyone who hangs out with you while you smoke, stands in the same area as you while you smoke, etc.
It's also something that really disturbes many people - e.x, I can't stand within 5 meters of someone smoking outdoors without choking, and I know quite a few others who can't be near smokers while they are smoking as well....
as such, you'll be doing actual harm to strangers and possibly your friends and family by smoking.

[James81]

Originally Posted by elucidate

Ex smokers are the worst.

I'm an ex smoker and I try very hard not to do the whole "It's stupid' spiel to people, but when I see someone start a whole thread stating they want to start smoking I think...why tell us dude? Just start. Are you looking for validation or what?

The main thing that I hate is how people smoke because they think it looks cool and will make them cool in the eyes of others. There is nothing more uncool than seeing some young person puffing on a ciggie, posing for the world to see and thinking they look cool when in reality they look silly...nothing.

Heh, well I look at the join date and the amount of posts of the original poster, and my guess was that it's a troll thread. But I gave him/her the benefit of the doubt.

[James81]

Originally Posted by bluelighth

One thing I didn't see mentioned here is second hand smoking - if you take up smoking you take it upon yourself to harm anyone who hangs out with you while you smoke, stands in the same area as you while you smoke, etc.
It's also something that really disturbes many people - e.x, I can't stand within 5 meters of someone smoking outdoors without choking, and I know quite a few others who can't be near smokers while they are smoking as well....
as such, you'll be doing actual harm to strangers and possibly your friends and family by smoking.

The secondhand smoking thing is a gigantic load of bunk and has been taken to a ridiculous extreme in our culture. A puff of smoke isn't doing anymore damage than inhaling someones perfume (and perfume gas been shown to have carcinogens).

Secondhand smoke is only harmful if it's a case where you are chronically around someone who smokes indoors.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by James81

Heh, well I look at the join date and the amount of posts of the original poster, and my guess was that it's a troll thread. But I gave him/her the benefit of the doubt.

I can think of better topics to troll over. Are people that lacking in imagination these days?

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by James81

The secondhand smoking thing is a gigantic load of bunk and has been taken to a ridiculous extreme in our culture. A puff of smoke isn't doing anymore damage than inhaling someones perfume (and perfume gas been shown to have carcinogens).

Secondhand smoke is only harmful if it's a case where you are chronically around someone who smokes indoors.

I agree that there are far too many poisonous environmental influences these days to get nit picky about cigarette smoke, however, it is still gross and unpleasant for anyone who isn't a smoker to be forced to inhale someone elses smoke when they are completely oblivious of just how disgusting it is. I find it very selfish, but again, I know that smokers have every right to kill themselves slowly if they so choose.

[James81]

Originally Posted by Somnium Dico

You guys REALLY like your passive-aggressive comments today, don't you?

Lol, something about smoking discussions really brings out passive aggressiveness and backended, smugness. I have no idea why. Lol

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by elucidate

Ex smokers are the worst.

We can be. The zeal of the converted, you know.

Originally Posted by elucidate

I'm an ex smoker and I try very hard not to do the whole "It's stupid' spiel to people

Nobody has ever asked me if they should start smoking. If they did, I'd tell them no, and tell them I think it would be a stupid thing to do. But nobody has ever asked. I don't generally evanglise randomly on the topic of smoking or not smoking.

Originally Posted by elucidate

The main thing that I hate is how people smoke because they think it looks cool and will make them cool in the eyes of others.

I thought it would make me look tough. I had this "nice girl" rep for some reason (I have no idea why) and I thought smoking would help me ditch that. It didn't, but it did surprise a few people.

[lifetimelearner]

as a fellow human being to another -please don't smoke

[opaque]

Originally Posted by James81

Heh, well I look at the join date and the amount of posts of the original poster, and my guess was that it's a troll thread. But I gave him/her the benefit of the doubt.

It is not a troll thread. There is a purpose behind it. You cannot judge it's a troll thread by the amount of posts I make here, can you?? Just because someone has 12500+ posts, it doesn't mean he will not troll.

[opaque]

Thanks everyone for your inputs. I am not an avid smoker. I am not an addict to it. I smoke 3 cigs per week now. I used to smoke the same number few years back and it was for a short time and I was not addicted then either.

[Beingist]

Originally Posted by James81

Lol, something about smoking discussions really brings out passive aggressiveness and backended, smugness. I have no idea why. Lol

Hey, I got your passive aggressive backended smugness right here for you, buddy!

(j/k )

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by ButterflyWoman

Nobody has ever asked me if they should start smoking. If they did, I'd tell them no, and tell them I think it would be a stupid thing to do. But nobody has ever asked. I don't generally evanglise randomly on the topic of smoking or not smoking.

I've never been asked this either, though an old boyfriend started smoking when I was with him, and I thought that was pretty stupid. Half the world are trying like crazy to quit because they hate feeling like they are controlled by their addiction, and he just casually decided to take it up...wtf?

I thought it would make me look tough. I had this "nice girl" rep for some reason (I have no idea why) and I thought smoking would help me ditch that. It didn't, but it did surprise a few people.

I just really liked to blow the smoke out of my mouth. I analyzed why I smoked to a fault and apart from all the social reasons, fidgetting hands, peer pressure, to look cool, the main reason was that I liked to watch the smoke coming out of my mouth. Thought it made me look like a dragon.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by opaque

It is not a troll thread. There is a purpose behind it. You cannot judge it's a troll thread by the amount of posts I make here, can you?? Just because someone has 12500+ posts, it doesn't mean he will not troll.

James used to be a troll, so that may be why he sees trolls everywhere?

[Shift]

Don't bother starting for relaxation purposes. The only reason you feel relaxed from smoking is because the deep breathing. Nicotine is a stimulant, so relaxing with cigarettes is kind of impossible.

As for getting high, you'll get five minute "high" if you smoke once every 3-4 days. If you're unlucky, once cigarette will make you very sick for a few hours.

Nothing wrong with cigarettes if they're used as a commodity.

[Andrew Brunelle]

I've never smoked a cigarette in my lifetime, so I can't really tell you what to do here, but smoking may provide temporary relief from stress and other things, but it causes so many health problems that you're better off either smoking "pot" or simply finding healthier ways to manage your emotions or feed your addictive nature if you have one. I would say that coffee is a far better addiction to have than cigarettes, mostly because coffee doesn't really kill anyone that I know of. And look how much you'll get done while on a 5-day caffeine binge.

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by opaque

I smoke 3 cigs per week now.

That's about how I started (I was quite young at the time, it was hard to get hold of cigarettes). Then it increased a bit... and a bit more.... Didn't take long to develop a real habit.

And even when I wasn't really addicted, it still made me stink like a butt in an ashtray. Yuck. I don't know what the hell I was thinking with that.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by ButterflyWoman

That's about how I started (I was quite young at the time, it was hard to get hold of cigarettes). Then it increased a bit... and a bit more.... Didn't take long to develop a real habit.

And even when I wasn't really addicted, it still made me stink like a butt in an ashtray. Yuck. I don't know what the hell I was thinking with that.

I can't even get through one these days without feeling sick and stupid. I take that as a good sign though. I will never be a smoker again.

[neilpage]

Originally Posted by opaque

What are the advantages and disadvantages of smoking??? I am 25, male

advantage= you only look cool smoking in your head.
disadvantage= death.

[Karen TDQ]

You want someone to kiss your mouth after you have been smoking!?! Are you kidding me? That is like licking an ashtray!