Why did you start to smoke...

[Ahura Mazda]

I have noticed that almost all the girls here in Geneva and in Paris I see in their 20s are smokers. They all tend to tell me that they started because it was cool, whenever it is discussed (albeit not that often as there tend to be more interesting things to do then discusss smoking). But I did not think smoking was so cool in the 90s.

Now my question to you, and really more to the ladies then to the men:

1. if you smoke today or had smoked, what motivated you to start?

2. If you have stopped, what was the instigator?

3. For those who still smoke, hasn't it become so inconvenient as to take away whatever pleasure you derive from it?

 

[terry78]

Is there really a benefit to starting smoking tobacco? Honestly, my mom used to smoke a pack a day, my sister currently does, I tried it maybe twice and never wanted to go back.

 

[Addendum]

1) Just wanted to see what the big deal was about. It's alright.

3) No. I've been smoking off an on for 10 years, and can smoke 1-2 smokes every so often.

 

[Ice-man]

i smoke a stog a day, right after i smoke those trees.

 

[PyroChamber]

Is there really a benefit to starting smoking tobacco? Honestly, my mom used to smoke a pack a day, my sister currently does, I tried it maybe twice and never wanted to go back.

You think smoking cigarettes is bad, try smoking a cigar. I tried it one time, ended up throwing up later that day.

 

[Addendum]

Dip is worse

 

[Ahura Mazda]

Well I would think smoking today is extremely inconvenient given most places are non-smoking these days. Does that not make people want to stop.

 

[terry78]

Most real drinkers and smokers start when they're young, like pre-high school and it continues on. If you're like in your 20's and start drinking or smoking, you may be more apt to quit at that point.

 

[PyroChamber]

I heard some women smoke to help them lose weight, which sounds really stupid.

 

[blind_fury]

Few smokers will admit they started to be cool. Probably because it's embarrassing.

 

[Addendum]

The only people who say they wanted to be cool are the people on the anti-drug commercials who regret it

 

[November Rain]

I didn't smoke infront of others for about a year after starting, the majority of people still don't know i started when i did...

if anything it was out of curiosity that started me and boredome that kept me going. Smoking does have this way of joining two activities together more smoothly..

ie....you finish watching tv and then you have a ciggarette before you go to do some work, then before you retire for the evening, you have another one...

I used to have one before i went to bed on my balcony just to help get some alone time and put some thoughts that were in my head into perspective.

it's always been a fairly light habbit and outside influences from other smokers has never really allowed it to grow, i'm not easily influenced by others.

 

[November Rain]

Few smokers will admit they started to be cool. Probably because it's embarrassing.

smoking is just as cool as non-smoking...

being cool comes from within so i don't see why people would start/stop doing activities to be seen as 'cool'

 

[Ahura Mazda]

That is interesting. I just find it more and more surprising as I attend parties on how many smoke nowadays.

Last night a freind had rented out a restaurant but no one was allowed to smoke inside. SO you had people going out in freezing temperatures to smoke. It was surprising to me.

 

[jaguarr]

I didn't start because I thought it was cool. I started because I find beautiful women who smoke to be very sexy. Best way to meet said kind of women? Be a smoker, too. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Man am I glad I quit.

jag

 

[jaguarr]

That is interesting. I just find it more and more surprising as I attend parties on how many smoke nowadays.

Last night a freind had rented out a restaurant but no one was allowed to smoke inside. SO you had people going out in freezing temperatures to smoke. It was surprising to me.

From what I understand, smoking is much more prevalent in European culture (particularly in France, and ESPECIALLY in Paris) than it is here in the states. That could be a part of what you're seeing as well.

jag

 

[Ahura Mazda]

From what I understand, smoking is much more prevalent in European culture (particularly in France, and ESPECIALLY in Paris) than it is here in the states. That could be a part of what you're seeing as well.

jag

Yes that has to be factorred into my reasoning so I was hoping for some European responses as well.

And this was in geneva even though the same thing happens in Paris.

 

[Ahura Mazda]

I didn't start because I thought it was cool. I started because I find beautiful women who smoke to be very sexy. Best way to meet said kind of women? Be a smoker, too. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Man am I glad I quit.

jag

I always have a lighter on me....

 

[X-Chick]

Now my question to you, and really more to the ladies then to the men:

1. if you smoke today or had smoked, what motivated you to start?

Stress at the time.

2. If you have stopped, what was the instigator?

My fiance will probably be the reason I stop or am considering it, anyway.

3. For those who still smoke, hasn't it become so inconvenient as to take away whatever pleasure you derive from it?

No, its not inconvenient for me. And I get extra breaks at work because of it.

 

[logansoldcigar]

I didn't start because I thought it was cool. I started because I find beautiful women who smoke to be very sexy. Best way to meet said kind of women? Be a smoker, too. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Man am I glad I quit.

jag

Theres a wise old saying that i think is particularly relevant in this situation:

"She gets the blokes because she smokes"

and in answerr to the questions:

1) Because I felt like it
2) Because I felt like it

true, btw. I got up one morning, coughed my lungs pout onto the bedclothes, and after I had swallowed them again, decided to quit. So I did. the same day. never worried about having a smoke again. remarkable what you can do if you REALLY want to

 

[November Rain]

That is interesting. I just find it more and more surprising as I attend parties on how many smoke nowadays.

Last night a freind had rented out a restaurant but no one was allowed to smoke inside. SO you had people going out in freezing temperatures to smoke. It was surprising to me.

Well certainly there is a social aspect of being an outcast with other people in these days since more and more venues are banning people from smoking inside them.

The funny thing is that i generally don't like the smell of smoke as a passive non-smoker so if i was around a smoker, i would now smoke to mask the smell of passive smoke with my own active smoke.

it definitely smells different depending on what side of the fence you are on at the time, which is usually why smokers dont see the big deal with the aroma, which to an active smoker at the time, isn't that bad.

i guess as you look at the older demographics you find that their smoking habbits become less social and more intergrated into their normal lives and they become more and more solitary in their usage. For some reason i've skipped that demographic and managed to keep my habbit fairly light with less than 100 ciggarettes smoked in a year and i certainly don't crave them, although i would prefer one on solely one occasion if alcohol was present.

that's simply due to the thinning of the blood making one seem more drunk than they actually are, so for a brief moment, one is almost euphoric without having the repercussions of having to be carried home and drilling a hole in one's wallet.

 

[Ahura Mazda]

Now my question to you, and really more to the ladies then to the men:

1. if you smoke today or had smoked, what motivated you to start?

Stress at the time.

2. If you have stopped, what was the instigator?

My fiance will probably be the reason I stop or am considering it, anyway.

3. For those who still smoke, hasn't it become so inconvenient as to take away whatever pleasure you derive from it?

No, its not inconvenient for me. And I get extra breaks at work because of it.

Thankyou for the answers

 

[Ahura Mazda]

Well certainly there is a social aspect of being an outcast with other people in these days since more and more venues are banning people from smoking inside them.

The funny thing is that i generally don't like the smell of smoke as a passive non-smoker so if i was around a smoker, i would now smoke to mask the smell of passive smoke with my own active smoke.

it definitely smells different depending on what side of the fence you are on at the time, which is usually why smokers dont see the big deal with the aroma, which to an active smoker at the time, isn't that bad.

i guess as you look at the older demographics you find that their smoking habbits become less social and more intergrated into their normal lives and they become more and more solitary in their usage. For some reason i've skipped that demographic and managed to keep my habbit fairly light with less than 100 ciggarettes smoked in a year and i certainly don't crave them, although i would prefer one on solely one occasion if alcohol was present.

that's simply due to the thinning of the blood making one seem more drunk than they actually are, so for a brief moment, one is almost euphoric without having the repercussions of having to be carried home and drilling a hole in one's wallet.

I understand what you are saying but to go outside when it is -1 outside is a bit crazy to me even if it allows a feeling of euphoria with less of the after effects.

Plus NR, you are an extremely light smoker with less then 1 ciggarette every 3 days on average, therefore for you to stop would seem to be easy. Your smoking seems to have become completely social which therefore means that smoking has not been curbed in Europe despite alll the sanctions created.

 

[Dorian Gray]

Just to see what the fuss was about, I tried it a few times and quit due to the price of cigarettes.

 

[Strong Guy]

I started smoking because of some girl who broke up with me.Damn!It was depressing and then i resorted to smoking.But then,i quit smoking because it was affecting my health.