Do you smoke cigarettes?

[WarmBeer]

Non-smoker here, but...

You smoke you die.

statistically speaking, you smoke you die, you don't smoke you die.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

$19.50 per day x 7 days per week = $136.50 per week = $7098.00.00 per year. Thats a shit load of money to waste on something that will kill you.

7098 x 25 years = $177,450

A fair chunk off the home loan if that goes toward it.

 

[seamad]

Never smoked tobacco , my drugs of choice are coffee and alcohol. My partner used to smoke until 7 years ago when she was pregnant with our first child, and will never smoke again.
In my professional life I have had to tell people that they have oral cancers, not a pleasant thing to do, especially after having assisted in some radical head and neck resections. Smoking and drinking puts you into the highest risk for oral cancers.
I've found the most successful quitters long term are the ones who decide to give up cold turkey. In my experience [opinion] those who use patches etc as crutches fail because they really haven't decided to give up. Might sound harsh, but once you have really decided to give up you can. Strange, but every patient I've diagnosed with cancer gave up that day.

 

[Maheel]

7098 x 25 years = $177,450

A fair chunk off the home loan if that goes toward it.

factor in the interest saved or earned and it's alot more than that...

 

[Nick JD]

I think tobacco should be made a prescription drug. Not available at the store, only the chemist - with a prescription from a GP. And drop the price considerably.

That'll be the end of kids taking it up, which will more than compensate for the ciggies price drop.

No one who's got a prescription for 15 a day is gonna give them away. They're gonna freak out and monitor their stash very closely.

And the GP can be on their arse every month about getting off the things. Can give them free replacement therapy, etc.

Just get them out of the store. Wanna quit, only way you can get back on the wagon is to either see a GP, or get some off your smoking mates ... and if they've over-smoked their prescription already, that ain't happening.

 

[Stagwa]

I smoked for a long time, from a young age and enjoyed it. What a fuckwit to do something that I knew was bad for me and cost money for the privilege of killing myself. To top it off as a young lad I begged my mother to stop after seeing a TV show called “Joe’s Lungs” in the late 70s or early 80s, cheeky shit! I tried to give up many a time over many years and then became a “part time/weekend smoker” only when I drank or on weekends, this was the time I would catch up by smoking shit loads.

I gave up nearly 9 years ago because I had a real reason – my first child. I had about a 6 month laps when I was overseas (dumbass!) but haven’t touched a smoke for about 5 years and I’ll be fucked if I’m touching them again.

If you really want to give up, find your reason. If I can do it anyone can.

Good Luck if you try!
Cheers,
Stagwa

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Another crazy thing is that a lot of smokers aren't earning much money. I've employed blokes who have got nothing to their name, they are dirt poor, but they smoke. :huh:

 

[jyo]

Another crazy thing is that a lot of smokers aren't earning much money. I've employed blokes who have got nothing to their name, they are dirt poor, but they smoke. :huh:

That tends to go hand in hand with poverty in this country, mate. Instant gratification is paramount.

 

[staggalee]

Barney across the road told me his wife has been trying for years to give up the smokes, tried all the usual patches, cold turkey and the rest.
Apparently, her doctor was trying to establish a pattern that caused her desire to smoke and he asked her "Do you smoke after intercourse?"
She told him "I don`t know, I`ve never looked".

The doctor was speechless.

edit.....so was I.

 

[MastersBrewery]

Another crazy thing is that a lot of smokers aren't earning much money. I've employed blokes who have got nothing to their name, they are dirt poor, but they smoke. :huh:

That tends to go hand in hand with poverty in this country, mate. Instant gratification is paramount.

I think the thing to think about here is low income has other side effects on the psychy, low seft esteme, low self worth, and lack of confidence in taking on challenges, such as getting a better job. I think you would find alot of people in this boat have tried and failed several times to quit and would then settle on failing as this is a norm within their lives. Having said that I fit into this catergory nicely most here would earn more in a week than I do in a month, I don't believe I have problems with self image or confidence, just as stated earlier, shit going on, so hopefully soon I'll get back $100k a year, but when I do that I really want to have this monkey off my back, Hypnosis might just do it for me.

 

[tiprya]

I was at a party where most of the people there were 20-30 (I'm 40) a while back and I suddenly realised that no one was smoking.

It's on its way out.

Nick's right, I'm mid-20's and no one I know smokes. Only a few of my friends smoked in High School, and they have since stopped.

Was too expensive for anyone to start and it wasn't 'cool'.

 

[CamM]

10 years(ish) since I quit. Best decision I ever made. Now I am that irritating ex-smoker who never touches them, hates the smell and tells everyone they should quit.

I had a caramel slice about a month after quitting, MOST FLAVORFUL THING I HAVE EVER EATEN. My mouth waters at the memory :icon_drool2:

 

[Nedasaurus1]

i used to smoke a hundred a day up till 4 years ago.........gave them up due to the cost.....last xmas diagnosed with throat cancer.....go figure?????I had to give up as i got to a 50gm packet of white ox per day and it was getting worse....ruled my bloody life and the cost was ridiculous......mind you im NOT an anti smoking campaigner whatsoever...i used to love my smokes still enjoy a wiff of nice tobacco from time to time........im undergoing radiation as we speak and the cancer crew DONT know nor will say what causes throat cancer.......so thats my 2 bobs worth. I say if ya enjoy something...do it.....the amazing thing is ive never had a smoke since i gave up....never thought id actually give them up.....my wallet notices the difference though lol, cheers all...Ned

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Sorry mate, you may have got me wrong....

I was speaking to a mate who is 15 years without one and he said he still gets the odd craving.

You were obviously addicted, assuming from prior comments RE: Heart etc... , But all I was asking is;

Do you still get a craving sometimes? be it mental or physical?

Not really as the smell makes me want to yak. Mentally not in the slightest.
I just wish I could have all those years back when I was addicted to smoking .
Nev

 

[Florian]

3 BM's with change......
luxury holiday in a tropical paradise......
a buttload of Belgiums best......

Every single year!

 

[pmastello]

I only smoked for a month or two in Uni, turns out I couldn't afford it and prefered to spend my money on booze. But in my job I am often required to help people quit smoking and these things I've been told are the most helpful -

A large part of the addiction is the habit of smoking. Identify the cues to these habits and remove them. To lots of people, it may be a morning coffee with a ciggie. If you avoid the cue (coffee, pub) the urge to smoke isn't there.
If you can't remove the cues, change the process of the habit. If you still want your morning coffee and to sit outside, you need to do something else with your hands and mind. Expecting that you can just do nothing, where before you did something that has a physical reward is a mistake and recipe for disaster.
Remove paraphenalia associated with smoking. Throw out your ashtrays, lighters and smokes of course. You are an ex-smoker now, you won't even need them again. If you have a seat or area outside where you always sit to smoke, dismantle it and change it.
How long until your first ciggarette of the day? If its not the first thing you do in the morning, you aren't really addicted to the nicotine, youre addicted to the habit. Don't bother with patches, gums or drugs. Go cold turkey.
I've heard that people find the following chart very inspiring to quit.

 

[Florian]

I think tobacco should be made a prescription drug. Not available at the store, only the chemist - with a prescription from a GP. And drop the price considerably.

That'll be the end of kids taking it up, which will more than compensate for the ciggies price drop.

No one who's got a prescription for 15 a day is gonna give them away. They're gonna freak out and monitor their stash very closely.

And the GP can be on their arse every month about getting off the things. Can give them free replacement therapy, etc.

Just get them out of the store. Wanna quit, only way you can get back on the wagon is to either see a GP, or get some off your smoking mates ... and if they've over-smoked their prescription already, that ain't happening.

I get your point, but it doesn't stop people smoking pot or taking herion or whatever either. Can't buy that in a shop.

When I used to smoke a long time ago I used to buy my cigarettes from the Vietnamese guys on the streets or train stations because it was cheaper. No shops or cigarette machines needed.

I do think your suggestion would greatly reduce the number of new smokers though, after all you don't get the supposed benefit of getting high from smokes that you get with other drugs, therefore it might not appeal to young people to start buying something on the black market that doesn't even promise a benefit.

 

[Bribie G]

Barney across the road told me his wife has been trying for years to give up the smokes, tried all the usual patches, cold turkey and the rest.
Apparently, her doctor was trying to establish a pattern that caused her desire to smoke and he asked her "Do you smoke after intercourse?"
She told him "I don`t know, I`ve never looked".

The doctor was speechless.

edit.....so was I.

I was under the impression that was the subject of the currently active thread "smoking meat".

 

[mikec]

I can make a keg full of beer for the same cost as a single packet of ciggies.
And I'll feel better for it.
Without annoying everyone around me.
Without poisoning my kids.

It's a no brainer really.

 

[zindello]

I smoked for about 6 years, from when I was 19 until I was 25. When I was 23 I really slowed from a pack a day to a few a day after seeing a bloke not that much older than me that had mouth cancer. The sight of it made me want to throw up then and there. I finally quit for good after a smoking/drinking binge at a mates wedding - I'd been smokeless for a few months beforehand and smoked 2 packs that night. The next morning I woke up and I felt so crook I said never again.