Do you smoke?

FriedGreenTomatoes2

^So to those who do or have ever smoked, why did you start?^

Because stupid 17 y.o. me thought it made me look more ‘grown up’ ViceVersa. My parents smoked. And when I met Himself 50+ years ago he did too. Most of my friends did.

Once pregnant at 22 y.o. I finally saw sense and just stopped. My mum stopped smoking too but she bought little tins of jelly like capsules called ‘Nicobrevin’.

Same here, though I think I was 16. It took a great deal of commitment to overcome that dizzy feeling it first gave me - all in the name of appearing sophisticated!
It took a humongous amount of willpower to quit after about 30 years of heavy smoking..........so glad I did!

kircubbin2000

I have never smoked although all the children did at one time. My mum and gran chain smoked and this put me off.
I have just been visited by a relative in her 60s who lives on a minimum wage and some benefits. She could hardly finish her coffee before she was dying for a smoke and had to go into the garden.
When she told me the price of cigarettes now I wondered how she afforded them. Perhaps they help her through a hard life.

She’s probably smoking the hooky ones kept in the back room, cellar, under the counter.
I know a postman who delivers them with the post 😂

My hubbie smokes 20 a day . It costs us £450 per month . He's been smoking for over 40 years, he has a consistent cough and his health is poor. He refuses to go to the doctors or even discuss trying to give up . Its caused alot of arguments over the years ( we've been married for 15 years) my dad died of lung cancer age 71, he had given up smoking over 20 years before. Its a terrible addiction, best not too start if you can

I've just got back from visiting my friend of 45 years who's in hospital again.
2 heart attacks last year and now a tumour on her back.
She refused to admit it had anything to do with years of heavy smoking........ until the surgeon told her straight!.

Vapers however walk around holding onto their vapes and continuously seem to suck on them - they remind me of dummies, but for adults. A few people I know still use them - I thought they were meant to be an aid to stopping - but years later they’re still using them. 🤷‍♀️

So to those who do or have ever smoked, why did you start?

Because stupid 17 y.o. me thought it made me look more ‘grown up’ ViceVersa. My parents smoked. And when I met Himself 50+ years ago he did too. Most of my friends did.

Once pregnant at 22 y.o. I finally saw sense and just stopped. My mum stopped smoking too but she bought little tins of jelly like capsules called ‘Nicobrevin’.

Indeed Mt61: it seems extraordinary today that anyone would have thought that a safe activity in an underground space.
It is an increasingly rare habit, although vaping seems everywhere.

lovingit

I can't believe I am the only smoker on gransnet.
Yes it is a filthy habit that is expensive and smelly and damaging to health but it,s my choice.
I am 74 on no medication apart from hrt,low blood pressure I walk 4/5 miles a day with my dog and swim 20 lengths 4/5 times a week as well as mucking out my friends horse twice a week.
I don,t smoke a lot maybe 6/7 a day but ladies I do enjoy it and have no intentions to stop.

Your not I also smoke and yes they are expensive. It is extremely bad for my heath but I am on no medication rarely ill fit as a butchers dog and visit the GP every 15 years or so.
Why do people smoke? Probably because they enjoy it. Why do people drink alcohol doesn’t do you any good but they still do it.
I haven’t drunk alcohol for over 20 years and absolutely hate the smell.

When my first gc was born the other gran had given the parents a carrier bag with a gift for the baby. I was there when it was opened, it was in two different carrier bags, then a lot of wrapping paper, then another sealed plastic bag which had the gift inside … so despite4 or 5 layers of wrapping when the clothing item was taken out, it absolutely stank of smoke.
It was foul, all the more so because the baby was present.
The gran didn’t even notice the smell, but the rest of us did. Awkward moment.

I remember untipped Weights at 11 old pence a pack.
A friend and I used to buy a pack of 5 between us and puff away . I was about 13.
Yes, stupid , but in the 50 s /60s cigarettes were smoked by the vast majority and advertising everywhere claimed they were relaxing, make you happy, look glamorous and elegant….but oh they lied. 🤥

Labradora

One of my chores when I was an (older) child living with my parents, was to clean out the grate of the coke fire. So a pan full of hot ashes with the acrid smell going up the nose and down the throat.
I attribute the fact that I have never smoked to this chore because smoking cigarettes, when I tried as a teenager, gave me the same unpleasant sensation. Other people's smoking has never bothered me much.
My late parents told me that many people started smoking during the Second World War. My parents only ever smoked lightly and stopped completely in their late forties.
I'm glad I never started because it's obviously the most awful struggle to stop.
A smoke fug in the office and in pubs was completely normal in the 70s and possibly 80s ( I can't remember when it all stopped).I can remember London tube carriages with wooden-slatted floors crammed with cigarette butts......
Makes you think......

Didn’t the King’s Cross / Bradford fire start due to discarded butt?

Kate1949

Joanna Lumley smokes. Just saying.

There’s another reason I wouldn’t want to spend time with her.

Labradora

One of my chores when I was an (older) child living with my parents, was to clean out the grate of the coke fire. So a pan full of hot ashes with the acrid smell going up the nose and down the throat.
I attribute the fact that I have never smoked to this chore because smoking cigarettes, when I tried as a teenager, gave me the same unpleasant sensation. Other people's smoking has never bothered me much.
My late parents told me that many people started smoking during the Second World War. My parents only ever smoked lightly and stopped completely in their late forties.
I'm glad I never started because it's obviously the most awful struggle to stop.
A smoke fug in the office and in pubs was completely normal in the 70s and possibly 80s ( I can't remember when it all stopped).I can remember London tube carriages with wooden-slatted floors crammed with cigarette butts......
Makes you think......

2008 ish I think. Best thing the government brought in I think.
Staff would spark up whilst I was trying to eat lunch.
Don’t miss the dry cleaning bills either.

I have never smoked , why would I want to breath in burning paper and plant matter. I can remember some family and friends smoking when I was a child but none of our friends or family do now.
We have just had lunch at a seafront restaurant and had to move inside due to the waft of cigarette smoke putting. Us off our food. What a stink.

Joanna Lumley smokes. Just saying.

lovingit

I can't believe I am the only smoker on gransnet.
Yes it is a filthy habit that is expensive and smelly and damaging to health but it,s my choice.
I am 74 on no medication apart from hrt,low blood pressure I walk 4/5 miles a day with my dog and swim 20 lengths 4/5 times a week as well as mucking out my friends horse twice a week.
I don,t smoke a lot maybe 6/7 a day but ladies I do enjoy it and have no intentions to stop.

That’s up to you lovingit. Your house your rules

No.
Our staff room used to be navy blue with fag smoke.
I forgotten what’s it’s like to be in smoke filled room, until I went to visit an old friend from way back. She lit fag after fag, my eyes were streaming after an hour.
I couldn’t believe it when she said she had her daughters new baby to look after, that baby must reak of cigarette smoke.
Once home I had to put all my clothes in the washer & take a shower 😩

I do not smoke, my husband does and I do find the money that is spent there very frustrating. I can't even mention it because it would cause a row. When I think of all the life experiences we could have with that money it makes me deeply sad. I can't imagine saddling myself with that habit and I can't imagine not at least trying to give it up till success

I can't believe I am the only smoker on gransnet.
Yes it is a filthy habit that is expensive and smelly and damaging to health but it,s my choice.
I am 74 on no medication apart from hrt,low blood pressure I walk 4/5 miles a day with my dog and swim 20 lengths 4/5 times a week as well as mucking out my friends horse twice a week.
I don,t smoke a lot maybe 6/7 a day but ladies I do enjoy it and have no intentions to stop.

Yes,I'm remembering Gauluois,Sobriani black russian, those bendy hand rolled cigarillos bought in Soho, various other foreign ones I don't remember the names of. My father smoking cigs from a pink box ,maybe got them from GIs during the war.Might have been Turkish?
Cigs nowhere near as nice today.

Yes, not as much as I used too but I still enjoy a cigarette.

I have never smoked. I tried it at age 16 and had an asthma attack after a few puffs so never again.
I rarely see anyone smoking now but it was quite common when I was young - a very long time ago.

Some people in my family smoke. My DH smoked (a lot) from the age of 15 until Mrs Thatcher put them up on a budget and we were struggling for money. He hasn't had one since, with no help

I dont know anyone who smokes, and can’t understand how anyone can afford to smoke, £16 per pack? 20 a day? X 7 days….

Merlot my story and even the date, is exactly the same as yours.