Do you smoke?

[Ascended Mermaid]

Well you're not supposed to inhale cigar smoke, or so many would say -- but I don't listen.

...Falcom Director of Fanservice's avatar keeps blinking on me and I can't see what it's blinking to! XD

But I'm familiar with the Gaijin Smash. Infact, I might have the topic where you linked that article somewhere handy in my bookmarks.

[Wanderer From Ys]

I had childhood Asthma, and cigarette smoke set it off pretty badly, so I learned to hate cigarettes at young age. Never tried, them, and I really don't see any good reason to smoke, just all negatives.

I love candy cigarettes though, those things were awesome. Does anyone remember the gum ones? They were round cigarette shaped sticks of gum, and they were wrapped in white paper, and there was a little bit of white sugar on it, so you could puff it once or twice and smoke would come out. I haven't seen these things in years. I imagine someone complained about marketing cigarettes to children.

... I wonder if there isn't any non-prejudicial cigaretes. xD Dunno, like, a "water cigarete". You smoke water. xDDDD I'd totally try that!

There are, I just can't remember the name of them right now. But they are ones that are used in movies. When you see people smoking in movies, those aren't real cigarettes.

Edit

I just did a websearch, and they are called Herbal Cigarettes they are supposed to be non habit forming since they don't contain Tobacco or nicotine. However it seems that just act of taking smoke into your lungs is still bad for you, and you can still get lung cancer.

[Aa Wat Kay]

I've had a few cigars, most recently on New Year's.

[Musa-Revived]

Nope I don't smoke. My uncle forced one into my mouth when I was 7 as a joke. Nasty, think I developed a semi-phobia of cigarettes. Well maybe not, but the smoke I recall was horrible.

Anyway although I don't smoke but I don't mind people smoking. I even had a few roommates who smoked. They were decent enough not to smoke when I'm around or smoke out of the room.

It's a matter of lifestyle I suppose. It's bad but hey it's your life.

Man but the japanese smoke like there's no tomorrow. I remember during my holiday last year, they had this huge yellow "box" outside Shinjuku (IIRC) JR Station and like 50 japanese businessmen were huddling in the box smoking their lives away. It was an interesting sight. The box is a square painted on the ground to indicate "here is where you are allowed to smoke". It's pretty hilarious to see a bunch of men smoking together and not daring to take a step out of the box.

[aleph]

I smoke.

I've tried to quit, earnestly. It's just that, well, whenever I'm stuck in my own modest studio, and the riff coming out of the monitor doesn't match the riff that's in my head, I have to turn to that carcinogenic companion who will never, ever turn his back on you. Ahhhh, Ciggy, old friend... *suck* *suck* *suck* *puff*

[fuyuko816]

No.
Crossing a smoking area is a borderline adventure to me due to my weak body.

[Ashurei]

Never smoked, never tried one.

I've always kinda wished I could safely develop the habit such that I could ditch it immediately. Not to see what smoking is all about, but to know what that nicotine addiction feels like. I just have to wonder, it doesn't seem like something words could accurately describe. Alas, there is no such thing, so I stay away from thems. Seen both my mom and dad fight with the addiction - mom came out ahead, dad's still at it.

[Ascended Mermaid]

A lot of smokers relate trying to quit, to the feeling of losing your best friend.

So I suppose nicotine addiction feels like hanging out with your best friend!

// Yeah, that's wrong and I know it. If anything, it's relaxing. It calms your nerves and makes you feel like everything's okay.

Wanting to smoke though turns you into a spoiled little brat fast, you'll have the mindset of a 5 year old who doesn't get his way until you take a drag. "I WANT IT! I WANT IT!!!"

[Red Hairdo]

Hmmm... wow.

Then,... I imagine how strong is the will to smoke/sniff those more addiciting drugs like cocaine and heroine, which could present the same behavior, but 5 times greater or something. That's... terrible. =/

I also was curious, wondering how it would be to smoke cigarettes or something. But I would never, ever think of trying any of those more addicting drugs.

[Ranzor]

I gotta tell you, cigarette is one of the most addictive drugs out there. It's more addictive than most illegal drugs. I think that, probably, only the opiaces are worse than it.

[Red Hairdo]

Hmm... I think I heard that before, now that you mentioned it. That's... also bad. =/

[Ascended Mermaid]

Exactly. So you know why it's very hard for me to quit. I poisoned myself with the intent to die (sooner), and now I've got to stop it as soon as I can so I can live my life to the fullest.

The spray is about $40/month which is actually pretty expensive.

[Incog Neato]

Sometimes I wonder what the effects would be if a government in a country with a high population of smokers banned smoking?

I doubt any gov't would outright do this since I'd imagine they make money from taxes and shit from the poor saps that buy it. :P And it'd be hard to enforce. Well, maybe if there were a heavy penalty for violating the law? Actually, I'm sort of puzzled how Singapore managed to get their anti-gum law in place.

Bleh. It's just sort of infuriating to think that somewhere way back when some punkass people decided it would be a great idea to legalize this drug. Of course, I don't think they realized the negative effects back then. :E

[Ascended Mermaid]

Watch "Thank You For Smoking".

[Red Hairdo]

May 5, 2009 21:21:04 GMT -5 Incog Neato said:

Sometimes I wonder what the effects would be if a government in a country with a high population of smokers banned smoking?

I doubt any gov't would outright do this since I'd imagine they make money from taxes and shit from the poor saps that buy it. :P And it'd be hard to enforce. Well, maybe if there were a heavy penalty for violating the law? Actually, I'm sort of puzzled how Singapore managed to get their anti-gum law in place.

Bleh. It's just sort of infuriating to think that somewhere way back when some punkass people decided it would be a great idea to legalize this drug. Of course, I don't think they realized the negative effects back then. :E

But there is a country that forbids smoking. Of all kinds, even cigarettes.
I forgot which country it was, but I'm sure there is.

In that country, you can smoke nearly anything you want, or even anything. But only inside your house. If you are seen smoking outside your house i.e. in the streets, you are severely punished.

[Ranzor]

May 5, 2009 21:21:04 GMT -5 Incog Neato said:

Sometimes I wonder what the effects would be if a government in a country with a high population of smokers banned smoking?

I doubt any gov't would outright do this since I'd imagine they make money from taxes and shit from the poor saps that buy it. :P And it'd be hard to enforce. Well, maybe if there were a heavy penalty for violating the law? Actually, I'm sort of puzzled how Singapore managed to get their anti-gum law in place.

Bleh. It's just sort of infuriating to think that somewhere way back when some punkass people decided it would be a great idea to legalize this drug. Of course, I don't think they realized the negative effects back then. :E

Actually, that's the other way around. All drugs began legal and some of them were later outlawed. You gotta remember drugs have been used by mankind since immemorial times. Tobacco had been smoked for many centuries in Central America before it crossed the Atlantic with the European colonizers.

Anyway, I'm against any form of total prohibition. For one, I think people should be responsible for themselves, as long as it doesn't harm others. If there's enough education so everybody knows how much harm drugs cause, people should be free to decide if they want it or not.

And most importantly, prohibition increases the violence in society. Users lives may be spared, but how many more lives are lost in the traffic war? Just remember how well the alcohol prohibition worked in the States, and how much violence and corruption is generated throughout the world by drugs.

In short, I'm for education and control, and not prohibition.

[Ranzor]

You're being a little too radical, wyrd. In a closed ambient, passive smoking can harm others, but in the open air the amount of smoke you can inhale from other people is insignificant. Maybe for you it's worse, since you're so sensitive to cigarette smoke, but people can be allergic to any number of things, it doesn't mean they all have to be banned.

[Ranzor]

Well, good thing you're not world dictator! (takes in deliciously filthy cigarette smoke) Aahhh, that's good

[Ascended Mermaid]

Shut your Pie Hole!

Pfft, on a bad day, that would've really gotten to me. You know that?

*deep breaths*

[Red Hairdo]

May 6, 2009 21:27:19 GMT -5 Wyrdwad said:

For one, I think people should be responsible for themselves, as long as it doesn't harm others.

Therein lies the rub. I'm against smoking in any public place, because I'm SEVERELY allergic to cigarette smoke. I believe that if smoking is legal, it should be legal ONLY in one's own home. To smoke anywhere else IS harming others - it's harming innocent bystanders!

-Tom

I have to agree with this: People can smoke "as long as it doesn't harm others".
Therefore, I have to agree with Wyrdwad there.

The amount of smoke isn't insignificant. I really hate when I i.e. had lunch break from work and had to go to a restaurant, and while I was on my way, a smoker was walking in front of me. Then all that smoke just went into my face, hurting my eyes AND making me swallow it.
Another example is when people light a cigarette in a bus stop (and usually just throw the cigarette on the floor on top of it all). It's the same thing.

In order not to cause harm to others, ideologically people should only smoke in their own houses. And at worst, the smoker would only harm those who live with him/her, although the smoker is already partially or completely responsible for the well-being of those who live with him/her to start with.

Also that wouldn't be banning smoke: if it was, one wouldn't be allowed to smoke at all, even at one's house.

By nature, people usually only think of themselves, and that's why they simply light a cigarette in the street regardless of the people around them.