Smokers?

[wavinwayne]

With the recent announcement by Peter Jennings that he has lung cancer & is a former smoker, I wonder:

Do any of the BITOGers smoke, & if so, has this made you want to give it up? I really enjoy reading all the BITOGers' posts & would hate to lose any of you to lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema, pancreatic cancer, etc.

My Dad was a life-long smoker. I lost him to a heart attack in 1992 when he was 52. I was a 19 year old kid who badly needed his father. I wish I could get my Mom to quit smoking, but I can't make any progress with her, so I stopped trying.

 

[andrews]

Smoking is a free choice (so far). While it may be a poor choice, many other choices in life have proven to be nearly as unhealthy. I think it's fine to smoke if you want to, just not a good idea. While one smoker may live to be very old, others may die after only a decade or so. The information is out there so really it's pointless to clutter up this board with anti-smoking rhetoric. The same for the pro-smoking people. I think this issue is going to lead to nothing but depressing story after story of how my..blah blah ...you know what I mean. But it won't matter anyway, you'll all still tell your horror stories just the same. Have fun.

 

[bighead]

quote:

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Originally posted by John D:

quote:

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Originally posted by Spitty:
I could never understand why anybody would want to 'start' smokeing

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...my father will only stop smoking when he is put in the ground (which will also be the same time he stops drinking).

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My dad is the same way..dedicated alcoholic and smoker. My mom has tried to quit, but just dont seem to have enough desire to want to quit, even though her dad passed from lung cancer about 10 years ago. I've given up..
I'm the only one in my family that don't smoke. Both parents and my brother do it....I think I'm adopted

 

[1sttruck]

I started smoking as a teen, quit a few times over the years, and finally quit for good a few years back. When people would bring up the subject I always said that no one that I knew smoked for rational reasons :^)

I finally quit after I found myself gasping for breath after doing a set of weights, an activity that I had started a few months earlier. My lesson was that its sometimes hard to make a change 'head on', and that sometimes it helps to find another good reason to do something.

 

[medic]

I smoke occasionally. I was one of those kids that was discussed in recent post. I have almost quit quite a few times, but never totally succeded. Many people don't understand it when they see medical professionals smoking, but many of us do. I know a cardiologist who smokes at least 2 packs a day. Another local ER doctor recently had a heart attack. He smoked 2 packs a day of Marlboro cigarettes - please note I didn't mention anything about lights or ultra lights. He continues to smoke, but has cut down quite a bit.

Personally, I may eventually totally kick the habit, but will never give up a occational cigar. I really enjoy a good cigar every now and then.

 

[Schmoe]

I smoke. Period. Catching #ell from my wife, who quit when she was pregnant. Have all the reasons to quit....I'm 41 with a 17 month old daughter and a 16 year old son, grandfather died of lung cancer and smoked Lucky Strikes. Mother just got over a bout of breast cancer, but she didn't smoke, father died 1.5 years ago of bone, brain and lung cancer, but I still just don't "want" to quit. I still enjoy a smoke in the mornings, after eating and with a cold beer.
Wife had tried about everything short of giving up sex to make me quit....you know the things like I'll loose weight if you quit, I don't want to be a young widow, etc. etc. but I swear, a smoke, to me, is a moment of relaxation. I mean, we can't smoke at work, we can't smoke at a restaurant or bar hardly anymore, I don't smoke in the house, so when I can have a cigarette, it's a momentary slice of peace.
I just read that lung cancer is on the decline. I wonder if that is contributed to the "older" smokers that smoked 2 packs a day with no filters....or what? Smokers don't smoke no where as much as we used to be able to because you just can't anymore. It's funny, people look at you like you killed their parents when your outside smoking. Almost makes you feel guilty. Screw'em.

 

[Drew99GT]

I'm an off and on smoker like Medic. Why did I start? I really don't know! Friends mostly I guess. Once you start, every time you get stressed the nicotine addiction really kicks. That's why I contnue I guess. Also, like Schmoe said, it's that one time of day (usually outside in today's culture

), when you can just chill, clear the mind, and relax. I can tell you that smoking today is quickly becoming taboo among young people (which is good). It really hasn't affected me too much. In fact, I ran track and cross country in high school WHILE I was a smoker! (kinda like riding a bike uphill with a bungey cord attached to ya

) My brother OTOH is also a smoker and his health is not lookin too good. Peter Jennings, and also Johnny Carson in particular, have really opened my eyes though. Your simply not safe until you quit.

 

[Spitty]

I could never understand why anybody would want to 'start' smokeing

 

[John D]

quote:

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Originally posted by Spitty:
I could never understand why anybody would want to 'start' smokeing

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Kids started smoking because "it was cool", and more socially accepted. Then I imagine they got hooked. Some managed to quit, but more didn't. I believe I heard/read somewhere that the amount of kids picking up smoking nowadays is becoming lower and lower compared to several years ago. This is probably due to the fact that it is not socially accepted as much, and more kids are aware of the problems associated with smoking.

Both of my parents smoked, but neither my sister nor myself picked it up. My mother managed to quit 'cold turkey' several years ago (probably 15 or more), but my father will only stop smoking when he is put in the ground (which will also be the same time he stops drinking).

 

[Ryan00TJ]

I have two ironic stories from smoking in my family.

My Grandfather, who is now 88 years old, smoked Winston Unfiltered cigarettes for 67 years. He is in prefect health as far as his lungs, heart etc go.

My father started smoking young, had his first heart attack at 30 and another five years later. Still smokes to this day.

I was the only one with him when he collapsed with his first heart attack. I was 5 years old at the time and remember the incident like it was yesterday. Needless to say I will never smoke.

 

[kreigle]

Smoked cigarettes from jr. High until I got out of the military.

Until I enlisted, it was only 1-5 cigarettes/day.

First 2 years in service saw an increase to ~1 pack/day. Quit cold turkey, stayed quit for 2 years. Started up again during Desert Sheild (Gulf War 1); went up to 2+ pack/day. Converted over to European imported cigarettes ~$5/pak and cut back to a couple/day. When I left the service, I quit again.

5 yrs later, I got into cigars and for a while was smoking 1-2/day until my son was born. I have only had maybe 5 cigars in the 4 yrs since. Have > 100 cigars in a converted Igloo waiting for me to find the time again.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

I've heard many experts say that it's easier to stop shooting heroin than it is to stop smoking. A few days of sickness and sweats and your done.

I hope that all who wish to stop can find the strength to do so. I don't see much upside to it, and yes, both my parents smoked. It did hasten my father's death and he told me it was the biggest regret he had in his life.

 

[pitzel]

Lost my grandma and my grandpa in the past year due to smoking.

Grandpa smoked since he was a teenager, but he quit 18 years ago, and passed away at the age of 83. The lung cancer he died from was a strain directly related to cigarette smoking.

Grandma passed away from pancreatic cancer a few months later, again, due to smoking, but she never really did quit.

I spent the last few days of grandpa's life at his side in his home, and it was an experience that not only taught me the sanctity of life, but also an experience I feel every young teenager should have before they get lulled into smoking cigarettes/**** /joints/etc. He died in probably the most sufferous and gruesome means possible -- drowning in his own juices, slowly suffocating as his lungs filled with fluid. He managed to add a few years to his life by quitting smoking 18 years earlier, but it just goes to show that any amount of long-term smoking always presents significant risks.

 

[Amkeer]

I had a grandfather that was a bartender. He never smoked a cigarette his whole life yet he died of lung cancer. The 2nd hand smoke is what destroyed his lungs!

My mother smoked for over 30 years and quit since she had cold like symptoms, coughs every morning that got worse.

A friend of mine smokes heavily, probably 2 packs a day. We ride our dirt bikes and he wheezes for 15 or 20 minutes since his lungs are not able to get enough oxygen. He knows that he needs to quit, but he won't. His dad died of lung cancer and his mother is disabled from lung disease.

People really don't think until its too late! They find out that they really don't want to die, but its too late. They find themselves wishing they had quit so that they can live long enough watch their sons and daughters raise a family. Unfortunately their fatefull decisions to smoke a cigarette will snuff out their life!

 

[TansLux]

No preaching, I continually fail @ giving up smokeless but… after 100 ER visits & living in a Hospital for over a year with acute asthma makes me wonder why someone would continue to smoke when it’s clear peak flow volume along with activity is impaired. The scariest most helpless feeling is not being able to breath well & smoking will help you get there.

 

[AstroVic]

I like my life.

I like my good health.

Therefore, I do not smoke.

 

[Chris142]

I don't smoke.

I have much more important things to spend my hard earned $$$ on.

Like GC, Mobil-1,Chev/Tex, Champion filters and single womens

 

[Drew99GT]

quote:

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Originally posted by Amkeer:

People really don't think until its too late! They find out that they really don't want to die, but its too late. They find themselves wishing they had quit so that they can live long enough watch their sons and daughters raise a family. Unfortunately their fatefull decisions to smoke a cigarette will snuff out their life!

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The thing is, if it was that easy to quit, everybody'd be doing it. Most smokers are the type (at least I've found) that substitute short term pleasure for long term agony. When your young and smoke, most people just don't think that far down the pike. If they do, they just subconciously block out the fact that "I'm paying money to slowly kill myself". You have a hard day at the office or whatever, and the only thing that's on your mind is that satisfying 1st drag. Yup, best thing to do is NEVER EVER smoke the 1st one.........

 

[Steve S]

quote:

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Originally posted by Chris142:
I don't smoke.

I have much more important things to spend my hard earned $$$ on.

Like GC, Mobil-1,Chev/Tex, Champion filters and single womens

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Chris the single women thing is bad get your self gelded.I wish I did it when I was 12.

 

[Gary Allan]

When I quit smoking ..my doctor was pleased to inform me that I would die in much better health.

Aside from lung cancer ...I don't see too many people living more without smoking or less with it. My grandfather was 91 ..smoked til he died. All my mother's sisters died of cancer 3 having in one of the important endecrin glands (?)..but all were in their late 70's ..none smoked.

Your life expectancy is usually in the genes ...your quality of life is usually in your bahavior.

So ..if there's anything to what I just said ..I'll live about as long as I would have under any circumstances ..but I'll be either more or less functional when I croak.

Just a side question here.

Would you want to die in perfect health??