Wayne045

I’ve never smoked in my own residence (except my parents). I remember as a pre-smoking teen helping dad clean the kitchen to prepare for painting. We used a common household cleaner called Spic-N-Span which worked great on the walls and cabinets. Had to change the water constantly as it would be black with a dozen rinses of the sponge. Use a nice big sponge when cleaning and then throw the spong away when your done Dad was under no illusion of what caused the yellowed walls but Mom kept trying to say it was the furnace that caused it, like we were burning coal or something.

Cleary, dreaming is hazardous to your health

I started on/off smoking at 18 (post high school) and daily at 22 in college. So, like JB, my child years were pretty much behind me I was an avid cyclist. Still am but I use my exercise bike more than my real one. Waiting for warm weather to return. I also remember having more hair back then. Can I blame that on smoking too?

Was traditional smoking ever a wedding thing? Answering my own question through the magic of the intertubes. A quick search on google for “smoking wedding photos” doesn’t turn up anything on the 1st page other than how to accommodate smokers or declare it completely non-smoking and using smoke bombs to provide colored smoke for some cool wedding photo effects (that is kinda cool)

Always young, sexy people in those print ads. Almost never a middle-aged or elderly person, cause they would’ve looked like, well smokers who can’t walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded

Reminds me of the time that me and my father went on a two day canoeing/camping trip. Dad had plenty of cigarettes but didn’t get the chance to smoke very many. You see he had never been canoeing on a real river and he steered us right into a tree within five minutes of the start, overturning the canoe and the water ruined his open pack. And so the day went. Each time he opened a pack to have a smoke we would hit a rapid shortly after, turn over and have another wet, wasted pack. Halfway through the day all 3 packs he had brought were ruined. He bummed some from a buddy when we stopped for lunch and he put them in a ziplock bag to keep them dry. But comically, those were lost too, and soon he was offering $5 for a dry cigarette, $10 as the afternoon wore on. We finally made it to the campground and he was able to smoke (and dry out). I’ve got a great photo of him at the camp site sitting on a cooler, still wet, his head resting in his hands, looking exhausted The 2nd day, he put his cigarettes into a plastic jug and tied it to the canoe so it wouldn’t get lost if we turned over. When he had a moment to smoke, he would open the jug, take out one cigarette and carefully seal the jar back up before lighting up We did pretty good the 2nd day and only turned over once on a very fast rapid near a short waterfall. He still didn’t smoke very much though because floating down a river on a small narrow boat requires your constant attention and work We never went on another canoe trip. I always wondered if it was because he knew he wouldn’t be able to smoke as much or it was just too physically exhausting for him. Still, for me, very fond memories, as well as two days worth of great stories, we weren’t the only amateur river rafters/canoers there

I found that the people around me were largely disinterested in my quit. Even my doctor (who had been telling me to quit) barely acknowledged it. Don’t expect daily applause from casual friends and coworkers, especially as time goes by. Find a family member or someone who has quit or is also trying to quit, they would provide that positive feedback for you. This forum is full of successful quitters who will tell you how awesome you (and us) are for quitting and maintaining the quit, but you will still have to do the hard work yourself, no one can do it for you. I mean, sure, non-smokers had encouraging words when I told them I was quitting, but they never circled back to ask how it was going. Non smokers think quitting is as easy as it would be to stop toasting your bagel in the morning. They have no idea the physiological and emotional roller coaster you’re on Current smokers had encouraging words up front, but will tend to avoid you after, neither encouraging or discouraging. I think it’s because they’re envious that you a) had the courage to quit and b) of your continued success. I’m ashamed to say that I was this was how I felt as a smoker when one of my smoking buddies quit. I felt validated when they relapsed and started smoking again. And sadly, some smokers will try to lure you back, because misery loves company. Best avoid those people entirely.

I don't know about victimization. Anyone who started smoking after the surgeon generals first started warning the the public about the dangers of smoking in the mid 60's, knows that smoking was bad for your health. Now if you had started before then you would have a point. I know I started smoking and continued smoking knowing the danger and yet I did so anyway. The problem is you start with tobacco/cigarettes and then move on to other things, like soft drinks in NYC, or fast food, etc. They're all bad for you right? So we have to tax them into oblivion or outright ban them making everyone an instant criminal. If you want to sue or charge the tobacco companies (and many individuals and state governments have done just that) for criminally misleading the public about the addictive and destructive properties of nicotine/cigarettes , that is an action that goes to the heart of the matter. As for street narcotics like heroin or methamphetamine, those don't exactly come from legal sources do they? Again the logical action would be to find the source and stop the flow of the drugs.

I don't think the solution is to make smokers into criminals. You will just repeat the prohibition era. (US) I would prefer that smoking just fade away on it's own through people quitting or not even starting. It was well on it's way until the e-cig/vape thing came along.

Misery loves company. That's why he wanted you there.

I’ve seen the type. Unlike a cigarette which eventually burns out so the smoker has a stopping point, a vape can be continuously “puffed” on, is not a fire hazard and can be kept in hand always at the ready. And since it’s not real smoke, I’d imagine you would have to work it pretty hard to get the equivalent of smoke inhalation Edit: I have read that vapes explode, or burst into flames, but that’s pretty rare compared to the hazard of a lit cigarette

A new benefit I just realized today. My skin is not as dried out. I used to get those painful skin cracks on the tips of my fingers, especially in the winter months, but this morning I realized I hadn’t had one since I quit smoking

Yes they are. Plus it's a long, multi-step process, Your regular dentist has to make molds of your teeth. Then dental surgery to remove the dead tooth or teeth (if you still have them) and put in the implant(s), then a 5-7 month wait while your bone and jaws heal. Then the posts are put on followed by your normal dentist to attach the bridge. If you can afford it though, it is definitely worth it.

I have bad genetics, long term effects of chemotherapy AND smoking. I have had root canals, crowns, and eventually extractions. I have two implants on the lower left side that holds a three tooth bridge (a process that took 6 months but was worth it). I have a traditional bridge on the lower right side along with several crowns on the upper teeth. I think I have spent more money on my teeth over the years than my regular doctor. Model of what my implant/bridge looks like. Quick edit. When I was 18 and and just started chemo, my oncologist said I need to get to the dentist for a checkup and stay on top of any issues. My Mom thought dental care was the least of my problems and wanted to put it off. We then got a lecture on the effects of chemo and dental health, which could lead to complications during treatment.

I've never had a spouse so maybe not as qualified to comment, but I will anyway. I watched this scenario play out prior to when I started smoking. My Dad tried to quit way back in the mid 70's but my Mom didn't, he made it almost a week with my Mom still smoking all over the house. I think Dad would have been successful it it wasn't literally in his face the entire time. He even said that to her face when she made a comment about willpower after he caved. This was the 70's though, so of course smokers could smoke anywhere, anytime, it didn't even occur to Mom to maybe go to the garage or outside to smoke. My parents continued smoking up until their deaths, both had COPD/emphysema and both were very sedentary in their retirements. My dad went into the hospital for the first (and last) time when he developed pneumonia. He was forced to quit in the hospital, they gave him nicotine patches, but I'm sure he died wanting a cigarette. My Mom was also forced to quit when her breathing got so bad she had to have oxygen 24/7. It was a forced quit. Also a cold-turkey quit as she refused any NRT.

Somehow I'm no more attractive to women after I quit smoking than I was when smoking. What is this "sex" thing everyone is talking about?

Yes it is, DC is fairly small and a 10 minute drive in any direction (notwithstanding rush hour traffic) will get you to either MD or VA, not much gas required, certainly less than a gallon, which is less than the taxes alone. Another option is to take the Metro (subway). So take train to first stop in MD or VA. Get out, hit the nearest convenience store to get your cigarettes and be back on your way in short order. As you should know as a former smoker, you will go to great lengths and justify anything to keep smoking.

I guess it depends on whether you live closer to VA or MD as to where they have to get their fix.

Just read that Washington DC increased the cigarette tax by $2 per pack, bringing the taxes up to $5 per pack, and the average cost of a pack to $10, which according to the article is now the highest in the US. Read the article here As the article points out though, all smokers have to do is take a quick trip to either MD or VA where the taxes are much lower.

Several years ago on a weekend trip to LuRay caverns (a small town with only one cell tower) I saw a bus pull into a small strip mall right in front of the tobacco shop and everybody headed in straight in. Don't know where the bus was from but I would wager that it was full of people from out of state.

I just looked on-line for my state, Virginia (US). The average price here is $4.69 per pack. That's not much more than what it was when I quit almost 2.5 years ago. I think it was $4.30 or so when I quit. According to the table I saw, Virginia is the 3rd lowest in the US in terms of cost per pack.

I heard this many times from smokers and in fact used to say it myself, then I realized: Yes, we have to die from something, but we don't WANT to die do we? So why hasten our death by smoking.

I have the occasional one. Don't think much of them anymore, I always wake up still a non/former smoker.

I gained about 10 lbs in the 2+ years since I quit . But then I have been tall and skinny my whole life and still look tall and skinny. I can hide behind a telephone pole. (slender if you want to be polite)

Strange as it sounds. Have to say I agree about the breaks. Nowadays at work, I will work straight through till lunch without hardly getting out my chair, where I used to at least take one break mid-morning, walk down the stairs and back up when finished. Now I have to keep reminding myself to get up and walk around.