Keep Your Public Health Service Announcement To Yourself

[metaldad904]

If one more person tells me that smoking is going to kill me I think i'm just gonna turn around and put my cigarette out in their eye. Guess what? I KNOW ITS BAD FOR ME! I don't need everybody and their mother's brother letting me know each and every friggin day. I haven't been under a rock my entire life, nor am I illiterate or mentality retarded...i'm well aware of the consequences of my actions. I smoke cigarettes, DEAL WITH IT. I'm not asking you to join in so i don't need you to tell me how i'm going to get cancer or something else everytime you see me. All that does is make me want to smoke more b/c you've just pissed me off & i've gotta do something to keep from snapping you in half. I don't come up to you at Burger King & tell you that you'll have a heart attack from eating that double bacon cheeseburger do i? They should inform anti-smokers the health hazards of pissing off smokers.....i want a warning label for that. Sorry, needed to vent. Anyone else out there feelin me here?

 

[Jenn]

when I smoked I used to hate that with a passion and I still think smokers get treated unfair but to each their own, Im proudly smoke free for almos a year (April) but that was my choice to quit and not becaues people felt the need to bash my habit.

 

[metaldad904]

I agree, we get the raw end of the deal all the time. Can't even smoke in a bar anymore it seems these days. I understand that some people don't wanna be around it & that's fine, i've always been very considerate about it & ask before i light up....its just common courtesy. What infuriates me especially is that lately they've even banned smoking at indoor concerts which is beyond me. I'm a metalhead & anyone that goes to these shows knows what that entails, you walk into the room their is usually a smokey haze floating over the crowd. I don't get why people feel the need to voice their opinion about something that has nothing to do with them.

Congrats on quitting, one of the hardest things to do thats for sure. I've quit several times before but it has yet to stick. One of these days i will i'm sure but it won't be b/c someone told me to.

 

[Lena]

You know, I think it's all blown out of proportion. If you want to smoke, you should be able to smoke without people harassing you.

I smoke a cigarette maybe twice or thrice a month for the taste (Clove cigarette, 1.5 times more nicotine than a marlboro red, yet it has never had a hold on me.). Rarely do I smoke in succession unless in social situations.. But I never get cravings, I never feel the need. Go figure.

I am actually a big fan of many forms of tobacco, including snus and snuff (that's right, in the nose!). People frown upon it because they see the public service announcements.. And suddenly they think they know all of the facts and that everyone who uses tobacco is killing themselves and is irreversibly addicted.

:beatnik2: Besides.. These days.. Everything gives you cancer or kills you. Even breathing. Haha.

Jason, if you want to quit, I'd suggest reading up on snuff, it's the healthiest form of tobacco intake.. And it's quite pleasurable, too!

 

[metaldad904]

You know, I think it's all blown out of proportion. If you want to smoke, you should be able to smoke without people harassing you.

I smoke a cigarette maybe twice or thrice a month for the taste (Clove cigarette, 1.5 times more nicotine than a marlboro red, yet it has never had a hold on me.). Rarely do I smoke in succession unless in social situations.. But I never get cravings, I never feel the need. Go figure.

I am actually a big fan of many forms of tobacco, including snus and snuff (that's right, in the nose!). People frown upon it because they see the public service announcements.. And suddenly they think they know all of the facts and that everyone who uses tobacco is killing themselves and is irreversibly addicted.

:beatnik2: Besides.. These days.. Everything gives you cancer or kills you. Even breathing. Haha.

Jason, if you want to quit, I'd suggest reading up on snuff, it's the healthiest form of tobacco intake.. And it's quite pleasurable, too!

These days everyone seems to think they're an expert....thanks a lot wikepedia! What's funny is, quite a large portion of the medical community itself smokes (i used to be an EMT).

I have a few friends who smoke cloves, and some that only have a few cigs once in awhile. I think a lot of it has to do with your personality, I for one have a very addictive one (the stories i could tell you of me in high school, oh boy). Also, with cigarettes especially i believe you have to build a base of nicotine in your system before you body really starts to crave it, i could be wrong but that's seems logical to me. I know if i don't have a cigarette in a certain amount of time i start to get really agitated & will get a headache.

Hahaha, i think water might even kill u these days lol.

Hmmm...very interesting, i think i will check it out. Though there is something about snorting anything that just kinda brings back bad memories & such for me but u never know...could help. Thanks!

 

[Lena]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I have an extremely non-addictive personality.

I know if i don't have a cigarette in a certain amount of time i start to get really agitated & will get a headache.

You see, I'll occasionally get a headache when my boyfriend is smoking and I'm not.. But unless I'm in the mood for one, I still don't have any desire to pick one up.

 

[LizMarie]

I personally don't smoke but I'm not one to put my friends down either. It's legal and they're adults, what the hell am I going to say? I just ask smokers not to smoke around me if possible because the smoke chokes me up really badly.

 

[LeapinLizards]

The only people I am constantly nagging on to quit smoking is my family members, as I feel I have the right to. They are my family, and I care about their well being...the fact that EVERYONE in my close family (parents, sister, aunts uncles, cousins) smokes really kills me. I am the only one that has never even lit one cigarette up. I refuse to. I don't care how many times I hear "I knowww, I need to quit" from them. My mom taking my sister outside to "check the weather" is just ridiculous to me. I lost 2 grandparents to lung cancer...I don't want to lose more.

The only time I ever say anything to someone about smoking, is when they are being disrespectful about it. If we are all standing outside waiting for a table at a restaurant, do not light up a cigarette downwind from me, KNOWING the wind is carrying it right into my face.

 

[T&KBrouse]

As a smoker, I feel your pain. I do my best to be courteous of non-smokers. I didn't smoke during pregnancies. I never smoked indoors around my kids. It was my issue, not theirs, you know?

One day, I will quit smoking. Right now, hubby is on the patch and one basket case in the house is enough for right now.

The fact is, before children, I was a heroine addict and an alcoholic. These are craving that NEVER go away.
I have a high stress job and if my choice is to stick a needle in my arm or a cigarette in my mouth, guess which one I'm going to pick?

In my eyes, I don't need to be 'saved' from nicotine. I've already been saved from something far, far worse. When I'm ready to become a non-smoker, I will because its my choice. No one elses.

 

[Lacedolphin]

I'm also a smoker and understand how annoying people can be about it. I'm always considerate of others but if you ask me non-smokers need to learn to be more considerate themselves. I figure once my life is unstressed enough where I don't think I'll kill someone while trying to quit, then I'll quit. Until then, give me a smoke so I don't hurt anyone. I started smoking at 18 becuase of stress, and I stay smoking because of stress.

Heres some info. look at the statisticts for smokers with lung cancer compared to people who have never smoked at all and still got lung cancer?
Look at the same statistics of total people to die from some form of cancer, guess what? Most of them never smoked! And still got brest,lung,stomach,pancreatic,etc.
Wheres the commercial for that??

 

[LeapinLizards]

All I know is that I've lost two grandparents from lung cancer directly related to smoking for years and years. Until my family quits, they can deal with my reminding them I love them and would like them to be around for many years to come. I'm not doing it to be annoying, but because I really care.

The reason I don't put up with people smoking around me at all is because I lost a friend to lung cancer. She worked in an old fashioned diner that allowed smoking indoors. 2nd hand smoke killed her.

I can definitely understand the stress relief aspect of it, my life is FULL of stress...much more than any 23 year old should ever have to deal with. When I get stressed out, I chew gum...same concept really, without the drug aspect.

Again, I am not being insensitive to smokers, like I said, I don't have a problem with other people's decisions, as they are THEIRS, and theirs alone. Losing 3 people I love to lung cancer caused by smoking cigarettes for years is way too many for me to lose...1 really is too many. I do not care how many of my family members I irritate by telling them I wish they would quit...it's not only themselves they are hurting. My cousin's daughter (5 years old) the other day got into my Aunt's purse, found her cigarettes and mimicked my aunt...holding the cigarette to her mouth and pulling it away. It really made me upset to see that.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

All I can say is, that people who don't smoke are going to feel awfully stupid laying in the hospital dying of nothing!

 

[paulnj]

All I can say is, that people who don't smoke are going to feel awfully stupid laying in the hospital dying of nothing!

:main_laugh:

:smoking:

 

[vctkiller]

I'm not allowed to smoke, so I don't know the feeling of it. But smokers don't bug me, but I am bugged when people don't follow rules. I was at an attraction area and the sign says " NO SMOKING" I see a person smoking, so I go up to him and tell him this is a NO SMOKING zone. He was like oh ok sorry kid. Then after a couple minutes he started smoking again. I was angry so I told my mom about it. My mom asked one of the workers there and they told their boss so they kicked him out.

About stress. I'm not much a person to have a lot of stress but I do have stress toys. I bought them at the dollar store and they are the form of people.
I have one of each of my family members. And also a business man and a clown. You know how brothers get into arguments? :argue: The stress toy I have the form of my brother is crippled. Having no legs. But deep inside my brother I love him :love:

 

[whkrazyk]

ive been smoking for half my life, and i feel what you are saying, i kno i might die of lung cancer, ive seen it happen to close relatives, but i personally dont care, i dont smoke infront of people with lung problems, i dont smoke infront of people who ask, i dont smoke in my car when i have non smokers in there, i dont smoke in the house, i mean who am i hurting but myself, i cant smoke a cig. infront of a club wihtout hearing "smoking kills" atleasts once, and what kills me is its when people who are stumbling through the streets that probably have ulcers and hepatitis B and still drink till they hit the floor, i hear it at work everyday, at home everyday, i mean i dont smoke in the house, i dont smoke in my reptile room, what am i hurting, i kno some people are just trying to help, but you dont go to a midget and tell him hes not gunna live very long, why tell me the same..........sry did some venting of my own........but i feel where your coming from............kyle

 

[metaldad904]

I'm happy to hear i'm not alone in the feelings towards this. I just get so tired of how smokers are made out to be the villains. I've never pushed it upon anyone or anything like it, always considerate b/c the fact is, when i was a kid i was the one who would take a cig straight out of someone's mouth and stomp on it (at the time i hated the smell of it). Constant high stress is the main reason i started and the reason i still do it, if i didn't smoke i would most likely be doing far worse things to myself, and i'm already considered the moodiest person at my office so i could only imagine what i'd be like w/out them lol.

I do agree that smokers should follow the rules and not smoke where you're not supposed to but i will say this. The world has made it next to impossible for us to smoke in peace. Every public place i go to these days i'm forced to go to some dark alley 6 miles away (ok maybe a little exaggeration lol) just to have a cig. what i find most funny, of all the places that have an actual smoking area.....hospitals. Some even have indoor ones with air vents and such, it was almost beautiful lol. I go into this room & see all these other smokers in what looked like disbelief b/c there were chairs, a tv & it was heated.....its as if we had wandered into some mythical realm just for smokers.

I know one day i will need to quit, in fact my 7 year old daughter has started asking questions about it & I really don't have a good answer for her.

 

[Jenn]

too me smoking a cig to relax is no different then drinking a beer to relax. People can go to a resturant and have a beer with thier dinner but let someone light up a cigg. I have personally never know anyone to die from smoking but my mother and sister in law were both killed by a drunk driver. there is always something out that can and will kill you. I will admit I do feel 100 times better since quitting.

 

[Alusdra]

I had an aunt die of lung cancer that was a huge smoker and it was awful (both losing her and how she had to go). But I don't run up to random people in the streets who are smoking and yell at them. What do I know about them and their life?

However, I'm really sensitive to it and even if someone always goes outside to smoke, the remnants on their clothes can choke me up and I can't breathe if I get to close to them, or if they stay in a small enough room for a long enough time. It also seeps under doors and hovers under overhangs- I go to rock concerts, too- I suffer through the haze and feel like crap for days when I go to indoor ones.

I have a friend who smokes, but she does it so infrequently and is so cautious about where she does that I can tolerate being around her. I can't stay in her house for more than an hour or two, however. Anyone that doesn't go to the most extreme of extremes like she does of smoking outside far far away from buildings- I can't be friends with them simply due to the fact that I literally can't stand next to them.

And more than me being mad at the individual who is smoking for hurting me (physically) I'm more mad at them hurting themselves. It pains me to see someone being so self-destructive. You say you know how bad it is for you and yet you do it anyway? If I think about it too much it makes my vision go red. I hate the whole cultural monster that makes it acceptable. I love that it is harder and harder for smokers to smoke- not just because it means I can enjoy myself when I go out (though that is certainly a great thing), but because maybe more and more people will be able to quit if it becomes more worthwhile to do so.

I know in the end it is their decision but it is so frustrating! I literally started choking my brother while almost crying when he gave me that 'I'm only hurting myself' line. Yeah, you're hurting yourself- and when you hurt yourself you hurt me! If he was suicidal I feel it would be the same. In both cases it's really not the person's fault- it's a chemical- and they need to want help for me to be able to give it.

In my brother's situation- he's living with my grandmother, who smokes like a chimney, our cousin and the housekeeper/nurse do, too. He quit but living in that house he ended up starting again. And I can't rail on my grandmother- her husband has Alzheimer's and going downhill fast. Like she needs me pushing her about something like smoking when he's going to be gone soon. I just really don't want to lose either of them (or my grandfather, but that one no one can change). I want to be around them (and my grandfather!) as much as possible... I love them, dammit! But I can't be around them due to the smoking. I don't want to hug my own brother! I can barely stand to be around my grandparents! I have to bite the bullet essentially to do so and that hurts in a much worse way than physically.

I get frustrated and angry and depressed about it. I just wish that they would stop so we could be together and do things together and I wouldn't have to worry about getting sick around them. It sucks and I don't know what to do. As much as I want to go and bury all the cigarettes in the world under a ton of bricks and scream at people who smoke- I know it will only make them angry, defensive and smoke to spite me.

I get angry with smokers, but I HATE the tobacco companies that lie by omission, use technicalities (who would do a study that FORCED people to smoke for 20 years to see if they get more cancer and die more than those that don't? That's what you would have to do to "prove" it) and misdirection (like those BS cancer stat interpretations- no sh*t you don't get liver cancer from smoking!) and sell cigarettes and make this whole situation possible at all.

And by the by- I get almost as frustrated with my family for their crappy diets. I try almost as desperately to get them to eat better, though in as positive a way as possible. We have diabetes and heart disease in the family, and I don't want to lose them to that any more than I want them to die of lung cancer. And the only reason for the 'almost' I admit is laziness- so I gain a few pounds at their house and feel bloated; I'm not hacking up a lung- it's easier to ignore.

 

[rubym]

I had 2 brothers die of lung cancer due to a life time of chain smoking and it was horrible for my family BUT I don't feel that I have a right to tell you not to do whatever you feel like. I'm not your mother or your doctor and I am not God so I can't condem you for your choices. I think that there are certain places that if you go there you may as well expect to be exposed to smoke ( bars and concerts). I have severe allergies and I have asthma so I don't go to concerts or bars or places that I know allow smoking. I think that there needs to be a compromise. Certain places it should be fine and certain places not.Those of us that do not smoke don't have to go to the places where it's allowed and those of us that do don't have to go where it's not allowed if we choose not to. Someone can preach all they want to a person and unless that person wants to quit its not going to happen.

 

[Amber7399]

I'm happy to hear i'm not alone in the feelings towards this. I just get so tired of how smokers are made out to be the villains. I've never pushed it upon anyone or anything like it, always considerate b/c the fact is, when i was a kid i was the one who would take a cig straight out of someone's mouth and stomp on it (at the time i hated the smell of it). Constant high stress is the main reason i started and the reason i still do it, if i didn't smoke i would most likely be doing far worse things to myself, and i'm already considered the moodiest person at my office so i could only imagine what i'd be like w/out them lol.

I do agree that smokers should follow the rules and not smoke where you're not supposed to but i will say this. The world has made it next to impossible for us to smoke in peace. Every public place i go to these days i'm forced to go to some dark alley 6 miles away (ok maybe a little exaggeration lol) just to have a cig. what i find most funny, of all the places that have an actual smoking area.....hospitals. Some even have indoor ones with air vents and such, it was almost beautiful lol. I go into this room & see all these other smokers in what looked like disbelief b/c there were chairs, a tv & it was heated.....its as if we had wandered into some mythical realm just for smokers.

I know one day i will need to quit, in fact my 7 year old daughter has started asking questions about it & I really don't have a good answer for her.

LOL @ the dark alley. One of my jobs is at a club, during the evening. and they make all of us go way in the back. into this little secluded area almost complety inclosed by brick walling, to go smoke! while the customers, are complety fine to go out the front door. and stand in the from of the building and smoke.. :main_angry: it really makes me mad.. and yea there are cameras outsite. but i won't go out to smoke by myself though

and my best friend has lung cancer. and has already had two surgeries, and several different procedures. to try to treat her. but she has never smoked.. her husband doesn't smoke. her parents never smoked :main_huh:
so what does she tell me.. oh yea that i need to quit smoking, unless i want to end up like her... (Now i smoke black & milds, if anyone doesn't know what they are.. they're cigars. the thins ones. and have a plastic tip. no filter at all.and are probably so much more worse for me that a cigarette) and my reply to her is.. you got it and don't even some..... so if i am going to get lung cancer...I am going to have it for a legitimet reason, & i am going to enjoy myself untill/if the day come that I do

but yea, Jason, the biggest, bossiest person in my life is my (almost) 7yr old son. :main_laugh: (who i don't smoke around, but when i come inside the house he can smell it) other than that, thankfully I don't have to many people telling me anything, thankfully