Cigarettes - How damaging?

Dark_Angel · 16 Sep 2008 at 12:52

aproctor said:
Its not quite as bad as that.

Well ok I maybe went a little over board, but was going for the example rather than a direct comparrison

starfighter · 16 Sep 2008 at 12:52

I smoke a couple a day. Sorry to say but I started off like you, just smoking on nights out, within a few months it was every day. I am considering stopping as I can feel myself getting more unfit.

It is a shame because I really like it. Atleast I haven't progressed onto the 20 a day starge but that is prbably simply due to time at work and not being able to smoke much at home.

Atleast smoke weed, it atleast gets you stoned for a while. Perhaps crack? that lasts even longer so I hear.

(The Above is a Joke, I don't toot the crack pipe or condone any illegal activity).

Dark_Angel · 16 Sep 2008 at 12:57

@ Starfighter, I would *HIGHLY* recommend removing any and all drug related text from your post. OCUK are very strict on that kind of talk.

psychas · 16 Sep 2008 at 12:59

well i smoked for 4 /5 years till i started have some problems with heart etc. then stopped smoking for a year .

then i started smoking again first two summer months. noticed lost of stamina chest pains came back. so decided to quit them for good this time. noticed that i fealing better in a week .

some people dont feel anything and just notice effects after 10 / 20 or more years. when it is to late.

It is hard to explain if u in to reading try to read a book The Last Cigarette by Symon Grey i believe it is this one.

Karl · 16 Sep 2008 at 13:01

Dark_Angel said:
We are telling you that it is very dangerous, high risk, high chance you will take it up full time, and you are ignoring the reasons for creating the thread.

It's like going to see the doctor because you are massively over weight, them saying to you that your life is being seriously put in danger, and then the patient saying "ok thanks doc, was just curious" and then them trundling off on their merry way

Well no, the reasons for me creating the thread were that I wanted to know what the risks are. Now I know what the risks are. You can request the thread be closed if it really bothers you that much? :confused:

I thought the whole purpose of a forum was to archive information and discussions. If someone searches with relevant terms, my thread full of information and studies will now appear in the search results. I'm not sure what you're getting at?

Dark_Angel · 16 Sep 2008 at 13:15

Karl said:
Well no, the reasons for me creating the thread were that I wanted to know what the risks are. Now I know what the risks are. You can request the thread be closed if it really bothers you that much?

I thought the whole purpose of a forum was to archive information and discussions. If someone searches with relevant terms, my thread full of information and studies will now appear in the search results. I'm not sure what you're getting at?

I am sorry if it comes across that it bothers me, because it doesn't (it isn't my health... and I once again don't mean that harshly).

I simply meant that you wanted to ask a question to the health issues which you chose to ignore the warnings, and (in MY way of thinking) I would never ask advice on such things if I wasn't going to heed it, is all I meant.

I didn't mean to cause any offense, so sorry if you took my posts in that way, as it wasn't meant to be.

Karl · 16 Sep 2008 at 13:25

No way matey, no offence taken at all. I just like to know what the risks are. Just like if I were to skydive and I know it's mostly safe, I'd still want to know what the risks are, even if I was still going to do it.

Not a great analogy, but I hope it explains things a bit.

KittensCake · 16 Sep 2008 at 13:37

I have smoked socially/occassionaly for years, and I'm not addicted. I can go months without with no problems. I do it because I enjoy it, not to look cool :rolleyes:

I know it's damaging to my health, but quite simply, I don't care.

krooton · 16 Sep 2008 at 13:53

KittensCake said:
I have smoked socially/occassionaly for years, and I'm not addicted. I can go months without with no problems. I do it because I enjoy it, not to look cool

I know it's damaging to my health, but quite simply, I don't care.

The amount I smoke probably does less damage than eating McDonalds and friends 3 times or more a week, which loads of fatties do

do_ron_ron · 16 Sep 2008 at 14:25

drunkenmaster said:
I can't say how addictive it is, i up until very recently had no real motivation/will power for much of anything, yet found myself never once getting addicted to smoking. At uni i could go out all week and not smoke, find myself smoking while drunk every night for a week followed by smoking during the day because i had ciggarette's about and being sociable with other smokers in the house, to instantly not having another one for weeks/months on end without the slightest craving at all. Its been like that for the last 10 years, i'll smoke now and then , usually with bigger nights out, and then not smoke for 3 months, or 2 years. But everyones brain chemistry is very different, everyone does things that will possibly harm them in the long run but who cares. If you like smoking but give it up for health reasons you can still get hit by a bus tomorrow, or die of cancer next year, or die in a war in a decade. in general, do what you enjoy and damn the consequences because at the end of the day you enjoy life or you don't, nothing matters in the slightest when you're dead. I really don't understand why people are so desparate to live those completely lonely, horrible last 5 years of miserable bad health in an old peoples home not even aware of who the hell you are. I'm more scared of being an old person with no control of myself or my life and with nothing to do, than dying.

Yes that is one point that is true - everybody is different and their body may not react as quickly to a drug. There are other side effects of smoking. The particles start to block the small capilliaries in the lungs from the first smoke, making your lungs less efficient. The more you smoke the more crap gets into your lungs until you canot walk very far before you have to take a seat and rest. Eventually you cannot get enough oxygen into your body, even if you have inhalers, oxygen masks etc and you take a heart attack as you panic because you cannot breath. Death may follow, then or at some other time - all attributed to smoking effects.

The above is not my imagination or supposition but a description of how my father died.

Lethagized · 16 Sep 2008 at 14:59

Red and White said:
you are blatantly trying to look cool when you really dont think its a great idea.

Wrong! Social smokers smoke because they have not smoked for days or weeks, are surrounded by smokers and fancy a fag! Unless you have smoked yourself, you will never understand. It can take weeks, years, or even decades to get completley over smoking. I know some people who have not smoked for 10 years, but they fancy a fag every now and then.

I went out with a mate last year and he had a bit too much to drink. He was being sick. He's only ever smoked 2 fags in his 28 year life, but he had this fag and he felt fine after. IMO, drinking beer alone really bloats me. I can only do about 4 pints before feeling bloated. If i smoke a few cigs, i can drink more. Not saying this is clever or anything, but it's a feasible reason in why people socially smoke.