Why do people smoke?

Ahleckz said:
Potentially cutting your life short.

People do all manner of dangerous things, they do them because it provides them with pleasure. I'd much rather have a short life that is full of pleasure than a long, boring life that I abstain from things that I know that I'll enjoy.
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Yeah there's a great many drugs that'll give you pleasure. Herion being the notable one. But I don't see many people taking the same view as yours on that.
 
Was a smoker smoking about 6-8 a day, not many.

It started with me about 4 years ago a lot of my friends were smokers and I would often ask for one here and there until I just decided I wanted to smoke. It felt good, was cool and would often give me a chance to get out of the office for a short break instead of being inside most of the day and that is a big reason why I didn't stop.

But as of the end of January I have given up, I had a op done recently and was asked to stop 2 weeks before the op, I thought well why not stop for good and I did. I will now save over £1000 a year, good times :)
 
norm said:
Yeah there's a great many drugs that'll give you pleasure. Herion being the notable one. But I don't see many people taking the same view as yours on that.
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That's not really a good comparison, given the inherent risks of tobacco and heroin.

The point is an ascetic lifestyle is not going to have much in the way of physical enjoyment, when there are many things in life that are pleasurable.
Just as you don't have to deny yourself everything, you don't have to accept everything either. That's what I got from it.
 
I started smoking in college, down to boredom mostly, it gave me something to do between lectures.
 
Can regular smokers even differentiate between addiction and pleasure?

It's a lot easier to say you enjoy something, than it is to admit you're addicted to it.
 
Interesting points raised, and I have taken everyone onboard

However, I'm still not convinced I understand why people smoke.

The two main ones are:

Addicted
Relaxing

The first one is simple enough, but the second one isn't. Everyone is born a non smoker (dont want to go off on a tangent regarding nicotine dependant newborns) so they don't know that smoking will relax them. Is this a correct assumption?

I think what I was hoping for is something along the lines of....

Smoking improves the taste of my coffee/beer etc etc
I enjoy the taste/smell (some people might)
Like making smoke rings for fun etc etc etc (ok, so I'm struggling for reasons hence this thread)

Correct me If I'm wrong, but a few of the suggested reasons for smoking only comes about once they have become addicted? so why get addicted in the first place?

This all comes down I guess to why people start in the first place. Common one is the school playground.

so far then, to sum everything up

People start at school to look cool, get addicted, which then becomes an enjoyment?

Have I got it? anything else to add......

I suppose the next hot topic would be, if you had a time machine would you go back and stop yourself? Now this would be interesting especially those who enjoy smoking
 
Dad smoke the usual yadda, but I never gave into peer pressure and I am proud to say that I've never even touched one and never will.
 
glen8 said:
However, I'm still not convinced I understand why people smoke.
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Awesome. I'm not convinced I understand why people are religious/atheist/homosexual/fetishists/Chelsea supporters/think Beemers are better than Mercs/etc.

I guess it's just another one of those things you'll never fully understand unless you live it, not by making a thread about it.
 
glen8 said:
People start at school to look cool, get addicted, which then becomes an enjoyment?

Have I got it? anything else to add......
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My Dad started smoking at around 42.
He was living in Nigeria and decided to 'fit in and not look out of place' he needed to smoke (those were his words).

Ex Stoke Counsellor Mike Barnes started smoking at around the same age because of the stress.

A 50 year old mate of mine started smoking because his new girlfriend smoked and because she stunk so much he might as well himself :eek:

There are many reasons for smoking and not just the playground (although I agree it is easily the most common).
I also believe that the vast majority of smokers would give up it was very simple to do.
For instance if taking the blue pill would stop their addiction and habits forever then the majority would take it.
 
4 years of smoking and last month I woke up and went cold turkey, 10 a day down to zero and I feel fantastic, with the little one on the way I decided that I'll probably not approve my kid to smoke so why do I do it?

Not a single benifit to smoking.
 
Theophany said:
Awesome. I'm not convinced I understand why people are religious/atheist/homosexual/fetishists/Chelsea supporters/think Beemers are better than Mercs/etc.

I guess it's just another one of those things you'll never fully understand unless you live it, not by making a thread about it.
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I'm not sure, If I didn't make a thread then Dimple would not have replied. He raises some valid points. This is the reason why the internet is so great, you get insight into many peoples viewpoints.
 
No mention of smoking giving anyone sexual pleasure, sex games, fetishes etc etc? Maybe most are too embarrased or just not interested in that aspect of it....cue the sniggers :p

I only mention it, as years ago I met a lass in a club who smoked. That turned me on, although it was the only time. She was hot though. Still didn't turn me into a smoker although I did think about her smoking for weeks afterwards. Still do now and again.
 
glen8 said:
No mention of smoking giving anyone sexual pleasure, sex games, fetishes etc etc? Maybe most are too embarrased or just not interested in that aspect of it....cue the sniggers :p

I only mention it, as years ago I met a lass in a club who smoked. That turned me on, although it was the only time. She was hot though. Still didn't turn me into a smoker although I did think about her smoking for weeks afterwards. Still do now and again.
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Kissing someone who smokes, as a non-smoker, is horrendous. Blergh!

But, ya know, sometimes you have to power through.

:o
 
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