# Buying cigars for a guy who's quit smoking? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 27, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143 "2011-01-27T02:18:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/21 "2011-01-27T07:45:19Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > Because I know people who don’t like cigarettes but do smoke cigars. I’ve never smoked a cigar and have never wanted to - in my mind cigars and cigarettes are totally different things. OK, look, I’m sorry, I didn’t want to come across as a prick. However… This is just a \*very \*bad idea. A recovering smoker needs to be given nicotine like he needs to be given a hole in the head. As for giving him nicotine in an _enjoyable delivery mechanism?_ Yeah, there’s a chance that it won’t send him back to being a regular smoker. There’s also a \*chance \*that pushing him into a minefield won’t end with his legs blown off. It’s still a better idea to take that wide, nice road \*around \*the minefield if you have the chance. > [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > Maybe I’ll get a bottle of nice whiskey instead. Would you do that if he was a recovering alcoholic, just because he used to prefer beer? No? Well, there you go. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/22 "2011-01-27T07:54:38Z")
I’m wondering why you seem to feel so strongly compelled to give him cigars that you’re more or less arguing or looking for holes in the advice people are giving you that this is a bad idea. I was a three-and-half to four pack a day smoker and I smoked for 21 years. After trying to quit three or four times a year for approximately 17 of those years I was finally able to quit and make it stick. I’ve now been off cigarettes for over 25 years, and I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to say that. I literally thought I would never be able to kick that addiction. So, no matter how well cigars might go with my beloved single-malt scotches, I absolutely will not risk smoking them for fear that they will lead me back to cigarettes again. So of course my recommendation is that you not buy him cigars. Look at it this way - what do you have to gain by giving him cigars vs. what do you have to lose by getting him something else? On the one hand you risk causing him to be a smoker again, and on the other hand you risk…nothing. To me, it’s a no-brainer. Why take the risk? Just get him something nice that won’t be a threat to his health and you’ll both be a lot happier in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/23 "2011-01-27T08:05:15Z")
I’m an ex-smoker. I think this is a bad idea, _because he’s quitting smoking_. It’s not the same game as when someone _doesn’t like cigarettes, but smokes cigars_. And it will quite possibly be interpreted as an attempt on your part to sabotage his efforts to quit (regardless whether or not that is your intention). ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/24 "2011-01-27T08:14:52Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > I’m wondering why you seem to feel so strongly compelled to give him cigars that you’re more or less arguing or looking for holes in the advice people are giving you that this is a bad idea. I don’t feel strongly compelled to give him cigars. I’ve already said I probably won’t. I started the thread to explore the idea that cigars and cigarettes are two different things, which I formed based on my personal experience. I’m happy to listen to people like yourself who say that cigars are a bad idea if it’s based on something other than a knee-jerk reaction towards smoking in general. My annoyance in this thread has been towards people who have shown up simply to say “No are you fucking nuts” without having any experience themselves as smokers. In case anyone else plans on coming in this thread and questions my sanity: I’ve decided NOT to buy him cigars for his birthday, so you can untwist your knickers now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/25 "2011-01-27T08:27:16Z")
Yay, you! Thanks for listening to those of us who’ve been there. 🙂 And thanks for the explanation. None of us like to be told we’re fucking nuts…not even those of us who hear it all the time. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/26 "2011-01-27T08:28:01Z")
Never mind! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/27 "2011-01-27T08:35:16Z")
How on Earth could this possibly be a good idea? OK, maybe the cigars won’t get him to go on cigarettes… So? The problem isn’t the cigarettes, the problem is tobacco in general. Cigar addiction isn’t any better than cigarette addiction, given that they’re the same damn addiction. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/28 "2011-01-27T13:28:21Z")
Sorry I didn’t elaborate last night. My thinking is that if he wants to try cigars as an alternative to cigs then it should be his idea. He may want to, he may want to stay away from all tobacco products. But by gifting him cigars you are removing his choice. That’s a very bad idea for someone trying to avoid cigarettes. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/29 "2011-01-27T13:38:43Z")
Pssst…she’s already said that she’s decided not to buy him any cigars. See post 24. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/30 "2011-01-27T16:25:51Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Pssst…she’s already said that she’s decided not to buy him any cigars. See post 24. Psst, I know, but she still asked me to explain my response in post #2. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/31 "2011-01-27T16:31:41Z")
As a cigar/pipe smoker and former cigarette smoker, my thought is this: This is a great idea for 2-3 years from now. You made the right decision this year. ---
**Author:** ![JacobSwan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@JacobSwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacobSwan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/32 "2011-01-27T21:17:07Z")
I gave up cigarettes just over 4 years ago. After I’d been clean for a month I bought myself a cigar to celebrate the milestone. I now smoke 2 packs of panatellas a day, which costs slightly less than the pack of cigarettes I used to smoke. I do inhale them but not as deeply as cigarettes, but I am addicted. Anyone who has had to deal with me when I’ve been in a meeting for 4 hours with no break will tell you I do get withdrawl symptoms. So I’m slightly ahead cash wise but the smell is even more annoying to other people. You made the right choice in not buying them. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/33 "2011-01-27T21:20:56Z")
Save the cigars for his next birthday. It’ll be better if you play it safe since he just recently quit smoking. Cigars might not be cigarettes but nicotine is nicotine. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/34 "2011-01-27T21:32:41Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > Because I know people who don’t like cigarettes but do smoke cigars. They’re not ex-cigarette smokers. It’s a nice sentiment, but not a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/35 "2011-01-27T22:57:44Z")
I think you made the right choice. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/36 "2011-01-28T00:00:17Z")
I quit smoking for 3 1/2 years and started back due to a cigar. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/37 "2011-01-28T02:05:39Z")
I’ll reiterate my previous post. I’m not sure of the danger of temptation. I started smoking cigarettes in the Army in 1991. I was already past that danger age, and it was stupid to start so old. I quit successfully in 2005. In 2006 I hesitantly tried cigars, and was instantly a fan. It did _not_ provoke a desire to smoke cigarettes. Cigars were more like a good tequila: something to be enjoyed from time to time (and boy, they are really enjoyable). I’m talking, like a cigar every week or two, and only when the occasion demands it. In 2008 I _did_ start smoking again, but it was related to my peer group in a particularly stressful, demanding environment (yes, that’s rationalization, but my point is, it wasn’t tied to the enjoyment of cigars). Cigarette smoking and cigar smoking are vastly unrelated. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/38 "2011-01-28T02:13:56Z")
I quit smoking 5 years ago, 4 years ago I was able to smoke a shisha every once in awhile, but had I tried earlier, I probably would have gone back to cigarettes. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/39 "2011-01-28T02:29:59Z")
I quit smoking ages ago and now smoke cigars fairly regularly sooooooooo I notice that nicotine kick a bit when smoking cigars, you arent supposed to inhale with a cigar so its only the small amount absorbed through the mouth. as a former smoker I might be a bit extra aware but as a recent exsmoker I would bet it would be really really strong. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143/40 "2011-01-28T15:31:49Z")
> [@Eureka](#): > > it is _possible_ for someone to enjoy cigars without craving cigarettes, but probably not a good idea for someone who has newly quit cigarettes. > > I think for many people, cigars are an experience, a special treat, a celebration of life, whereas cigarette smoking is a habit, an addiction, . . . Much of this is true. I quit cigarettes in the 80s, but still enjoy a cigar on rare occasion. The main issues here are his recent escape form smoking, how dependent he was, & how hard of a time he had quiting [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-cigars-for-a-guy-whos-quit-smoking/569143.md?page=1)