# Is anyone who takes up smoking today a friggin' idiot? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 25, 2013, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958 "2013-03-25T22:09:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/81 "2013-03-26T20:25:25Z")
_All_ the cool kids smoke. ---
**Author:** ![Condescending\_Robot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a183cd/32.png) [@Condescending\_Robot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Condescending_Robot)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/82 "2013-03-26T20:30:59Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Damn. You just straight up dismissed that shit as “made up”. Yeah, it is. If it’s based on anything it’s based on “studies” that count every dead person with nicotinic compounds in their blood as someone who “died due to secondhand smoke.” To call it junk science would be a compliment. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/83 "2013-03-26T20:31:10Z")
Smoking is expensive, dangerous, stinky, and harmful to yourself and those around you. “Idiotic” doesn’t begin to describe it. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Made_French_Toast_For_You)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/84 "2013-03-26T20:37:21Z")
> [@Anonymous User](#): > > That’s an opinion, not a fact. Wikipedia [says](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine#Psychoactive_effects): > [@](#): > > When a cigarette is smoked, nicotine-rich blood passes from the lungs to the brain within seven seconds and immediately stimulates the release of many chemical messengers… Nicotine appears to enhance concentration and memory due to the increase of acetylcholine. It also appears to enhance alertness due to the increases of acetylcholine and norepinephrine. Arousal is increased by the increase of norepinephrine. Pain is reduced by the increases of acetylcholine and beta-endorphin. Anxiety is reduced by the increase of beta-endorphin. Nicotine also extends the duration of positive effects of dopamine and increases sensitivity in brain reward systems. ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/85 "2013-03-26T21:17:47Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > I’ll let Yul Brynner have the [last word](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNjunlWUJJI). Ahh, yes. Bill Hicks had a reply to that: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXFUaqMl3fc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXFUaqMl3fc) ---
**Author:** ![Troppus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/86 "2013-03-26T21:19:08Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > _All_ the cool kids smoke. At least they have each other. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/87 "2013-03-26T21:36:46Z")
> [@Condescending\_Robot](#): > > Yeah, it’s incredibly disingenuous to force socialized health care programs on people who don’t want them Or income tax, or forced school attendance, or government built roads . . . ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/88 "2013-03-26T23:41:10Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > I always thought it was seriously stupid. These people forced themselves to go outside and smoke in 20 below zero weather, 100 above, or in heavy rain, because they voluntarily addicted themselves to nicotine. Or they were outside in the 20 below, 100 above, heavy rain because they couldn’t stand being in The Big Ass Call Center for another minute. I know that feeling, and I don’t smoke. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/89 "2013-03-27T00:01:21Z")
> [@Anonymous User](#): > > That’s an opinion, not a fact. It’s against the rules to change or modify what a user’s quote says on here. Don’t do this again. ---
**Author:** ![nikonikosuru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/90 "2013-03-27T00:10:47Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > I’ve always enjoyed how much the SDMB prides itself on its tolerance of others’ lifestyles **except** smokers. They can all go to hell, amirite? :dubious: I really don’t give a shit if people smoke in their own free time. Hell, smoke up and get neck and throat cancer! Lose that larynx! Get your lung removed! It’s just more money in my pocket when I have to rehabilitate cancer survivors. 🙂 What I do give a shit about is when people do it around me. I don’t want to smell like a walking asstray (\<-typo, but it’s staying) like you. ---
**Author:** ![R3d\_Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/91 "2013-03-27T00:11:19Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > It’s against the rules to change or modify what a user’s quote says on here. Don’t do this again. My apologies, it won’t happen again. ---
**Author:** ![huck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@huck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/huck)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/92 "2013-03-27T00:20:01Z")
As an unreformed smoker of many years I can’t defend smoking as anything but stupid, although I do find it enjoyable. And(I suspect like a lot of smokers) anti-smoking sermons do not deter me, rather the opposite. But calling smokers idiots is a bit silly really. Obviously there are smokers who are not idiots but have a stupid habit, as do many people with above-average IQs. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/93 "2013-03-27T00:25:32Z")
> [@I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](#): > > Wikipedia [says](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine#Psychoactive_effects): Yes but if you are ingesting that nicotine via smoking a cigarette, you are also getting a bunch of acrid, disgusting smoke inhaled into your lungs along with it. So unless you are addicted to that nicotine, taking a hit off a cigarette will not be ‘heaven on earth’ as you and a couple other posters seem to want it to be for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/94 "2013-03-27T00:35:40Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Yes but if you are ingesting that nicotine via smoking a cigarette, you are also getting a bunch of acrid, disgusting smoke inhaled into your lungs along with it. So unless you are addicted to that nicotine, taking a hit off a cigarette will not be ‘heaven on earth’ as you and a couple other posters seem to want it to be for everyone. The blindingly obvious implication is that smoking is awesome to _smokers_. The above posters never said that because you’d have to be ten kinds of stupid not to get that. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/95 "2013-03-27T00:50:30Z")
> [@rhubarbarin](#): > > Ambivalid, this may be news to you, but everyone is different and there is no ‘right’ way to experience things. 🙂 Wow. Lighten up. All I did was ask what you enjoyed about smoking. Geez. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/96 "2013-03-27T00:53:11Z")
> [@Condescending\_Robot](#): > > This is a made-up number, and even if it were true it would justify only the current extremely harsh laws against exposing other people to smoke, not the ridiculous attempt to ban people from doing it privately and ascribe moral failings to doing so. Does it comfort you to deny these facts? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/97 "2013-03-27T00:53:49Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > The blindingly obvious implication is that smoking is awesome to _smokers_. The above posters never said that because you’d have to be ten kinds of stupid not to get that. The implication has been made multiple times in this thread that smoking is, or would be, enjoyable to someone trying it for the first time. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/98 "2013-03-27T00:55:13Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > The blindingly obvious implication is that smoking is awesome to _smokers_. The above posters never said that because you’d have to be ten kinds of stupid not to get that. Sure, and heroin is awesome to addicts. In fact for the same reason. That first rush as the drug hits your addicted metabolism is fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Made_French_Toast_For_You)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/99 "2013-03-27T01:51:55Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Yes but if you are ingesting that nicotine via smoking a cigarette, you are also getting a bunch of acrid, disgusting smoke inhaled into your lungs along with it. So unless you are addicted to that nicotine, taking a hit off a cigarette will not be ‘heaven on earth’ as you and a couple other posters seem to want it to be for everyone. I agreed with you before that it’s an acquired taste, and made the comparison to liquor. The first time you take a shot of whisky, it’s going to burn on the way down (which might feel unpleasant to the uninitiated), but you’re still gonna get a buzz. Likewise, your first cigarette might taste like smoke and burning (which you may or may not like), but the nicotine will still do its job. I’m not sure what’s so hard to understand about “drugs make you feel good – even to first-time users.” ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958/100 "2013-03-27T01:55:59Z")
> [@I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](#): > > I’m not sure what’s so hard to understand about “drugs make you feel good – even to first-time users.” I didn’t have that experience whatsoever. My first cigarette, and many thereafter, was terrible and I didn’t like anything about it-other than the perceived “coolness” factor and heightened social status. It wasn’t _long_ before I began to actually enjoy the cigarettes physically too but was only after I became addicted. Many of my peers developed habits with similar behavior. Conversely, my first time _drinking_ I most certainly did get a buzz and felt good-for a while. Until I fell unconscious. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-who-takes-up-smoking-today-a-friggin-idiot/653958.md?page=6)