# Should I take up smoking? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 15, 2005, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389 "2005-04-15T00:19:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/41 "2005-04-15T07:17:56Z")
Don’t take it up. I’m a half-a-pack-a-day cigarette smoker and I’ve tried to quit in the past. ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/42 "2005-04-15T08:05:02Z")
Please don’t, **Lobsang**. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/43 "2005-04-15T08:11:01Z")
If you’re stupid enough to think that the only reason people don’t approve of smoking cigarettes is that its “effects on human psychology”, please DO take it up and remove yourself from the gene pool before you procreate. How did you manage to miss all the information about the damage smoke does to your lungs, and the rest of your body? It’s on the fucking packets even! Of course, if you DO know about the dangers of smoking and you posted this anyway you’re a bigger attention whore than I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/44 "2005-04-15T09:45:11Z")
Taking up smoking at this point in your life is akin to taking up _cutting_ for the adrenalin rush. ---
**Author:** ![DarkPrince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@DarkPrince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkPrince)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/45 "2005-04-15T11:20:03Z")
> [@Kyyrewyyoae](#): > > Stay away from cigarettes, to be sure. You may want to try a nice cigar or pipe though. I have a few cigars a month, and I can honestly say it’s not an addiction. They smell and taste good (to me). Lung cancer and nicotine addiction aren’t inevitable with tobacco. Use common sense and moderation. If you want to smoke try something besides just boxed cigarettes. Maybe see if a cigar is to your liking, as **Kyrywyyyweweaoargh7** said. My personal vice is cloves, not much nicotine in the them so I only smoke them when I feel like the taste and end up using only a pack or so a year. MMMmmmm sweet clovey smokey goodness. Really, don’t try normal cigarettes though. I tried one once from a friend to see what the taste was like, and from just that single cigarette I was already starting to get hooked. That itchy, antsy feeling inside your skin when you’re craving another even when you don’t want it is horrible. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/46 "2005-04-15T11:30:08Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > For a more sensible vice, might I suggest shooting yourself in the head with an automatic weapon? It’s more efficient, and cheaper for the health care system if you do it right. > > I love to smoke. Seriously love it. It makes me feel warm and happy and relaxed and gives me somethig to do when an icky guy wants to make small talk in a bar. Alcohol and coffee just don’t have the same level of satisfaction when I don’t smoke along with drinking. But I’d like to live to see my grandkids’ graduation days, so I don’t smoke anymore. But I miss it every single day, because I really do enjoy it. > > I’ve always said the reason I won’t try heroin is not that I don’t think I’ll like it. On the contrary, I think I’d like it way too much. Same thing goes for cigarettes. I felt the same way when I started smoking. I loved it. Cigarettes were these wonderful things that could either calm me down or perk me up depending on what I needed. They made me feel good. They were fun. Before I quit for the last time (going on more than 2 years now), I realized it wasn’t fun at all anymore. I wasn’t smoking because I enjoyed it. I was smoking because I needed to. I hated planning my activities around smoking and constantly worrying about whether I had enough cigarettes on hand. It got to the point where every smoke I had I was regretting. It does start out enjoyable, but it end up making you hate it, hate the way you smell, hate the way it makes you feel (out of breath, tired, etc), and hate the way it controls you. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/47 "2005-04-15T13:07:36Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I’ve never smoked in my life, and I know the best way to quit is never start. But the only reason I never smoked was a disaproval of it and it’s effects on human psychology. Back then I was a right-thinking closed-minded fool. I’ve since switched to the left (it was fairly gradual) so I understand vices and the need to have them. I also think each to their own where the particular vice of smoking is concerned. So many peolple seem to do it. > My anti-smoking stance was strong enough that I’ve never smoked and I am in my middle twenties. > > What is the appeal of smoking? Do you (only smokers need reply) think I should take it up? It’s fabulous. You’ll absolutely love it. And actually, contrary to what you said, not many people are doing it these days, so you will look very hip and innovative. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/48 "2005-04-15T15:12:41Z")
> [@psycat90](#): > > Right now I’m training for a 100 mile bike ride, so I won’t smoke for the next month or so, and haven’t smoked at all in the past 2 or 3 weeks. After the ride, I might not ever smoke again, I might smoke a cigarette at the finish line… Now _that’s_ funny. I always wanted to win the Boston marathon so I could light one up during the interviews. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/49 "2005-04-15T15:50:59Z")
\ C’mon Kif, teenagers all smoke, and they seem pretty on the ball. \ ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/50 "2005-04-15T16:17:07Z")
My father smokes. I helped him move. In cleaning his apartment, I discovered areas behuind the curtains where the white walls were _chocolate-brown_ from years of air-currents depositing smoke residue. Every surface of his apartment stank. The dishes and cutlery were unclean. The cases of his CD collection were sticky. I lent him my VCR; when I got it back, it was rendered unusable due to smoke residue gumming up the tape path. You don’t want that. Please don’t smoke. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/51 "2005-04-15T16:37:05Z")
According to [http://www.ash.org.uk/](http://www.ash.org.uk/) , “About 12 million adults in the UK smoke cigarettes - 28% of men and 24% of women. In 1974, 51% of men and 41% of women smoked cigarettes - nearly half the adult population of the UK.” The current rate is slightly higher than that of Canada, where [Health Canada](http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/tobacco/research/ctums/) tells us that 20% of Canadians are smokers. ---
**Author:** ![trupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@trupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trupa)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/52 "2005-04-15T16:49:53Z")
paging **serious lark** , paging **serious lark** , **Serious** , dearie, could you please kindly describe the quality of life of a typical lung cancer patient in pallliation phase to **Lobsang**? feel free to mention spinal mets and the chance of paralysis, loss of bladder and bowell control. Oh yeah, and also the pain. He’s a good doper, writes enjoyably, and we’d like to spare him this fate. \*\*Serious lark \*\* is my darling wife, and also an oncologist who treats lung patients. They gave her sarcoma as a second site to cheer her up from dealing with all the lung patients… ---
**Author:** ![Kyyrewyyoae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Kyyrewyyoae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyyrewyyoae)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/53 "2005-04-15T16:53:34Z")
> [@DarkPrince](#): > > Maybe see if a cigar is to your liking, as **Kyrywyyyweweaoargh7** said. Mangle my name, will ya? :blows smoke in **DarkPrince** ’s face. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/54 "2005-04-15T16:55:28Z")
So, **Lobsang**. Made your decision yet? ---
**Author:** ![serious\_lark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@serious\_lark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/serious_lark)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/55 "2005-04-15T19:25:02Z")
**Lobsang** , all the reasons people have given you for not starting smoking _(including the post from my husband, **trupa** )_ are valid, in my experience. The list of health risks is really long (stroke/heart/aneurysms/peripheral vessel disease, lung disease & repeated lung infections, cancers (head & neck, lung, esophageal, bladder, kidney, cervix, …), ulcers and osteoporosis. I’m glad you’ve decided not to start. Because I treat a lot of lung cancer patients, I was curious in the past as to why people started smoking in the first place, so I used to ask my patients. \* Nobody \* started this vice because they thought it would be enjoyable. Girls and women tended to start smoking either to lose/keep off weight or to look cool/adult or “to help deal with stress”. Men above a certain age invariably described being non-smokers until the World Wars, when the army/navy would give all their men a daily ration of tobacco along with a daily ration of alcohol, and apparently only the designated recipient was allowed to use it. A lot of these men started smoking so that they would not forfeit this benefit of being in the armed forces. (Now that says something interesting about human nature, doesn’t it?) Men below that age described starting smoking because they wanted to see “what all the fuss was about”, “because others in my family did”, and to look cool/adult. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/56 "2005-04-15T19:34:06Z")
And don’t forget that Cecil wrote that [more US soldiers died from smoking habits picked up in World War II than died from the sctual fighing](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_097.html): > [@The Great One](#): > > The youngest WWII vets today are past retirement age, so if Mattson and friends are right, smoking to date has killed at least 780,000. Total U.S. battle deaths during WWII: 292,131. > > You realize that from the standpoint of statistical reliability, the preceding is about one jump ahead of a Ouija board and in all likelihood **greatly understates** the actual smoking-related death toll. ---
**Author:** ![Foxy40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Foxy40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foxy40)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/57 "2005-04-15T20:06:24Z")
Here are a few things about the benefits of smoking: 1. Smokers tend to be more easy going 2. If you are standing outside somewhere smoking a cigarette, you are automatically part of a “group”. The social implications of smoking are to considered. Yes there are negatives (already mentioned) and positive (ie: having something obviously in common with a stranger) 3. It is something to “do” when you need to get away from the job for a minute for stress relief. Of course there are other things but somehow, he went out for a cigarette, sounds less problematic to me then he went out to walk around the block. 4. It is pleasurable after a meal, after sex or with a drink. Having said all of this, I must agree with the group that it is a terrible habit that is dirty, disgusting and hard to stop. I just wanted to mention that smokers aren’t complete idiots that get no pleasure from smoking at all but most of us would like to stop this highly addictive habit. To start would be very foolish. ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/58 "2005-04-15T23:00:37Z")
Sure, go for it. While you’re at it, play in traffic and juggle with knives. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2005, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/59 "2005-04-16T03:24:43Z")
> [@Abbie Carmichael](#): > > Sure, go for it. While you’re at it, play in traffic and juggle with knives. :rolleyes: You left out running with scissors. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2005, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389/60 "2005-04-16T03:39:18Z")
> [@Julius Henry](#): > > You left out running with scissors. It’s all fun and games until someone coughs a lung out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-take-up-smoking/299389.md?page=4)