# Smokers, do you relight cigarettes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 14, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538 "2011-01-14T00:01:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/1 "2011-01-14T00:01:19Z")
I don’t mean relighting the new fire-safe cigarettes when they go out after you haven’t had a puff for a minute. If you prematurely butt a smoke for whatever reason–dinner’s ready, maintenance knocks on the door, you’ve arrived at your destination–do you relight that cigarette? If you do, does it matter how much is left? "I relight a cigarette . . . ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/2 "2011-01-14T00:04:13Z")
I have voted “Never”. Even if I’ve only had one hit off it, once it’s out, I’m done with that smoke. I’ll add, being unable to edit the OP, that cigar and pipe smokers should feel free to participate. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/3 "2011-01-14T00:05:21Z")
I would never relight a cig that I’ve put out once. But my habit is pretty low (half a pack a day) and I would rather put one out with 2 puffs taken, then relight a new one. Cigs taste absolutely rank if you relight them. Of course with the new firesafe wraps, I end up relighting a current cig at least a couple times a day. Fuck that noise. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/4 "2011-01-14T00:55:11Z")
Never did and I smoked through my seriously broke years. Also, firesafe wraps? Holy cow I’m out of the smoking loop - how long have they been around? ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/5 "2011-01-14T01:01:54Z")
I’ve relit my share of “pieces” of cigarettes, but my habit went hand-in-hand with beer drinking, so my judgement wasn’t always the best. Probably the shortest one only had 2 or 3 puffs left. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/6 "2011-01-14T01:02:47Z")
I always do. When I’m just sitting around my house by myself. Standing outside in the cold (or the blazing sun) get’s boring fast. On top of that, when there’s no one to talk to (and nothing to drink) and it’s just puff puff puff my mouth gets dry quickly. I typically smoke about half, knock the cherry off and go back out for the rest about 15 minutes later. Besides, it makes it feel like two. I know plenty of people who wouldn’t dare do that, but it’s never bothered me one bit. I’m not sure if it’s because I blow the smoke out after I knock the cherry off, if it’s because my first few smoking years were spent scavenging random ashtrays, streets, sidewalks and parks for cigarettes butts that were long enough to relight or it’s because it just doesn’t bother me at all. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/7 "2011-01-14T01:26:26Z")
> [@Moonlitherial](#): > > Also, firesafe wraps? Holy cow I’m out of the smoking loop - how long have they been around? A couple of years. ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/8 "2011-01-14T02:33:00Z")
I do, frequently. In fact it’s become the norm to smoke 1/2 at a time and the other half later. Of course, I’ve been a RYO aficionado for years and they tend to burn slow and go out frequently anyway. Also, no filter there to trap the gunk, hence no off-taste upon re-lighting. SS ---
**Author:** ![Gil-Martin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Gil-Martin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gil-Martin)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/9 "2011-01-14T02:48:34Z")
If I’ve only had a couple of puffs if at all. I almost never relight. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/10 "2011-01-14T03:06:06Z")
I’m a relighter…especially while on the computer. I’ll get distracted doing something, notice my smoke went out, and spark it right back up. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/11 "2011-01-14T03:35:54Z")
Right now, with the cold weather, there is a butt bucket on my deck with the corpses of a couple of packs worth of half smoked cigarettes. They just taste too nasty when relit. I smoke less than half a pack a day and during inclement weather, only half cigs most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/12 "2011-01-14T17:38:40Z")
I won’t relight because it’s gross to me. My BF, however, has no compunctions about it whatsoever, so I leave partially smoked cigs in a clean location (not draped in the ashtray) where he will find 'em and smoke 'em later. He also cleans the leftovers out of my fridge. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/13 "2011-01-14T17:52:18Z")
Just before I quit, say 2-3 months prior, I would smoke a cigarette to about halfway down then put it out and finish it later. I just didn’t want a whole one at a time anymore, and that’s when I decided that I really didn’t need them at all anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/14 "2011-01-14T17:57:51Z")
I didn’t vote in the poll because it’s very cigarette-specific and I don’t smoke cigarettes. I will, however, comment on two other tobacco products: Cigars: If I’ve smoked more than a tiny bit, I won’t relight one. It’s nasty. Pipes: I do relight pipes. Heck, I smoke so rarely that I really never got good at keeping my pipe lit, so I relight several times even if I’m smoking the whole bowl all at once. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/15 "2011-01-18T23:15:31Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:14, topic:567538”] Pipes: I do relight pipes. Heck, I smoke so rarely that I really never got good at keeping my pipe lit, so I relight several times even if I’m smoking the whole bowl all at once. [/QUOTE] As I recall from my pipe days, keeping a bowlful lit is an acquired skill. As for my cigarette days, I never had one go out on me before I’d smoked it down almost to the butt. I was under the impression that they’re made and designed specifically to stay lit, among other things. OTOH, given that my smoking was usually done in places and at times where I wouldn’t be obligated to stop in the middle of a smoke, that’s probably not surprising. I never really smoked at home, and, for many people, home is about the most distracting place you can be. ---
**Author:** ![JacobSwan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@JacobSwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacobSwan)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/17 "2011-07-08T10:51:29Z")
I smoke cigars, but slim panatellas not the big fat ones. I normally smoke half of one on a smoking break at work, as an entire one takes too long. The secret to it not tasting nasty is to blow down it once you’ve put it out. It won’t taste quite as good as a fresh one but it does make a difference. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/18 "2011-07-08T11:03:51Z")
Never, it’s like licking an ashtray. Tastes disgusting. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/19 "2011-07-08T12:01:15Z")
Q. Does it actually taste different or it it the concept of relighting that is icky or both? ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/20 "2011-07-08T14:19:27Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Q. Does it actually taste different or it it the concept of relighting that is icky or both? It tastes different. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538/21 "2011-07-08T14:21:47Z")
Nope, it tastes funky if it’s been relit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-do-you-relight-cigarettes/567538.md?page=2)