# Smokers: What's your brand? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 12, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700 "2013-09-12T21:07:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/1 "2013-09-12T21:07:24Z")
I’m just finishing up Allan Brandt’s _Cigarette Century_, and it got me wondering. I’m a nonsmoker with nonsmoking friends, but now that I have a passing familiarity with cigarette brands, I want to know more. So, what do you smoke? Why? I’m genuinely curious, no “gotcha” setup, promise! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/2 "2013-09-13T03:11:26Z")
When I smoked it was Winston Light. I started with Marlboro, like every kid does, but my mom’s cousin (who I worked with) convinced me that Winston wouldn’t give me a cough. He was right. I never developed a cough. I also never enjoyed different brands as much. Dad is a Camel man. He used to smoke Viceroy but I think when he started making more money and getting out of debt, he switched. Bro is Marlboro and sometimes Basic when poor. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/3 "2013-09-13T03:13:36Z")
Alas, after 20 years of being smoke-free, I have chosen to smoke again. This time it’s Marlboro Light’s. 20 years ago it was Salem. ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/4 "2013-09-13T04:35:09Z")
I’ve smoked Winston Light for most of my smoking history, which is almost 30 years now. In the first several years I smoked Djarum Cloves (very briefly), Marlboro Red, Merit, Camel (filter and light), Newport Light, Drum (roll your own), Winston Red and finally Winston Light. “Light” is no longer an acceptable word in cigarette branding, so it’s officially “Gold Box” now. Drum is nice (surprisingly mild for filter-less) and I can roll a damned fine cigarette with their long-cut leaf, but hand-rolling cigarettes became tiresome. As for why, I tried a bunch of cigarettes and never really felt the need to find one better than Winston Light. I smoke because I enjoy smoking. It’s an insanely stupid and expensive habit, but as long as I keep it up, I’m not going to smoke cheap cigarettes that taste terrible and I have no need to seek a “better” brand. I will add that I almost quit burning tobacco a couple years ago with an e-cig (that I set down and went back to full time smoking) and I just very recently started up with that again. I’m smoking and vaping now, but my cigarette use is way down. Maybe I can make it stick this time. I doubt I’ll ever give up nicotine, though. I won’t deny that I’m addicted to it but at the same time, I’m not a self-loathing smoker. I really do enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![RedBloom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@RedBloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedBloom)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/5 "2013-09-13T13:13:39Z")
For years it was Parliament Lights, then I switched to Marlboro Light 72’s (thinking the shorter sticks would deter me from smoking as much). ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/6 "2013-09-13T14:00:35Z")
My preferred brand, when I can find them, is Dunhill. They use a significantly different tobacco blend (straight Virginia, I believe; no Turkish or oriental) and so taste and smell quite a bit different than the standard domestic ciggie. ---
**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:** [September 13, 2013, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/7 "2013-09-13T14:05:43Z")
When I was a smoker (last year), I preferred L&M’s. They’re the poor man’s Marlboro. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/8 "2013-09-13T14:07:45Z")
After smoking for 19 years I quit about 18 years ago when I got married. In college though I was a Winston Light and Camel light guy, then when I was out drawing a paycheck I upgraded to Dunhill. They were the blue pack, which I think was ‘Milds.’ ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/9 "2013-09-13T14:08:39Z")
Marlboro Light 100’s. Although it doesn’t say “light” on the pack anymore. But I still say “light” when I buy them, and the clerk knows to give me the gold pack, not the silver. ---
**Author:** ![BrokenBriton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@BrokenBriton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrokenBriton)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/10 "2013-09-13T14:15:39Z")
related: Really looking forward to data from the plain packaging thing in Australia. The UK almost went ahead with it as well but the Gov bailed at the last minute saying they want to see what happens in Oz. Fascinating experiment imo, implications for the whole marketing industry: > **[Plain tobacco packaging](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_cigarette_packaging)** > > Plain tobacco packaging, also known as generic, neutral, standardised or homogeneous packaging, is packaging of tobacco products, typically cigarettes, without any branding (colours, imagery, corporate logos and trademarks), including only the brand name in a mandated size, font and place on the pack, in addition to the health warnings and any other legally mandated information such as toxic constituents and tax-paid stamps. The appearance of all tobacco packs is standardised, including the col... ---
**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:** [September 13, 2013, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/11 "2013-09-13T14:34:06Z")
When I smoked, mostly Camel Lights. Winstons were the backup brand if Camel Lights were unavailable. Occasionally I liked to buy a pack of Kool Lights, and sometimes I would buy a random brand for no reason. ---
**Author:** ![applebetty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@applebetty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/applebetty)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/12 "2013-09-14T01:21:21Z")
When I started it was More Lights, I tried Marlboro Lights for a while, but settled on Doral. I had quit for about a year, then started back on on Camel Wide Menthol, which are fantastic but have too much nicotine for me. I now smoke PallMall Menthol shorts and I’m happy with them. Smoking is one of my indulgences. ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/13 "2013-09-14T01:35:48Z")
Pall Mall non-filtered when I can afford them. But mostly R-Y-O with Top or Gambler or whatever’s availale. SS ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/14 "2013-09-14T02:07:14Z")
I was a Lucky Strike Lights guy, followed by Camel Lights and Gauloise Yellow when I was in the mood for ultra lights. For non-lights, it was Marlboro Reds and Lucky Strikes. I did not much like Marlboro Lights. They always tasted stale and musty to me. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/15 "2013-09-14T02:15:52Z")
> [@SeldomSeen](#): > > Pall Mall non-filtered when I can afford them. But mostly R-Y-O with Top or Gambler or whatever’s availale. > SS “A classy way to commit suicide,” according to Kurt Vonnegut. I smoke like 1 pack/3 months max, situationally, but that’s what I’d buy. Non-filtered are harder to find, so I never really bothered. Are they that much more expensive? Pall Mall is usually \> Basic but much \< than Marlboro et al. I think those get decent street cred. I couldn’t get into Parliaments, so my hipsterism lacks some. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/16 "2013-09-14T02:37:44Z")
Weed. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/17 "2013-09-14T02:42:50Z")
I think it’s funny that Parliament seems to be the default brand for hipsters these days. Parliament was my mother’s brand, about 30 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/18 "2013-09-15T23:59:21Z")
I’m mostly ecigs these days but when I light up it’s with Marlboro Red Labels, which used to be their “Medium” brand. ---
**Author:** ![carolynclarke26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@carolynclarke26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carolynclarke26)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/19 "2013-09-17T10:58:27Z")
I was a Winston Light and Camel light guy but now I am getting into E-Cigarette thinking I might be able to quit tobacco. I wish someone could tell me the name of a vendor from where I could get a E-Cigarette starter kit. ---
**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:** [September 17, 2013, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700/20 "2013-09-17T11:26:19Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Weed. My brand as well. Tough to bum one when I’m out and about, though. And I have extreme brand loyalty. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokers-whats-your-brand/668700.md?page=2)