Heavy smoker here. Hit the 2 pack a day mark, so I started limiting myself to a pack a day just by only buying a single pack per day, with the added bonus of sometimes breaking a 1 cm piece of the tip, throwing that in the pack, and possibly rolling 1-5 smokes when my pack dies out. Been buying my own packs since 14, I am now 32. I am one of the (un?)lucky few who can smoke at work without anyone batting an eyelash.
Many smokers comment how I smoke “far too much,” and I smoke strong(er) cigarettes than most, Next Red, a Canadian brand. I light a smoke every fifteen minutes or so it seems, the time it takes to smoke varies depending on the situation. 3-5 minutes is a good estimate for a heavy smoker, a leisurely smoker could easily stretch one out to ten minutes. It used to take ten minutes to finish a smoke when I was a kid. Now I reckon when it’s cold, I smoke a full smoke in perhaps a minute and a half. I smoke most of the cigarette, leaving perhaps 7-8 MM of the white paper portion. (Fun fact, most smokes actually have tobacco inside the filter portion, perhaps 3 MM.)
A Carton a day? I could do it for money, once. Perhaps an older smoker could pull it off, my Grandfather says he smoked between 4-6 packs a day driving a truck for the post office, but keep in mind, the cigarettes of 30-40 years ago are a pale comparison in strength/toxicity to the smokes of today. Nowadays they’re loaded with cough suppressants, combustion inhibitors (for premium brands - not my kind,) and much more “exotic toxins” than they used to contain. I used to have to commute 110 kms to work every day, I would smoke eight to ten along that journey, perhaps an hour and a half. As aforementioned, during a long drive, one’s smoking increases exponentially, especially if one is tired. “Gotta stay awake! Time to light a smoke!”
I will speak for myself, after about 30 smokes in a given day, my ears start to hurt, and I will have uncomfortable build-up of phlegm in my chest, and mucous in my nose. I’ll be gagging, snorting and spitting, and probably have a nice headache to boot. Keep in mind, I’m a “clamper” meaning once a smoke is in my mouth, (when at work) I will usually only remove it once or twice untill it is done, a by product of working with one’s hands, and being able to smoke. My father (pack a day for 40+ years) has commented that he “does not know how I can do it like that.”
I’m actually going to go outside, and have a smoke. I will time it. Keep in mind, it is cold and windy outside, so this isn’t a “leisurely” “enjoyed” smoke, this is simply feeding my addiction. (Will be back!)