How can modern smokers still be so defensive about their habit?

While several studies have shown there is a statistical increase in diseases similar to those attributed to smoking, not a single one has 2nd hand smoke causing a higher incidence of cancer, heart disease or any other disease/health concern commonly associated with smoking. That being said, smoking is a dirty nasty habit I gave up completely nearly 20 years ago. If folks only knew how nasty they and everything around them smells to others... Lastly, quitting isn't simply a matter of willpower. People have different ways their body/brain react to addictive subtances. There are those that quitting is no big deal and others who will smoke through a stoma in their neck until they die. Just my .02.

 

That is massive fail logic right there.

Not all addictive habits KILL OTHER PEOPLE ala second hand smoke.

Eg. Heroin user............does not physically harm anyone else.
Alcoholism......does not physically harm anyone else.
Gambling addiction......
Gaming addiction........


etc etc etc

There are of course flow on effects from these things which effect other people. But The ACT of smoking in itself gives OTHER PEOPLE terminal illnesses.

If that isn't reason enough for singling out smoking as being especially dangerous then there is no hope for any of us.

On that note, ignorance is a dangerous addiction.....

Smoking should be fully banned in all public places ( anywhere outside ) regardless of distance from buildings etc for the reasons above. No one should have the right to put other at risk.

 

I am a smoker and I will admit, I hate it. Its horrid but its an addiction and I admit that. I have tried countless times to quit, patches, gum, etc, etc. I am going on a special pill soon that meant meant for women with depression but some how has been found to stop people from smoking, it has worked for two of my friends so I may as well give it a try.

I hate the fact that its took the government so long to realise how bad smoking is and stop backing it. The same with alcohol, about 10 years ago we never had anti-smoking campaigns, or they were very hard to come by. Same with alcohol.

I smoke weed, on an occasional basis. It has never made me addict to it, I never crave it, I have never had a bad "experience" from it, it has never made me want to try other drugs, plus I only get it from one person who I trust so I know its pure and not mixed with ****ty chemicals. It boggles my mind that the government has not lifted the ban on this wonderful plant/herb. It has more uses than any other on the face of the earth. Its stem can be used to make hemp, which can be used for thousands of products, the flower can be used for medical purposes. Has no addictive values, and is proven time and time and time and time again that it is less harmful than cigarettes, and alcohol. Heck it was even proven to be less harmful than a cup of coffee!

 

Are you serious? What about domestic abuse, one of the main causes is alcoholism.

 

Yes secondary smoke is more dangerous than primary smoke. If people want to smoke and harm themselves, it's fine. But smoking in a non-smoking area is bad. Whenever I smoke at home, I do it outside the house, away from anyone. If I ever feel the need to smoke in a public place, I do it in a place where there is no one around. (for example the back of a mall or the back of the car park)

 

AMEN! Im totally with you on that, if it were legal and regulated properly I would give up tabacco in a heartbeat!

 

I don't smoke weed and am not a fan of people smoking it, but I'd give most anything to rid the world of Cigs and replace it with weed.

Weed, while I disagree with constant usage, is much, much, much safer.

 

Im sorry but your Eg`s are incorrect,perhaps you should watch the news once in a while,whilst your going on about banning smoking anywhere outside why dont you ban cars,lorries ,aeroplanes and anything else that chucks out harmful monoxides,i dont drive a car but i have to breathe in the crap that comes from everyones exaust,there is a far more dangerous killer than smoking and its man/woman ,oh and yes i do smoke and have done for 23 yrs,and i`d like to point out that if im with someone that doesnt smoke then i wont smoke unless its out doors and they dont object ,whilst achohol,drugs and gambling might not have a secondary effect on people the aggression they cause does even to the point of fatality.
For years smokers have provided a lot of revenue for the uk goverment by paying very high tax on smoking products,since restrictions on smoking were brought out the uk goverment has gone to pot because they dont have the revenue funds so everyone is being stung in otherways,every second of the day someone dies from non smoking related causes,everyone has there oun opinion and that is mine.
I smoke because i enjoy it not because i need it,if someone i know gives up smoking then i say good for them,

 

So you smoke weed and you don`t have too mix it with tobacco!!!,i suppose all the canibis smokers wouldnt have a problem with not having tobacco to smoke lol...they would turn to other drugs

 

I live in probably the only country in the world where the number of smokers is on the increase, especially among young people. The numbers are simply mind-numbing. As a result there is literally nowhere you can go out without suffering severe sinus, lung and eye irritation, not to mention that even my socks end up smelling of smoke, and I have some really smelly feet, I can tell you. The government made a half-ass attempt at passing some legislation limiting smoking, but it ended up so horribly watered down that it made no difference whatsoever. Namely, all bars/pubs/inns 80m2 or larger had to have a designated non-smoking area. This ended up being two tables in the middle of the smoking tables... DUH! Now, I really don't judge people on their bad habits, but this one is seriously harming my life in more than one way. As a result, I'm seriously pissed off and have adopted a zero tolerance towards smoke and whenever there is even the slightest possibility that I can report someone for breaking these all but non-existent smoking laws, I do so. Alas, nothing ever happens of it, as the authorities in charge don't care. They get their fat paychecks and literally do nothing but play facebook games at work. This is what you get for living in a ****hole of a country... [/end rant]

 

Its easy!!!

Cause during decades governments and tobacco companies, said tobacco was nice for health!!!

During decades!!! how please...

And in the last one decade, its bad for health! So there will be people against this, cause governments won a lot of money like tobacco companies...

Dont trade with our souls and our lives and we will answer in the good way !!!

We are people, not consumists machines...

 

The illegal status of weed I'd imagine, up to 5 years in prison and an unlimited fine in the UK



It's not so much that smokers get defensive about their habit, it's more to do with them getting defensive when attacked with such self-righteousness from the anti-smokers
It normally starts off well enough

Anti-smoker "You're killing yourself with those things"
Smoker "Yes, I know, I could do with stopping"
Anti-smoker "You know that you could be harming others with your smoking?"
Smoker "Yes, I'm starting to understand that more and more"
Anti-smoker "You're killing kids you evil bastard, you should be locked up and have your lips stapled together
Smoker "Hey, hold on a minu.."
Anti-smoker "You're worse than Hitler, I hope your lungs explode and your intestines fall out your ass!"
Smoker "Damn, wtf was that? I need a cigarette after that"

I've not seen headlines talking about exhaust pollution causing cancers and other illnesses but we all know it happens, for some reason that is deemed acceptable
People commit suicide using exhaust fumes, that's how dangerous they are, I've not heard of someone doing similar with a 20 pack
Both are dangerous but demonizing one and ignoring the other is missing the point, singling out a select group and blaming them for all the ills in the world is not the way to go about things

 

Pfft, rather ban everything that you have to smoke

PS. Smoking doesn't bother me, but that's what I'd do if I got to make the decision >_>

 

Ok first of all second hand smoke is not worse then first hand smoke. Don't be stupid. A little common sense please. Secondly, I am a smoker and here is my stand:

Everytime I walk outside I am forced to inhale everyones polution from there car. I do not drive so this is second hand smoke that I am forced to inhale just because I choose to walk. Should all you drivers be forced to quit driving?

This is a valid argument. Deal with it!!

 

I would like to see a peer reviewed study showing that second hand smoking is 11x worse than 1st hand. Please link if it exists.

Also i don't know about anywhere else but in the UK smokers more than pay for the cost to thte NHS through the smoking tax. Overweight people & other risk people do not. Drinking costs the NHS just as much if not more than smoking. A casual trip to the A&E on a friday night will show this.

Having said all this I gave up after 2 years about 3 years ago. I found it was a joyless habit. Id rather cause myself damage with something i love (alcohol)

 

The same way you can pirate games and say its OK to steal.

People are going to do what they want. It's none of your business what other people do to their bodies. If you don't like smokers then don't be around them.

 

Firstly I agree with the op fully. Secondly, Just quit, and stop trying to justify this sh*t, because guess what... you can't. Its bad for you and people around you. Smoking serves no purpose but to put money in peoples pockets that don't give a sh*t about anything but money. Quit, deal with those consequences and find something else to chill you out/calm you down or what ever, then move on. :3eyes:

 

Smoking is nasty... I know I've been smoking way too long and have quit and tried to quit numerous/countless times - only to succumb to it all over again.

One thing that isn't stressed enough in this thread is how addictive smoking really is. No matter how bad it is for you, how many studies, how nasty it is to others, etc, etc, etc an addicted smoker will always be able to justify why they smoke, regardless of any logic or health risks to themselves or others.

I've been addicted to caffeine/coffee, pain killers and even some harder drugs - smoking cigarettes is by far the most addictive for me and is the one I am least able to quit. All other addictions I've ever been involved in were a breeze to deal with compared to smoking cigarettes. I've had all the excuses in the world to talk myself out of quitting. It's really quite scary how it can take over.

 

Actually, the air that comes out of modern cars (from around 2003 and later) is cleaner than the air that goes into them. The cigarette equivalent of a NEW car would be a nicotine patch.