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Apparently, you've never been addicted to anything.

Addiction is hard but it CAN be conquered.

Definition of insanity:

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results each time.

People are told that smoking causes cancer.  Their smoking friends develop cancer and die.  They smoke and get cancer.  They can't believe that THEY got cancer.  The wonder WHY they got it.  They then say "smurf it" and continue to smoke 'til they die as well.

Wash.  Rinse.  Repeat.


Knowledge has nothing to do with comprehension.


--ndugu

Most people, when trying to quit, fail a minimum of 3 times before finally succeeding.

Let's hope this is my year. I want to be done with this filthy habit. 

I can give it to the people who started before they knew it was bad. But I have no respect for people who start knowing it is bad.

For me, I call bullsmurf on how I use 'stress' as an excuse for smoking. There are plenty of alternatives I could choose as a release.

Good luck choosing a healthy one.

But the concept of people KNOWING this information and still choosing to smoke remains the same.

Well, as an accomplished smoker of over 10 years - most of them spent attempting to quit - I can say with 100% certainty it is not a CHOICE.

I welcome you to walk in my shoes and attempt to not fly off the handle every time some self-righteous prick decides to write a dissertation about how i am stupid, how I am killing myself and the people around me, blah, blah, blah...

So you're tired of me piggybacking on YOUR insurance? Do something about it. Lobby for tobacco to be outlawed. Petition YOUR insurance company to cover smoking cessation treatments. Bitch and whine about the responsible parties, not the smurfing victims.

As for the cancer comments. Smoking CAN cause cancer. Not everyone that smokes gets cancer. MOST smokers won't. While i know the dangers of smoking, i have never known anyone that that got cancer from it, or died as a result of smoking., and i've been around smokers my entire life.

I agree Justine.  Quitting ANY addiction can be hard.  Chemical ones like smoking are physiologically more difficult than say, biting ones nails by a long shot.  You have not only the physical and mental aspect of the addiction but you have a medical aspect that magnifies everything as well.  So I honestly couldn't agree more.

I would also agree that smoking CAN cause cancer and that it doesn't necessary do so.  I should have been a little more flexible in my post.

It would probably read better if I said "respiratory illnesses" instead of "cancer".  Cancer is what people think of when a drawback to smoking is mentioned (and so I used it for effect) even though it is much less a concern when compared to the long journey through multiple infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, and emphysema that habitual longterm smokers experience.

Believe me, cancer is the least of the illnesses to worry about.

But the concept of people KNOWING this information and still choosing to smoke remains the same.

As with most things in life, people make stupid decisions thinking that they will be the exception to the rule.

--ndugu


P.S.  My thoughts and good wishes go out to all those who have decided to quit smoking this year, whether it be your first attempt or your fifth.  Hats off to ya for at least having the wherewithal to take action.

I DO agree with you, too. With what we know now, i can't believe people decide to start smoking. I quit after smoking for 25 years. I didn't believe the dangers when i started. I was just a kid. I won't go back. The stench will kepp me from smoking again.

I'm perfectly healthy. Always have been. Unfortunately, a respiratory therapist told me (casually) that in 20 years, i could be sitting in the breathing tank being tested. The effects of smoking can take 20-30 years to appear, and yes, respiratory illness can be just as bad as cancer, if not worse.

being in the army, especially where im stationed, id have to say the smoking rate here is AT LEAST 1/2-2/3. its way higher then the national average for america or germany. Ive watched friend after friend try and quit, and they dont keep on smoking for the purpouse of being "self destructive". if you want to see self destructive, my grandfather was a severe diabetic who consumed as much junk food as possible. you cant say he didnt know any better because he was a MD. he was cynically depressed, had no will to live or take care of himself and ended up dying from his 5th heart attack(with the nurse right beside him. he was just about to be released from his previous heart attack). I only smoked a couple times when i was really young and I thought it was really disgusting, so its not an issue for me, but a lot of people do have a very difficult time quitting and instead of criticizing them all, you should give credit and encouragement to the people who are making the effort.

...he was cynically depressed...

I know several people that have this condition.




--ndugu

hey im about 23:15 hours through my 24 hour shift. gimme a break

...he was cynically depressed...

I know several people that have this condition.

Seriously, though.  I don't understand the smoking thing, either.  I admit, though, that I've never had to try quitting.  But that's because I never started.  The power that those smurfing things have over people blows my mind, though.  My neighbor just went through all the horror of cancer treatment.  (Surgery, chemotherapy, resulting infections, etc.)  Now, his cancer happened to be unrelated to his smoking, but you'd think that going through the whole experience would be enough to make him want to do anything to avoid any similar experience in the future.  However, he's still smoking away.  Man, if he thought the skin tumor was bad, he's gonna love having one in his throat someday.

Enough with self-destructing - how about "self immolation?"

drunken smoking peeps.

I was a smoker in high-school, and for a few years after. Yes,  I also knew the risks, but thought I was too "cool" to worry about them. The reason I deciede to quit, was simple. One day, I lit up, leaving the parking lot in my cherry red VWbug, and the taste was sickening. I threw up in my car, ruining the drivers' seat.
That was a wake-up call. I threw the pack out the window, and never desired another. I have friends that smoke, and I don't harrase/berate them for it. They do enough of it to themselves, I'm sure.
Yes, I understand that it's difficult for some to quit. Since that day, I resigned myself to not engage in anything else (besides cycling of course) that can be considered 'addicting', chemically or otherwise.

I"ll also agree that Cancer(you bitch!) is not the main reason for worry.

Running at full speed with my dog/neice/nephew/fiance is another reason I will never smoke. Hiking in the thin air, another. Cycling with  friends on Saturday mornings, etc. reinforces my _choice_ not to everyday.

I'd rather enjoy the smoke-free life with you, than offer you a 'light' and help you live less by doing so.

And here I was, thinking this thread was about people blowing themselves up*.



*not to be confused with terrorism.