O/T Smoking

[CAMiller]

Today is the 20th anniversary of me quitting smoking and even after all these years I still consider myself as a smoker who is abstaining rather than a non smoker. Haven't touched one in all that time but still get the occasional urge when I walk past someone smoking.

Have made 3 trips back to the UK this year and was surprised by the number of young people (especially around Barnsley Town Centre) who smoke or vape. Here in the US vaping is alarmingly on the rise amongst ***** and even regular smoking is making a bit of a comeback, especially in states where weed has been legalised, despite the age to buy tobacco products being raised to 21 (remember it being 14 when I started).

Reckon I have probably saved at least 40K over those years and as my youngest finishes her college degree next year without any student debt it's nice to know I put it to some good use

[millmoormagic]

Well played Cam, 17 years myself, though i have to say the urges went away after 5 years!

[Pocket rocket]

Never smoked well apart from in bed 😆

[Silly-miller]

Never smocked can’t even stand the smell. I was stuck in que behind a old woman who reeked of Cigs I had to stick my t-shirt over my nose to stop myself coughing

[frogmiller]

Smoked on and off from being a teenager.

My wife and I stopped for financial reasons to start with. At the time we stopped smoking which enabled us to pay for our first house.

We stupidity stated again but stopped when we were trying for our eldest. A couple of years after she was born we started again but never in front of her or in the home. We stopped again when we were trying for our second. My wife was more successful than I but eventually the drug got her again.

When we moved to France we set a time to stop and that was when we had finished the house.

In 2010 on the first of January we stopped again.

I would always encourage anyone to stop but it's not that easy. You have to want to stop and have a good enough reason to do it.

Members of my family including my father had cancer but he continues

[mellowmiller]

I stopped in 1984, hate the smell of cigarettes nowadays.

[Hazza Has A Gazza]

I quit cigarettes just over 2 years ago and started vaping, which I still do. You might say I've swapped one evil for another but since I quit smoking my breathing has got much better and have felt more energised. The thing with vaping is, I'm probably taking in more nicotine than I ever did with cigs, but none of the other nasty chemicals.
Initially it was for financial reasons. Mrs Hazza and myself, between us, were spending £70 a week on our habit. I took the plunge first and she followed shortly after. I bought a small pen type device for about £15 and a few 99p liquids and they kept me off cigarettes and saved me a small fortune.
I've since learned that those 99p liquids that you can buy at any shop anywhere have more nasties in them than cigarettes, and I have upgraded devices and liquids several times, to the point where it's almost as expensive as smoking! I buy premium e-liquids in big bottles and use a powerful device, I'm still spending around 30 quid a week less than I did on cigs.

One day I hope to pack in nicotine for good but I must admit I enjoy vaping. It's far more pleasurable than smoking.

[CAMiller]

Good luck in quitting Hazza, I'd also heard that there's a lot of nasty stuff in the cheap vape options that the teenagers over here seem to find 'fashionable'.

As for smoke, funnily enough as most of what I come across these days is outdoors I don't seem to mind it as much. Must admit that when I get into a lift at work with someone who'd just nipped out for a fag it's not a pleasant ride. Hate to think what I must have reeked like 25-30 years ago when I worked in an office where on rainy days all the smokers used to congregate in a 12'x6' smoking room.

[caytonmiller]

Never smoked cigarettes. Tried my mates dad's pipe once. (Cleanse your mind pervs). Only gave it one puff to realise it wasn't for me. 😋

[Hazza Has A Gazza]

Good luck in quitting Hazza, I'd also heard that there's a lot of nasty stuff in the cheap vape options that the teenagers over here seem to find 'fashionable'.

Not all liquids are pure poison, just the 10ml 99p bottles that you can get from discount stores, they don't come in many flavours, usually just tobacco, menthol or Cola. They're usually made in China or India and are loaded with unlisted chemicals.
Better to go to an independent vape shop and spend a little bit more on premium juices. In fact probably better to avoid altogether unless it's to get you off cigarettes.

Don't see as many youths vaping now as I did a year or so ago. As you say just a fashion accessory for them.

Also, a smoker can be almost anonymous. As a vaper, I've had no end of overreactions, unwanted looks or snidey comments about the clouds I blow, despite it being completely harmless unlike passive smoking or engine fumes, yet no one complains about those.