Do you think smokers are ashamed of or bothered by their addiction? (places, money)

[Northwindsforever]

Originally Posted by MoNative34

Of course they do, but I'm not going to compare it to opiate withdraw. I do know an opiate addict and his story is on no way similar to a nicotine user.

I never knew someone that smoked have it take over their life where it became the only thing they cared about, or neglected their kids because of their nicotine addiction, stole things for cigarette money, lose their home, savings, their marriage, completely transform who they are as a person, etc. All of that is true for junkies.

Neither do i. But bottom line and the point is that nicotine whitdrawal can cause unbearable human suffering (i'm a perfect case study) and nicotine can be physically just as addictive as junk.

[SATX56]

Originally Posted by MoNative34

I don't see how nicotine and opiates could possibly put in the same category when you compare a smoker that hasn't had a cigarette for two days and going through withdraw versus a heroin addict that hasn't had a fix for two days going through withdraw. The smoker will be irritable and restless while the junkie is puking, having flu-like symptoms x100, while thinking he/she is losing their mind.

I totally agree Mo! I smoked a lot for many years. I was shocked how truly easy it was to overcome the cravings. Getting used to not having something in your hand was hardest part. All one needs is the real desire to quit and a little help of the patch. Those that only smoked a pack or two a day should be able to quit cold turkey in many cases. No comparison whatsoever to drug abusers.

[MoNative34]

Originally Posted by mjd07

I know a handful of nicotine addicts that have harmed family members because they went into rages when having withdrawals.

I think rages have a lot more to do with character issues than nicotine withdraw. Unless, there was no history of rage and hot temper and then all the sudden smacks his wife and kids because he hasn't had a cigarette?

[MaggieZ]

Smoking cigarettes is extremely addictive and harder than heroin to quit, some say. Look what we go through for 'a smoke'. I sat and counted pennies many times like a true addict, borrowed money from my son's piggy bank, etc..Of course not every smoker is exactly the same as the next one. I stopped enjoying smoking, smoked half a cigarette and then put it out. It was just a bad habit and I knew it and hated it. I had surgery and spent 3 days in the hospital, you had to stand outside to be able to smoke. The first day I was high on morphine so that was an easy one, the 2nd and 3rd I was on painpills and concentrating on walking again. So by the time I got home I was still in loads of pain and in between painpills I fed the cat and ate and took a shower..it all took so much time and effort ..I forgot about smoking. Then I figured if I could quit a whole week, I was done...and I had a few packs on the fridge just in case but couldn't care less. And that was in 2001...

[SATX56]

Been there Maggie it was still shockingly easy to quit. (For me at least and I was no light smoker) Shockingly easy to give in to the temptation to "give in" also. I quit as I started here on CD. Patches for a few days and a few thousand Dum Dums did the trick. Piece of cake....

[MaggieZ]

It's up to the individual, I certainly don't want to sound like I'm preaching about quitting. But for me it was silly to keep on doing it. Why do something when you don't like it?

[MoNative34]

Originally Posted by MaggieZ

Smoking cigarettes is extremely addictive and harder than heroin to quit, some say.

Talking about the quoted text here and not directing this toward Maggie..

Let's look at it this way. Say a younger person (late teens) sees or hears that saying.... If makes it sound like tobacco use is worse than heroin.

[ColdAilment]

Originally Posted by Dale Cooper

Easy answer: Cost.

When 0bama signed SCHIP and tax on cigs skyrocketed, the ecig market exploded.

I wonder if that was around the same time President Obama finally kicked his smoking habit.

[Northwindsforever]

Originally Posted by ColdAilment

Straight forward question, do you think that smokers are ashamed of or dislike that they are addicted to such an unhealthy habit? I know plenty of military guys who are smokers, but do so in secret to hide it from their wives. Some women will hide their smoking habit if they are going out on a date with a guy. Smoking in today's age doesn't seem like a particularly classy or cool thing to do anymore. Instead, it seems to disproportionately afflict the poor or working class people, or the chronically bored. I find dipping to be a supplement for smoking in the more rural areas of the nation. Anyway, open to discussion, share your opinion and vote.

These military guys are idiots (no surprise). Hiding it from their wives? Really? And what would the wives do if they found out? File for divorce?

Smoking has never been classy (not even in those 60's and 70's french films) but will always be cool to some extent.

[ColdAilment]

Originally Posted by whitlock

These military guys are idiots (no surprise). Hiding it from their wives? Really? And what would the wives do if they found out? File for divorce?

Smoking has never been classy (not even in those 60's and 70's french films) but will always be cool to some extent.

As a military guy, I take offense to that. We aren't all idiots. Some are, but you find that everywhere. I won't disagree with you that I think they are idiots. They just prefer their wives not knowing, it's a battle they'd rather not face and they aren't strong enough or willing enough to give up the addiction. Some smoke, some dip. I'm not sure how as a partner you couldn't realize that your husband has a smell or a taste to him.

Watching some of the old television shows from the 1940's and 1950's it did seem like a cool, and in some cases fashionable thing to do. Smoking was allowed almost everywhere in those days. Men in fine suits and tuxedos at ballrooms had cigarettes, and so did the women.