All the excuses not to quit smoking
I don't expect all the smokers I know to think I am doing something good. Some will think its good and these are the people who are happy for me. There are sadly a few who are not going to cheer you on. One of my "friends" has put obstacles in my way instead. Should I really call him friend? This is what he said:
"Don't you know that some of the nicest people are heavy smokers and drinkers? My uncle Sam started smoking at 65 but died at a ripe old age of 90. Don't look on the outside but look at someone's character instead. Everyone loved uncle Sam, he was such a kind person and such a cool dude etc etc" My "friend" then went on to tell me smoking is not harmful for everyone and that it all depends on genes - implying that uncle Sam and him had the "right" genes, so quitting smoking doesn't make sense to his family or his stock. I thought that his talk was nonsense and was simply denial and ignorance to the fact that not smoking is better than smoking. Do we really have to get into an argument about whether its better to smoke or not? Of course its better NOT to smoke! I really wonder what kind of person uncle Sam was too? Did uncle Sam think that he was a good example to children? I don't think uncle Sam is as wise or as kind as people make him out to be and that we might be giving him too much credit. Could uncle Sam be a stereotype that the cigarette companies formerly used to use to make you think that you could be cool, hip and friendly because you smoke their products?
Whatever it is, the point is that there are so many stories out there about this guy or that guy not being harmed by smoking. I don't believe them anymore. I believe that giving up smoking for a day at a time is a wonderful thing, especially if you are hooked on cigarettes. What a terrible vice smoking is and how dependent we become on nicotine, always having to make sure that we have enough cigarettes around to have our fix and we get irritable and restless when our nicotine supply is threatened or interrupted. Smoking makes you breathless, it restricts your circulation, it gives you bad breath and does not do you any favours at all.
Hi manchild. Just had another thought. Regardless of how cool smoking is, why then do they attract the anti social tag... Rhetorical question... It simply stinks... Fancy going through life annoying others because you simply stink? And stink to high heaven one does. Not that a smoker actually knows... It was cool to smoke in the 50's but being dead in the teens of the 20's is not a good look. Who knows what addictive poisons the cigarette conpanies are injecting into their poisons!
Hey Lia,
Good to see you here! Yeh, who knows what they are injecting into cigarettes. It can't be good! My "friend" is now vaping and tells me its harmless. I know its not because I vaped for almost a year and it did me no good. Unfortunately I used to blog about how I gave up cigarettes by vaping but in actuality I was giving up nothing because I was still feeding myself with nicotine. My "friend" has a screwed up face from nicotine in his bloodstream (through ecigs) and he can't relax without sucking on his e-cig. I can see myself in all of that and I don't want to return to it. Its not cool anymore and I don't believe all those bloggers telling me how healthy it is to vape. No way for me!!
Hi Manchild : Like you I had a " friend " who took great pleasure in holding a cigarette packet up to my face : Obviously he is no longer a friend once I told him where the packet would end up if he continued . I never tried vaping in earnest as I only lasted 24 hours. Like you I realised that swapping cigarettes for vaping was still inhaling nicotine . In the end cold turkey was the answer and following my fellow quitters on this site : This has been so invaluable and I hung on here for many months by the fingertips until the cravings subsided .
Interesting story Manchild, makes me wonder why in the world would a 65 year old individual take up such a awful disgusting habit ? Did something occur in has life that steered him to indulge, stressful situation maybe. My mom and dad both smoked, I barely remember my father quitting, and did not give it any thought ( I was maybe 6-8 years old ) of what he went through. My mom never gave up, even when diagnosed with cancer, she passed away at 57, it was terrible for her, that was in 1978