Why do people smoke?

[scottyp123]

I'm sure this must have been asked before but why do they do it? whats the advantage. I would imagine the most popular answer would be that they aren't able to give up but if thats the case then why start in the first place, it doesn't make any sense to me as someone who has never smoked.

This will probably turn into a rant but we have been staying in an apartment whilst we are working away, the apartment is mainly full of people working away from what I can gather but some seem locals and the woman who was directly below us seemed to be out the back smoking a fag every 10 minutes, if we had the balcony doors open or the rear bedroom window the apartment smelt vile within seconds, it was absolutely disgusting. This was every evening this week when it was red hot, can you imagine coming home back from work doing manual labour and not being able to open a window. Her evening seemed to consist of (probably) 10 minutes of facebook and then out the back for a fag, this went on until the early hours of the morning.

I've also met many other smokers over the years and some of them actually smell totally vile even when they are not smoking one, they absolutely wreak of stale cigarettes, why would anyone do that to themselves? for me I find smokers incredibly selfish, I seen some that think its acceptable to stand 1mm away from the doors at a sandwich shop cause its technically outside or the ones that stand by a butty van whilst blowing the smoke everywhere.

Is it just absolute desperation to have a fag as soon as possible and they don't care who they offend in the process, you see them coming out of a supermarket with the fag already in their gobs and the lighter primed ready to light up the nano second they see fresh air, is it really that bad? On top of that it costs and absolute fortune to do, my mate has smoked heavily for years and years, if he goes out anywhere he buys two packets from his local shop, that's about £20 isn't it, day after day, year after year, £150,000 after 20 years, absolute madness.

It can't be a need for nicotine either, I have never smoked and I've never felt deprived in any way because I've never had a hit of it so everyone else must be able to do without. I'll bet 99% of smokers constantly think why o why did I spark up that first fag when I was 12. Idiots.

[randlemarcus]

How's that behavioural therapy going with the empathy issue?

I smoke because it's well cool, and that Nick O'Teen feller gives me them for free.

[scottyp123]

randlemarcus said:

How's that behavioural therapy going with the empathy issue?

I smoke because it's well cool, and that Nick O'Teen feller gives me them for free.

I can't really feel sorry for someone who has got themselves into the position they are in by smoking, I just think its an incredibly selfish thing to do for their own gain or needs when it obviously affects other people. When I fart I can clear a room but the same people that think nothing of sparking up a fag inside the brew room on a building site have a problem with me farting on the job.

[egomeister]

It's the socially acceptable way to relax and enjoy a panoramic view.

[Drezza]

It's highly addictive, being the main reason. People start when they're young as a social thing as it's the "cool" thing to do, tastes horrible and you cough your guts up, then you go to clubs/ pubs and it's the best way to meet people/ chat girls up in the smoking area, then at work it's a good excuse to get some fresh air. Can't beat a fag with a pint or a glass of wine. I only have about 3 a day now as I am concious about the health impacts.

[randlemarcus]

Funnily enough, I don't recall asking you to feel sorry for me, and I don't think I know you, so don't actually give a for your opinion on anything. Thanks for sharing though, I shall be sure to avoid you after a big dinner.

[h0b0]

Lets all remind oursleves that Scot thinks it is ok to releive himself outside other people's homes

[scottyp123]

Drezza said:

It's highly addictive, being the main reason. People start when they're young as a social thing as it's the "cool" thing to do, tastes horrible and you cough your guts up, then you go to clubs/ pubs and it's the best way to meet people/ chat girls up in the smoking area, then at work it's a good excuse to get some fresh air. Can't beat a fag with a pint or a glass of wine. I only have about 3 a day now as I am concious about the health impacts.

So the ones that do smoke anywhere and everywhere are just pure selfish then, does it never occur to them that maybe they might be making someone else's life a misery.

Not so long ago I worked at someones house that was actually quite nice, he ran a scaffolding company and had done quite well for himself. As we pulled up we noticed that the house next door was quite run down, looked like it belonged to an elderly person who was housebound, but no longer than 30 minutes after arriving in the morning the smell of weed was overpowering, it was coming from the scruffy house next door. Turns out its a 30 year old bloke who does nothing but smoke weed all day every day, only ever goes out to buy more weed, I have absolutely no idea how this scaffolder puts up with it maybe he likes the smell himself but if it was me I would have get a few of his workers round to educate him on the dangers of smoking weed (next door).

[Chicken_Satay]

I've always wondered this as well. It completely and utterly defies any logic whatsoever. There are absolutely no redeeming features and there's everything to dislike about it. Even as an eight year old I remember being baffled as to why anybody would do such a thing. Yes, it is absolute madness and I don't see how anybody could even start to defend it.

[scottyp123]

randlemarcus said:

Funnily enough, I don't recall asking you to feel sorry for me, and I don't think I know you, so don't actually give a for your opinion on anything. Thanks for sharing though, I shall be sure to avoid you after a big dinner.

You mentioned about empathy, hows that not asking if you feel sorry?

[scottyp123]

h0b0 said:

Lets all remind oursleves that Scot thinks it is ok to releive himself outside other people's homes

Plenty of people have asked me why they feel its ok to piss through a fence into a field, I'm asking why people think its socially acceptable to create a vile disgusting smell in the presence of other people or am I only allowed to answer the questions when asked.

I may well be a dirty trampy tt (or not) but that doesn't mean other people aren't does it. I occasionally call other people a fat bd, I'm fat myself but that doesn't make them thin now does it.

[Drezza]

scottyp123 said:

So the ones that do smoke anywhere and everywhere are just pure selfish then, does it never occur to them that maybe they might be making someone else's life a misery.

To me you sound like you just like a moan about things most people would turn a blind eye to, I live in the country side and the newly set up pig farm a few fields over absolutely stinks sometimes but I accept it's just part of life and accept it, I wouldn't say it makes my life a misery. Maybe try smoking, might chill you out a bit?

[grumbledoak]

Moan, moan, moan. I'm sure that's all you wanted, but...

They do it because it is addictive and legal.

It's a pathetic little high in the scheme of things, but the government won't legalize anything else because of the huge cut they get from cigarettes and alcohol.

[s2sol]

I smoke because I really fking enjoy it. I know it's expensive, antisocial, and bad for my health. I just don't care. Who wants to live forever anyway?

[bigpriest]

It's addictive and habit-forming. Not everyone is addicted, lots of people can give up immediately and never smoke again with no side-effects. I found I 'needed' a cig after a meal, the habit of lighting-up was more enjoyable than the meal! Not had one for years now, never fancied one again even when stressed.

[s2sol]

I smoke because I really fking enjoy it. I know it's expensive, antisocial, and bad for my health. I just don't care. Who wants to live forever anyway?

[scottyp123]

Drezza said:

scottyp123 said:

So the ones that do smoke anywhere and everywhere are just pure selfish then, does it never occur to them that maybe they might be making someone else's life a misery.

To me you sound like you just like a moan about things most people would turn a blind eye to, I live in the country side and the newly set up pig farm a few fields over absolutely stinks sometimes but I accept it's just part of life and accept it, I wouldn't say it makes my life a misery. Maybe try smoking, might chill you out a bit?

Thats a country smell though, I'll bet you wouldn't feel the same if they opened a chemical plant down the road and you got all sorts of vile chemical type smells. I used to live near a massive sewerage plant as a kid but it was there before the houses were built so it has every right to make a smell. What it has recently started doing though is importing other peoples st and a lot of other chemical waste. If I ever go back to the area now the smell is overpowering sometimes, I would say the greed of the extra money for all the extra processing they do is well out of order on the people that live there.

[Big-Bo-Beep]

As an ex smoker I understand why folk smoke, I'm perplexed why they stand outside their own house
to smoke, their martyrdom is as laughable as it is pathetic,

If you espouse the wonder of nicotine then don't wimp out, do it 100% and f***
your interior decor and the health of other family members. Do it right, don't hide away like a second class citizen

As soon as shops, cinemas and theatres banned smoking the writing was on the wall, if I couldn't smoke in places
I liked spending time in, pubs, clubs, cinemas, music venues, then I gave up smoking.

[Dr Jekyll]

Drezza said:

It's highly addictive, being the main reason. People start when they're young as a social thing as it's the "cool" thing to do, tastes horrible and you cough your guts up, then you go to clubs/ pubs and it's the best way to meet people/ chat girls up in the smoking area, then at work it's a good excuse to get some fresh air. Can't beat a fag with a pint or a glass of wine. I only have about 3 a day now as I am concious about the health impacts.

But the only girls in the smoking area are ones who smoke, so not worth meeting.

[Smurfsarepeopletoo]

Why do people drink? they probably spend more in a weekend on ale than a smoker on cigarettes, they throw up, lose all inhibitions in public, think its ok to damage property, p*ss and sh*t everywhere, abuse bar staff and security, cause taxi drivers issues, and so on and so forth.

The simple answer is that people enjoy it and its their choice, just because its not something you enjoy, doesnt mean others dont, the same reason you may wear aftershave that others find offensive, or eat something that others find offensive, or you use words that others find offensive, its your choice at the end of the day.