Does anyone smoke?

M

Matesrates

Well-known member
Just watched “A call to spy” on Netflix, set in ww2, their all smoking. When I was young, everyone smoked, it was unusual for someone not to, now it’s unusual to see someone smoking. I gave up eventually in 1979, so what about you guys?
 
I smoked a lot in the late 80's early 90's realised it was daft and stopped, then started again.
I went through a period where I smoked but very little (still a smoker eh)
Covid then came to my rescue as the person I went to the smoking shelter with started working from home and i couldn't be bothered going out on my own and I also got a bike to exercise.
I haven't had a cigarette for 8 months and haven't missed it at all.
 
No
Tried a cigarette when I was about 10, so early 70's, at Louie Horrocks Park on Lytham Road.
Coughed my guts up for 10 minutes, never bothered again since.
Maybe a bad idea to try Woodbines as your first cigarette.
I'm glad really. Apparently smoking can stunt your growth, and I'm only 5 ft 6 and a half as it is!!
 
Stopped December 31st 23.55 1996 as a New Years resolution.
Then at about 1a.m was passed a Joint had a few toke's then realised I'd failed in about an hour!
Never had a fag since.
 
Started when I was 13 gave up 20 years ago and still have the odd urges now.

Gave up previously for 3 years, had what I intended to be 1 fag on holiday and that was me back on 30 a day. It has to be total abstinence for me.
 
Packed in smoking cigs in August 2014. After 4 days of constant drinking, smoking and watching bands at Rebellion .I was absolutely knackered. One of them had to go.
 
southshorepool said:
Packed in smoking cigs in August 2014. After 4 days of constant drinking, smoking and watching bands at Rebellion .I was absolutely knackered. One of them had to go.
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I packed in about 8 years ago. What I notice when I do have a relapse (very rare) is the day after I feel really shit. A hangover is twice as bad with fags.
 
I do and I enjoy it.

Different countries still have a different view towards smoking as you probably know, Greece and Italy being good examples. Although they've tried to do things about it, such as no smoking indoors etc, and lots of anti smoking advertising campaigns, a smoker is not felt to be such a antisocial leper as in the UK.

I once visited a cardiologist in Greece to check out some aches and pains, and during the course of the examination the doctor asked the usual doctor question..... "do you smoke?"... I told him I did and that I smoked about 15-20 a day and he shrugged it off as being quite normal and said something along the lines of.... "oh that's ok then"!

.... Cant imagine that with any doctor in the UK.
 
“Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world” quipped Mark Twain, “ I should know I’ve done it thousands of times” Knew what he meant as after numerous attempts I finally chose to stop smoking 20 years ago.
 
Kevvster said:
I do and I enjoy it.

Different countries still have a different view towards smoking as you probably know, Greece and Italy being good examples. Although they've tried to do things about it, such as no smoking indoors etc, and lots of anti smoking advertising campaigns, a smoker is not felt to be such a antisocial leper as in the UK.

I once visited a cardiologist in Greece to check out some aches and pains, and during the course of the examination the doctor asked the usual doctor question..... "do you smoke?"... I told him I did and that I smoked about 15-20 a day and he shrugged it off as being quite normal and said something along the lines of.... "oh that's ok then"!

.... Cant imagine that with any doctor in the UK.
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Maybe because Spain/Italy and Greece have a similar or better life expectancy than the UK so hey have a fag but if your going to do no exercise or eat crap like we often do what's the problem.
 
I used to smoke when younger and every now and again have a roll up if offered when out but not had one for 12 months or more

The fact that you can't smoke in work, in the pub or in indoor venues has had a massive impact

In Mediterranean countries I suspect the impqct is less as you socialise outside more
 
TwelveAngryMen said:
I used to smoke when younger and every now and again have a roll up if offered when out but not had one for 12 months or more

The fact that you can't smoke in work, in the pub or in indoor venues has had a massive impact

In Mediterranean countries I suspect the impqct is less as you socialise outside more
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Plenty of places you can smoke inside in Europe even had a smoke room at Munich airport recent!
Smoking is not frowned about like it is in the UK yet we have a billion Takeaways and nothing is said.
I don't smoke anymore but would rather have 20 a day than the poisoning rubbish they sell.
 
God knows how many I used to smoke on a night out but I'd usually be buying more at 1/2am ish from the machines in the club and they'd be gone before I got home usually, so that's 16 without even thinking about it and that was three times a week as a norm.

Almost everyone smoked though and this is only 20 or so years ago, at least 70% of staff at BVH did. I quit when my Dad died from throat cancer in his mid 70s, but then my mum died six months later and she never touched a fag, didn't drink and ate healthily her entire life, so you do kind of think what's the point.
 
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Yes I am an ex smoker....but then as some have pointed out it was the norm years ago( 70 now for the record) and probably started when 12 or 13...the impressionable age.But cigarettes were relatively cheap and there was little control over buying them.
Even in the office when I first started work there were probably more who did smoke than didn’t and of course people would offer you one then you felt obliged to do the same.
Fortunately I gave up many many many years ago and don’t miss it one bit...and when I see the price of a packet of 20 these days all I can say is thank goodness.
I have enough vices as it is including BFC without having any more😉
 
Interesting about the impressionable bit. My Grandad died of Cancer of the Bronchus caused by smoking at 65, 6 months after retirement. I was 12 at the time, went to see him at the Christie at the end, have never touched one.
 
Talking of banning vapes now. Could be the final nail in the coffin for the High St. They're the only ones paying business rates.
 
Quit 10/15 a day habit & reduced to 3 a day in 2014 then stopped on October 10th 2015 at about 9:30 whilst at the Lancaster Music Festival, must admit to using a vape though, now & then. Still like the whiff of tobacco outdoors & not the smelly stale pub smell of old. Since it was stopped indoors I noticed a lot of pubs either smelt like school canteens or just stale in general, obviously this was previously masked by cigarette smoke. That 3rd fag I was going to have in 2015 & didn't, sat on my kitchen windowsill in it's packet for ages after, no idea what happened to it.
 
Sooty59 said:
Quit 10/15 a day habit & reduced to 3 a day in 2014 then stopped on October 10th 2015 at about 9:30 whilst at the Lancaster Music Festival, must admit to using a vape though, now & then. Still like the whiff of tobacco outdoors & not the smelly stale pub smell of old. Since it was stopped indoors I noticed a lot of pubs either smelt like school canteens or just stale in general, obviously this was previously masked by cigarette smoke. That 3rd fag I was going to have in 2015 & didn't, sat on my kitchen windowsill in it's packet for ages after, no idea what happened to it.
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I jumped over your back gate and had it👍🍊
 
I used to smoke 6oz of roll-ups a week (no.....not weed). Having realised what it has done to my health and fitness I regret ever starting. I gave up in 2006.
 
Was 20 a day pretty much for 20 years till just over 3 years ago. I actually read a thread on here and from the next day stopped and never smoked again. It's a mental habit not a physical or chemical one.
 
poolseasider said:
Maybe because Spain/Italy and Greece have a similar or better life expectancy than the UK so hey have a fag but if your going to do no exercise or eat crap like we often do what's the problem.
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The cost probably plays a big part in it aswell, a packet of cigarettes in Greece is still only about €4.
 
Started smoking when I was 16. never a heavy smoker, probably smoked because most of my age did.
When I went in the Army I smoked about 10 a day, but sometimes stopped for a while.
Smoked on and off until I was 26/7 then decided to give up.
Haven't smoked since.
 
I had my first fag at 9 years of age and smoked regularly from being 14 ending up smoking 60 a day.

I gave it up in November 1974 and wouldn't thank you for one now. NB there was no easy way in those days, just going cold turkey and pure willpower.

It's the best thing I've ever done, packing it in.
 
Kevvster said:
The cost probably plays a big part in it aswell, a packet of cigarettes in Greece is still only about €4.
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Probably the shift away from packets of 10 has made a lot of occasional smokers (weekends or night out only smokers) give up - gone are the days when the newsagent would split a pack and you could buy them singly or in two’s alongside a couple of swan vesta!

I remember on early holidays abroad and the Spanish vending machines where you could buy loose fags for a couple of Mr Paseta Heads!
 
Bottle said:
Probably the shift away from packets of 10 has made a lot of occasional smokers (weekends or night out only smokers) give up - gone are the days when the newsagent would split a pack and you could buy them singly or in two’s alongside a couple of swan vesta!

I remember on early holidays abroad and the Spanish vending machines where you could buy loose fags for a couple of Mr Paseta Heads!
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I used to raid my dad's piggy bank full of 20p's in the early '90s to go and buy single Sovereigns at 10p a pop in a local corner shop. How times change.
 
Don't smoke regular snouts anymore - switched to vaping 5 tears ago but hooked on that
Partial to the odd exotic cigarette
 
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