Poll: Smoking habit, do you have a lucky?

[BENZOOKA]

So, every time a get a pack of cigarettes what I do is take the first one out and turn it upside down and only smoke it if I had a good day or if I need some luck. I only know two people who do the same and I'm wondering if this is common thing people have heard of.

So do any of the other smokers here on the escapist do this?

Um, I've heard two or three different backstories (and names) for that turning the first cigarette upside down and smoking it last (or like me, usually pulling out a cigarette from the pack when it's still in your pocket, so it's pretty much random). And I've met at least a dozen people who have done it at some point. Last time I heard about it was 2006 I guess. And that all is in Finland.

I used to do it for couple months and then just forgot.

 

[TheSkaAssassin]

I do have a lucky, but I smoke it last and its never lucky.

I smoked my lucky before my history final in December. I needed a 85 or better to get initiated into my fraternity. I didn't get it.

 

[MelziGurl]

Never could understand how cigarettes were even lucky to begin with, so while most of my friends did I never used to. I also don't smoke anymore.

 

[Rickyvantof]

I only smoke on wednesdays.

 

[paiged]

I had never heard of this before, but I read it out loud because there are smokers in the room with me and my mother said her and her friends used to do that when they were younger.

 

[Mcupobob]

No, anyone I've ever known that does it has been an underage smoker so I tend to view it as an adolescent thing to do, besides cigs don't give you luck, rabbits feet do.

Really, I picked up form the old dogs form the 80's. Those relics who still know those important rituals.

 

[Standby]

Wow, i'm almost surprised at how many people have completely missed the point of this thread, heres a fun fact for all the anti-smokers that have posted so far:
Non-smokers die. Every day.

Anyways i have heard of people turning their cigs upside down, but it's never something i've done myself, next time i buy a pack though i'll give it a try.

 

[Deleric]

Man, I don't even know what lucky cigs are.

But apparently they were in Cowboy Bebop. They sound awesome! And I'm just the kind of influenced teen that can fall for that kind of shit!

 

[Indecizion]

So, every time a get a pack of cigarettes what I do is take the first one out and turn it upside down and only smoke it if I had a good day or if I need some luck. I only know two people who do the same and I'm wondering if this is common thing people have heard of.

So do any of the other smokers here on the escapist do this?

yeah i used to do this until i started rolling my own then quit. but yeah picked the habit up from my uncle, though i was like the only person i knew who did it.

 

[Dangerbean]

Smoke lucky strikes, there all lucky!

 

[dex-dex]

i rarely smoke and if i do it is when i am drunk at three in the morning

and i can never say i never have the lucky smoke

 

[KaiserBear]

I haven't packed my cigs since I switched to smoking American Spirits. I made that mistake once, it was like trying to inhale a cantaloupe through a drinking straw.

OT: I don't designate a 'lucky', but I'll give it a shot. I could use the luck.

 

[sombre yeti]

aaaaah smoking thread, i needed on of these(and a smoke right now)

here in amarillo a surprising amount of people have luckys but with a twist on how you descriced it. you take it out, kiss the filter, then put it in upside down.

i hardly ever have one because i only let a girl give me a lucky and few girls i'm around ever support my habit so i'm often luckless.

 

[Mcupobob]

I haven't packed my cigs since I switched to smoking American Spirits. I made that mistake once, it was like trying to inhale a cantaloupe through a drinking straw.

OT: I don't designate a 'lucky', but I'll give it a shot. I could use the luck.

I was thinking about switching to American spirt, heard its more naturally or something like that. Is it good?

 

[Jamash]

That's a cool idea, I guess. Not heard of it before though so I guess one of you guys invented it and then is spread I may try it with like, I dunno, darn, I want to try it but I'm not gonna start smoking.

I think the tradition of a "Lucky cigarette" actually dates from World War 1.

Apparently soldiers fighting in the trenches would turn a cigarette upside-down when they opened a new packet, saving it to be smoked last, the theory being that if they survived long enough that day to smoke their last cigarette then they were lucky.

I never did it when I smoked straights, I though to do it would be a bit disrespectful to the memories of the people who really were lucky to be able to finish a packet of cigarettes without having their heads blown off... and nowadays I smoke roll-ups, so every cigarette is freshly made and there isn't really a 'last'.

I was thinking about switching to American spirt, heard its more naturally or something like that. Is it good?

I smoke American Spirit rolling tobacco (when I can get it) and I think it's good.

It's obviously better not as bad for you because it doesn't contain any preservatives or other chemical additives, and it's got quite a nice, strong flavour.

It's a not as moist as other tobaccos (but that can be easily remedied if you don't like dry tobacco), and I've never had any problem with the way it smokes or draws (it does burn slower and has a tendency to go out if you leave, it more than other tobaccos), but as someone who rolls their own I think I intuitively compensate for the type of tobacco I'm using when I roll... I pretty much make all my roll-ups the same nowadays (not too tightly rolled and with a filter for a easy draw and faster burn).

 

[Lionsfan]

But the opening ritual is just as important, hit the bottom against the palm of your hand 3 times to pack down the cigs. Then proceed to remove both plastic from the top and bottom followed by removing front protective foil. The lucky is chosen in many different ways but the correct way is to hold the pack sideways and flick the bottom. The highest is your lucky and if you dare smoke it before the others then another must be chosen, if another is not chosen...may Tod (tobacco god) have mercy on your lungs.

Never heard about this, or Lucky's in general. I'd better start doing that, I need all the luck I can get.

 

[Hiphophippo]

I don't really smoke. I have had a cigar that was nice once or twice though but that's a totally different taste than a cigarette. Those are fucking gross.

 

[Mcupobob]

I was thinking about switching to American spirt, heard its more naturally or something like that. Is it good?

I smoke American Spirit rolling tobacco (when I can get it) and I think it's good.

It's obviously better not as bad for you because it doesn't contain any preservatives or other chemical additives, and it's got quite a nice, strong flavour.

It's a not as moist as other tobaccos (but that can be easily remedied if you don't like dry tobacco), and I've never had any problem with the way it smokes or draws (it does burn slower and has a tendency to go out if you leave, it more than other tobaccos), but as someone who rolls their own I think I intuitively compensate for the type of tobacco I'm using when I roll... I pretty much make all my roll-ups the same nowadays (not too tightly rolled and with a filter for a easy draw and faster burn).

Thats what I was thinking about, I don't really smoke for the slight buzz anymore but more to just do something else or go outside and enjoy the scenery. It keeps my hands busy and it also prevents me form chewing things ( I have a problem with that I go through headphones like crazy because I chew the cords) and I figure if i'm going to smoke might as well have the clean grown stuff. I think I'm going to switch as soon as my carton of Paul Mall runs out.

 

[DMonkey]

There's a few rituals when it comes to opening the pack, sacred rituals. You don't want to anger the smoking gods do you? The lucky is sacred for its immunity to being taken from you, when it comes to one left you can smile at your little friend, you know no one who takes smoking seriously will remove it from your grasp.

But the opening ritual is just as important, hit the bottom against the palm of your hand 3 times to pack down the cigs. Then proceed to remove both plastic from the top and bottom followed by removing front protective foil. The lucky is chosen in many different ways but the correct way is to hold the pack sideways and flick the bottom. The highest is your lucky and if you dare smoke it before the others then another must be chosen, if another is not chosen...may Tod (tobacco god) have mercy on your lungs.

Of course Tod is the tailor made god of smoking, i am not a follower of bags.

We (friends and I) have our own tradition, such as if you are opening up a new pack, its polite to offer one to everyone around you, but if someone takes you up on the offer, then the owner of the pack gets to bounce it off their head (no more then 3 times)... I know its stupid, but what group of males isn't when in tight groups?

I used to do the "lucky smoke" until I started driving a lot, and its not really "lucky" if you light it at the filter while you are navigating traffic...

Now I smoke rollies... so a lucky one would be when you scrounge enough shag from a empty pouch for one last smoke...

 

[Jamash]

Spoiler: SNIP

I was thinking about switching to American spirt, heard its more naturally or something like that. Is it good?

I smoke American Spirit rolling tobacco (when I can get it) and I think it's good.

It's obviously better not as bad for you because it doesn't contain any preservatives or other chemical additives, and it's got quite a nice, strong flavour.

It's a not as moist as other tobaccos (but that can be easily remedied if you don't like dry tobacco), and I've never had any problem with the way it smokes or draws (it does burn slower and has a tendency to go out if you leave, it more than other tobaccos), but as someone who rolls their own I think I intuitively compensate for the type of tobacco I'm using when I roll... I pretty much make all my roll-ups the same nowadays (not too tightly rolled and with a filter for a easy draw and faster burn).

Thats what I was thinking about, I don't really smoke for the slight buzz anymore but more to just do something else or go outside and enjoy the scenery. It keeps my hands busy and it also prevents me form chewing things ( I have a problem with that I go through headphones like crazy because I chew the cords) and I figure if i'm going to smoke might as well have the clean grown stuff. I think I'm going to switch as soon as my carton of Paul Mall runs out.

It also has the added bonus of when rabid anti-smokers start talking at you about all the dangers of smoking, and they start ranting about all the toxic chemicals which are added to cigarettes, you can burst their balloon and smugly point out to them that you smoke tobacco with no additives whatsoever - just the way nature/God intended it to be smoked.

That added flameshield and comeback is worth the marginal cost increase alone.