Smoking in Moderation

[NoNameMcgee]

What's everyones thoughts on smoking (tobacco) without an addiction? Is it possible? Can it be safe if you have the willpower to control yourself? What do you think the chances of medical issues are later in life if you only smoke one a day for example?

Personally I consider myself a social smoker, in the same way people can be social drinkers (which I also am, btw). Which means I am not addicted or dependant on cigarettes, but I enjoy them with other people that are also smoking, (not peer pressure, its just great to have a smoke and chat with someone in a way non-smokers might not understand) and occasionally light up on my own if I am feeling stressed out or upset (it calms me down, relaxes me, and gives me a temporary high for a minute or two). I have no cravings at all, and I can literally go as long as I want without smoking. I've gone over a month before without a smoke since starting, and often I go a week or two without one. Generally though I go through a pack of 25 in about a month, sometimes in 2 months.

I keep being told that I should quit, but why? Assuming I continue doing this, I will probably smoke about as much im my lifetime that the average smoker would have in a year or two (or less). How is this dangerous to my health? In moderation there are much worse things that can be much more damaging. Why should I be scolded for having a smoke every other day, when there are people who shove Big Macs down their throat every other day and will die at 50 from a heart attack caused by obesity?

 

[Ryhzuo]

My father is what I think you would describe as a recreational smoker. He does business in China and the sort of business environments he'd find himself in almost requires him to smoke, its a sort of social thing. However whenever he comes over to New Zealand for vacations, he stops altogether for months at a time.

Smoking, as bad as it may be, really is a personal choice. As long as you're not disturbing other people with second hand smoke or in an environment where it's inappropriate to smoke, then I think as long as you are aware of the consequences you should be able to do what you want.

Most of the long term effects of smoking are related to tar build up in your lungs, which occurs over a long time and leads to that well known lung cancer. AFAIK, there ARE some dangerous effects of short term smoking. The main one is being dilation of blood vessels, which can cause hypertension, increased heart rate and high blood pressure. These effects kick in with just one cigarette increase your chance of a heart attack.

Obviously, you're less likely to have a heart attack if you're physically healthy in every other way, but if you're unfit or a little bit overweight, diabetic or suffer from naturally high blood pressure, then you might want to seriously consider quitting altogether. Also, I remember reading somewhere that it's not a good idea to smoke to relieve stress.

 

[Colour Scientist]

(Smoker here)

Can I ask how old you are?
The problem is that most start out as social smokers and slowly get a more relaxed attitude to smoking. So it starts out a pack a month, then two, then three... you see where I'm going. You'll smoke among friends first and then you'll steadily start doing it by yourself more often.

I used to do what you're doing now, although I was like 14, and now I go through 3-4 packs a week. People are advising you to quit now because it's much easier to do so in the early stages because right now you just like it around people, then you'll just have a habit, you won't actually become dependent for quite sometime but even the habit is hard to kick.

I'm not going to tell you to quit because I'd be an awful hypocrite and I hate when people give out about smoking myself so I'll just advise you to not take potential habit lightly.

 

[WolfThomas]

I don't know the amount of patients I've seen who started as social or ocaisional smokers and 20 years later are downing a pack a day leads me to think otherwise. Certainly there are outliers with anything but I think most people graduate to more and more. You may not have a dependency or tolerance now but it does happen over time.

 

[NoNameMcgee]

(Smoker here)

Can I ask how old you are?
The problem is that most start out as social smokers and slowly get a more relaxed attitude to smoking. So it starts out a pack a month, then two, then three... you see where I'm going. You'll smoke among friends first and then you'll steadily start doing it by yourself more often.

I used to do what you're doing now, although I was like 14, and now I go through 3-4 packs a week. People are advising you to quit now because it's much easier to do so in the early stages because right now you just like it around people, then you'll just have a habit, you won't actually become dependent for quite sometime but even the habit is hard to kick.

I'm not going to tell you to quit because I'd be an awful hypocrite and I hate when people give out about smoking myself so I'll just advise you to not take potential habit lightly.

21 and started about a year ago. Yeah I've heard that, but surely its all about willpower, if I dont let myself have more than one a day max, and stop myself from having any more than that, i'll never develop any dependancy on them.

 

[SckizoBoy]

I started as a social smoker... then gained a habit. Then, somehow, slowly reverted to social smoker (by that I mean frequency of consumption as opposed to approach) over the course of about six months and I gave up about six years ago now...

These days, I only have the occasional puff when most people around me are smoking, I'm at a... uh... herbal... gathering... or when I'm at the pub with friends.

If you're only smoking 'recreationally' make sure you can think of excuses not to have a cigarette otherwise it might bite you a few years down the line.

 

[Blow_Pop]

I use to smoke but I wasn't addicted. And then one day I just got tired of it and stopped. Now I can't stand the smell of the smoke or how it tastes to smoke. And I was a social smoker. Well social chain smoker I should say. Now it just sends me into asthma attacks.

 

[lettucethesallad]

I'm a smoker without an addiction. I like the taste and the social aspect of it all, but I can easily go for days or weeks without feeling the need to light up. I've been doing this for about 4 years now (I'm 22), sometimes smoking more often, sometimes hardly at all. If you want to keep doing it, do it. You can eat right, exercise all you want and still get hit by a bus tomorrow.

 

[Mr Thin]

I'm 19 and I don't smoke, nor do I intend to, and my knowledge of the medical effects of smoking is not exactly expansive. So I shall refrain from commenting on most of your post. I would, however, like to take issue with your last sentence.

Why should I be scolded for having a smoke every other day, when there are people who shove Big Macs down their throat every other day and will die at 50 from a heart attack caused by obesity?

Because someone else doing the wrong thing doesn't make it OK to do some other wrong thing? Whether your light smoking habit is excusable or not isn't going to change based on the eating habits of others.

 

[NoNameMcgee]

Why should I be scolded for having a smoke every other day, when there are people who shove Big Macs down their throat every other day and will die at 50 from a heart attack caused by obesity?

Because someone else doing the wrong thing doesn't make it OK to do some other wrong thing? Whether your light smoking habit is excusable or not isn't going to change based on the eating habits of others.

My point was simply that its worse than what I am doing in terms of health, yet not looked down upon nearly as much.

 

[Random Argument Man]

I started out as a social smoker and then I got more pissed off during the course of time. I started to smoke more and more. I tried to quit twice. I almost succeeded the first time, but failed when someone invited me to a certain party with almost *only-smokers*.

The 2nd time was a bit more complicated...

Moderation takes hard discipline and puts it in on another level. People will ask for you to stop because they don't want you to augment your smoking habits. If you can show that you can control your doses, go for it. However, if you can't....Quit while you're ahead. Trust me on that...

 

[Colour Scientist]

21 and started about a year ago. Yeah I've heard that, but surely its all about willpower, if I dont let myself have more than one a day max, and stop myself from having any more than that, i'll never develop any dependancy on them.

Yeah, that's a great idea at first. For most people it doesn't work out too well though.

Everyone thinks they're the exception when it comes to things like this, you know? Like with Weight Watchers. It has a 97% failure rate in the long term but everyone thinks they'll be part of that 3%. You won't watch your willpower everyday, eventually it will get old and you'll start smoking more. Maybe you will be though, I'm not gonna lecture you but as a smoker, it's probably not worth the risk.

As much as I enjoy smoking, it's expensive and will eventually catch up with me so I'd say you're better off quitting while you're ahead.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Ex-smoker. It depends entirely on your personality. FEW people can smoke socially, but they'll be still wanting one. MOST people will increase to the point of intolerance - which can be a pack to three packs a day.

That's £6-£18 a day.

If you can stomach that loss, the loss of smell/taste, smelling like decay constantly and angry moods, then you can smoke - and probably really enjoy the first one of the day.

I still want one at times, but you really should know what you're getting yourself into. Some people can live to 100+ while smoking, but most will go much faster.

Your choice.

(But stay away from ex-smokers, they're a horrible bunch. Smokers outside are often very friendly people. )

 

[Phisi]

Meh, if it helps you get through the day I don't really care. I also think there was a Canadian study or something on the effects of smoking on the health care system and found that it is more costly for people not to smoke as they are more likely to die from cancers instead of more costly diseases such as dementia, which requires full time caring. But as long as it isn't harming anyone, which I don't see anyway it can (well the odor possibly, if you smoke in someone elses house without their permission), I don't have any problems with smoking at all , much less recreationally.

 

[9thRequiem]

I've kept a similar level as you're currently on for around 5 years now. Sometimes smoking more, sometimes going for a few months without any. Tends to depend on work/personal projects/social situations.
It's fine. I don't really have any desire to smoke more, nor any good reason to quit. I'm far from the most strong-willed person ever, it's just something I have under control.

Like you, I have no great cravings for it, it's just something I sometimes do when stressed, or stuck on a particular problem.

 

[manic_depressive13]

So what do you want us to say? That it's perfectly healthy? It's not. It's possible to avoid addiction, but even one cigarette is less healthy than no cigarette. Presumably you know this, but you like it so you don't give a fuck. So tell the people who are lecturing you that you don't give a fuck.

 

[Monkfish Acc.]

I don't understand why you'd smoke if you weren't addicted. I mean, doesn't the lift come from feeding your addiction? I understand just doing it socially, smoking with other people makes everyone more amiable for some reason, but doing it when you are stressed and not addicted seems pointless.

But this is coming from a dude who gets twitchy after half a day with no nicotine, so whatever.

 

[Alleged_Alec]

21 and started about a year ago. Yeah I've heard that, but surely its all about willpower, if I dont let myself have more than one a day max, and stop myself from having any more than that, i'll never develop any dependancy on them.

I started out doing that. Then I was working with a few guys for a quadmester who smoked more. I made long days, so I smoked along with them. I told myself I'd go back to at most one per day after that. But then I had a rough time, and I kept up the level of smoking I did with those guys.

And, concluding, I now smoke two packs a week, saying that I should probably quit after the next pack every time I empty one.


And yes, Colour-Scientist is right. Smokers have the "it happens to PEOPLE, but not to me" attitude.

I don't understand why you'd smoke if you weren't addicted. I mean, doesn't the lift come from feeding your addiction? I understand just doing it socially, smoking with other people makes everyone more amiable for some reason, but doing it when you are stressed and not addicted seems pointless.

You get the uplifting feeling because of nicotine. Casual smokers actually get more relief from this because they have little tolerance to it. Die-hard smokers actually only feel better when smoking because they feel like shit if they don't.

 

[Bobzer77]

(Smoker here)

Can I ask how old you are?
The problem is that most start out as social smokers and slowly get a more relaxed attitude to smoking. So it starts out a pack a month, then two, then three... you see where I'm going. You'll smoke among friends first and then you'll steadily start doing it by yourself more often.

I used to do what you're doing now, although I was like 14, and now I go through 3-4 packs a week. People are advising you to quit now because it's much easier to do so in the early stages because right now you just like it around people, then you'll just have a habit, you won't actually become dependent for quite sometime but even the habit is hard to kick.

I'm not going to tell you to quit because I'd be an awful hypocrite and I hate when people give out about smoking myself so I'll just advise you to not take potential habit lightly.

21 and started about a year ago. Yeah I've heard that, but surely its all about willpower, if I dont let myself have more than one a day max, and stop myself from having any more than that, i'll never develop any dependancy on them.

I would imagine if you were itching for more than one a day, as in it actually took some willpower to say no, you may already be forming some sort of dependance.