So, in all seriousness, what are the 'positives'?

wobblyknees

This forum is to discuss the positives of our habit.

bryaner

The nicotine hit

Herbal Deity

As someone who would only smoke when out drinking, or have the odd one with a cup of coffee etc., I think smoking gives a nice pleasurable feeling. The nicotine hit has nothing to do with it being an addiction, it's a nice feeling regardless.

However, I don't see many positives in heavily smoking. Less is more when it comes to nicotine IMO. The addiction factor is a big downside to smoking.

Delancey

The intense pleasure - better than sex ( I refer to sex with my last girlfriend I should clarify )

BeerNut

Money for the exchequer. As long as you're not buying from smuggling scumbags, of course.

boscoroxx

Suppresses your appetite - its a positive for anyone on a diet!

wobblyknees

Herbal Deity wrote: »

As someone who would only smoke when out drinking, or have the odd one with a cup of coffee etc., I think smoking gives a nice pleasurable feeling. The nicotine hit has nothing to do with it being an addiction, it's a nice feeling regardless.

However, I don't see many positives in heavily smoking. Less is more when it comes to nicotine IMO. The addiction factor is a big downside to smoking.

My mother gave them up but still has one before going to bed. Maybe for the same feeling?

karlog

Relieves stress

and also relieves you of your hard earned cash

bandit197

Great excuse to get away from a boring person, who happens to be a non smoker, in the pub.

The Hill Billy

I'm going to give this thread another chance.
Remember though that this is for the discussion of the "positives" of smoking.
If anyone drags this off by giving it a negative feel (eg, mentions of addiction, health problems, etc) they will cop a ban.

HB

OldGoat

For cigar smokers it's not so much about the nicotine hit and more about the flavour.
The aroma of the unlit cigar is almost as pleasurable as the lit one.
The collecting of different cigar bands is a side benifit. :-)
Discussing the finer points of cigar apprication with like minded people is a positive.
Because a good cigar takes a while to smoke there is a tendency to plan where and when you will spark one up. You're not going to have a quick drag while waiting for the bus. So you organise a venue thats the best you can get, arrange for a leasurly length of time for the smoke and basically put the rest of the world on hold for that 45 miutes - hour - two hours. You put yourelf into a stressfree relaxed situation for your smoke.

NoDice

You're having a really sh1te day at work, you forgot your phone AND your boss just asked you to work overtime - SMOKE! (Relieves stress)

You just get home from a hard days work after driving during rush hour/sitting in a smelly packed bus - Make a cup of coffe/tea - SMOKE! (Relaxing)

Having a few drinks - SMOKE! (Really nice feeling and goes so well with a pint)

Nice hot summers evening, sitting by the beach with your sunglasses on - SMOKE! (super relaxing )

Man I love being a smoker.

the_syco

NoDice wrote: »

You're having a really sh1te day at work, you forgot your phone AND your boss just asked you to work overtime - SMOKE! (Relieves stress)

You just get home from a hard days work after driving during rush hour/sitting in a smelly packed bus - Make a cup of coffe/tea - SMOKE! (Relaxing)

Having a few drinks - SMOKE! (Really nice feeling and goes so well with a pint)

Nice hot summers evening, sitting by the beach with your sunglasses on - SMOKE! (super relaxing )

Man I love being a smoker.

Gotta agree. Have given up smoking Monday-Thursday, but on a sunny Saturday, I'd be smoking. I find less is more: you'll enjoy it more if you smoke less.

wobblyknees

the_syco wrote: »

Gotta agree. Have given up smoking Monday-Thursday, but on a sunny Saturday, I'd be smoking. I find less is more: you'll enjoy it more if you smoke less.

But does it not make more sense that it would be a cigar you'd be smoking, as has been mentioned by a previous poster, you'd be enjoying the aroma etc?

Why is having a smoke on a sunny day, with a beer presumably, so enjoyable?

the_syco

wobblyknees wrote: »

But does it not make more sense that it would be a cigar you'd be smoking, as has been mentioned by a previous poster, you'd be enjoying the aroma etc?

Don't like cigars. Would smoke the pipe rather than a cigar, tbh, but I prefer smoking rollies.

wobblyknees wrote: »

Why is having a smoke on a sunny day, with a beer presumably, so enjoyable?

Not too sure, but it's very relaxing.

Herbal Deity

the_syco wrote: »

Gotta agree. Have given up smoking Monday-Thursday, but on a sunny Saturday, I'd be smoking. I find less is more: you'll enjoy it more if you smoke less.

Agreed.

wobblyknees wrote: »

Why is having a smoke on a sunny day, with a beer presumably, so enjoyable?

Because nicotine in small quantities in relaxed settings is pleasurable...

kdave

Becuase you dont have to live to old age and all the problems that come with that

wobblyknees

the_syco wrote: »

Don't like cigars. Would smoke the pipe rather than a cigar, tbh, but I prefer smoking rollies.


Not too sure, but it's very relaxing.

Maybe it's a lot to do with the fact that on the rare sunny saturdays we get, it's nice to kick back and feel like we can just put the feet up and do whatever the hell we like?

The Hill Billy

kdave - Banned for a week.

HB

Mountainsandh

Hi, can I butt in ? So glad to see a conversation about the positives, want to quit, but love the fags.
I love the smell, the taste, and the kick of nicotine.
It's funny how saying you like the smell and taste of a fag has become "unpolitical". Different people have different tastes.
I'm French and I hate Guinness. Hate the taste of it, the syrupness and thickness of it, the way that foam clings... yuck. Have tried lots of times, just doesn't do it for me. Have been told it's "an acquired taste".
See the parallel with cigarettes ?
Just love the smell and taste of cigarettes.
Just like some norwegian (or swedish can't remember) love the flavour and smell of their rotten fish speciality I'm sure.
It seems to me French people have less problems accepting something that will smell, look and taste rotten to someone else could be the "caviar" of another, what with the cheeses, rare meat, fags, wine...

NoDice

I would love to give up cigs because sometimes I smoke too much and feel a little sick and tbh I'm not a fan of walking into our smoking room on an early break so it smells of the stale smoke from the day before. Bleurgh!

But, I just can't. I really just enjoy it too much and I'm thinking I won't give them up until I have to which may be too late but sorry - we only live once.

I not only love all of what I said in my first post in this thread, but another thing I like to do is watch the smoke when I blow it out. If you catch it right in the sunlight you can watch it swill around!!

Also love the noise it makes when you out it in water..

And I love when I'm in bed and want a smoke. Everything is dark and quiet, you light up and the flame lights up the room for a few seconds. My favourite part of this is whenever you take a pull you can hear the paper around the cigarette burning. Love it!

Hope that's not a weird positive!

Mountainsandh

NoDice you inspire me . I love the noise when you out it in water too, and years ago there was a time when I'd have a fag in bed, and I remember the feeling, and the noise of the paper burning. First pulls are the best.
One of my favourite fags ever would have to be when you're just after swimming (sea, or pool), on a hot summer's day. You're all salty or chlorinated and fresh, and hummmmm.... the aroma of that first smoke is the best thing.
I suppose it's a bit like in that ga###xy add, they show you the girl unwrapping the chocolate slowly, then popping one first bit into her mouth...
There's the anticipation, the ritual, the smell, the taste, just like eating chocolate.
I love both

As you can guess I'm going to have a tough time giving up.

HulaHoops

Jesus Wobbly Knees, get over your Goddamned cigar fetish! Clinton's been gone for a decade, find a new crutch... perhaps cigarettes, like everyone else? The Syco has a bit of a point... but alas, problemattic spelling. Unless he/she is actually a certified psycho, in which case; Very good, you get to sit in the special chair today!

Now, rather than contribute my own blunt and unfiltered, on-the-spot opinion like the rest of you with no expertise and therefore no real authority (Im reminded of that show on TV3 around Midday - what's it called?), I have a suggestion. There is a guy who once, quite aptly, detailed his 'Love affair with cigarettes' as he called it. Its quite clear that he spent considerable time on the points conveyed throughout, and was aiming this at doctors and non-smokers in particular. I must point out that when I say non-smokers, I don't mean people who don't smoke...I mean the ones who make sure you know they don't smoke.

Anyone looking to justify their habit, to themselves or to others, could benefit fom reading this excerpt:

My love affair with cigarettes: The Teenage Years

The Hill Billy

HulaHoops - Tone down your posts. Read the forum charter before you post again.

HB

HulaHoops wrote: »

...problemattic spelling.

The ironing is delicious.

wobblyknees

Hill Billy wrote: »

HulaHoops - Tone down your posts. Read the forum charter before you post again.

HB






The ironing is delicious.

Tone down your post. Looks like someone decided to register to be a smartarse.

NoDice

wobblyknees wrote: »

Tone down your post. Looks like someone decided to register to be a smartarse.

I don't see what you found wrong with HillBilly's warning. He/she was totally right. And would the singular not have been correct? the mod was hardly implying that Hulahoops go back and "tone down" the original post but was warning Hoops to tone down the future posts..

Besides, this is not an English Appreciation forum and this one was closed before so lets keep it going!

I love people's "on the spot" posting, after all we're not in school anymore.

Back on track before this gets closed again - - -

Mountainsandh, agree with you on the swim! Now, I can't swim as a matter of fact but my routine when on holidays -

Get up early and have a quick dip in the pool to cool down and wake myself up, balm out on the lounger then with a hot cup of coffee and a cigarette and just watch as people start getting up and coming to the pool.

Another thing, now this is kinda mean, but when you're sitting outside a restaurant where there are ashtrays on every table, and a group of BT-type kids come along to giggle loudly outside and complain loudly about smokers and how bad it is for you etc just to be annoying!! - - -
Taking a cigarette out slowly, lighting it and exhaling slowly but cooly!! Pisses them right off and leaves you alone to enjoy your smoke.

The Hill Billy

Let's keep this on topic folks. No further comment on Mod decisions/actions thanks.

HB

wobblyknees

NoDice wrote: »

I don't see what you found wrong with HillBilly's warning. He/she was totally right. And would the singular not have been correct? the mod was hardly implying that Hulahoops go back and "tone down" the original post but was warning Hoops to tone down the future posts..

Besides, this is not an English Appreciation forum and this one was closed before so lets keep it going!

I love people's "on the spot" posting, after all we're not in school anymore.

Back on track before this gets closed again - - -

Mountainsandh, agree with you on the swim! Now, I can't swim as a matter of fact but my routine when on holidays -

Get up early and have a quick dip in the pool to cool down and wake myself up, balm out on the lounger then with a hot cup of coffee and a cigarette and just watch as people start getting up and coming to the pool.

Another thing, now this is kinda mean, but when you're sitting outside a restaurant where there are ashtrays on every table, and a group of BT-type kids come along to giggle loudly outside and complain loudly about smokers and how bad it is for you etc just to be annoying!! - - -
Taking a cigarette out slowly, lighting it and exhaling slowly but cooly!! Pisses them right off and leaves you alone to enjoy your smoke.

I wasn't criticising the warning. I thought it was right as well. I was just pointing out that someone registered to be a smart arse.

Back to what you were saying. It definitely seems like there are some great not a care in the world moments for having a smoke. Even though I stopped recently, I like the pool example and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking out my patio window at the sun thinking that it would be nice to sit in the garden and have a smoke.

NoDice

wobblyknees wrote: »

I wasn't criticising the warning. I thought it was right as well. I was just pointing out that someone registered to be a smart arse.

Back to what you were saying. It definitely seems like there are some great not a care in the world moments for having a smoke. Even though I stopped recently, I like the pool example and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking out my patio window at the sun thinking that it would be nice to sit in the garden and have a smoke.

Oh sorry I picked it up the wrong way so. Sorry! Ya they only had one post! :rolleyes:

Wow congrats on giving up smoking. It's awful cause I was on JPs years ago, they were v harsh so moved to M lights, they started drying out my throat so now on blue Camels. Lovely. But I know I should just quit!

Anyway ya another not a care in the world moment -

First thing I do when I'm ready in the morning for work is have a cigarette before leaving to get the bus, I set aside an extra 15 minutes every morning to do this. I put on Recess (Cartoon ) and without even watching it I drink a cup of tea and smoke to relax before my day starts.

wobblyknees

NoDice wrote: »

Oh sorry I picked it up the wrong way so. Sorry! Ya they only had one post! :rolleyes:

Wow congrats on giving up smoking. It's awful cause I was on JPs years ago, they were v harsh so moved to M lights, they started drying out my throat so now on blue Camels. Lovely. But I know I should just quit!

Anyway ya another not a care in the world moment -

First thing I do when I'm ready in the morning for work is have a cigarette before leaving to get the bus, I set aside an extra 15 minutes every morning to do this. I put on Recess (Cartoon ) and without even watching it I drink a cup of tea and smoke to relax before my day starts.

Just thinking about it. When I moved into my first private rented house, it was just coming into summer, and I remember vividly the first morning I got up to get ready for work. It was about 06.30 and I went to the back patio door with my cup of coffee and a smoke. I opened the doors and it was just getting bright. It was quiet outside. I could smell the sea air and I could hear the waves in the distance. I lit my smoke and had it with my cup of coffee. Obviously the fact I had my first real 'home' played its part but the first few minutes that morning were absolute bliss.

scallywags

Smoking isnt that bad for you..seriously. Its ancient. Its tough to beat a beer and a smoke in the blistering sunshine SO LITTLE EFFORT so much pleasure.:)