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At what point do you consider yourself a smoker?

liah

On another forum (shameless lolocaust plug) there was the question of "Do you smoke?"

I had trouble answering this. My reply was:

Now, I don't consider myself a smoker, but to be honest I'm probably kidding myself. While I'd never, ever buy my own smokes or tobacco (except when required for drug usage, and even then, I'd never buy unless I was doing particularly well monetarily), I do smoke relatively frequently. Can range from anything-- nothing for months, to ten a day, though usually not more. My housemate and my current boyfriend both smoke, so no matter where I am it's there.

I started at 22, and the original reason was to have an excuse to be in the smoking area of pubs and strike up conversation (have you a light/fag?) when I didn't know anyone in this country. Kind of helped me make friends, I suppose.

I have no addiction to smoking. I wouldn't freak out or get stressed or count down the days since I last had a cig. I smoke them because they're there and I've an issue with oral fixation (I know this is the lolocaust after hours but just leave this one!). I constantly need to be doing something with my mouth (seriously, leave it!) and sucking on something tends to do the trick (don't you dare).

Is it going to damage my health? Probably. But it's not something I plan on continuing with any sort of gusto after I've moved on from Ireland. The only cases in which I smoke are if it's offered, or if I want to go to the smoking room without looking like a weirdo. I'll probably continue to smoke when I drink, and obviously when I'm doing hash or weed since nobody seems to smoke pure here. But those scenarios are rare enough, too.

So basically, I don't consider myself a "smoker" til I actually buy my own pack of tobacco or fags. I don't consider myself a "smoker" til I actually have an addiction to it, which I don't.

Am I a smoker who's horribly in denial? At what point do you consider yourself a smoker?

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OutlawPete

Bajingo wrote: »

Then you have to start smoking to make friends..as the OP said..there's no way around it.

So your saying AnonoBoy is wrong? Is that what your saying?? Your saying he was wrong aren't you?? I thought as much ..

PM's AnonoBoy and snitches ..

Wertz

BTW if there's one thing that's worse than any anti-smoking fascist type, it's the sort of person who thinks they don't smoke and yet manages to get several lungfuls a day without ever having bought them. I'll share a smoke with anyone, but serial shop dodgers get on my damn nerves...if you smoke "part time" at least have the decency to put your hand in your pocket instead of trying to cod yourself...

liah

TheZohan wrote: »

Get a blog...

Gee, what a surprise. :rolleyes:

Have one, thanks. Use it for stuff that's actually somewhat relevant rather than just random stuff like this that belongs somewhere a little more lighthearted.

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Also as stated above - starting smoking so you can stand in the smoking area and strike up a conversation is just silly. You can just head out there to chat to your friends who are smoking. And remember if you're a chick guys will chat you up anyway.

It isn't. Some people have difficulty just going up and starting conversations. When I came here, I didn't know a single soul, AT ALL-- going down to the pub for a pint and going out in the smoking area were both ways I'd have an excuse to talk to someone, as without an excuse I really don't have the gift of confidence. It may seem silly to you but it's an issue I have due to a long history and I don't really take kindly to it having the piss taken out of it.

And yes, I realize guys would chat me up anyway, but perhaps that isn't what a girl looks for when she's brand new to the country, tbh establishing friends was a much better idea.

seanybiker wrote: »

Yes you're a smoker and the fact you dont even buy fags but still sometimes smoke up to 10 a day also makes you a bum. Your a bum smoker

Wertz wrote: »

BTW if there's one thing that's worse than any anti-smoking fascist type, it's the sort of person who thinks they don't smoke and yet manages to get several lungfuls a day without ever having bought them. I'll share a smoke with anyone, but serial shop dodgers get on my damn nerves...if you smoke "part time" at least have the decency to put your hand in your pocket instead of trying to cod yourself...

Ah now, 10 a day is a rare enough occurrence, I only take when offered, I NEVER ask for them myself unless I'm completely on my own, don't know a soul, and need an excuse, which I covered earlier.

OutlawPete

liah wrote: »

Gee, what a surprise. :rolleyes:.

Did you think he was a bloke or something??

liah

OutlawPete wrote: »

Did you think he was a bloke or something??

..I think I missed something. :eek: Que?

pebbles21

Receptionist in the Mater Hospital before a procedure i had

REP:"Do you smoke?"

Me:"well when im having a drink i might have one or two so no not really"

REP:"Listen love i have to tick these boxes yes or no ,theres no maybe or sometimes,so you either do or you DONT??"

ME:"Ehhhh...yes i do:o"

OutlawPete

liah wrote: »

..I think I missed something. :eek: Que?

You said 'Gee' and me thinking it as funny .. nevermind

TheZohanS

liah wrote: »

Ah now, 10 a day is a rare enough occurrence, I only take when offered, I NEVER ask for them myself unless I'm completely on my own, don't know a soul, and need an excuse, which I covered earlier.

It's still scrounging.:rolleyes:

Duggy747

I smoke therefore I am. *puff* *puff*

I hate "social" smokers who scab a fag of others just for the sake of smoking.

smiley girl

Now, I don't consider myself a smoker, but to be honest I'm probably kidding myself. While I'd never, ever buy my own smokes or tobacco (except when required for drug usage, and even then, I'd never buy unless I was doing particularly well monetarily), I do smoke relatively frequently.

People don't like people who smoke all their ciggs. You will only buy tobacco when you have a few bob, yet you will smoke other peoples?

liah

smiley girl wrote: »

Now, I don't consider myself a smoker, but to be honest I'm probably kidding myself. While I'd never, ever buy my own smokes or tobacco (except when required for drug usage, and even then, I'd never buy unless I was doing particularly well monetarily), I do smoke relatively frequently.

People don't like people who smoke all their ciggs. You will only buy tobacco when you have a few bob, yet you will smoke other peoples?

Christ, ye're all on like I'm smoking half of everyone else's boxes. I'll take them ONLY IF THEY ARE OFFERED TO ME and generally only ever one.

Also, I see a huge difference between people who are smokers and people who smoke once in awhile. But apparently everyone's a lot more black-and-white.

OutlawPete

liah wrote: »

But apparently everyone's a lot more black-and-white.

Hardly appropriate. Michael Jackson just died.

To be fair, I also bum the odd fag .. but only cause I'm gay.

Tar.Aldarion

You're not a smoker, and you're a vegetarian between meals. :pac:

Don't really know how to define if you are a smoker or not, probably.
I would smoke a spliff like once a year. Am I a smoker?
The answer is I don't care. Doesn't really matter.:-)
As for going to the smoking area, I am out there a lot, don't gotta smoke, nobody cares. Just for chatting purposes for a lot of us.

Oral fixation? Don't mention?
*bites lip until it bleeds

electrogrimey

I think you become a smoker once you start saying to yourself 'I really feel like a cigarette'. TBH I don't really agree with all the 'you are or you aren't', I think the word smoker is pretty much equivalent to the word alcoholic, except a bit different obviously,seeing as drinking has a much more obvious effect, but having a pint or two every weekend doesn't make you a alcoholic, so I don't think have a cigarette now and then makes you a smoker.

Davidius

electrogrimey wrote: »

I think you become a smoker once you start saying to yourself 'I really feel like a cigarette'. TBH I don't really agree with all the 'you are or you aren't', I think the word smoker is pretty much equivalent to the word alcoholic, except a bit different obviously,seeing as drinking has a much more obvious effect, but having a pint or two every weekend doesn't make you a alcoholic, so I don't think have a cigarette now and then makes you a smoker.

They're not an alcoholic but they're still a drinker. I would think the generally accepted definition of smoker is somebody who smokes.

Is it not like saying that you're not unfaithful because you only have extramarital sex the odd time?

It really does seem clear enough, if you smoke then you're a smoker. If you want to note the varying degrees at which you smoke then you say you're an infrequent smoker, social smoker etc. People generally are not going to accept it if you say you're a non-smoker just because you're less of a smoker than some other smoker. I think denying that it makes you a smoker is simply lying to yourself.

Capt'n Midnight

Alcohol is a normal metabolic intermediate that in small amounts is just used as a food. In large amounts however it is one of the biggest killers.

Many plants produce toxins to kill or incapacite predators, most of these substances don't occur naturally in the human body.

Chocolate that is given as a present doesn't contain any calories. Nor do drinks someone else buys for you. Fags on the otherhand still make your breath smell bad.

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/smokehealth.htm
9 out of 10 heart bypass patients are smokers
9 out of 10 lung cancer patients are smokers

For men in their 30s and 40s, smoking increases the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) by about 50 per cent.

AckwelFoley

Smoking one cig doesnt make you a smoker.

Same way as straight dude eating cock doesnt make him gay, It just means hes in Jail

stovelid

When you light a cigarette, put it in your mouth and inhale. All else is denial and defensive categorization.

electrogrimey

stovelid wrote: »

When you light a cigarette, put it in your mouth and inhale. All else is denial and defensive categorization.

So having one cigarette in your life makes you a smoker?

Herbal Deity

I would have said that the word "smoker" used without any other adjectives would mean someone who's addicted to smoking.

It's possible to smoke and enjoy it every now and then without being addicted.

I would call myself a "social smoker" or maybe a "light smoker", but not a "smoker", as I could go for weeks without a smoke, but would usually smoke a few when out.

Maybe other people would take different meaning from these phrases, but meh, I don't really care about what other people would label me.

stovelid

electrogrimey wrote: »

So having one cigarette in your life makes you a smoker?

For the purposes of circumnavigating the highly obvious and flawed loophole in my assertion, I'm going to go with an emphatic and defiant Yes.

smiley girl

Forgive me Liah for my earlier post, I missed your point, well not so much missed it as went to my point!:D

However, my opinion is that if you smoke a cigarette once, and once only, you have sampled/experimented. But if you smoke more cigarettes over time, you are a smoker. Be it a 'social smoker', 'light smoker' or 'infrequent smoker' you are still are smoker. Doesn't matter how many you smoke or how often you smoke, you still smoke. I don't think you have to be 'addicted' to be a smoker. I think you may be lucky in that regard, knowing you don't have to have a cigarette if you don't want to..... but you do!
I'm not picking on you btw Liah, I'm a smoker too!:) (though I wish I wasn't addicted like you)

token56

You dont need to be addicted to be a smoker, if you smoke with any sort of regularity, if it is when you are stressed, when you drink etc, you are still a smoker, there is no inbetween. Even if like you, you dont buy your own cigarettes but just smoke other peoples, you are still a smoker. Well all imo of course.

squod

liah wrote: »

At what point do you consider yourself a smoker?

When all the chicks outside the pub are hot.

rafared

Hank Attractive Starlet wrote: »

When you stink like the rest of 'em.

When you couldn't give a rats arse where you throw your butt's.

When you couldn't give a toss that I don't want you smoking at the entrance to shops, pubs, cafe's, hospitals or sitting beside me on the luas/bus etc reeking of fags.

When you complain about the downturn in the economy but spent €50- a week on your addiction.

+1 Bigtime. Couldnt have put it better myself.

stepbar

I smoke. But I only smoke when I've had a few beers on me. I wouldn't consider myself to be a hardened smoker. More a sociable smoker than anything else. Hell as I type I have a smoke in my hand. I don't know what it is but when I have beer on me, a smoke tastes so much nicer. Without beer I wouldn't have a smoke.

Atavan-Halen

I usually have a few when drinking/drunk, which is not very often. I definitely agree that anyone who has more than 1 would be classed as a smoker. I think just some people don't want to be classed as a smoker for whatever reason.

Tellox

Depends on how often you'd use tobacco for drug usage, really. I assume we're talking about JW-108 here, right? :rolleyes:

I wouldn't call you a smoker. A social smoker, maybe.

So my advice to you is to man the **** up, head down to Centra, pick up a few cartons of Benson, and get the **** to work.

Sea Sharp

This is one of those ridiculous discussions that inevitably boils down to how different people interpret the word 'Smoker'. There's no right answer.

Personally I'd class you as a casual smoker.
If I could be like that I'd be a happy man. Living up to my user name in my teens got me proper hooked.

Le King

Your not a SMOKER!!