Social Smokers

indough · 23-02-2013 06:42PM

if you are drinking 3 nights a week then a bit of social smoking is the least of your worries

Seachmall · 23-02-2013 06:49PM

Culleeo wrote: »

People that smoke everyday are obviously going to smoke when they're drinking too but why does a "social smoker" have to smoke when they're drinking? I think it's because they're addicted too and that addiction surfaces when they have a drink.

I agree. I think the biggest factor of smoking is the habit, not the nicotine addiction. With nicotine addiction it's as simple as you're either addicted or your not, you either get cravings or you don't. Habit is much more complicated and includes factors like environment and accessibility.

I'm a smoker and if I don't have access to cigarettes for a day two my cravings completely vanish, but if I get access to them I'll want to smoke even though I've no physical craving to. It's the habit that drives me to smoke at that stage, not the physical addiction.

Before I started smoking full time I used to never smoke at home. I hadn't developed a physical addiction so it was easy. But as soon as I went out for a meal or just meeting up with friends (whether drink was involved or not) I'd find myself buying cigarettes. I hadn't developed the habit of smoking at home but I'd developed the habit of smoking when socialising.

I think that's how most smokers start. They create environments or situations in which it's acceptable for them to smoke and eventually those situations slowly begin to add up or become less specific and without even realising it they're smoking full time. And then they get physically addicted.

Habitual use, or psychological addiction, is extremely subtle but, in my opinion, it's a much larger part of smoking (or maybe any addiction) than most people either realise or want to admit.

I also think that's why electronic cigarettes are so popular, they let you satisfy your habitual urge while weening you off your physical nicotine addiction.

That's my thinking anyway, could be wrong. For anyone interested though I recommend the book "The Power of Habit" (it's not one of those hokey-pokey quit smoking books, it's just a pop-psychology book on habit).

(That idea also accounts for weed addiction, even though there's no possible of physical addiction the possibility of psychological addiction, or habitual use, is as likely as anything else).

Culleeo · 23-02-2013 06:49PM

indough wrote: »

if you are drinking 3 nights a week then a bit of social smoking is the least of your worries

I know that, I was only using it as an example. What I'm saying is a "social smoker" might smoke 20 cigarettes on a night out and not smoke for the rest of the week and someone that smokes everyday might only smoke 20 in a week, yet the person that smokes everyday is considered to be addicted and the "social smoker" is not addicted.

Nate--IRL-- · 23-02-2013 06:50PM

Culleeo wrote: »

I think it's because they're addicted too and that addiction surfaces when they have a drink.

I'd agree with that. But I wouldn't smoke 20 like you suggest, maybe 4 or 5.

Nate

tdv123 · 23-02-2013 06:59PM

It looks pretty shady banging up in front of strangers in a pub so people smoke the heroin instead of injecting it.

23-02-2013 07:14PM

MaxSteele wrote: »

Regular smokers have an addiction. Social smokers only do it when drinking. I don't get why they don't do it normally bar a friday or saturday night if they enjoy it so much. ?

I enjoy eating chocolate cake, but I don't eat it every day. I enjoy drinking rum and coke, but I don't drink it every day. I enjoy having sex, but I don't generally have sex every day. There are people who are addicted to eating, drinking and sex just like there are people who are addicted to smoking. Not everyone who enjoys smoking is addicted to it. Some people are capable of enjoying a few cigarettes once a week. Why is that so weird to you?

lecker Hendl · 23-02-2013 07:17PM

People may call it an addiction, and it is, to an extent. For me it's all to do with 'I have a pint, I have a smoke'. Just like in the evening, 'I turn on the tv, I have a cup of tea'.

It's part of the routine. I don't smoke if I don't drink. I enjoy my social smoking and socialising is a big part of it. I don't care what someone thinks of my habits. I've had some great nights in the smoking area because I can hear people and converse with them.

JJayoo · 23-02-2013 08:02PM

MaxSteele wrote: »

Aren't you just gas ? Who said I don't actually enjoy the smoking area where half my friends spend most of the night ? Of course sitting down to deafening music and not being able to have a conversation is how cool cats like yourself operate ?

So you don't smoke but enjoy being in the smoking area? Is that because you can't get a Wifi signal inside? All those pesky boards friends staying outside.

P_1 · 23-02-2013 08:05PM

JJayoo wrote: »

So you don't smoke but enjoy being in the smoking area? Is that because you can't get a Wifi signal inside? All those pesky boards friends staying outside.

Many reasons for that tbh, probably the main reason would be that the music would be too loud in the bar to have a conversation and its quieter out in the smoking area

DEFTLEFTHAND · 23-02-2013 08:13PM

I don't care what they do, I admire that some people don't become addicted to the bloody things. However I resent social smoker friends bumming cigs off me. They're very expensive and these arseholes don't give one solitary fcuk.

JJayoo · 23-02-2013 08:23PM

P_1 wrote: »

Many reasons for that tbh, probably the main reason would be that the music would be too loud in the bar to have a conversation and its quieter out in the smoking area

Then why go to a club? Club = loud music

P_1 · 23-02-2013 08:28PM

JJayoo wrote: »

Then why go to a club? Club = loud music

99% of the time I'd say its because people are either

a) drunk
b) trying to pull somebody
c) a combination of the two

Kinski · 23-02-2013 08:48PM

Seachmall wrote: »

I'm a smoker and if I don't have access to cigarettes for a day two my cravings completely vanish, but if I get access to them I'll want to smoke even though I've no physical craving to. It's the habit that drives me to smoke at that stage, not the physical addiction.

It's amazing how the craving can just come back the odd time though, even after giving up. Months after I quit, I had lunch in a pub one Friday with a pint. It was a lovely sunny day, and for some reason, as soon as I went outside after I'd eaten, a really powerful craving for a cigarette hit. I resisted and it soon passed, but I was taken aback by the intensity of it.

Madam_X · 23-02-2013 09:00PM

MaxSteele wrote: »

Regular smokers have an addiction. Social smokers only do it when drinking. I don't get why they don't do it normally bar a friday or saturday night if they enjoy it so much. ?

Come on, man. Why do you keep ignoring the replies stating that people do stuff they wouldn't normally do when they've had a few drinks? And the explanation that nicotine/tobacco combined with sufficient alcohol is very pleasurable... but nicotine/tobacco when sober is rotten.
There are your answers. Really no need to be so baffled still. And while you think people don't enjoy it and all only started to look cool (all?) you're incorrect: plenty of people enjoy it.

I'd consider smoking only after a few drinks to be recreational smoking. It's not the same as being an addicted smoker. In the same way that drinking one night a week is not the same as being addicted to alcohol. The reason some people are saying "You're either a smoker or you're not" is because smoking is so extremely addictive (apparently moreso than heroin) but there is a small number of people who manage not to become addicted to it (to the point of needing it a number of times daily).

MaroonAndGreen · 23-02-2013 09:26PM

I dont see whats wrong with it tbh OP

MaxSteele · 23-02-2013 09:31PM

JJayoo wrote: »

So you don't smoke but enjoy being in the smoking area? Is that because you can't get a Wifi signal inside? All those pesky boards friends staying outside.

The f*ck are you on about ? what are you about 16 years old ?

Because I'm a member on boards.ie or post in AH I have no social life ? Check my friends list there and come back with another sh*tty, childish assumption. This is a discussion forum. Back to the playground with ya.

Another armchair warrior. I wonder if you make comments like that in the pub? Not likely.

All talk. No balls.

MaxSteele · 23-02-2013 09:35PM

Madam_X wrote: »

Come on, man. Why do you keep ignoring the replies stating that people do stuff they wouldn't normally do when they've had a few drinks? And the explanation that nicotine/tobacco combined with sufficient alcohol is very pleasurable... but nicotine/tobacco when sober is rotten.
There are your answers. Really no need to be so baffled still. And while you think people don't enjoy it and all only started to look cool (all?) you're incorrect: plenty of people enjoy it.

I'd consider smoking only after a few drinks to be recreational smoking. It's not the same as being an addicted smoker. In the same way that drinking one night a week is not the same as being addicted to alcohol. The reason some people are saying "You're either a smoker or you're not" is because smoking is so extremely addictive (apparently moreso than heroin) but there is a small number of people who manage not to become addicted to it (to the point of needing it a number of times daily).

I just thought people smoked socially to be seen doing it only for the fact they're in the smoking area.

MaxSteele · 23-02-2013 09:39PM

Andrea Shapely Trigger wrote: »

I enjoy eating chocolate cake, but I don't eat it every day. I enjoy drinking rum and coke, but I don't drink it every day. I enjoy having sex, but I don't generally have sex every day. There are people who are addicted to eating, drinking and sex just like there are people who are addicted to smoking. Not everyone who enjoys smoking is addicted to it. Some people are capable of enjoying a few cigarettes once a week. Why is that so weird to you?

Yeah I know what you mean. My point was though, those who seemingly enjoy smoking(not addicted) tend to do it only when in the pub.

Understand ?

Irish_wolf · 23-02-2013 09:53PM

I'm a social smoker. I dont give a ****. I only smoke when I'm out drinking with a certain group of friends because all of them smoke and I dont want to be sitting inside by myself, and because smoking while drunk is awesome. I dont smoke when I'm out by myself or with any other group of people. Give me a smoke when I'm sober and I cant smoke it, the taste, the feel of it makes me gag and gives me a headache.

After a few pints though a cigarette is a magical thing. You can feel the nicotine rush through your system, warming your whole body with that first puff, filling your lungs with a long slow drag and then exhaling and watching the tendrils of smoke dance off into the night air is a pleasure in itself. Pausing in the middle of a drunken story to take a drag of a cigarette just feels like it adds meaning.

Sure it's bad for you, but I have maybe 2 or 3 in a night, and only with this certain group of friends, so that could be 2-3 a month. The drink is probably doing me more harm.

MaxSteele · 23-02-2013 10:11PM

Irish_wolf wrote: »

I'm a social smoker. I dont give a ****. I only smoke when I'm out drinking with a certain group of friends because all of them smoke and I dont want to be sitting inside by myself, and because smoking while drunk is awesome. I dont smoke when I'm out by myself or with any other group of people. Give me a smoke when I'm sober and I cant smoke it, the taste, the feel of it makes me gag and gives me a headache.

After a few pints though a cigarette is a magical thing. You can feel the nicotine rush through your system, warming your whole body with that first puff, filling your lungs with a long slow drag and then exhaling and watching the tendrils of smoke dance off into the night air is a pleasure in itself. Pausing in the middle of a drunken story to take a drag of a cigarette just feels like it adds meaning.

Sure it's bad for you, but I have maybe 2 or 3 in a night, and only with this certain group of friends, so that could be 2-3 a month. The drink is probably doing me more harm.

Acceptance and acknowledging your addiction is the first step my child.

P_1 · 23-02-2013 10:14PM

MaxSteele wrote: »

Acceptance and acknowledging your addiction is the first step my child.

Seriously man is it actually any of your business?

MaxSteele · 23-02-2013 10:18PM

P_1 wrote: »

Seriously man is it actually any of your business?

Maybe I should have added a smiley to show me messing.

Jeez lighten up, I didn't start this thread to have a go at anyone.

seven_eleven · 23-02-2013 10:21PM

Im a "social smoker".

I buy about 2-3 packs a year, might have 1 fag every week, or every third week. Seriously they last that long. I dont bum off other people.....because well.....I only smoke them in my room....on my own......

I'm more of an "asocial smoker". :pac:

Roger_007 · 23-02-2013 10:30PM

There is no such thing as addiction, only habit. Smoking is a habit, drinking is a habit, eating is a habit, sex is a habit. We are creatures of habit, we need to be because we need to eat and drink something. Habits become a problem when we over-indulge our habits and that includes eating. My granda used to tell me when I was a child that it doesn't matter too much what your habits are as long as you indulge them in moderation. Best advice I've ever had.

Moocifer · 23-02-2013 10:46PM

I'll admit to the occasional social smoke now. I did have a 25 a day habit but I quit about 10 years ago. All sense seems to go out the window when I'm having a few drinks. I do find however that it depends on who I'm with. If I'm out with friends that I used to go for a fag with then I'm more likely to smoke than if I was with my friends who don't smoke.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 23-02-2013 11:19PM

Did you ever see some of these clowns smoking a cig, they puff and blow without inhaling. That's not acceptable, If I give a person a cigarette they'll smoke it properly or else I'll come on boards and complain about it.

Henlars67 · 23-02-2013 11:20PM

I used to smoke 20 a day, gave them up in Jan 2012 and didn't smoke at all until October last.

Smoked a few whilst drunk one night and have been a social smoker since.

I only go out about twice a month and buy 20 fags whenever I do.

When I'm leaving the pub to go home I give away any cigarettes I've left as I'd rather not wake up with any. i just keep one for the short walk home.

i can easily cope with an odd craving whilst sober but not while drunk so this works for me

Stained Class · 23-02-2013 11:22PM

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Did you ever see some of these clowns smoking a cig, they puff and blow without inhaling. That's not acceptable, If I give a person a cigarette they'll smoke it properly or else I'll come on boards and complain about it.

Yeah. Doing a 'Bill Clinton' on it.

'I didn't inhale':rolleyes:

A waste of good fags, these people!

The Pheasant · 23-02-2013 11:24PM

What's the problem with people having the odd one? Some people just don't have a tendency to get addicted to things - I'd say I might've smoked a few hundred cigarettes over the last few years but I have no compulsion or craving to smoke, it's just something I do the odd time for the craic while I'm talking to smokers. Doing something different yanno?

JJayoo · 24-02-2013 12:19AM

MaxSteele wrote: »

The f*ck are you on about ? what are you about 16 years old ?

Because I'm a member on boards.ie or post in AH I have no social life ? Check my friends list there and come back with another sh*tty, childish assumption. This is a discussion forum. Back to the playground with ya.

Another armchair warrior. I wonder if you make comments like that in the pub? Not likely.

All talk. No balls.

Lol very amusing.

Social Smokers

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