Do you smoke?

Aonk my dd is a young hospital medic and she sees so many patients who are ill because of smoking. That and obesity are major causes of hospitalisation.

A sad story pink. It never failed to surprise me how many patients with oxygen cylinders and masks, drip stands and some who had feet and lower leg amputations would sit outside in all weathers, just for the sake of a cigarette.

I’ve never smoked, have asthma which may have been caused/exacerbated by secondary smoking. My Mum started smoking when she was 14, died of lung cancer/secondaries at 64. My Grandad who lived with us smoked a very smelly pipe. I worked in a couple of pubs after my ex-partner and I parted company, and obviously grew up when smoking was permitted everywhere.

No, never even so much as touched a cigarette. I'm anti-smoking to the point of phobia. Both my parents smoked and I detested it. I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would do it - why would anyone think it's a good idea to stick something in their mouth and set it on fire? It's complete anathema to me. And I could never, never have gone out with, far less married, someone who smoked. No matter how attractive I had initially found that person, the minute I found out they were a smoker, that would be it. No, no and no again. And it was made abundantly clear to both my children that smoking was a line they should never cross.

Ilovecheese

I smoked for 50 years and I loved it. If they were not harmful and were cheap I would start again tomorrow. I gave up quite a few years ago now but I still miss it nearly every day.

This is what my OH says. Even after 2 heart attacks it took him many years to stop. It's now about 15 years since he had a cigarette but still misses it

I smoked from 15 - 23 stopped but had the odd one in early 30’s. Stopped from 32-50 then smoked herbal.. stopped at 60 and can’t imagine I’ll smoke again.

I went to the 'stop' clinic when I wanted to stop smoking, and was prescribed a drug. Unfortunately as I'm prone to depression I had to stop taking it, I was extremely bad on it.

The nurse explained that we have nicotine 'receptors' in our brain, which clamour for nicotine when our levels get low, hence the need to have a cigarette. The drug essentially encircles these receptors, closing them off. I remember how effective it was, I was able to be in the same room as other smokers and never tempted to ask for one.

Only at uni because I thought it looked cool to have a cig in one hand and a glass of booze in the other. You’d have to be nuts to smoke at my age, that or suicidal.

I’ve never smoked. When I was a teenager in the 70s I was the only one in my group of friends who didn’t smoke. A pack of cigarettes would frequently be passed round and I often got scathing looks when I turned them down. It’s just never appealed to me. My father was a heavy smoker and died with breathing difficulties in his 60s. My husband smoked for about 40 years but gave up 10 years ago. I really notice the ‘absence’ of the smell in the house. He’s so much fitter since he stopped. He did find it very difficult and still vapes now - better than cigarettes (and much cheaper)!

I smoked for many years and gave up 10 years ago. I liked smoking and only gave up as I had a cough. It was extremely difficult to stop. I had excema, grossly swollen feet and ankles and put on loads of weight. It was about three years before I felt better. Like another poster here, if it was cheap and not bad for health, I would start again.
I have asthma which is worsening and severe gum disease. These are my penalties for years of smoking.

My parents were heavy smokers all of their lives and both died of lung cancer in their early 60's within days of each other. Every friend they had died of lung cancer.

I asked my mother for a cigarette around age 9 and was given one which I loathed.

I have been a heavy passive smoker all of my life and that has probably contributed to my Macular Degeneration.

They are so expensive now I do not know how anybody can afford to buy a packet.

I gave it up in 1971. But I call myself an ex-smoker rather than a non-smoker. My family know if I got a terminal diagnosis I would go out and buy a packet of Gauloises or Citanes.

I was a very heavy smoker for 14 years. Gave up 33 years ago but my lungs are definitely a bit less functional than I'd like. Unfortunately my first husband continued to smoke until he had his first heart attack, 14 years ago, so I got a lot of secondhand smoke .

I'm with I love Cheese - smoked for most of my life and only gave up five years ago - still smoke the odd one at parties - last one about a month ago. Also really enjoy a drink but I'm nearly 80 and have no health problems and take no pills so if I get some hideous smoking disease tomorrow I won't really have much to complain about!

I smoked, no more than 5 a day, until the say I knew I was expecting my daughter. I stopped that day and have never had a cigarette since - she is now 46. However, I still get the urge to have a cigarette whenever I smell one being lit.

I have asthma so never smoked.
I saw my MiL go through hell with lung cancer and my poor dad, who didn't smoke, died of lung cancer because he shared an office for 30 years with heavy smokers.

My younger sister and I bought a 10 pack of Regal when I was about 14 and she was 12. Told the shop keeper they were for Mum! We went down to the river bank and I tried one, never again! Ann, on the other hand, smoked up until 10 years ago. I am weird though in that I love the smell of cigarettes, even stale smoke and would like to be in the old “smoking room “ at work because it still smelled of old cigarettes.

Never smoked apart from trying a cigarette a couple times at university. Hated it (never inhaled!). Both my parents smoked and I grew up in a smoke-filled home (no one had heard of passive smoking back then). My father died at the age of 75 from oesophageal cancer - significantly he was an avid pipe smoker. My mother died at the age of 86 from lung cancer - a decent age given her smoking history. I'm glad that smoking has declined thanks to awareness of its impact on health.

Same here! I'm 19 and a half years sober. Giving up drinking was easy though, by compare. I had alot further to go on the downward spiral with drink but still easier.

I smoked from the age of 21 - 50. Used E-Vape to stop. Still use vape on/off when needed because I don't want to go back to traditional smoking.

We all know smoking isn't good for us. However being sober is much more in many ways better, when your in recovery as we know too well what drinking does.

My Dr was just glad I had stopped drinking. He never pressed me on stopping smoking. He is not bothered about me using nicotine replacement when I wish too

Well done to you on your sobriety too as to all others. I'm presuming your a friend of Bill's also

horrible,smelly and expensive addiction

I smoked (outside), 20 a day, for 35 years, and enjoyed every last cigarette!

I stopped in March 2013 because I developed an inability to leave my home and no longer earned enough to pay for them.

Funny enough I told the smoking cessation lady that I hadn't had a cigarette, and she effectively accused me of lying! She tested me on her blowing machine, and guess what it proved? Yup it proved that i wasn't lying.

I've never smoked since, but I consider my self a smoker, just one would send me to the smokers corner!

I am another who grew up with a heavy smoker and never touched the things thank goodness!
I too get asked at the GP if I smoke/ed. The last time I went with a chest infection (a few years ago) the nurse seemed disappointed when I answered negatively? I think she was hoping to pin it on that and give me a lecture but was thwarted!

I’m a dog walking smoker ( like a social one but on my own in the woods!). About 2-3 a day unless raining

I smoked from the age of 17 (20 a day) to when I was in my 30s. My children hated me smoking and would hide my cigarettes or stand over me while I smoked and tell me I had had enough puffs. Dad smoked a little but mum was hard core. She was a nurse who worked on a chest ward, but smoked almost to the day of her death when she was 67 from smoking related diseases. My sister smoked a lot too, but gave up when she was in her 20s. My brother still smokes even though he has been diagnosed with all sorts of heart and lung problems. From what I can gather, the tendency to smoke is both hereditary and addictive.

no ,gave up it up 2 years ago.