My "sometimes" is rather infrequently. If I'm going out, like tonight, for beers with my friends, and they light up, then I'm more inclined to join them. But on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis, I really don't have a need for them at all. I guess I'm the smoking equivalent of a social drinker.

 

I guess I would smoke, if someone where to light my **** on fire.


Seriously though, I started dipping tobacco back in '88 when I joined up with the marines. I got up to a can a day sometimes. Thats about $4.65 a can around here. I haven't used smokeless tobacco since January 1st of this year. Two months.

I been sticking a piece of gum between my cheek and gum. I think I gonna win this battle.


So far, I figured that I have saved between $240 or $270 since I have quit. Of course, that money is already spent. I purchased the xcal 2 yesterday.

 

What really got me was the San Franciscans(sp?) I was outdoors, in the open air, smoking my cigs on the sidewalk. Twentysomething blonde bratty rich type girls would walk by doing the little fake "cough cough" noises. It was all I could do to keep from flicking the butt at the back of their heads. The vision of it in my head was enough fun not to do it. I can get pretty good velocity going too, lol.,,,,98

 

 

I used to smoke a pack a day.

I woke up one day and realized I was a drug addict, nothing more. All the arguments for 'it's my right' or 'mind your own business' were nothing more than a smokescreen for a drug addict avoiding the withdrawal effects of nicotine--just like the arguments you see here.

If you smoke, you're an idiot. The only reason you smoke is to avoid the withdrawal effects of a drug; nothing more.

Quit smoking; every cigarette you have only puts you one step closer to cancer and takes money out of your wallet. That's it. There's no positive effects to it.

-Fatz

 

Do you drink alcohol? If you do, you're still a drug addict. Preaching also has the complete opposite effect that you wished, it's a proven fact. You have no right to call me an idiot, yet you did. Therefore I will call you an idiot for no reason as well. Good day,,,,98

 

Yep, banning it in bars only leaves one type of addict in the bar(well, one type of legal addict anyway, lol). It would also cut their business WAY down at the same time. I don't think many bars will agree to that. No one goes to a bar to be healthy anyways, hello?? ,,,,98

 

I am a smoker, and have been for about 15 yrs. I started when I was about 13. Never any peer preasure, just wanted to prove a point to my mother, who smoked while I was growing up! Now 15 yrs later, she has quit, and Im still hooked! Untill recently, I have never wanted to quit! Now, when I sit down to pay my bills, I realize that I could have an extra $200.00 a month, if I quit! Thats what has motivated me to REALLY try to quit!

 

I hear you on the money part, it is expensive for sure. One thing I have been amazed by is the fluctuations in prices though. Over the last 10-11 years I have traveled all over the country. A carton locally costs about 27-28 bucks with tax. I have seen them as high as $45 a carton in some parts of the country. It's kind of like gas prices, no rhyme or reason to them.,,,,,98

These prices were in the same monthly period, not years apart.

 

That was the argument bar owners used before they passed the no smoking in bars law here and it didn't hold true. People still came to drink and have a good time (or whatever it is one does at a bar).

It's been years now since smoking was banned in bars and guess what? They're still in business.

Personally, I don't care one way or another if people smoke, but the sentiment of a large portion of the population is that they dislike it and as a result of banning smoking they frequented restaurants more often. Here, the numbers for restaurants actually increased. So the "we'll lose business" is not supported. If more people don't want smoking then your customer base is going to be larger with non-smoking rules than without.

Is that peculiar to Lost Angeles County or the state of California? Maybe, but I doubt it since it is spreading all over the country. Heck, even in Paris, France where everyone smokes, including their pets, they have implemented non-smoking areas in restaurants. If it's happening there you can be pretty sure it's not a fluke that it has worked out successfully here in LA-LA land.

And for those of you who will undoubtedly raise the I have a RIGHT to smoke argument (I'm surprised it hasn't been brought up yet), actually, no, you don't. Smoking is not a RIGHT.

So get used to no smoking in restaurants, and bars, and all public places eventually. If it hasn't already happened in your area, it will soon.

 

Yep, all those inexperienced drinkers that are now flocking to bars simply because they don't have to deal with some nasty smokers. Sorry, but that scares me more than cancer. Second hand alcohol kills, too. And usually much more efficiently.

I can smoke anywhere I feel the need, as long as I'm not inside a structure. Next they're going to say that cigarette smoking effects the enviroment,

If smoking isn't allowed in bars, then I think dipping shouldn't be either. Smoking is one thing, but drinking a beer while chewing tobacco? That's just gross

 

Evidently you don't follow the news:

California has declared second-hand smoke a toxic air pollulant.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11048609/

Here's just a bit of the story:

As for being able to smoke "anywhere you feel the need" (sans structures), enjoy it while you can because the way things are headed, you won't have that opportunity for long.

 

Try $50-$55 a carton, depending on brand.

 

How many people do drunk drivers and alcoholism kill each year? Maybe we should look at things that kill us faster, and cause more damage? As for the smoking enviromental effects, that's just plain stupid. How about we send all the non smokers to CA, and let them live in peace? Sounds good to me,,,,98

There was some article about BBQ smoke being a cause too. Once these stupid laws start encroaching upon the people who started them, they'll sing a different tune.:santa: