Why do people still smoke.

[kay1]

You would have thought with all the information and health warnings people would have given up the habit years ago,I don't understand what possible benefit they get from it Iv'e never smoked my self so I probably will never Know how the habit can control people to want to harm there health as they do, it just does not make scene to me at all and to pay for the privilege as well crazy,what brought it to my mind was when I went past the Pheasant the other day there was a bunch of them stood in the rain out side the pub smoking I thought they must be dedicated smokers.

Would Saint Tom be willing to pay extra tax if everyone took his advice and packed up smoking, how much tax does he think the goverment are taking from one pack of twenty cigs. I smoke, I don't drink (does Saint Tom) I am not overweight, I do not smoke in a non smokers company, It is my choice to smoke what are bad habits Tom?

[Alien52]

Would Saint Tom be willing to pay extra tax if everyone took his advice and packed up smoking, how much tax does he think the goverment are taking from one pack of twenty cigs. I smoke, I don't drink (does Saint Tom) I am not overweight, I do not smoke in a non smokers company, It is my choice to smoke what are bad habits Tom?

 

Could I make the choice not to cotribute to the NHS that will provde your treatment for the lung cancer when it is killing you ?

[junction1]

Smoking is a vile habit IMO, I've never done and never will, but I've got a cousin who's got 2 young kids and smoked through both of her pregnancies, I told her off for it as well, thankfully it doesn't seem to have harmed the kids! My late Grandad smoked a Pipe though, and he died in his 70s back in August 1997 (same week as Princess Di )

 

And she didn't even smoke a pipe.

[junction1]

I hardly ever paid tax on my cigarettes when I smoked. It's much cheaper to stock up when you go on holiday!

 

As long as smokers keep them selves to them selves I don't think anyone has the right to criticise them. It's about time all you moaning none smokers pulled your necks in, shut your little traps and let people get on with their lives!

 

I fully agree with you, I also used to buy my cigarettes in exactly the same way, I smoked for many years and managed to give up, but folk achieve far more important things than that. However some folk have been pains in the backside for all of their lives, and have never attempted to stop being so.

[Shogun]

Would Saint Tom be willing to pay extra tax if everyone took his advice and packed up smoking, how much tax does he think the goverment are taking from one pack of twenty cigs. I smoke, I don't drink (does Saint Tom) I am not overweight, I do not smoke in a non smokers company, It is my choice to smoke what are bad habits Tom?

The gov take more off people who smoke than it takes to fix them that's true there are some on line figures about that somewhere, but they are still a massive drain on the NHS especially as smoking is a self inflicted illness and that money could be spent on better things as the budgets in the NHS tightens up, when a smoker goes in to hospital they are taking a bed up or taking time away from a poor person that is really ill,no I would not want to pay any more tax they already get enough out of me, yes I like a drink but in moderation,I've been called a few things in my time but never a saint,yes I do have a few bad habits one is biting my finger nails but I don't do it in public.

[ElasticMan]

Because they are weak willed and not bright enough either to realise the damage it does to their bodies or how repulsive their habit is to others.

 

This is true - when I used to smoke I didn't realise how bad it stank (because it was normal smell to me).

 

Now if someone comes in the office who has been smoking you can smell them a mile off - its awful to think that must have been how I smelled to other people.

 

I recently bought a used electronic item on this forum - didn't realise the owner was a smoker - even the plug and cord stinks! Its a bit better now after I blasted the whole thing with Kitchen cleaner spray, but when I first got it I thought I was going to have to chuck it it was that bad.

[Becky B]

I understand that chemically, nicotine is more addictive than cocaine.

 

I read that so many years ago I can't remember where, but just doing a quick search pulled up many hits, e.g.

http://www.frostillustrated.com/full.php?sid=1256

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/287555-overview

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-compass-pleasure/201102/cocaine-nicotine-and-your-inner-dog

 

There'll be plenty more. That explains the cravings. Everything else is side effects!

[junction1]

Would Saint Tom be willing to pay extra tax if everyone took his advice and packed up smoking, how much tax does he think the goverment are taking from one pack of twenty cigs. I smoke, I don't drink (does Saint Tom) I am not overweight, I do not smoke in a non smokers company, It is my choice to smoke what are bad habits Tom?

 

Identical to me, however a window of opportunity presented itself to me and I grasped it with both hands. I suddenly had a brief period in my life when I was so relaxed, that I had no need of the weed, I was very fortunate.