As a non smoker I find it difficult to comprehend why people smoke. Although I guess others would wonder why I bite my nails or why I have allowed myself to become overweight even though just like the smokers I am aware of the potential damage I am doing to my health in doing so. I actually have no problem with smokers myself I think each individual should be able to make informed choices in life. I disagree with the way the government has hounded smokers and made them less socially acceptable.
I grew up around a family of smokers and my Grandfather smoked from the age of 8 right until he was 81. He decided to give up when he was 81 because he woke and had his usual morning fag only to be sick within moments of taking his first drag. He lived another 7 years after that and died of a totally unrelated illness to smoking.
It seems that all the information I could find was related to `How to give up' or `The health hazards associated with smoking' rather than why people choose to carry on. My guess is that like me and my diet or alcohol consumption it is simply because life can be so crap we all need something that makes us feel better whatever that may be and regardless of what its effect may be. The cigarette and the smoker has been driven out of the pub, club, workplace and any public building. It is the demise of free will for the smoker and shortly will be followed by the lack of decent pubs to drink in as the government seems to now have shifted its attention to the Binge drink culture and how to tackle it. What will we have left? Lets all go to the gym for a night out followed by a smoothie or a mint tea perhaps?? NO Thanks I will stick to my lager in the smokers area with my friends who choose to both smoke and drink.
The lecture on smoking was ironic I feel with the fire alarm going off half way through. I can see that smoking is or perhaps was considered as sexy or cool. I tried it myself a couple of times but was violently sick after smoking a huge cigar (and drinking 4 pints of grolsch). The result was three days in bed two of which all I could taste was the damn cigar. It was enough to put me off forever. (smoking at least but not drinking sadly should I say gladly?) I read on someone's blog that they noticed all the smokers sat at the back of the lecture. I was towards the front so that was news to me however I wonder if there is any significance to that? I would have thought the smokers would prefer to be at the front to make a sharp exit for a quick fix in the break?
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