do you smoke?

[NoahsMommy]

Nope...I have asthma, just smelling it sends me into a coughing fit.

Luckily we live in CA and its illegal in most places. I love that law...there's nothing worse than having to leave somewhere because I'm about to choke to death.

Even when we go to Las Vegas, we stay at the Monte Carlo due to their filtration system. You'd never know anyone smoked in there.

My dad and his wife smoke a lot. As soon as they are done eating, they get out the cigarettes. I would imagine the only time they aren't smoking is when they are sleeping, showering or eating. Its very sad. I'm sure my dad will die of lung cancer. I remember when I was little, I would write: 'Daddy, please quit.' or 'Daddy, don't smoke this' on all of his cigarettes when he wasn't looking. Oh well...in this case...its self-inflicted. (I have prior bad feelings about them as well, that's why I can be so candid.)

Anyway, it really is so bad for you. The second-hand smoke is almost worse (it is for those around you). The news just had a segment on how second-hand smoke is causing cavities in children. How sad.

There are ways to quit...I know its hard...but there are so many resources out there that can help. That commercial thats out now ("I can't get out of bed without having a cigarette, I can't get out of bed", "I don't think I can quit, I don't think I can operate") took part in a co-worker quitting. I thought that was really great.

[Desert Arabian]

Never tried it...and never will. I hate smoking/cigarettes!!! I have asthma from second hand smoke, and my breathing gets labored if I am around it too much. My parents used to smoke when I was little, and it was horrible. The curtains were yellow, you could see the smoke floating up by the celing, our clothes stunk....BLECH!

I believe that smoking should be banned from all public buildings. I am so sick and tired of sitting down to eat a cheeseburger and have to choke on smoke. SICK! And come back with my clothes smelling like an ashtray. To me cigarettes are just as bad as pot, heroin (did you know that nicotine is more addictive than heroin!), LSD-- to me it is an addictive drug that kills millions and should be illegal.

Having lungs that look like this:

is not my cup of tea. I really don't feel like dragging around an oxygen tank, with tubes up my nose- DEFINITELY not my cup of tea. No thanks!!

To sum it up: I hate it, I want it banned, I think it is disgusting.

[Karen]

Remember folks, this is Pet Talk. We should respect each other as people, right? So you can say what you want about smoking, but please stay respectful of those who admit they smoke.

I do not smoke, never have and never will. I am asthmatic, to smoke would be like slow painful suicide to me.

My own father, from whom I inherited asthma, smoked for many years, starting as many young men did when he was in the military. He never, though, smoked in the house, ever. Even in sub-zero temperatures, he walked out to the garage (which is probably 20 feet uphill from the house) to smoke. We never saw him smoke, either. He did not want us to learn this habit from him, and concealed it from us children as best he could.

Then, 12 years ago, after discovering a lump (just a cyst, benign) on his neck, he quit cold turkey. He knew he couldn't have a cigarette in the hospital, knew how dangerous the habit was, and he quit. Even he says, "Yes, I wasn't pleasant to be around for a couple weeks, but I did it."

If he, who smoked for most of 40 years or so, and is allergic to it (which makes you crave it even more, I've read studies about it, it's some weird physiological effect), could quit effectively, so can you. He now breathes better (and this to effect pretty soon after), and has regained some of the sense of smell he had thought he'd lost forever. And, much to his credit, even my mother's prolonged terminal illness did not make him start up again. For this, all his children and grandchildren and pseudo-children/neighbors/friends are grateful.

Please, if you want to quit, and just need an extra push, PM me.

[marysmerrycats]

my dad used to smoke when I was little, I remember my mom always hiding his cigarettes, trying to get him to quit. what finally made him quit was, when my brothers were in high school, and they would wrestle or goof around with my dad, and then they could kick his butt! he got mad so he quit!! he was coughing so bad that time, and was so out of breath, I guess he finally got the idea.
he smoked alot.
I was a light smoker, but I was still having a little trouble breathing, I felt like I could not breathe well at all while I was smoking the cigarette, so after 2 or 3 times of this, I finally thought this is ridiculous! I threw them out. 3 months later I had a couple, and 3 or 4 months after that a couple more, only a couple. it took me about a year to completely quit for good, .that was 9 years ago.

[marysmerrycats]

Karen
I agree, I didn't start this thread to make it controversial. I was just wondering, and it seems most people don't smoke.
I had quit for over 8 years, thought I was doing so good, had only occasional, minor cravings for them but then I was around someone who smoked, and it had been years since I had been around a smoker, well after I was around them, it made me want one for weeks! I didn't start again tho, I thought I'll be darned if I am going to start up again after this many years. it is VERY hard to quit as any one who has smoked would know.

[COCatMama]

smoking is disgusting no matter how ya slice it, it may be more socially acceptable more than heroin addiction, but smoking is more addictive than heroin! Scary, but true.
Even my mom is now totally disgusted by smoking, makes me laugh cause she smoked for soooo many years, hee hee.

[CathyBogart]

Goddess, no!! One, I find the very idea disgusting, and thankfully so does my bf. Two, it would be harmful to my pets, not to mention the other people I spend time with.

I am thrilled to see so many non-smokers on here! *holds up a glass* here's to long life! ^_^

[kingrattus]

I never tried it & never will, people smoking never really bothered me cause it didn't bother my breathing at all... I was ok... but after I got walking phenuma (sp) that damaged my left lung I can't stand smoke anymore, its so hard to breath & it hurts, it took 5 yrs to heal enough that I could run again. all of my friends respected the fact I was having trouble breathing when they smoked, so they either only smoked outside, locked themselves in a room with an opened window or just waited until I left, & they would open a window when I came over to freshen the air for me. But now I can hardly walk without coughing up a lung & a 1/2... Rob's mom is such a cold hearted person she said tough s*** move if u don't like it (well I can't move rent is over $1000.00 in this city & I only make $600.00/month, but by oct the latest I'll be out of here & moved to newfoundland, YAY newfy land!!!) at least robs dad tries not to smoke near us kids, he'll go into the washroom & open the window & smoke or smoke near an open window else where in the house, we have much respect for him, he tries not to let his smoke bother us, cause hes a good man... but nooooo robs mom has to start smoking not one but 3 at once!!! right at the beggining of a movie!! she'll be in her room watching tv & as soon as she learns we're watching a movie she'll comeout & play on the computer & smoke none stop through the whole movie, & once its over she'll go back to her room.. she really hates us.

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"I believe that smoking should be banned from all public buildings."
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It is banned in all public building/working places/malls/resturants/bus's/bars its great!!! I can go out to eat & breath at the same time!!! for all u none smokers & for people who don't like smoke at dinner time (& yes there r alot of them) move to Ottawa/Ontario/Canada we have a smoking bylaw

King

[COCatMama]

pneumonia permanently damaged your lung?!!? I had pneumonia when I was 12 1/2, had bronchitis a few times since then.
yuck!

[wolf_Q]

Nope, never will either.

Thankfully, nobody in my immediate family has ever smoked. But I had a friend who's parents (which have now quit! yay!) were heavy smokers. EVERY time I went over to her house, I'd come home with a really bad cold that'd last for weeks, and my lips would swell up. I guess I'm allergic or something...

The last time I went to Las Vegas we spent quite a long time wandering around the smoke-filled Casinos, and after I nap in our hotel room, I woke up with an awful cold. It was more then a cold, I don't know what it was. Cigarette smoke does something to me.

I've bathed quite a few dogs at work that just reeked of smoke...it made me gag...had to wash them several times, it's very hard to get the smell out.

I *applaud* all of you that have been trying to quit, and have been able to quit. That's an amazing accomplishment guys!!

[kingrattus]

ya it did something to the bottom 1/4 of my left lung... I had it really, I couldn't walk more then 10 feet from my chair for a month. I was forced to sleep sitting for a month, does anyone know how hard it is to sleep sitting in a chair??? it was horrible!!! but at the moment it was much better they laying down, I couldn't even bend over without gasping & choaking & getting light headed... I think I was 13... I got if from working at L.A.W.S. (Lanark Animal Welfare Society) an animal shelter. I told them I don't want to work with cats because more then 2 make me sick & the room were too cold, damp & smelly, but if I wanted to work with the dogs I had to clean all 50 cat cages & then all 4 cat room, then the hall, the the main office room, then the staff room... 5 hrs later I would finish & work with the dogs for the last 3 hrs... but 3 months of that was almost my death. So I had to quit... but the town learned what the managers were doing, they weren't just keeping the place cold & damn but they were kill all the cats they had once a month (didn't matter how long the cat was there for) but they didn't kill any dogs at all (or none that I foundout about) The town got rid of them & found GREAT AWESOME TEREFIC PERFCT manager/owners... they put all the money into the shelter & not into their pockets & built new safer dog runs, built a HUGE running pen (u could fit 30 large dogs in it!!) & they built proper sick room & new animal rooms & they don't kill animals unless they r hoplessly ill or psychoticly vicious, but not after they try to rehab. them at their own homes. They turned a mean german that was beaten by her neighbour into a super loving job... it took the lady 2 yrs to rehab that dog, she would muzzle her & chain her to the couch & have her male friends come in & watch tv while the dog went psycho, after a while the dog learned that the guys wern't going to harm her & when she feels threatoned now, she only woofs & backs off. Talk about a good shelter eh?? oh & they also built 3 cat rooms that resembeled living rooms. they had a broken tv (not broken glass), rugs, chairs, window cils, couches, & of course toys, 1 room was able to hold up to 15 cats at once (only used during the day no cat was left in there over night) it had open windows (with bars of course) the other room held 5 cats with a couple of chairs & the same window set up & the last room was for special cats. Mousing cats... they had a room with one chair & a smaller window with same set up as others, but this room was a storage room, its where they kept the dry bags of dog/cat foods this cat stayed there all night long & it was tipically a cat that would never find a home because it wasn't friendly enough but was a great mouser.
They also built/bought real dog houses for the dogs that were chained up outside (only during the day), before there were only 2 sheets of wood & if the dog was lucky it had a third sheet, the dogs froze during the winter because they had no proper shelter... but now the dogs have big houses with lots of hay to lay on, toys to play with & about 8 feet of chain (which isn;t too bad)... & insted of letting the smaller dogs freese outside they would let then run lose indoors, either in the cat hallway, the main office, the dog room, or the puppy pen (if their were puppies they were moved to a smaller pen so the dog could run around in theirs)... I spent a week there last year & I told then I can't work with too many cats, so they asked if it was ok if I did the 1 display cat cage in the main office & the cage in the hidden storage room with the new cats & the one killer cat (who was eventually tamed & the owner took him home to his farm to live) since he was still to agressive to go to a family home, but a farm was perfect.

I think I've typed enough, I gotta learn to type less

King

[AdoreMyDogs]

Never have and never will. I have asthma anyway. No one in my family smokes, thankfully. My mom smoked before she decided to have kids, and quit when shortly before she became pregnant with my older brother. She has raised us to be anti-smoking.

Although I am not a smoker, I understand how hard addictions are, and I respect the people who have quit, or even attempted to quit. I am terribly addicted to refined suger....chocolate to be specific! I can't go a day withouth getting even just a little bit of chocolate.

[Vio&Juni]

Originally posted by catland

1. Don't kid yourself by saying that you are "quitting smoking". Either smoke or don't smoke.
.......
5. Quitting is terribly hard, but the rewards are so worth it.

Good luck

I quit smoking last year in May and I know for sure I will never smoke again. It was hard to decide to quit, but I can relate to Catland point 1. It works only if you just stop and that's it. Cutting the number of cigarettes doesn't work, or at least it didn't work for me.
I started smoking in the University in Romania - they used to smoke EVERYWHERE, on the street, in the dormitory and what I found strange inside the University. I had to smoke, it was unbearable to inhale others' smoke. When I returned to Moldova, I tried to quit 3 times by limiting the number of cigarettes per day. Ha-ha, I just started smoking less, but I was craving for one when somebody else was smoking. Last year, on May 15, I said to my friends: To celebrate the International Day without Smoking (May 31) I will not smoke until that day! Because it just worked so well, I decided not to smoke a cigarette again in my life. I am not sure, if I would try again if I could stop, so, why not quit for good now, while I can.

Good luck to all those who want to quit. It's easy when you don't let a small gate for yourself to come in and out. (I hope it's not confusing )

[ScantyNebula]

My dad started smoking when he was 10 years old, and the worse part is, he smoked in the house all while I was growing up. Even at the supper table! I used to get so mad, I never did like smoking. He finally quit a couple years ago when he was 40. Whats really sad is when I go home and see 12 year olds outside the school smoking ... nasty stuff

[RICHARD]

i smoke when i am on fire.
my old truck smoked and so does the chimney.


it's pretty funny when is see non smokers pass me on the freeway doing 85-90 cutting in and out of traffic..........

they won't smoke but they'll put everyone else in danger...

me, i'll take my chances with the people who want to kill me

s l o w l y.............