I am not a smoker, BUT…

I do enjoy a self-rolled cigarette from time to time, by which I mean I might have two in a month, then one a day for a week, then none for three months, then one with a friend, etc., etc.

This is something I made absolutely clear to my life insurance provider, which ultimately decided that such a low intake was negligible, and so I was classed as a non-smoker.

It is hard, though, to get the real facts about tobacco. I do not doubt for one second the ill effects it can have on users, but what is a user? You normally see categories like ‘smoker’, ‘social smoker’, and ‘non-smoker’, but I don’t think I fit any of these.

Surely I am not alone in appreciating tobacco the same way that one might appreciate whisky, by only smoking once in a while?

Surely I am not alone in appreciating tobacco the same way that one might appreciate whisky, by only smoking once in a while?

Probably not, but most who do will be smoking high grade cigars, not rollies – do you also appreciate whisky by drinking tesco own-brand, sitting by some bins in piss-soaked trousers?

You sound a social smoker to me.

do you also appreciate whisky by drinking tesco own-brand, sitting by some bins in piss-soaked trousers?

😆

I like the smell when a package of Drum (or whatever) is first opened. Same goes for pipe tobacco. Cigars, though? I’ve never been that interested. I have tried them a few times, and found them too… I don’t know… smelly? Maybe I’ll have to re-visit them.

What I want to know is:

If I really really finally quit now, at 31, will I make a full recovery?

[averaging 20/week, no filter, rollies]

Sam – if you don’t stop you’ll never know! You’ll certainly not get any “better” by continuing, will you? 🙂

I’m an ex smoker, hate the effing things now BUT, I too love the smell of rolling tobacco in a pouch. Wierd!

If I really really finally quit now, at 31, will I make a full recovery?

The damage is done but you will benefit from stopping smoking and notice some improvement. Plus reduce the chances of things becoming worse.

If I really really finally quit now, at 31, will I make a full recovery?

It’s not as simple as ‘making a recovery’, but yes, within a number of years (I don’t know how many off the top of my head) your risk of contracting/dying of smoking-related diseases will fall back to (more or less) that of the general population.

EDIT: slightly more optimistic answer than Drac – I’ve seen studies on this but I admit I can’t remember exactly what the results are (and don’t have time to dig them out now), happy to be corrected

I smoked for 17 years, then stopped 2 or 3 years ago at 31 or 32, I would say that in terms of full recovery lungs relaxing, sense of taste coming back, and stress levels dropping back to normal all happened within a month.

Obviously you then need to use this new found health to boost yourself to the level you could have been at all along. I ran and cycled and swam before I stopped smoking, but stopping smoking had the same effect that taking EPO or Human Growth Hormone probably has on pro athletes, then it takes a few months of training to make the gains.

All the risk of xxx drops back to that of a person who never smoked is measured over 5 or 10 years, but in terms of how long it would take for you to feel brand new like a teenager again its probably a month tops

http://www.nhs.uk/smokefree/why-quit/what-happens-when-you-quit

I’ve just had 2 weeks in Corfu and took a small pack of Golden Virginia with me. 2 rollies every evening, threw away what was left at the end of the holiday. I might have the odd one throughout the rest of the year, maybe one per month or less.
I smoked about 10 a day for 25 years and gave up about 20 years ago. I expect that the harm’s already done in my case. 😥

slightly more optimistic answer than Drac – I’ve seen studies on this but I admit I can’t remember exactly what the results are (and don’t have time to dig them out now), happy to be corrected

Just worded different.

I can’t stand the smell of cigarette smoke, it often actually makes me physically ill. However the smell of pipe tobacco and pipe smoke is wonderful.

I put this down to the fact that my dad smoked a pipe when I was a kid.

I can’t stand the smell of cigarette smoke, it often actually makes me physically ill. However the smell of pipe tobacco and pipe smoke is wonderful.

I put this down to the fact that my dad smoked a pipe when I was a kid.

Same here. And cigars can smell quite nice as well

What is the difference between pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco and cigarette tobacco that makes them smell so different?

Thanks for the answers, guys 🙂

after 15 years of stopping, my GP conceded (last time I saw him) that I was probably back to a state equivalent to what I would have been had I not smoked in the first place.

I’ve just had 2 weeks in Corfu and took a small pack of Golden Virginia with me. 2 rollies every evening, threw away what was left at the end of the holiday. I might have the odd one throughout the rest of the year, maybe one per month or less.
I smoked about 10 a day for 25 years and gave up about 20 years ago. I expect that the harm’s already done in my case.

you’ve not given up 😆

I’m going to start smoking, just to get more breaks at work

I smoke the occasional cigar. Only ever outside.

When I worked in an office, I rather wished I could save up the number of weekly breaks I’d have had as a cigarette smoker and have them all as one two hour break with a Monte AA and a good book! 🙂

I’m glad to hear there’s people like me around. I still have the odd one after quitting in my early 30’s. Sometimes I just fancy one, and I see no harm in partaking when I’m talking about 1 a month. I do notice that I’ve had one though the next day out on the bike.

I’m glad to hear there’s people like me around. I still have the odd one after quitting in my early 30’s. Sometimes I just fancy one, and I see no harm in partaking when I’m talking about 1 a month. I do notice that I’ve had one though the next day out on the bike.

I’m the same. Been stopped for about 5 years now, after 18 years of smoking.

I put cigarettes in the same category as cream cakes. Ok to have once in a while, but I wouldn’t eat twenty of them a day. Last time I had one was about 2 hours after finishing the London Marathon. At about mile 20 I decided that my treat to myself afterwards was going to be sitting on the dock outside the hotel[1], watching the sunset, with a pint and a fag. And so I did. Binned the packet after two and didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty.

[1] Note to the terminally offended from the other thread, there was no-one else around at the time.

I lkie the smell of pipe smoke too. If it was not for the health issues I think I’de like to smoke a pipe. Give good pondering time.

I go through periods these days when I’ll smoke for a few weeks or days, or just have the odd one(depends how if I get an urge), then back on to the ecigs(I’m back on the ecigs, I’ve decided they are alright again 😆 found out issues with wheezing I was getting was an allergic reaction to an old mattress, new mattress, sorted!). I can easily switch overnight if I want.

What gets me back on the cigs is probably when I start smoking weed every few months or a heavy session on the bevvy.

I find when you are on the cigs, it’s probably if you are on them for 2 months that you start to feel the negative effects, largely waking up feeling like shit.

I’m obviously not unaware of long term damage, but i think being off and on them for short periods is obvious much less damaging, but I guess long term I still wouldn’t bet on the cigs.

Ha, I thought I was the only one who ‘only smoked one or two’.

My guilty pleasure is when camping or hiking, a wee rollie and nip from the hip flask complements pretty much any situation 8)

When I ran out recently whilst bothying in the Cairngorms I scrounged some tobacco from the others in the bothy, and they all produced the same Amber Leaf 3-in-1 packet and said help yourself, we only smoke when we’re out camping 😀

Problem is I’m getting out on the hills so much at the moment it’s basically becoming a 10-every-second-weekend habit so I might try without this weekend, double chocolate rations!

What is the difference between pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco and cigarette tobacco that makes them smell so different?

pre-rolled fags are treated with chemicals to keep them lit – I’m not sure what but I’m pretty sure saltpeter is in there.
Rollies aren’t, which is why they go out if you leave one. olling tobacco is also moist when you get it and foul once it dries out, so i assume there’s some kind of taste chems in fags as well.
PIpe tobacco is often treated with taste stuff as well, but more a flavour enhancer, eg Navy Cut normally has rum, but there can be all sorts of aromatics added as well as tobaccos like black cavendish and perique which have their own distinctive smell
That said, there are pipe tobaccos you don’t want to be in the same room as.
Occaisional pipe smoker

OP try pipe tobacco as you might like it …

Gofasterstripes I quit at 30 after repeated winter chest infections. Yesterday I blew a very high chest volume reading for a medical 😀

somewhatslightlydazed – Member
…What is the difference between pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco and cigarette tobacco that makes them smell so different?

You really should google what chemicals are added to cigarettes. They should hang the tobacco barons for that alone.

13thfloormonk – Member

You’re doing it wrong if there’s only tobacco in those rollies while out in the hills! 😆

Strange thread. Why would anyone be a social smoker? Such a need to “fit in”?
All burning tobacco smells vile. Cigars smoke? Just go into a public lav cubicle immediately after it’s been vacated and breathe deeply.
Pipe smoke? Fond memories from childhood? My Dad smoked a pipe and we used to whinge like crazy if he lit up in the car! “OPEN THE WINDOW!”
The Fine Shag pre-lit smells quite sweet though.