Cigarettes

[CharLee]

I feel that it is time for me to put my 2 cents in. I have to agree with Hope in this matter, I have been smoking since I was 13 years old and at 68 I'm still around. Even though I know smoking is an unhealthy habit and the dangers connected with it I still enjoy my cigarettes.

I am of the personal feel that some people ( and I include my self in that ) that smoking although harmful doesn't have the effect on them as it has on others. I believe that some people are predisposed to getting cancer while others are not. Case in point, Christopher Reeves wife never smoked a day in her life and yet she died of lung cancer at age 49 while I've been smoking longer than she was alive and am still around. Not to say that I am immune to developing lung cancer in the future but that is my choice to decide and not have my liberty revoked because someone feels it is a bad habit that down the road might lead to health problems for me.

I respect the fact that my smoking might impact others but is it more harmful than a drunk driver driving on our streets in a 3,000 pound vehicle or some whacko shooting and killing people because he or she believes they have the right to own guns under the second amendment. Cars and trucks put more pollutions into the air than my cigarettes, planes dump unneeded fuel before they land that pollutes more than my cigarettes and yet they are not hounded like us who choose to smoke.

So in closing I just want to ask you not to condemn me for smoking, as long as I don't infringe on your rights, please don't infringe on mine.

[CarlaWestin]

ok....here it comes...

What if we turned things around a bit. Personally....SUV's truly offend me. They burn excess amounts of fuel. They consume far more raw materials than a more sedate sedan might, and there is little reason for every petite blond in the US to be driving something the size of a house to the mall. They blind my view ahead, behind, and on both sides of me on the freeway. And they kill a lot of people. What if we decided to start making people who drive SUV's feel like they no longer belong in polite society? For that matter, how many more dogs and cats do we need? I could go on and on....but the whole point is. It's an individual decision and should remain that way?

Hell...I gotta go have a smoke now....LOL

Hope

Maybe you just need a little adjustment in perspective. When those really smart activists fly all over the world in their private jets to their multiple residences to make sure they tell me how bad I am because I own a large house and drive a very safe F150, the nonsense of their hypocrisy is just acknowledged further. Just enjoy life, the planet will take care of itself. And quit smoking. You'll enjoy life better and longer.

Deleted excessive quote LZ

[Hope]

Thank you...but please. Don't tell me to quit smoking. I promise...I won't tell you to quit driving your F150 OR tell you to quit wearing a dress.

[Hope]

Actually, and yes this is more of a rant than anything rational....

That last reply regarding my comment pretty much irritated me and, yes I am so shallow having just one more person tell me to quit smoking I've just sort of 'lost it?'

My last post ladies. Hope to see you again some day on another site.

Have a nice life.

[Anthony Simon]

Hope, it's one thing to quit this site over a CDing issue, but...One person who tells you to give up smoking. C'mon, whatdya expect?

[Jane D]

Many people assume health risks and try to live in denial, as if doing so makes the risk go away.

I am glad to live in a country when personal freedoms extend to such extremes. But yet...

The problem for me is knowing when and when not to state the obvious (hey lady, did you know a lifetime of smoking can lead to an agonizing, excruciatingly painful death? Ah, thought you didn't...)

I once worked with a middle aged person who had these odd little 'bags' under her eyes, which happen to be deposits of cholesterol, a sign of a likely, impending train wreck ahead. Her medical advisors should have alerted here; it was not my place to say anything according to others.

I guess in polite company it is best not to state the obvious and attempt to help people lest you piss them off. Smokers, junk food eaters, cyclists who don't wear helmets, and people who don't floss their teeth - you are on your own

[Babbs]

Yikes! Didn't mean to start a firestorm. I think we all know the risks of smoking. I really wasn't looking for a lecture on smoking, I can give myself one. I just wanted to see if anyone here ever associated smoking with feminine sexiness. If there was ever a place I would find someone who experienced that like I did, it would be here. I was definitely wrong. oh well. I'm definitely alone on this one. No biggie....btw since the line of posts has turned differently than I expected I will let you know that I am down to 1/2 a pack a day. who knows maybe will quit sometime in the future.

[Jane D]

Sorry if my post was not appropriate.

[quote="Babbs"] I just wanted to see if anyone here ever associated smoking with feminine sexiness. [quote]

Yes indeed, because the population was conditioned to see it. 40 years ago, most all the television and magazine ads targeted women with ads showing how cool and sexy they would be if you smoked there brands. Never mind the on-screen performances of women striking a pose with a cigarette. Brands I recall reinforcing the sterotype included, Winston, L&M, and Winston 100 gold, Tareyton, etc. Believe me, men noticed these ads as well.

http://www.retro-ads.net/v/1960s/Booze/ ... 1.jpg.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


So, I think the answer to your question is an emphatic 'yes', at least for the older generation, at least for a segment of the population who connected with the concept. Smoking was something grownup, sophisticated and alluring women did.

[Kelly]

Heck Babbs, every family needs a firestorm now and again. How else will we know that we actually know that we are different but still love each other.

Kelly.

[Rhanda]

I guess that I missed the question that started this thread. " Were you influenced by atractive women who smoked?" (paraphrased). My answer is a definate YES! Every time I tried to quit smoking it seemed that I would see a very attractive woman smoking in a very femminen manner.I must have wanted to join her in a secret way and I was off to buy another pack. The time that I finally quit was a different experience as told in a previous message.

Rhanda