quote:

Could it just be that smokers are more interesting people..........? Could it just be that we smokers are the core of any social group and without us the non smokers cannot function? Does this mean that smoking really does make one chic, attractive and sophisticated?

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ORIGINAL: LadyEllen
In any case I'd really rather others didnt breathe my smoke - for goodness sake cigarettes cost a fortune; get your own!

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ORIGINAL: EnglishDomNW

Can we talk about something else, every time I read an anti-smokers complaints on here I light up a cigarette and blow smoke at their user names.

I blame them for aiding my addiction.

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ORIGINAL: LadyEllen

What amuses me most as a smoker, is that when I show consideration for others (as I always do) and take my cigarette outside, I am inevitably joined by non smokers who want to talk to me! Same thing happens at work and in the pub; we smokers go outside to avoid harming others - and they come out to join us!

Why is this I wonder? Could it just be that smokers are more interesting people..........? Could it just be that we smokers are the core of any social group and without us the non smokers cannot function? Does this mean that smoking really does make one chic, attractive and sophisticated?

In any case I'd really rather others didnt breathe my smoke - for goodness sake cigarettes cost a fortune; get your own!

E

PS - Tongue in cheek folks, OK!?

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ORIGINAL: MistressBG

quote:

ORIGINAL: LadyEllen

What amuses me most as a smoker, is that when I show consideration for others (as I always do) and take my cigarette outside, I am inevitably joined by non smokers who want to talk to me! Same thing happens at work and in the pub; we smokers go outside to avoid harming others - and they come out to join us!

Why is this I wonder? Could it just be that smokers are more interesting people..........? Could it just be that we smokers are the core of any social group and without us the non smokers cannot function? Does this mean that smoking really does make one chic, attractive and sophisticated?

In any case I'd really rather others didnt breathe my smoke - for goodness sake cigarettes cost a fortune; get your own!

E

PS - Tongue in cheek folks, OK!?

I absolutely loved your post! lmao ... well, I must agree with you, when we go out for a smoke during our work day we always have a few non smokers hanging around us for conversation

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Could it just be that smokers are more interesting people..........?

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ORIGINAL: marieToo

Youre kidding me right?  Why do you think you "enjoy" it?   Would you still drink a can of ginger ale if the label said it contained arsenic, simply because you "enjoy" it?  I think you'd probably switch to lemonade, no? 

You enjoy smoking because it relieves your need for a fix.  It makes everything "right".  And you need a fix so badly that your willing to put up with the "enjoyment" of smelling, coughing, not being able to laugh without harking up lung meat, being yellow,  and living surrounded with butts and ashes.

If you want to analogize the enjoyment you get from a cigarette and the enjoyment you get from eating your favorite food, try going without your favorite food for a few days and see if it fucks you up.  Then go a couple days without the "enjoyment" of a cigarette and come back and argue that point.

Your agument about doing other things that may not be safe, does not change the fact that cigarette smoking is an addiction.  This is what really makes me shake my head.  There hasnt been a smoker yet on this board who can actually debate a statement about cigarette smoking without trying to justify their habit in their own minds by pulling in all kinds of other unsafe shit to compare it to.  If you want to argue the dangers of being flogged then argue that.  We are talking about cigarettes, not the danger in pesticide, not the danger in being flogged, not the danger in mountian climbing. 

Im not down on smokers ( I used to be one), Im down on the way you all work so hard to accept the addiction, that you wish you didnt have.

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ORIGINAL: ScooterTrash

  Interesting how you try to come across as such an expert and you don't know me from adam. You don't have a clue what I want or don't want so don't try to say you do. Good for you that you quit, you apparently wanted to, that does not mean that the rest of the world shares your sentiments. You say you aren't down on smokers on one hand then seem to come across like some shrink who has everyone else figured out. Sorry to say missy, but you are so wrong. We are all adults and we really can make our own decisions..for better or for worse. I can tell you one thing though, it's people like you that make people like us keep smoking...at least we will have one less thing in common.
   As for the comparisons, I think what scares you is that it does make sense. Certainly we could say screw it,  we're going to smoke no matter what a portion of the populations says, but it lends more relevence to show example of how the entire anti-smoking crusade is nothing more than a witch hunt, in a large populus of witches (no offense to witches, just using that as an example). I don't have to justify what I do, I really don't care, smoking in public was accepted way before segregating the smokers from the non-smokers was. What I do care is that this, as well as any other form of personal expression is in peril because of the select groups that think everyone should be the same.

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ORIGINAL: mistoferin
No actually none of them are on my ban list...you missed my point. I am not into banning things...or losing rights. I would prefer the government stay the hell out of my life. I stand on the side of adults being able to make their own choices. If I want to smoke a cigarette, I don't want there to be a law against it. If I want to eat a bloody red steak...I don't want there to be a law against it. If I want to eat my eggs sunny side up...I don't want there to be a law against it.

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Is being civilized really so difficult?   

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ORIGINAL: MistressLorelei

Is being civilized really so difficult?   

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ORIGINAL: ScooterTrash

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ORIGINAL: MistressLorelei

Is being civilized really so difficult?   

Being civilized and respecting everyone else is rather simple actually. Having a civil discussion without having two sides attack each other and not look for common ground appears to be the tough part. I regret that issues such as this always end up in finger pointing and name calling, rather than trying to uncover viable solutions so that everyone feels their own personal idiosycracies are being respected. Being right or wrong is not an issue when is comes to topics such as this, learning how to coexist without infringing on each others space is the hard part. There really is a grey area, it doesn't always have to be black and white.

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There seem to be smokers, non smokers....and then there are anti smoking fanatics. The whole issue is getting ridiculous. Companies can now fire you for smoking...or refuse to hire you in the first place based upon your smoking status. People are losing custody of their children because they are smokers. There are towns that are trying to become smoke free...so it won't even be legal to smoke inside your own home.

To the fanatics that are behind and pushing these movements....I would suggest you use caution. Right now it's smoking. The next item on the agenda is obesity. (Gosh I sure hope none of you anti smoking fanatics are carrying a few extra pounds) Soon there could come a day when you could walk back into your job after lunch and be fired because you were seen eating at Burger King. Not given a position because you didn't match the numbers on the height/weight ratio scale.

If we keep allowing our rights to be stripped from us...it won't be long before we don't have any left to fight for.

Mistress Lorelei:
So don't strip away the right of smokers' to smoke indoors.... Instead, strip away the non-smokers' rights to breathe safe indoor air?  That's the right you want?  You smoke, I choke... and all is right in the world.

I don't want rights to be stripped away.  I often speak about rights for minorities, abortion rights, etc. I, however, don't think it's fanatical to  place more importance in the right to breathe clean air, than the right to take clean air away from others.

When eating Burger King for lunch is proven to infringe on the rights of non-Burger King eating co-workers, as the greasy fat grams are filtered into the air and adding pounds and high cholesterol to others who didn't want to share the poor eating habits of another... you bet people would be complaining! 

But it has already been proven. A diet high in fat causes major health problems in the long term. Heart disease and colon cancer leading the way. These diseases lead to higher health insurance premiums. Those costs are passed on to everyone, your co-workers, your neighbors and strangers who you've never even met....including me.

Mistress Lorelei:
I agree.... But then... smoking should be banned, right?  We know about the detrimental effects smoking has on those who do it... and our, as you said 'higher health insurance premiums' because of it.  And seat belts should be mandatory, because fatal accidents from non-seat belt wearers hikes up our auto insurance premiums as well, etc. 

Which rights are we wanting to protect again?  Based on your comment about heart disease and cancer causing you higher health premiums, I'd think smoking would be on the top of your ban list.

No actually none of them are on my ban list...you missed my point. I am not into banning things...or losing rights. I would prefer the government stay the hell out of my life. I stand on the side of adults being able to make their own choices. If I want to smoke a cigarette, I don't want there to be a law against it. If I want to eat a bloody red steak...I don't want there to be a law against it. If I want to eat my eggs sunny side up...I don't want there to be a law against it.

Mistress Lorelei:
I agree with you to a point, and agree to disagree about the rest.

I want rights and choices for all too.  I don't want to smoke, but if others want to, they should be able to anywhere, except in  public places where others are harmed directly and physically as smokers enjoy their right to smoke... and their "right" to harm others simultaneously.

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ORIGINAL: ScooterTrash

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ORIGINAL: marieToo

Youre kidding me right?  Why do you think you "enjoy" it?   Would you still drink a can of ginger ale if the label said it contained arsenic, simply because you "enjoy" it?  I think you'd probably switch to lemonade, no? 

You enjoy smoking because it relieves your need for a fix.  It makes everything "right".  And you need a fix so badly that your willing to put up with the "enjoyment" of smelling, coughing, not being able to laugh without harking up lung meat, being yellow,  and living surrounded with butts and ashes.

If you want to analogize the enjoyment you get from a cigarette and the enjoyment you get from eating your favorite food, try going without your favorite food for a few days and see if it fucks you up.  Then go a couple days without the "enjoyment" of a cigarette and come back and argue that point.

Your agument about doing other things that may not be safe, does not change the fact that cigarette smoking is an addiction.  This is what really makes me shake my head.  There hasnt been a smoker yet on this board who can actually debate a statement about cigarette smoking without trying to justify their habit in their own minds by pulling in all kinds of other unsafe shit to compare it to.  If you want to argue the dangers of being flogged then argue that.  We are talking about cigarettes, not the danger in pesticide, not the danger in being flogged, not the danger in mountian climbing. 

Im not down on smokers ( I used to be one), Im down on the way you all work so hard to accept the addiction, that you wish you didnt have.

 Interesting how you try to come across as such an expert and you don't know me from adam. You don't have a clue what I want or don't want so don't try to say you do. Good for you that you quit, you apparently wanted to, that does not mean that the rest of the world shares your sentiments. You say you aren't down on smokers on one hand then seem to come across like some shrink who has everyone else figured out. Sorry to say missy, but you are so wrong. We are all adults and we really can make our own decisions..for better or for worse. I can tell you one thing though, it's people like you that make people like us keep smoking...at least we will have one less thing in common.
   As for the comparisons, I think what scares you is that it does make sense. Certainly we could say screw it,  we're going to smoke no matter what a portion of the populations says, but it lends more relevence to show example of how the entire anti-smoking crusade is nothing more than a witch hunt, in a large populus of witches (no offense to witches, just using that as an example). I don't have to justify what I do, I really don't care, smoking in public was accepted way before segregating the smokers from the non-smokers was. What I do care is that this, as well as any other form of personal expression is in peril because of the select groups that think everyone should be the same.