Do you smoke?

I never have. It has zero appeal to me. I lived with a heavy smoker, my Mom, until 7 years ago. All of my clothing and possessions stunk like smoke; when I moved, I had to trash many items, as I couldn't remove the smell. I don't allow anyone to smoke in my house nor my car because of this (and because I loathe the odor). However, I will defend your right to smoke, which I know sounds odd. I think smoking is foolish, given the health risks, but you do have a right to do it. I just try to avoid being around smoking, if I can possibly do so.

I did smoke for several years, like a freight train. But when I met my sweetie, he told me he was never going to have another wife who smoked. At first it made me mad, but then I realized how stupid I would be to lose the man I loved for cigarettes. I quit in 1978 and have never been sorry. In fact I wish I never had smoked. I read that smoking contribues to thinning bones.

I do not smoke and never have. DH hasnt had a cigarette in over a year. His COPD has all but cleared up now.

Never smoked. Tried it a few times when I was young, but literally once or twice.

Originally Posted by sharky

No , Never have never will... I am a Victim of second and third hand smoke... My mother smoked around me for decades... at age 24 I was diagnosed with COPD ( two of the three diseases that make it up).. Likely I would have come down with it at around 40 years after my diagnosis if I had not been around a smoker... I also lost my mom when she was 66 due to COPD

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I still think you need to be checked for alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency, you're just too young for this even with all the shared smoke you had to breath in.

I've never smoked, but grew up around several people who did. It's done it's damage. I'm having a lot of problems breathing today because I spent an hour and a half at my father's smoke filled house.
My grandmother died at 65 from emphysema and heart issues. I saw it tear her down over the years. My mother is starting to now have the same problems my grandmother did at first but still hasn't quit smoking. I don't want to lose her in ~20 years.

Originally Posted by calico2222

I smoke but am DESPERATELY trying to quit now that I found out I am pregnant.

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That's what's important. I wish you all the luck with it and that you can kick the habit entirely. Your baby will be better off for it - a lot less ear and URIs through childhood.

My mother was a heavy smoker most of my life. As a child, I had constant chronic and painful ear infections, sinus problems, and upper respiratory infections. Most likely her smoking contributed to it. When I moved away for college, I realized that I'm allergic to smoke! I even have a difficult time dealing with my customers who are smokers and it's on their clothes and in their hair and such. I've NEVER wanted to smoke, even growing up in the home of a smoker. Can't stand the smell!!

We lost my mom in 1996 at the age of 59 from lung cancer.

Originally Posted by stephanietx

I realized that I'm allergic to smoke!

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FYI, one can't actually be allergic to it. It's a chemical irritate that over sensitizes the airways and makes the body overreact to other common allergens - ones that you may only mildly react to otherwise.
I have the same issue with it.

Nope. Not. Never. Ever. Dad smoked until I was a young grade-schooler - nasty habit he picked up in the Army... but quit.

Sis smoked for a few years as a teen and into her early 20s... then we watched a favorite aunt whither away and die from lung cancer. She was 53 years old. 53!!! My sis quit cold turkey.

Cigarette smoke and other kinds of smoke make me ill - my eye and lungs burn, mysinuses shut down and I feel awful around it.

I smoked a few cigs in the Army, but smoking was never something that even remotely developed into a habit for me. Occasionally, I'll have the odd celebratory cigar, but those are rare. The cigs I smoked in the Army were an effort to help calm my nerves after a couple of pretty tense situations. I don't know if they helped or not. I never liked the horrid smoke taste that was left in my mouth.

I smoked from the time I was 14 until the week after I turned 18. I needed gas money to visit Rob (we lived 3 hours apart) and he also wasn't a fan of smoking (he's lost two family members to cancer from it within the last year and within 6 months of each other). So I quit cold turkey after 4 years.

I think I smoked 2 since then, once at my 19th birthday dinner when a girl who knew I was still craving them gave me one at the bar (no I wasn't drinking ) and again at my wedding reception because we ran out of Black & Milds (Rob said I could smoke those all I wanted ) so the guy gave me a Newport. I was pretty drunk at the time lol.

Edit: My dad has smoked (and drank) since he was 10 years old. So for the last 58 years he's done both, meaning I grew up with it. My mom smoked until she got pregnant with me. We figure if my dad ever stopped smoking or drinking, his body is so used to it that it would kill him to not have alcohol or nicotine.

Nope, I've never smoked.

No I hate the smell of cig smoke it makes me sick for days after being around the smell of smoke

Originally Posted by Miss Mew

I smoked 1/2 pack a day from age 14-20 then quit

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From 14??? Crikey!

I tried it when I was younger and even took packets of cigarettes with me when I went backpacking to the UK, but I never actually liked it and gave all the packs away.

Never have and never will. It doesn't appeal to me whatsoever.

No. I've never smoked and never will. I've done two clinical rotations as a student respiratory care practicioner and I have seen first hand the horrid repricussions that smoking causes people. I've also seen the results of second hand smoke on children (me included as a child)....all of it is unnecessary. I've seen cigarettes claim the lives of both of my grandfathers as well as one of my closest friends mom just two weeks ago (she was only 42). Not only does it leave a foul odor, smoking kills. It holds nothing attractive or appealing in my eyes.

I have multiple loved ones and family members on both sides of my family that smoke. It breaks my heart knowing exactly what it's doing to them from a medical perspective...everytime I see them light one up, I am reminded of my former patients at the hospital and their suffering...I don't want my loves ones to experience that. All I can do is encourage them to quit when their ready and make sure that they know the what it's doing to their bodies through proper education. I never condem them, but I absolutely never allow them to smoke around me.

I'm a smoker, about a pack a day. I've quit many times, but always start back up within a year. Both my parents smoked, and my sister and I hated it, we would steal the ashtrays and cigarettes we both smoke now My mom quit 2 years ago and my dad is "trying" to quit, if you want to call it that so I don't smoke around them to help my dad. I know i should quit, but right now, I don't want to, and as the ex-smokers know, you have to want to.

Never have and don't plan on starting!

The weird thing is; every now and then I get a craving for a cigarette!?!?! I swear I've never tried one; so how can that be? My mother never smoked (ok maybe a little in college, but nothing since I've been alive.) but my Grandparents did. But they quit when I was about 6 or 7. I dont have friends that smoke either.

I've smoked for 3.5 decades, and have countless unsuccessful attempts to quit permanently behind me. Last year I got up to almost 1.5 packs a day, and decided I needed another tactic, so checked out e-cigarettes. It's working, as I've gone down to two tobacco cigarettes a day since January, and am gradually reducing the nicotine content in the liquid. I'm still addicted to nicotine, but at least I'm not getting ca. 4,000 other toxins except from my two a day.

i smoked on and off since i was 17. DH has never smoked. i had told him that i'd quit. i would try and sneak one here or there when he was out of the house and somehow he'd always catch me.
then one day he'd caught me smoking and he said to me 'i'm not mad at you, just disappointed. but if i & the cats are going to loose you to lungcancer i'm going to be very pi**ed off. that was the last one i had and that was 6 years ago.

Originally Posted by Primula

Ruthy, are all the pubs smoke-free in the U.K.?

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Yes they are, alot of pubs have closed down because of this, infact there aren't alot of pubs open around my way anymore, I find it a good thing though and it tends to make me smoke less if I have to go outside.x