Why is there a double standard when it comes to cigarettes and alcohol?

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad

Originally posted by: bignateyk

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
I choose to drink alcohol when I want to. I don't have that luxury when you fire up a cig and walk around with it making me inhale the smoke from it.

dont most people smoke outside? And why would you hang around people that smoke?

It doesnt matter, you still are forced to breathe the smoke if you dont want to. If you are on a sidewalk and the person in front of you is smoking, you will be breathing it in the whole time.

It doesnt bother me, but thats the reason why ciggarettes and alcohol have nothing to do with each other, and there is no double standard.

how about you wait 15 seconds for the person in front of you to get a half block lead, then start walking again???

That might work... IF they were the only one smoking in teh area. But you got smokers walking both directions sometimes and if you wait for one smoker to wander off, you've allowed another one nearer. Then there's aftersmells. Even after they finish, the elevator they hop into right afterwards will smell like an ashtray for an hour. Maybe you're at a red light on a hot day, windows or convertible top down, and the dude next to you is smoking. Technically that's allowed because he's in his car and all, but still... point is that when you try to evade smokers, "you can run but you can't hide". And I'm so sensitive to the smell that, even with my windows up, I can smell smoke from a smoker two cars away just from the small quantity of stink that winds its way through my car's ventilation system. The smell really gets into a lot of areas it shouldn't.

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: rdubbz420

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
It has been proven that alcohol in moderation actually has some positive benefits for a person's health.

The same can't be said for tobacco use.

what about Mary Jane then?

Medical marijuana FTW!

 

[Inspector Jihad]

jeez, I never really had a problem with smokers in a city as big as philadelphia, but i guess i'll take your word for it

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: Rob9874
Has anyone else thought about how pointless cigarettes are? The only reason people smoke them, is because they're addicted to them. It's one thing for a company to make something for a purpose, and people get addicted to it. But cigarette manufacturers make cigarettes for the sole purpose of making something for people to be addicted to. Seems silly people fall for that scam.

Redeeming qualities, coming from a addict:

It's very relaxing, and it's a pretty good buzz.

It can also be quite a social thing.

A great excuse for a break in the middle of your workday.


It'll also kill you. 😛

 

[Crucial]

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: Rob9874
Has anyone else thought about how pointless cigarettes are? The only reason people smoke them, is because they're addicted to them. It's one thing for a company to make something for a purpose, and people get addicted to it. But cigarette manufacturers make cigarettes for the sole purpose of making something for people to be addicted to. Seems silly people fall for that scam.

Redeeming qualities, coming from a addict:

It's very relaxing, and it's a pretty good buzz.

It can also be quite a social thing.

A great excuse for a break in the middle of your workday.


It'll also kill you. 😛

Middle of your work day? Try every 45 minutes. F'ing smoke breaks.

 

[azazyel]

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
jeez, I never really had a problem with smokers in a city as big as philadelphia, but i guess i'll take your word for it

Can't say that it's that big of a problem in Seattle either. I usually try to be respectful when I smoke. When I go for a smoke break at work I have to walk about 2 blocks to go to a building that actually has a smoking spot. And I don't smoke when walking on a busy street. What annoys me are the stupid anti-smoking laws that have been passed here. Yeah, 25 feet from a door is pretty darn stupid. By that logic the only place you can smoke down town is in the middle of the street.

 

[azazyel]

Originally posted by: Crucial

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: Rob9874
Has anyone else thought about how pointless cigarettes are? The only reason people smoke them, is because they're addicted to them. It's one thing for a company to make something for a purpose, and people get addicted to it. But cigarette manufacturers make cigarettes for the sole purpose of making something for people to be addicted to. Seems silly people fall for that scam.

Redeeming qualities, coming from a addict:

It's very relaxing, and it's a pretty good buzz.

It can also be quite a social thing.

A great excuse for a break in the middle of your workday.


It'll also kill you. 😛

Middle of your work day? Try every 45 minutes. F'ing smoke breaks.

You do know there are different scales of smokers. I have 3 a day at work and it takes me no more time to do it than the caffeine addicts who regularly go to Starbucks for their buzz.

 

[chambersc]

Originally posted by: Spacehead

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
I choose to drink alcohol when I want to. I don't have that luxury when you fire up a cig and walk around with it making me inhale the smoke from it.

Exactly!

That and there is an increasing level of nicotine present in cigarettes. It's been raised by 11% from '89 by the industry. There was an article about it in the New York Times today.

 

[911paramedic]

2nd hand smoke deaths are far off, so they are hard to prove.

2nd hand alcohol deaths are immediate, aka drunk drivers causing deaths.

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: Crucial

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: Rob9874
Has anyone else thought about how pointless cigarettes are? The only reason people smoke them, is because they're addicted to them. It's one thing for a company to make something for a purpose, and people get addicted to it. But cigarette manufacturers make cigarettes for the sole purpose of making something for people to be addicted to. Seems silly people fall for that scam.

Redeeming qualities, coming from a addict:

It's very relaxing, and it's a pretty good buzz.

It can also be quite a social thing.

A great excuse for a break in the middle of your workday.


It'll also kill you. 😛

Middle of your work day? Try every 45 minutes. F'ing smoke breaks.

I know. Its a wonderful thing. 😛

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: theprodigalrebel

Originally posted by: Rob9874
Has anyone else thought about how pointless cigarettes are? The only reason people smoke them, is because they're addicted to them.

To be really honest, there's no way you can say that unless you've tried smoking yourself. But on second thought, you shouldn't! Cigarettes are an awesome way to de-stress and pass idle time....unfortunately, they also screw your personal health a decade or two into it.

My cigarette history is: (Casual smoker -> quit -> 30 cigarettes a day - > quit -> 15-20 cigarettes a day -> tried to quit - > currently hovering around 6-8 cigarettes a day)

I try, but I fail. I go two days without a smoke then succumb the third. Cigarettes are bad, I agree but not pointless. Everything in moderation can work. I don't drink but I am don't have a problem with someone getting wasted over the weekend (as long as they aren't driving or creating a scene somewhere).

I find non-smokers making a big fuss about some guy smoking on the sidewalk to be pointless.

Are you sure the cigarettes are really a good way to relieve stress? Might it not also be due to the fact that you spend your time not smoking thinking more and more about how good it's going to feel when you finally do get your next cigarette? In that sense, the lack of nicotine artificially creates additional stress, which the next nicotine infusion suddenly relieves. This makes for a perceived large contrast of stress levels, making you think you're feeling less stressed out than you would otherwise be.

I just think of that kind of stress, always looking forward to another fix, as, well, it sounds like it sucks. There's that stress, the health problems, and the fact that you're paying a lot of money for all these problems - I guess it just astonishes me that anyone starts in the first place.
The biggest reason I hear is because it helps you socialize with certain groups of people, namely other smokers. Is that how desparate some people are for soclization, that we're willing to become addicted to an expensive carcinogenic substance?

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: theprodigalrebel

Originally posted by: Rob9874
Has anyone else thought about how pointless cigarettes are? The only reason people smoke them, is because they're addicted to them.

To be really honest, there's no way you can say that unless you've tried smoking yourself. But on second thought, you shouldn't! Cigarettes are an awesome way to de-stress and pass idle time....unfortunately, they also screw your personal health a decade or two into it.

My cigarette history is: (Casual smoker -> quit -> 30 cigarettes a day - > quit -> 15-20 cigarettes a day -> tried to quit - > currently hovering around 6-8 cigarettes a day)

I try, but I fail. I go two days without a smoke then succumb the third. Cigarettes are bad, I agree but not pointless. Everything in moderation can work. I don't drink but I am don't have a problem with someone getting wasted over the weekend (as long as they aren't driving or creating a scene somewhere).

I find non-smokers making a big fuss about some guy smoking on the sidewalk to be pointless.

Are you sure the cigarettes are really a good way to relieve stress? Might it not also be due to the fact that you spend your time not smoking thinking more and more about how good it's going to feel when you finally do get your next cigarette? In that sense, the lack of nicotine artificially creates additional stress, which the next nicotine infusion suddenly relieves. This makes for a perceived large contrast of stress levels, making you think you're feeling less stressed out than you would otherwise be.

I just think of that kind of stress, always looking forward to another fix, as, well, it sounds like it sucks. There's that stress, the health problems, and the fact that you're paying a lot of money for all these problems - I guess it just astonishes me that anyone starts in the first place.
The biggest reason I hear is because it helps you socialize with certain groups of people, namely other smokers. Is that how desparate some people are for soclization, that we're willing to become addicted to an expensive carcinogenic substance?

Are you a smoker, or ever was? If you're not, believe me, you will fail to understand what its like.

You can logically appeal to our sensibilities all you wish, and while any smoker can put 2+2 together, it means nothing.

You can group us into a lower class of people, desperate for our next fix, crying in a corner, lamenting our loneliness, but that says more about you than it says about us.

You can also be high and mighty, and incredulously "just not understand", which is to be expected - you couldnt understand if you wanted to.

We all know it kills us, and we all know everyone else thinks its disgusting...this is not news to us.

And yet, through all of this, there is something that I like about it. You'll say thats the addiction talking, and you'll have only gotten half the point, since its far more complicated than that.

Be glad that you never started, because its one less thing that you will forever desire, but don't pretend for a second that you actually understand why smokers smoke, why smokers cant just stop, and how they can actually enjoy it.

Besides, if anything, it's a win-win situation. We can enjoy smoking, and you can enjoy feeling superior to us dirty, nasty people. 😉

 

[BirdDad]

I always wonder what these anti smoking people do when they are around a campfire,you don't hear them bitching then even though they are inhaling carbon monoxide and tar

 

[JBT]

Originally posted by: BirdDad
I always wonder what these anti smoking people do when they are around a campfire,you don't hear them bitching then even though they are inhaling carbon monoxide and tar

a camp fire smells toatly different than a cmap fire does sorry...

 

[ch33zw1z]

Originally posted by: BirdDad
I always wonder what these anti smoking people do when they are around a campfire,you don't hear them bitching then even though they are inhaling carbon monoxide and tar

How ignorant of what's actually IN cigs...but I guess this is a case of good ole "ignorance is bliss"

 

[KoolDrew]

Originally posted by: moshquerade
there is no double standard. they are not the same.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

there are double standards and hypocrites everywhere

cant do anything about it

 

[chrisms]

Originally posted by: JBT

Originally posted by: BirdDad
I always wonder what these anti smoking people do when they are around a campfire,you don't hear them bitching then even though they are inhaling carbon monoxide and tar

a camp fire smells toatly different than a cmap fire does sorry...

I've never smelled a cmap fire, how is it toatly different?

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z

Originally posted by: BirdDad
I always wonder what these anti smoking people do when they are around a campfire,you don't hear them bitching then even though they are inhaling carbon monoxide and tar

How ignorant of what's actually IN cigs...but I guess this is a case of good ole "ignorance is bliss"

Not that it makes cigarettes any better, but I seriously doubt inhaling the smoke of burning wood for you is anywhere near healthy. Doubt there will be much of a push for the analysis of campfire smoke anytime soon, but inhaling anything but air is generally a bad thing.

What you know can kill you, but what you don't know can kill you as well.

 

[beemercer]

Originally posted by: chrisms
At least booze gets you drunk.

Amen :thumbsup:.