Smoking Poll
Oct. 1st, 2007 02:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
emmelinemayIn the light of the age for purchasing cigarettes rising from 16 to 18 as of today, I've been thinking about smoking today.¹
I've never smoked. When I was very young and became very ill on several occasions, it was linked to cigarette smoke, and the Dr pronounced me 'allergic to cigarettes'. What about them, I've never discovered, but it's been enough to keep me from ever being tempted. More than that though, as a child, I really wasn't interested. I thought it was horrible - i didn't understand why the 'cool kids' all did it. I was quite prepared to have them think me 'sad' because i didn't smoke, i thought they were quite pathetic themselves to hang about outside newsagents, begging adults to buy them cigarettes. I thought even as a kid - why DO that to yourself?
Until I was about 17, I was rabidly anti-smoking; always trying to get friends and family to give up.
I've given up being anti-smoking, what with growing up, your mind opens and your opinions change. I still think smoking is pretty pointless, as drugs go, and would rather friends didn't, mainly because I don't like the smell or the health implications.
An interesting conversation some time ago with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hannahlucas, who did her dissertation on the subject², lead to the idea that a cigarette is actually one of the most harmful drugs out there. Not only is is totally addictive, it's *permanently* addictive. Even after you've given up, the craving can stay with you for ever. Also, it's permanently damaging. The effect on your body of many other drugs is reversed after enough time without that drug - whereas the damage cigarettes can do is permanent.
And of course, nicotine is legal. And still despite³ the smoking laws, it's still socially acceptable. Depending on your peer group, it's not only acceptable, but compulsory -if you don't want to be seen as the loser that doesn't smoke, the one who watches the drinks while others go outside, the teacher's pet too afraid of getting caught behind the bike sheds, or wherever it is that kids smoke these days.
So I've been thinking about this age thing. Does it really make a difference? Will it really prevent kids taking up smoking at an early age? I have my doubts, personally. I think that if you are going to want to try a cigarette, you'll get one - and the age limit being 16 or 18 will make no difference.
And so. To add to my ponderings, I would like you all, smokers, non smokers, never-smokers and no-longer-smokers, to do my smoking poll...
[Poll #1064131]
[1] - I mean, I've been thinking about smoking as an issue, not that I've been thinking of having a cigarette...
[2] - and as such, please refer to Ms Lucas herself for the science bit
[3] - or maybe partly due to? But that's a whole other debate right there...illegal things are MOAR FUN innit...
I've never smoked. When I was very young and became very ill on several occasions, it was linked to cigarette smoke, and the Dr pronounced me 'allergic to cigarettes'. What about them, I've never discovered, but it's been enough to keep me from ever being tempted. More than that though, as a child, I really wasn't interested. I thought it was horrible - i didn't understand why the 'cool kids' all did it. I was quite prepared to have them think me 'sad' because i didn't smoke, i thought they were quite pathetic themselves to hang about outside newsagents, begging adults to buy them cigarettes. I thought even as a kid - why DO that to yourself?
Until I was about 17, I was rabidly anti-smoking; always trying to get friends and family to give up.
I've given up being anti-smoking, what with growing up, your mind opens and your opinions change. I still think smoking is pretty pointless, as drugs go, and would rather friends didn't, mainly because I don't like the smell or the health implications.
An interesting conversation some time ago with
hannahlucas, who did her dissertation on the subject², lead to the idea that a cigarette is actually one of the most harmful drugs out there. Not only is is totally addictive, it's *permanently* addictive. Even after you've given up, the craving can stay with you for ever. Also, it's permanently damaging. The effect on your body of many other drugs is reversed after enough time without that drug - whereas the damage cigarettes can do is permanent. And of course, nicotine is legal. And still despite³ the smoking laws, it's still socially acceptable. Depending on your peer group, it's not only acceptable, but compulsory -if you don't want to be seen as the loser that doesn't smoke, the one who watches the drinks while others go outside, the teacher's pet too afraid of getting caught behind the bike sheds, or wherever it is that kids smoke these days.
So I've been thinking about this age thing. Does it really make a difference? Will it really prevent kids taking up smoking at an early age? I have my doubts, personally. I think that if you are going to want to try a cigarette, you'll get one - and the age limit being 16 or 18 will make no difference.
And so. To add to my ponderings, I would like you all, smokers, non smokers, never-smokers and no-longer-smokers, to do my smoking poll...
[Poll #1064131]
[1] - I mean, I've been thinking about smoking as an issue, not that I've been thinking of having a cigarette...
[2] - and as such, please refer to Ms Lucas herself for the science bit
[3] - or maybe partly due to? But that's a whole other debate right there...illegal things are MOAR FUN innit...
