[ilostabet]

Quote:

there are no advantages to smoking cigarettes in and of itself.

there are too many to count, they are just subjective.

objectively however there's the advantage of pissing off militant non-smokers (which usually are ex-smokers). that is simply something you cannot get any other way and it's totally worth it.

[Winston Wolfe]

(10-18-2018 05:00 AM)ilostabet Wrote:  

Quote:

there are no advantages to smoking cigarettes in and of itself.

there are too many to count, they are just subjective.

objectively however there's the advantage of pissing off militant non-smokers (which usually are ex-smokers). that is simply something you cannot get any other way and it's totally worth it.

Not sure if you are referring to me when you say "pissing off militant non-smokers (which usually are ex-smokers)".

If you are, though, I'll emphasize that I am not pissed off at all and if I come across that way, that's not how I meant to come across.

I hang out with smokers all the time, have nothing against them and even secretly still enjoy the smell sometimes.

In this thread I am simply giving the OP a dose (heh) of what helped me quit in the past, because I recognize a lot of my own past reasoning in OP's words.

Regarding the "advantages vs disadvantages" debate, enough has been said about that and we can agree to disagree on that. If there are subjective advantages to smoking cigarettes for you, more power to you.

[ilostabet]

Quote:

Not sure if you are referring to me when you say "pissing off militant non-smokers (which usually are ex-smokers)".

I was not. It was mostly a joke (although militant non-smokers tend to be amusing, at least for short periods).

I should probably make a proper, non-joke reply at this point.

I can definitely say there are many subjective advantages for me: it helps me relax when stressed, helps me think when I need to focus, and it tastes really good - with coffee, with whisky, after lunch, before lunch, on the toilet - anywhere really. I really do enjoy smoking. I do however have some considerations about 'proper' smoking:

If you're smoking ready-made cigarettes, stop. Those are bad for you. Most of that stuff is harmful chemicals added to the tobacco. Smoke (quality) rolling tobacco or cigars (small cigars are best as substitutes for cigarettes in my opinion). Quality rolling tobacco should be humid, and the "strands" should come out together, instead of being just a gross powder.

You can do this test: smoke one normal cigarette and a quality rolled cigarette. Pour some of the ash on a table, then smash it with your fingers. The ash from the rolled cigarette is just ash. The ash from the normal cigarette becomes a strange paste when you smash it. That's all the chemicals.

You will also notice in your lung capacity. I can smoke one of my rollies and go for a run, play football or lift, with no issues. If I smoke a normal one, I'd be gasping for air immediately.

The smell is also less chemical of course, and does not get into your clothes as much.

Good quality smoke (dark):


Good quality smoke (virginia):


Someone told me a joke once about a non-smoker bothering a smoker with how much money he was losing. He asked him how much he spent on cigarettes, then did the math and figured that if he hadn't smoked, and instead saved the money over the years, he could have bought a Ferrarri. Smoker answers: so where's yours parked?

I have read, though not sure if true, that tobacco actually increases your testosterone. Who knows?

It definitely improves my well being. Perhaps it has negative effects on your physical health but it has positive ones on your mental health. On mine at least.

Now the mandatory G Manifesto tweet.

[H1N1]

I don't smoke for all the obvious and well known reasons, but I love it and if it wasn't damaging I would do it for sure. Very occasionally I'll have one, and it is an absolute treat. Sat at a little table in the street with a good coffee, on an autumnal afternoon, with that lovely light, and all the colours on the trees, watching the world go by - this is a small slice of heaven as far as I'm concerned.

[NoMoreTO]

(10-17-2018 06:07 PM)NoMoreTO Wrote:  

"Advantages":
There are some small advantages to smoking, being able to acknowledge them in my mind and then to point to the better reasons why works better for me. Generally smokers who quit end up hating smoking more than non smokers, but to me this is just intellectual honesty:
- date on my balcony: lighting up with a girl that can create a bond, when you have a girl who smokes, she likes to loosen up and have a smoke with a man, there is a sexual tension or something that happens.
- outside a bar / street game: yes you can open girls with a light or a smoke very easily. I've had attractive women come to me because they wanted a smoke, cheaper than a drink.

All of these "Advantages" are the hamster at work. There are no advantages, unless dieing of cancer at age 59 is considered an advantage.
[/quote]

If I get laid because I can open a girl with a smoke, or if having a smoke with a girl on the balcony helps make the night go smooth it is providing a benefit. If I can have a one on one convo with a buddy about a business item outside a party over a smoke, it provides a benefit.

Your answer to everything is "Hamster at work, I get it, my brother is/was a heavy smoker and he thinks like this. To be honest it is just your method of quitting to train your mind that every single part of it is negative.
> Reality is people start to smoke for reasons other than addiction, and it takes a little bit of time to get hooked, so they are doing it for a reason.

For me, I prefer to be honest with myself and say, yes I like a couple things about smoking, but on balance I want to live longer and healthier

[NoMoreTO]

(10-18-2018 01:34 AM)Lampwick Wrote:  

(10-17-2018 06:07 PM)NoMoreTO Wrote:  

I believe smoking is both a social habit, personal habit, and a chemical addiction. I have quit a few times and have quit now for 8 days. As a light smoker, the most important thing is not drinking too much (or at all) in the initial 2 -4 weeks and changing up my routine a little to avoid patterns.

Also - agree with above, there is no middle ground. Especially for a heavy smoker. I played with the middle ground for 8 years and eventually I became a light smoker. (1/2 pack when drinking, 2 -5 cigs at night when not)

This is a little bit confusing. Are you saying you're addicted? If you are addicted, are you trying to quit for good? If so, do you acknowledge that quitting means no more smoking, however light?

Quitting means 0 smoking, but a light smoker can maybe do the social smoking for years before getting hooked. I wouldn't encourage it, but I wonder if I could have got away with it if I didn't have a girlfriend who was a light smoker. I doubt that a heavy smoker can go back to being a social smoker.

In my mind I was 1/3 addicted, the other 2/3 is routines and cravings.
Came to Colombia 10+ days ago and have since been smoke free.
- No desire to smoke during the day after the first few days
- No smokers balcony here, or routine of smoking - I think this helps
- A couple of cravings with alcohol for sure.

Am I physically addicted or is it social/habitual? You tell me:
- Last night split a bottle of wine over dinner with a girl and craved a smoke. If there was a balcony in my place, and if the girl was a smoker and pulled a pack out I'll admit it would have been tough.
- Found a Nicorette gum in my jacket pocket and had one this morning, the nicotine gave me a headache and I spit it out pretty quickly. A week ago it would have calmed my nerves/craving.

[Lampwick]

(10-17-2018 06:07 PM)NoMoreTO Wrote:  

Am I physically addicted or is it social/habitual? You tell me:

There is a persistent meme that there is such a thing as "physical addiction" and "psychological addiction". This is wrong. There is simply addiction and dependence.

For example, if someone is using opiate medication regularly and they stop suddenly, they will often have withdrawal symptoms such as getting sick. This is dependence. It is a separate concept from addiction.

To determine if you're addicted to something, you can ask yourself a couple questions (and answer honestly):

Does my use have negative consequences? Health, career, family, etc. Even the five cigarettes per day you mentioned as your light usage significantly increases your risk of heart disease according to more recent research.

Can I stop using when I want to? If the answer is no, then you're addicted. Being able to quit for X number of days doesn't count. You have to be able to drop a habit that is impacting you negatively for an extended period of time, and without substituting something else. Remember, this is a separate concept from having withdrawal symptoms.

[Max RNR]

I love Nicotina.

I quit quitting years ago and have only had success and good times since.

If it's your bag, keep on. If not, wax it.

( I will be over in the "hater lounge" later for bars that don't allow cigs inside during regular biz hours... the cowards

[scubadude]

Another rep for Allen Carr. Quit over a decade ago after reading it and know many others since who have as well.

[kaotic]

Killing your health to run game for some pussy.

[bojangles]

I switched to IQOS.

[Steve McQueen]

I've been on a vape for almost 7 months now, you can still hang out in the smoking area so its a win win if you're trying to bang girls.

The worst temptation lve had is TV shows set in the past, example narcos.

The main guy Pena in season 3 is trying to quit with gum and relents, he then makes that cigarette look so good like its better than sex, great actor.

I've hamstered a lot myself, been a smoker for over 20 years, its a beautiful affliction and l do miss it at times.

The younger girls generally don't smoke, and the ones that do are more likely to be crazy. Vape and dabble mate or just go to the gym, put in the work and meet a quality girl.

[scotian]

I’ve made it over 48 hours since my last cigarette so the toughest part is mostly over, I’ve quit smoking so many times that it’s pretty easy now as I know exactly what to expect. I deal with the cravings by drinking a lot of water, brushing my teeth after meals, chewing gum and taking shorts walks while breathing deeply.

All of the social and game advantages that smoking cigarettes “may” have can also be done with cannabis, which is legal in Canada now. Instead of asking a girl if she wants to smoke a cig, I’ll either have a joint to smoke or a disposible shatter vape pen to puff on. Lots of girls who are into fitness smoke weed, many do so instead of drinking.

Smoking cigarettes for sure and drinking are becoming less cool it seems, while smoking marijuana is increasing in popularity. Personally I think it’s a good thing, I’m also 20 days booze free (sober October) and two days weed free, had to celebrate legalization 10/17!

[Hoo]

I quit a couple of times and it was always hard as fuck. I was able to stay off for 3 years until I made some bad judgments living with smoker friends and went right back to a pack and a half per day.

Also on 3rd day now, but doing it with nicotine gums. Whenever I feel a serious desire to smoke I take one (like 5-6 per day) and am good, like "cigarettes are disgusting I am so happy I don't smoke" good. Hopefully, I will be able to cut down and then just quit.

I know plenty of people that quit successfully using vape and lowering nicotine dosage but it never worked for me. It felt like a worse version of smoking and I'd just endup vaping all day

Anyway, cold turkey is probably still the best if you aren't in a stressful period of your life and have some friends/family that support you (that was huge for me when I quit cold turkey) even something like reddit stopsmoking community can help, just someone to talk about it through the most intense urges the first week.

[Winston Wolfe]

(10-19-2018 09:48 PM)Hoo Wrote:  

Anyway, cold turkey is probably still the best if you aren't in a stressful period of your life and have some friends/family that support you (that was huge for me when I quit cold turkey) even something like reddit stopsmoking community can help, just someone to talk about it through the most intense urges the first week.

Whatever method you use, at the end of the day, all you need to do is not light up a cigarette. Yes it sounds cliche and it's kind of an oversimplification, but that's all there is to it. There is no "right" or "wrong" way to quit and whichever way works for you is the best way for you.

Personally I do find cold turkey to be the most effective. I tried cutting down several times, but when I finally did quit, it was cold turkey. The first few days are very hard like scotian also mentioned, but it gets easier real quick. Expect to suffer for about 2 to 3 months, if you make it past that mark, the hard part really is behind you.

Also, understand that the cravings will never really disappear 100%. But also understand that these cravings are mostly psychological and not physical. The actual nicotine addiction is gone in just a few days.

I am smoke free for just over a year now and I still get the occasional craving. These usually come in very unexpected situations, where subconsciously I make an association with smoking cigarettes. They last for about 2 minutes and then go away.

One of my uncles quit cigarettes over 15 years ago and he says he still gets this sometimes, maybe once every couple months.

[Harryhonolulu]

I just read an article on CNN saying that exercise and diet are more important to life longevity than whether or not you smoke socially. So if you hit the gym regularly and eat clean, and you don't burn through a pack of Marlboro Reds a day, you'll be okay smoking socially.

My whole approach to smoking is that there is a DEFINITE difference between doing it socially and doing it as a crutch. I know because I am one of those social smokers that would never check the box on "smoker". Example: I haven't smoked in 2 months. I went out last night. I felt like a cigarette. I smoked it with a hot chick. I told her it had been 2 months. She asked me "why did you start again". I grinned and said "because of you".

Cut to: porn music.

So yeah. Use them to meet chicks but also remember that super hot, healthy, fit chicks generally don't smoke and hate those who do. So maybe focus on getting those and chatting them up at the kombucha counter lol

[bigbadpua]

Try e-cigarette. Much healthier and same reason to go outside and smoke, I mean vape. Or even this new thing iqos.

[The Catalyst]

Thanks guys who recommended Allen Carr's Easy Way. I'm starting to read it and everything he says makes so much sense.

I don't smoke but I've struggled to break my porn addiction, let's see if this works. Intuitively the way he thinks about things just seems better than the way I've thought about them.

[ilostabet]

I have to share another G Manifesto tweet.

and why not this one too?

On a more serious note (even though the comedic approach by G doesn't mean he is not correct, which he is), I understand the reasons for giving up tobacco, as much as I understand the reasons for not giving it up.

But going to the original question, doing something just to game girls is weak frame. You can keep a lighter on you just for these occasions. Don't smoke ready-made cigarettes just to game. It's beneath you.

I also tend to agree that girls who smoke and would be easier to game because of this shared habit are not necessarily what you would look like in a wife. You have to account however for cultural differences. Where I'm from the anti-smoking brainwashing hasn't taken hold as much as it has in the US, so you'll find decent girls who are smokers. The social smokers of the club scene are for easy sex only, but that has nothing to do with smoking and again, you don't need to smoke to game these girls.

Lastly, just want to say that vaping and iqos (or whatever they're called) are gay. It wouldn't surprise me if they were entirely made of soy (and had tracking devices).

Beware.

A real man uses his hands:

[Winston Wolfe]

@OP what did you end up doing?

[scotian]

Glad to see this thread bumped, I forgot exactly how long it’s been since I quit so I checked the post I made on the first day which was ironically my quit day. Two months now boys!

[LowerCaseG]

Chantix is in the process of working for me. Makes the residual cigarettes you do smoke absolutely disgusting. Usually not a pill guy but would recommend trying it.

[Uprising]

Good luck to you OP. Unless you are one of the rare people who have the genes to smoke a pack a day and live to 99 years old, you will eventually die from cancer from smoking heavily (not sure if you smoke heavy or not). Cancer is a shitty way to go out. We can't choose how we die, but we can at least take steps to reducing our chances for certain death outcomes.

[Apollo08]

I smoke weed to flesh out reality, not to make a break. I don’t use cannabis because I hate my job or my life. I don’t smoke weed because I can’t pay my bills. I definitely don’t smoke weed to avoid working on my relationship. As a matter of fact, cannabis has done a lot to help my relationship. I am depressed about the state of the world and Donald Trump being the president, but smoking weed doesn’t help me escape those facts. It does make those things easier to process, but I don’t forget them. In fact, this site is one of the sources of my weeds https://blimburnseeds.com/news/marijuana...-machine/. I smoke weed because I’m bipolar and I have a social anxiety disorder, and it helps me deal with it without taking pills. I smoke weed because it helps make me a better person.

[Matrixdude]

Is nicotine really that bad alone? I'm asking for people who use nicotine devices (like JUULs). Sure it constricts your blood vessels and elevates your BP (caffeine does this too), but that is only during the first 30 minutes of use when the effects start to dissipate.

I'm trying to equate the substance nicotine with caffeine in terms of health risk factors. I just don't see how it is any worse than caffeine. Cigarettes are ass because of the toxic chemicals and the tar but can nicotine be safe the same way caffeine is?

I ask this question because I got my BP checked by a physician recently, it was elevated, but she asked me if I drank an energy drink. I told her yes, and that I use a nicotine device (she asked when, it was an hour before). But she seemed more concerned with my caffeine intake than anything else because the effects of the nicotine on my BP had dissipated by then. (her logic, not mine) Then proceeded to recommend me to quit the pre-workout and did not mention anything about my nicotine device.