Poll: Why did you start smoking?

[Warthog]

This is a write in poll because, frankly, I can't think of any reasons to start

I found out a girl in my class I used to respect, smokes cigs along with weed....this is a girl (and some others actually) that were in a school program called Teens Against Tabacco and Teens With Other Choices....they must have known ALL the bad effects of smoking....so why did they get themselves hooked?

Why did you get yourself hooked? Stress at the time? Just wanted to try one and couldn't stop (figured you could quit anytime)?

Warthog

[ZENYO]

I started really young (14), at the time it was the cool thing to do. It's funny, I really never gave into peer pressure, I didn't listen to the popular music, and I didn't wear the popular clothes (I was a rocker )... But I started smoking??? We were sitting behind a building, my buddy, two girls, and myself. One of the girls (I liked ) told me she would kiss me if I had a cigarette!!

C'MON!!! I was 14!!!

[vass0922]

lol women are just evil
Can't say as their was any one time I 'started' smoking.. first had one with a friend.. but didn't start... then sometimes I'd have one on long drives back home from college and I'd get really tired.. help wake me up a little then after se.... errr ya.. then stress plus late night drives after a night shift.. pretty much a snowball effect after awhile lol
But I quit, never did like it and HATED the smell of it!
The only reason I liked it, was it got me away from the stress of work (damn code gets ya everytime lol) and helped me deal with the stress of relationships.. again women are evil LOL

[Knothead]

This is eerie!

Yep, cherchez la femme...

I was 17, would never smoke the things, esp. since it was obvious to me that the kids who did were trying to be cool... (emphasis on "trying") but I had been smoking pot for a coupl'a years...one night, this little long-legged colt and I were....well, her folks were away and....well, anyway, we'd just gotten done with a joint, and she lights up a cig and offers me one, hinting that she'd like to share THAT little experience too...

And one more after, and one before I left, "Hey, these things are pretty good!" Then I saw her again the next day, and we went behind the shop building (funny how I remember so well, those years are mostly a blur! )...

And you never think you'll get hooked. And with the wisdom of a teenager, WELL! You just KNOW you can quit ANYTIME!! That was 30 years ago!!

More proof that Marijuana leads to harder stuff!

and watch yourself with them long-legged gals, too!

[Vanguarde]

I never chose to smoke since I was a padawan, and the force was with me.

[Knothead]

Glad to hear, Vanguarde... so since we're all wondering anyway, why are you posting here on this thread?

[OuTpaTienT]

I started smoking non-filtered Camels because they got me "high"...or at least gave me a good buzz. I was 17-ish. Eventually I got used to it and they no longer gave me a buzz. Then I switched to regular filtered Camels.

Somewhere between there and age 25 I had found myself up to a pack+ a day. Prior to that knowledge I always considered myself an "occasional" or "light" smoker. But in my mind, a pack a day was the line that crossed into being an official, die-hard smoker.

Since I wasn't too happy with myself for allowing myself to become an "official" smoker, I took a moment to make myself a promise. I promised that I would quit smoking by age 30. That goal was far enough in the future that I didn't have to worry about it for a while. Figured I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Then, a few months prior to my 30th birthday I found myself lying around on a hot lazy Sunday afternoon, and just smoked my last cigerette. I really didn't want to go to the store to get more, plus I was short on cash (and the damn things were getting so expensive anyways). So I figured now is as good a time as any to quit. So I quit. Never bought any more. I think I bummed 2 or 3 smokes from friends in the period between that Sunday afternoon and my actually 30th birthday. But I've been smoke-free since that B-day. 4½ years now.

[justy]

I had my first cig at between 8-9 years old. I didn't start smoking then, but it was what grown up people did. I wanted to be grown up. I really started smoking in my early teens. Started with the cool adult look ( child with cigarette looks ridiculous ) thing, but them progreesed into habit.

We all smoked, no-one that I grew up with didn't smoke, boys or girls. No peer pressure, nobody forced you. It was just a social thing.

Sad really looking back, wish I'd never started. IF, yeah if, if I'd the price that I'd smoked, I'd be pretty comfortable now. But life isn't like that, so I'll light up another one, and promise myself I'll give up tomorrow, again.

Regrettably Justy.

[Angela]

I thought some people I saw doing it looked cool, and it looked like fun--and guess what, it was! I was 14, and I enjoyed the heck out of smoking right from the start. I smoked unfiltered Luckys for many years and had a good time doing it. Most of my friends smoked, too (I probably smelled too bad for the other folks--I smoked a lot!).

So why'd I quit, finally? Well, I couldn't breathe too well anymore and it scared the c*** out of me! Do I wish I hadn't started? To be honest, yes and no. I wish I hadn't damaged my lungs so badly; but I had so much fun during the years I was smoking, and my friends would have been different probably if I hadn't smoked, and I don't think those sort of regrets are constructive, so I just feel lucky I was able to quit when I did.

That's the really bad part--it's so very hard for people to quit!

[SpookyEddy]

I started smoking at about 14/15 which was when I first started going to the pub regularly with older friends. I think I started just because it was the norm to have a beer & a cig.

I quit on december the 22 last year at 22... so far so good