I am a smoker. I know, I know, I know. It's bad for me....I'm well aware of every single pitfall. But for whatever it's worth - I smoke. And I'm not a light smoker - I have a pretty hefty habit going.
I started when I was 9 years old. Mama came out to the kitchen one morning and found me with a cup of coffee, smoking a cigarette. When she "asked" what was goin' on my response was simple. They told me it would make me stop growing. (remember the wives tale - it'll stunt your growth? yeah, well, I was counting on it.)
Anyway - despite every punishment you could imagine and a couple that might just surprise you - I kept the habit. I only quit once, and that was when I was pregnant. After the miscarraige I went back at it even heavier.
I've tried to quit a few times - for my own reasons. In fact - I had decided when I started this job that I was giving myself one month - just one month - then the slow down starts. Tomorrow - no smoking during working hours. Next week - add in drive time. Give myself a couple weeks than cut out nights (except for bar nights - come on....give me a break!) Eventually nada, nothing. I will be done. Don't talk to me about cold turkey. I've smoked over 2 packs a day for over 20 years. I know me, I know my body. We're gonna try it this way.
Anyhow - while visiting T1G's site - he points out an article talking about raising taxes to give smokers motivation to quit.
Kiss. My. Ass.
That's almost enough to make me smoke more.
I remember when cigarettes were less than $1 a pack. I swore when they hit $1 I'd quit. Nope. $2 then. No - still smoking. $3 - I did switch to generic, but the smokes still rising. If you've got a habit - that crap isn't gonna work. Not one bit. Oh, some may use it as a motivator - but for most of us - forgetaboutit.
I've been known to choose cigarettes over food. THAT'S sayin' something.
But what gets me the most is the fact that people will actually fall for this bull shit.
It's just an excuse to raise taxes. Pure and simple. And by couching it as "being helpful" they are hopeful that people will actually support it.
When I lived in Florida we passed the smoking ban. (I say we - I voted against it.) No smoking in resturants and most bars. What did I do? Went to outdoor bars/resturants or just flippin' stayed home. Heck it's more fun to hang out in a home with friends than it is in a bar - and damn, did I start saving money!!
I'm NOT saying that smoking is good. I'm not proud that this, this, thing has such a strangle hold on my life. I'm not. BUT.....I don't want the government involved. Nope. Not at all.
Don't worry about my health. I'm a big girl - I make my own decisions. And don't pretend that you're doin' this for me. I won't be your poster child. I won't be your chimp.
Posted by Tammi at June 7, 2005 05:00 AM | TrackBackOk, as long as you know the risks involved in smoking I won't mention that fact that every person I know that has gotten lung cancer has died within 5 years of their initial diagnoise.
Lung cancer isn't pretty and it's not an easy way to go.
But you wouldn't have to worry about someone cutting your hair, cause the chemo would take care of that for you.
Posted by: Machelle at June 7, 2005 06:39 AMYou are a big girl. I would prefer you didn't and mainly for selfish reasons. It stinks. I know. My mom still smokes. Even after my dad died a fairly horrible death from complications of lung cancer. But mainly... it just stinks. When we go to visit it takes me a week to get it out of our clothes, hair, suitcases. Ewww.
But it would be like asking me to quit eating chocolate. Ain't gonna happen. I'm a big girl. Still ain't gonna make me stop. They only time I cut back was when I was pregnant. Notice I didn't say quit. Though I limited it to twice a week.
Though we have never met... I care about you. I hope you do what is best for you. And if you decide to quit, I'll be here cheering for you.
ps. you can still come to stay with me if you are smoking. I don't mind. I hope we can have another blog meet in Florida in the next year or two.
Posted by: vw bug at June 7, 2005 06:46 AMAmen!
Posted by: Pammy at June 7, 2005 09:19 AMI started smoking at a very young age too - around 11 or 12. I had a two pack a day habit by the time I was 30. I was able to cut down when I was pregnant with Andy to maybe 4 cigarettes a day, but I started fully up again after he was born. I finally quit about 4 months later - or started to quit - I cut my consumption in half every week - first week, only one pack a day - second week - 1/2 pack a day, etc. That was about 20 years ago and I have no desire for a cigarette.
I did find that changing other habits at the same time helped a lot - I had to stop drinking coffee for 2 years, because that was one of my triggers for smoking. I switched from drinking beer to drinking wine or margaritas, because beer was a trigger.
Not having those triggers made it easier.
Good luck, Tammi - I know you can get er done!
Posted by: Beth at June 7, 2005 09:24 AMI agree, Tammi. It's absolute crap.
Posted by: Deb at June 7, 2005 11:49 AMI voted for the no smoking in restaurants, BUT do not agree with the higher tax on Cigs. Having them cost more money is not going to make people quit. It is an addiction. People will quit when they CAN quit, not because big government is going to MAKE them quit.
You know how I feel about you and your smokes. You will quit when you are ready. I am not going to nag. You are a big girl. I accept you 100% for who you are.
Posted by: Bou at June 7, 2005 12:16 PMI tried going to the patch a while back. First their a bitch to light, and second you only get a drag or two before they burn into a pile of ashes. I finally had to roll 'em up and put them between my cheek and gum. Such a pain I finally went back to just smoking.
Posted by: koolaid at June 7, 2005 02:11 PMWhen I buy cigarettes I use my debit card, that way I just sign the receipt, toss it into my purse, completely forget about it, and go about my way completely oblivious to how much I spent.
Sad thing is, my grandmother (the one I actually liked) died of lung cancer and I know first hand how horrible it is. Another sad thing is I started smoking as a way to piss of my fiance at the time, as well as to get used to it before moving to Holland for school cause they mix the pot with tobacco.
*sings* I was gonna go to class...but then I got hiiiiiigh.
Posted by: Anathematized1 at June 7, 2005 05:19 PMI watched my mom die from cancer, emphasema, and congestive heart failure at age 60 from smoking.
I was in the room during her last four hours of life watching the numbers on the monitors get slowly lower.
That said, extra taxes on cigs is complete bullshit.
Like you said, it's revenue generation, pure and simple. The fact that they work the estimated windfall of extra revenue into the budget tells you they aren't expecting those funds to go away anytime soon and they don't give a rat's ass about acually getting people to quit.
Posted by: Graumagus at June 7, 2005 09:12 PM