[Blown]

holy novel VP. My .02 cents there are dumb ppl, rude ppl, that just dont think about what they are doing and how it is affecting others. If someone wants to be like them, oh freaking well.

Anyway, I really dont have a problem with smokers, since I am or was one. I quit, or am in the process of quitting cause I dont want to be selfish in shortening my life for my kids sake. For some reason I kinda think they would like to see me around as long as they can. Right now we have a friend of the family, in bed on morphine that can say about 5 words before he basically falls back asleep from smoking related cancer. His wife has to sit there and watch this, waiting for the day it ends. Mind you he is under the age of 60 which most ppl live longer than that. Now because he got to enjoy his wonderful smoking to his death, his wife is now going to be left with probably selling the home along with some other things just to make it thru the rest of her years, since he was diagnosed fairly early with cancer he couldnt get any good life insurance. Sometimes the good things in life arent all about YOU.

[Lhiannan_Shee]

Violent Pacifist makes some really good points. I would be scared to argue against him on this topic =)

As for my view on the topic.... I really don't care. Smoke irritates me, and I find it gross, but I put up with it occasionally, or if it really is bothering me, i can leave. It is every person's choice to smoke, if they choose. They are aware of the consequences. I also believe it should be within people's right to smoke marijuana, if they choose, in their own homes. I couldn't care less if restaurants have smoking sections, or if you can smoke in a bar...

There was a time when they thought smoking was good for you. They recommended pregnant women to smoke. Then, it became "cool" to smoke... then, they realised what smoking really does, and it's not looking as "cool" anymore. Seriously, other than addiction, is there really a valid reason for someone choosing to smoke? I can't personally understand why anyone would smoke, knowing what the side effects are. When I smoked, I smelt bad, my nails started going yellow, I had a constant cough, and my lungs HURT when I went hiking, etc.

I'm assuming most of the really upset people defending smokers are teenagers. I had different views on pretty much everything when I was younger, and no matter how stupid my opinion was (or how many times I contradicted myself), I would argue it til I was blue in the face.

Then again, I really shouldn't talk, because I'm packing a bong and lighting up as soon as this post is complete.
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[GellyRoll]

You know there's alot more too it. People know what will happen to them if they smoke their not stupid. I think its a lot of stress. Thats why its soo hard to quit. People have lots of stress from work. even though i dont work i know because i feel like people piss on me when they get home because they are so pissed. I think work and tons of other stress is why they start in the first place. My dad started smoking a long time ago because of work and his weight. He quit, but he stiff chews with some herbs in it so he didn't hurt his lungs. (well thats what he believes) anyways quiting is a lot easier said then done.
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[JtH]

Ok VP, i see what your saying. but dont say my posts were aimed at anyone or anything. i was just stating my opinions. One of the things i do in my life is smoke. I like eating a big steak and have a smoke. I like relaxing reading a book, and smoking. Thats how i choose to enjoy my life. Im in no way stating thats how everyone should enjoy their life. How you do it is up to you. smoking just happens to be one of the things i enjoy about life.

I have friends that smoke, and i have friends that dont. I dont harp on my friends for not smoking, and they dont harp on me for smoking. we have that understanding. i at least understand that not everyone enjoys everything i do like i do. i enjoy smoking, many people do not. I never encourage them to start smoking. on the contrary, i tell them not to, cause its expensive and dirtys your lungs. even though i know this, i still choose to smoke. i accept these risks for one of the simple pleasures i have. now im not saying it is a pleasure to everyone, im just saying for me it is. i enjoy after working a hard day i like to kick back and have a cigarette. other people like to take a nap, read a book, i like to sit and have a smoke. I like having the choice to smoke if i so choose to.

basically i think that is the point im trying to get across.
We all do different things to enjoy life, one of mine just happens to be smoking. I also play paintball, hang out with my girlfriend, hold my baby sister, hang out with my brother, play computer games, eat alot of food, read a book, etc etc....... The difference between nonsmokers and i, is one of those things happens to be smoking a cigarette. Thats the only difference.

jack
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[Vicoden]

The illegal activities you listed is Relevant, some of the "activities" you listed can kill you instantly. The arguement about living your life to fullest started with the statement "smoking can take 10 years off your life". My PERSONAL opinion is, that just isnt that much, those are the years at the end. Now unless some freak smoking accident happens, like lighting up and driving into a tree, or starting your self on fire, your not going to die instantly from smoking. Yes, some may die at 60, but many others live to be much much older. I eat breakfast with a guy who is 78 years old and smokes 2 packs of unfiltered cigs a day. He still works everyday, and enjoys every activity a non-smoking 78 year old enjoys. Is this a freak case?, maybe - maybe not.

No Lhiannan_Shee, I'm not a teenager, I'm 27 and started smoking because I liked the smell, and after I tried it I liked the taste. Never cared if it was cool or not, or how it affected my health.

The comment about blowing smoke into a baby carriage wasn't a quote from you or anyone else.....it was an example Some people stated how some smokers are rude or inconsiderate about the people around them EX: Children. I was simply pointing out, that I am not.

I would hardly call smoking cigarettes "dangerous", unhealthy yes. Dangerous makes it sound like I'm living life on the edge, and could go at anytime. If smoking cigarettes is living life on the edge, then I'm going to start walking to work. (again, just and example) Far, Far, Far more people are killed each year driving in their cars. Is that to say you enjoy a dangerous activity because you ride in a car? Someone brought up the point of health care, and how smokers are raising rates. Far more insurance money is spent each year on medical, legal, and collision expenses from auto accidents then on smoking related health problems.
When was the last time automakers were faced with a multi-billion dollar lawsuit because people were dying in their cars after the automaker said the car was safe? Even though after a 10 mph crash the entire rearend of the car has to be replaced. Yet tabacco companies had to pay out billions to idiots that thought breathing smoke into their lungs wasn't going to hurt their health, And because having a cartoon camel on the pack was advertising to get children hooked.



** Not to change the topic too much **

So where does this leave us?, do we all start walking to work or do we buy some horses? I wouldn't think so, driving a car is a risk we take everyday that we live with. I love to drive, many summer nights are spent with my g/f driving around in my truck with the windows down, the tunes up, and the smoke blowing. Combining these two "dangerous" activities together may make me seem like some reckless youth. But I'm just enjoying my time here, and doing two things I like to do.

Yeah, I may not see my grandchildren graduate from college, but alot of that has to do with me not wanting children. And yes, I spend alot of money on something that just goes up in smoke. People spend money frivolously all the time, on clothes, cars, pot, lottery tickets, and on and on and on. For me 3.50 $ a day is cheap for something I enjoy, some people spend that supersizing their meal at Mc Donalds, More power to em. Although they should be careful, eating all that fat and grease could be considered "dangerous".

For you V.P, I think you take my posts alittle too seriously, I understand you like to argue, and I'm sure you'll have a 10,000 word response to this one too, but its all in fun I don't think any of us is going to persuade the other to agree, thats what makes living in a free country great.

[Violent Pacifist]

Lol I love to argue and I love to write. Yea, I think I probably did take your other posts too seriously at a few points (it was 1 in the morning), but I felt obligated to write a merry little novel for you guys to read

I dunno, maybe we should all start walking to work. It would give those fat people a little exercise inbetween their 100% fat meals at mcdonalds.
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We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.