Smokers in 2014

Quote: AxelWolf

I have plenty of them Ill sell them to you for half price. I got Cohiba and sun grown well

lol how long have you had those for? Once they dry out you can throw them away. Re-humidifying them is a pain in the ass and doesn't work that well -- they never taste the same.

Quote: AxiomOfChoice

I definitely liked cigars the first time I tried them. I started with milder ones though. I only started to appreciate the more full-flavored ones recently.

Cigarettes are kind of gross -- I've never liked them. If I am really drunk and don't have any cigars I will smoke a cigarette, but I smoke it like a cigar (don't inhale). This happens maybe once or twice a year.

Djatc thinks them small flavored cigarettes and cloves are cigars just because they say that on the package.

Quote: AxiomOfChoice

lol how long have you had those for? Once they dry out you can throw them away. Re-humidifying them is a pain in the ass and doesn't work that well -- they never taste the same.

Don't worry I keep them in the freezer under the fish.

Quote: VCUSkyhawk

I am a cigar smoker. And yes, there are many fine flavors. My current favorite is a Romeo y Julieta Reserve Maduro. Excellent.

I've never had a dominican R&J that I've liked (although the cuban ones are quite good). I've never tried the maduro though (and I love maduros) so I will give it a try.

My absolute favorite is the Padron 1926 80th anniv. maduro. It's on the pricy side (to put it mildly) but totally worth it.

I love those old movies where the doctor is talking to the patient and both of them are puffing away.

Kool.

Is-proof-smoking-lowers-IQ-Study-suggests-20-day-drastically-reduces-mental-capacity

Quote: Ahigh

Is-proof-smoking-lowers-IQ-Study-suggests-20-day-drastically-reduces-mental-capacity

This is the problem with science reporting. It's often sensationalized, and far more subject to public trendiness than the science itself.

In the middle of the article, you see, "Dr. Mark Weiser, who led the research, said it is unclear whether smoking causes IQ levels to drop or whether less intelligent people are simply more inclined to smoke."

It'd be more interesting if they gave the IQ difference of the brothers studied and whether that difference was greater than or less than brothers who both either smoked or didn't smoke. As well as how the brother sample was chosen. I guess I'm still not sure how you get causation out of that. I think you still need a mechanism to be convincing.

I say that I can't understand why people smoke: practically everyone I've known who smoked has told me never to smoke on general principle, whereas everyone who's told me not to drink either didn't drink themselves, or meant me, specifically.

But I remember back in my college days, being something of a night owl, I used to sit outside with the smokers just because they were there. I guess that's how people start. It's my understanding David Mitchell (Victoria Coren's husband - we've all seen that video) took up smoking because he got sick of being the one left inside while everyone else went out to have a smoke.

I also used to wonder how people got started on heroin, until I realized how prevalent painkiller abuse was, and how little difference (other than the terrifyingly low lethal/active ratio) there really is between heroin and oxy/vikes/morphine.

Quote: onenickelmiracle

Most people who smoke begin as teenagers, so you're probably encountering the exception.

I don't know that this is as true as it was pre-2000. That is when the price squeeze really started to hit, making the price-sensitive teen think twice.

Quote: djatc

BTW do any smokers start because they like the taste/sensation, or is it all because of peer pressure or to look cool?

When I started, one of the parts that kept me coming back was the feel of the cigarette paper between my fingers. The brand I enjoyed at the time* had particularly high quality, silky smooth paper.

At work, I have to stop what I'm doing and go outside for a smoke. I find that useful to clear one's mind. Many coworkers wouldn't understand if I just said "I need to go outside for 10 minutes", but people tend to be more understanding about getting a nicotine fix.

I was off it for a goodly while, but then an attractive acquaintance suggested we go outside to share a cigarette and talk. It wasn't about looking cool, it was about escaping the rest of the situation together and sharing an experience.

Nowadays, I usually only want nicotine when I'm working or gambling.



*Discontinued brand. :(