Advice Please

[YoliUSA]

This may sound silly but here it goes.

I started college last fall. As in all colleges a lot of people smoke; the thing is I've been tempted to try it, but I really dont want to try it because I know the harm it causes and the fact that is hard to quit later on. I just want you guys to give me some advice on how to avoid this; I know that I most certainly wont smoke but your advice could still be of great help.

[Li-Sung]

Originally Posted by YoliUSA

This may sound silly but here it goes.

I started college last fall. As in all colleges a lot of people smoke; the thing is I've been tempted to try it, but I really dont want to try it because I know the harm it causes and the fact that is hard to quit later on. I just want you guys to give me some advice on how to avoid this; I know that I most certainly wont smoke but your advice could still be of great help.

When I was younger, I thought smoking was "cool". But, really it is an expensive habit that will only make you ill over time. I think a way to avoid this feeling of temptation is to think what these smokers might be facing over time. My aunt she died of lung cancer and my dad had coronary embolism due to smoking and died quickly. Not to mention the expense of the whole thing.

[AB]

Two of my sister-in-laws have smoked since they were teenagers and now they've developed this horrible sounding cough from all those years of smoking. Plus they both have alot of wrinkles around their eyes and mouth and I believe that came from the smoking too. I'm glad I never took it up.

[TripperFan]

PPPUUULLLEEEEEASE do not consider this! Take it from me - I started smoking at 14 and am now 46 and am still hooked BADLY. It is more addicting than heroin. Is it cool to die of heart disease, cancer or emphysema? My father smoked 3 packs a day and died of a massive heart attack at age 53 (which might seem old to you now, but believe me, it isn't - I was 19 when I lost him).
My mother died 10 years ago of COPD and Emphysema. She was 5'6" tall, and weighed 64 lbs at the time of her death. She was on oxygen 24/7 and miserable in a nursing home. It was also quite a burden on the family. We had to pay extra for her care, couldn't leave our home locked because of the caretakers needing access throughout the day, couldn't get home insurance because she was STILL smoking around the oxygen.
And I'm ashamed to say, after all that, I STILL cannot get off these hideous things.
Besides, if you're dating, do you want to narrow down the dating pool? Who wants to date someone who stinks of stale smoke and needs to run outdoors at movies, restaurants, malls, clubs, and every other public function to grab that smoke. You'll feel like a "Leper" believe me. Some places now won't even hire a smoker because of the medical costs to their businesses.

Don't be crazy - it isn't what it's "cracked up to be" as they say.

COOL PEOPLE DON'T START SMOKING.

Oh btw - a carton of cigarettes (in Canada anyway) now costs $70. If you're smoking about a pack a day, that's $70 per week - $3,640 per year. Wouldn't you really rather do something better with that money?

[Holly]

Originally Posted by YoliUSA

This may sound silly but here it goes.

I started college last fall. As in all colleges a lot of people smoke; the thing is I've been tempted to try it, but I really dont want to try it because I know the harm it causes and the fact that is hard to quit later on. I just want you guys to give me some advice on how to avoid this; I know that I most certainly wont smoke but your advice could still be of great help.

My ADVICE IS DON'T SMOKE! If someone is trying to pressure you into smoking then i'd stop hanging out with them, but in my advice, i wouldn't smoke..and if they don't like that , then they can pounce off then they are not really friends. But Follow your heart on what you wanna do.. and good luck..

[TripperFan]

Originally Posted by Holly

My ADVICE IS DON'T SMOKE! If someone is trying to pressure you into smoking then i'd stop hanging out with them, but in my advice, i wouldn't smoke..and if they don't like that , then they can pounce off then they are not really friends. But Follow your heart on what you wanna do.. and good luck..

Exactly - what kind of a friend wants you to do something that will eventually harm your health? Either that, or it's just a case of misery loves company. Just don't!

[Janice]

My mother had two sisters. The three of them were heavy smokers. Her older sister died from emphysema in 1998. My mother died of lung cancer in 2002. The younger sister is now dying from lung cancer.

Watching a love one waste away from lung cancer is one of the most heartbreaking ordeals imaginable. I'll never recover from those 10 months when my mother was dying. She weighed 88 pounds when she died at age 67. She looked like a Holocaust victim.

Don't even think of picking up this deadly, costly and filthy habit. There's nothing good about it. Nothing at all. I quit smoking 20 years ago, and it was the best gift I ever gave myself.

[Max Whittaker]

Plenty of people have tried to get me to smoke. I simply say "no" and it ends there until someone asks me again.

It's easy. Say "No". I realize it's something that was drummed into us when we were kids but it really works. I don't have any desire to smoke anything. Never have. Never will. My friends will respect me for that, or they will move on. Either way, it's my choice and it's my life.

Do what you're comfortable with. That's my advice.

[Sterling Holobyte]

Max gave you some great advice there - just say NO. It's not as hard as it seems.


Now, if the temptation(or peer pressure) for you just gets too great and you really think it won't hurt to just try it, do this:
Don't just puff on one cigarette. Get a few packs of cigs and smoke them all one right after the other until you get all green and sick as a dog . It'll be a great precursor to how your life will ultimately be if you actually take up smoking. Then you will know what the future holds if you follow that path.

[Courtnee]

please don't start. listen to the almighty cathy.

[TripperFan]

Originally Posted by Courtnee

please don't start. listen to the almighty cathy.

And while you can! * cough * hack * choke *!

[Courtnee]

Originally Posted by TripperFan

And while you can! * cough * hack * choke *!

[YoliUSA]

Thank you all for your advice. I've decided that I wont try smoking, and it was a stupid idea in the first place. Luckily none of my friends smoke, neither does my boyfriend, so I dont really have any pressure there. My college has just banned smoking from the campus buildings, but people still continue to do it. I've also lost 2 family members due to their smoking habit (my grandfather died of emphysema last July, and my uncle died from throat cancer at age 42). Again thanks for all your advice, and TripperFan I hope you can quit smoking soon.

[TripperFan]

Originally Posted by YoliUSA

Thank you all for your advice. I've decided that I wont try smoking, and it was a stupid idea in the first place. Luckily none of my friends smoke, neither does my boyfriend, so I dont really have any pressure there. My college has just banned smoking from the campus buildings, but people still continue to do it. I've also lost 2 family members due to their smoking habit (my grandfather died of emphysema last July, and my uncle died from throat cancer at age 42). Again thanks for all your advice, and TripperFan I hope you can quit smoking soon.

So glad to hear you're talking some sense now. If anyone ever asks or pressures you again, just politely say no (actually, you don't even have to be polite about it since anyone who would try to encourage someone is an $&*@#! themselves). Just say you've already lost 2 family members from it - that should shut them up.
And don't worry - I haven't given up on the hope of quitting - will keep trying.

And thanks to Chris for the PM with tips -

[Yooch]

My mom died of emphysema; it is not a pleasant way to 'go'.