Smokers, will COVID make you quit?

Jan 9, 2007
20,120
2,088
Australia
I've been a former smoker for roughly two years, and let me tell you, the stress of this situation has had me craving (but not caving) for days now. When it comes to addictions, logic rarely comes into play. Yes, everyone should quit because of COVID. But everyone should quit just because they are so bad for you anyway (and a money pit, but that's another issue). If health was a real reason to quit for most who haven't, they would have already. As a former smoker, the only way smokers affect my life is when I get a whiff of second hand and it sets off a craving.

Just make them illegal already dammit.

On a side note, I'm not sure why the OP is singling out smokers. The world is "going out of their way" to help all sorts of groups of people here, not only smokers, and while I haven't read up any stats on how many severe cases have been smokers, I don't know if that would be a stat that made much of a difference except for in high risk groups like the elderly anyway.

Why make them illegal?
 

ManofSteel55

Registered User
Aug 15, 2013
31,864
11,992
Sylvan Lake, Alberta
Why make them illegal?
Seriously? They are product that does nothing but kill people and line the pockets of the billionaires who run their industry. The medical impact alone is enough to have them illegal IMO. The addictiveness also. Of course a black market would just pop up so I guess in the long run it doesn't really matter, but fewer people would do it if they had to buy it from a cigarette dealer in my opinion.
 

JoVel

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Jan 23, 2017
19,181
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Seriously? They are product that does nothing but kill people and line the pockets of the billionaires who run their industry. The medical impact alone is enough to have them illegal IMO. The addictiveness also. Of course a black market would just pop up so I guess in the long run it doesn't really matter, but fewer people would do it if they had to buy it from a cigarette dealer in my opinion.
Making them illegal would cause bigger problems than the health issues we have due to cigarettes.
 
Jan 9, 2007
20,120
2,088
Australia
Seriously? They are product that does nothing but kill people and line the pockets of the billionaires who run their industry. The medical impact alone is enough to have them illegal IMO. The addictiveness also. Of course a black market would just pop up so I guess in the long run it doesn't really matter, but fewer people would do it if they had to buy it from a cigarette dealer in my opinion.

You are right. A black market would open and it would be unmonitored and dominated by far shadier characters than billionaire businessmen.

Hike the prices with extreme taxes that go toward public services would be my preference. How much are smokes nowadays? When I lived in Australia they were like $25-30 for a 20 pack.
 

kife

Registered User
Dec 18, 2011
50
39
Not going to endorse smoking in any way. But in the case of this particular virus it is interesting that quite a few candidates are being synthesized using elements from the tobacco plant. Nicotine may interfere with the virus grabbing hold in a host. There have been a few studies on victims of covid noting that rates among smokers is extremely low compared to other demographics. Not a reason to start smoking of course. And in no way would it rationalize smoking considering how many deleterious effects it has on an individual and society at large. Anti-smoking groups have already denounced these theories and studies as being propaganda from the tobacco industry, so who knows...
 

Rich Nixon

No Prior Knowledge of "Flyers"
Jul 11, 2006
14,941
18,809
Key Biscayne
Not going to endorse smoking in any way. But in the case of this particular virus it is interesting that quite a few candidates are being synthesized using elements from the tobacco plant. Nicotine may interfere with the virus grabbing hold in a host. There have been a few studies on victims of covid noting that rates among smokers is extremely low compared to other demographics. Not a reason to start smoking of course. And in no way would it rationalize smoking considering how many deleterious effects it has on an individual and society at large. Anti-smoking groups have already denounced these theories and studies as being propaganda from the tobacco industry, so who knows...

The way people fail to (or refuse to) differentiate the concepts of "nicotine", "smoking", and "tobacco" blows my mind.
 
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kife

Registered User
Dec 18, 2011
50
39
The way people fail to (or refuse to) differentiate the concepts of "nicotine", "smoking", and "tobacco" blows my mind.
Nicotine is contained in the nicotiana genus of plants. You know the same genus that provides the nicotiana tabacum for smoking. The same genus that provides Nicotine for nicotine patches (which they are trying in an experimental study in France to see if nicotine really is effective againt Covid 19) Never said I condoned smoking, so not really sure what you are saying
 

Rich Nixon

No Prior Knowledge of "Flyers"
Jul 11, 2006
14,941
18,809
Key Biscayne
Nicotine is contained in the nicotiana genus of plants. You know the same genus that provides the nicotiana tabacum for smoking. The same genus that provides Nicotine for nicotine patches (which they are trying in an experimental study in France to see if nicotine really is effective againt Covid 19) Never said I condoned smoking, so not really sure what you are saying

No, no, it was not really directed at you so much as an expansion on what you're saying. It's mostly anti-smoking groups (like you mentioned in the previous post), who ultimately take the form of anti-nicotine groups and end up opposing multiple harm reduction strategies (like vaping or whatever else) simply because they also deal in nicotine.

Like, the fact that you've gotta differentiate that small isolated studies aren't a reason to start smoking is on point with that--nicotine is a chemical found in tobacco and smoking is one method of consuming tobacco to receive nicotine, but in larger society we've basically melded the three concepts into one bad thing, which can be a hindrance to harm reduction. If we're talking about smokers not being a large cohort of COVID cases in this respect, and the theory is that it's the nicotine is what's doing it, then we're really talking about nicotine addicts (who happen to consume theirs via smoking) not being as susceptible. But I've read numerous articles lately that have felt the need to say "still, smoking's risks definitely outweigh any theoretical prevention" which, no f***ing shit, but again: nicotine is not tobacco is not smoking. You know this, but the public and lay media seem to have trouble differentiating.
 
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banks

Only got 5/16
Aug 29, 2019
3,353
4,833
pretty lame.
"It makes me angry that smokers endanger the health of others by smoking."

wrong. they endanger the health of others who are in direct contact with their second-hand smoke by smoking. Nice try though!!

Are you serious?

If someone said terrorists kill people, would you reply with "wrong, they only kill people in direct contact with their explosions. nice try"? This is the most petty, groundless rebuttal in this entire thread.

pretty lame.
"There's a million articles pointing to smoker being high risk, including forbes, cnn, and ctv"

A million? Really? Did you count that many? Could you maybe link those million articles? Or is there a chance you might be overestimating that amount-- just to suit your narrative?

Funny, I actually did have a link to the google results, well over a million results. You're complaining and telling me to link them when I really did link them. It was an expression to say "a million", obviously. But I still did provide a link.

New info has come out since my OP showing that smoking is less of a risk than it seemed at the time. People aren't sure why, but COVID seems less dangerous for smokers. I'm willing to acknowledge that, and won't claim that they are high risk. It completely changes the premise of the thread, and I wouldn't post it had I known this at the time.

My only "narrative" is that smoking is dangerous, and all smokers should quit. I started the thread with that in mind. I don't need to lie to "push" that argument.

pretty lame.
Do smokers affect your health directly? If so, care to share how?

I'm in good health, in spite of prolonged exposure to 2nd hand smoke at various points in my life. But you can read my other posts (#115) to see how smoking affected my life personally.
 

CDN24

Registered User
Jun 17, 2009
3,459
2,771
In Canada, with our universal healthcare, are we going to see smokers and obese people paying extra tax or something to cover the extra costs they cause the healthcare system?

I think in Canada smokers are probably less a burden on the social safety net than non smokers.
  • While they cause more health care costs earlier in life it is offset by
  • less later in life costs- they die earlier
  • less OAS payments- again die earlier
  • tobacco tax contributed over their life.
 
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hfman

Registered User
Oct 30, 2013
3,074
1,380
Are you serious?

If someone said terrorists kill people, would you reply with "wrong, they only kill people in direct contact with their explosions. nice try"? This is the most petty, groundless rebuttal in this entire thread.


comparing second-hand smoke with terrorist explosions


right


i love this place.

really, I do!!
 

banks

Only got 5/16
Aug 29, 2019
3,353
4,833
comparing second-hand smoke with terrorist explosions


right


i love this place.

really, I do!!

I didn't compare the two. I merely showed how stupid it is to claim something isn't dangerous just because it's only dangerous to people directly affected.

How about a saying rain is wet, and replying "wrong, it's only wet when you touch it. Nice try."?
 
Sep 18, 2009
8,611
4,074
I think in Canada smokers are probably less a burden on the social safety net than non smokers.
  • While they cause more health care costs earlier in life it is offset by
  • less later in life costs- they die earlier
  • less OAS payments- again die earlier
  • tobacco tax contributed over their life.

They die slowly after depleting all our healthcare dollars
 

hfman

Registered User
Oct 30, 2013
3,074
1,380
we're all under quarantine
oh wait, we're all free to go out anywhere any time

community transmission is not expected
oh wait, it's spreading through the community

masks are not recommended
oh wait, now yes they are

smokers have a much higher chance of catching covid19
oh wait, - new studies show that they have less of a chance of catching it

Canadian borders are closed
oh wait, there are incoming flights on a daily basis

people coming in through the airports are to be checked for covid19 and are to wear masks
oh wait, people are rolling in every day without being checked and without masks

essential services are closed
oh wait, people are lining up every day to get into the beer store because it's open

15,000 could be dead in Ontario by the end of april
oh wait, it was only 10% of that
 

KJoe88

Forever Lost.
May 18, 2012
6,985
1,278
Trenton, MI
Despite the fact that I workout 4-5 days a week (covid is making this easier now because of me not being able to work atm) I smoke a lot. That’s mostly due to my anxiety and depression, though.

I don’t smoke cigarettes unless I absolutely have to, however. I smoke hookah - which is actually worse for me but whatever. It’s the only time I leave the house - is to get more tobacco.
 

WeaponOfChoice

Registered User
Jan 25, 2020
620
346
So I am asking you smokers out there, does COVID-19 change anything for you? Are you more likely/motivated to quit than before? Do you recognize the effort taken by the entire planet to protect you (and others) as a high risk person? Share your thoughts and stories.
I'm less motivated to quit because I so bored. I can't do anything except watch TV and smoke.
 

WeWantTacos

they said aw-reety an' they was aw-righty
Apr 6, 2012
2,118
1,679
Brett Hallway
Deadass people watching in a parking lot, dude walking to the Great Clips with his mask down puffing a ciggy, puts it on when he gets to the door and walks in.
 

OmazingGrace

Registered User
Apr 19, 2019
222
109
nah i just smoke in the house now. 2 packs a day. never felt better. nothing better than washing down a marb red with a double shot of jameson, for breakfast.
 
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Kunta Kinte

Registered User
Nov 10, 2011
2,922
955
Smoke a pack a day for the last 20 years. I train a lot tho... I need to stop but Ive been saying that forever.
 

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