Nicotine Alternatives

[Cotswold]

Not entirely true - and remember, this is coming from a non-believer. I met my wife at a church-sponsored singles dance. We've been together 30 years now. I consider that a long-term tangible benefit. However, I do agree that there is a potential waste of time and money depending on just how seriously you take it.

I'm not sure meeting at a church dance could claimed to be a reason for a long marriage. My wife and I met by pure chance at a bus stop and in two years time it will be our diamond anniversary.

 

[Cotswold]

I hope you don't mind if I jump in with some maybe nonsense.

Here, around 30 to 40 years ago, it was very hard to find someone who doesn't smoke. Every place you went, it was filled with smoke. I didn't know any friend, relative or anybody who smoked less than 30 cigarettes a day.......

I'll second that KitaYama. I remember in the 70s going into meetings and hardly being able to see the other end of the room.
On a 'plane there was bank of seats at the back which were for smokers. Smoking in cinemas common place. My father would puff at his pipe at home and in the car. In fact if we went out for the day we all probably smoked the equivalent of five fags.

Lung cancer is often given as the main, or only health risk from smoking. But limb removal is another. I remember seeing a line of ten or so guys in Germany who had had their legs off below the knee that was attributed to smoking. That was actually a trigger for me to stop.
One that is never mentioned is the high probability of asthma, or COPD developing in a smoker (or ex smoker) in their 60s or 70s. There is no cure at all. There are a few inhalers, some of which actually can make it worse. I don't mind saying I've had a few near death experiences, being literally unable to breath in. In my opinion vapes will have the same effect. Sucking smoke into the lungs can never be a good idea. And I stopped in 1983! So take note you smokers. Nothing is free, everything has a cost somewhere down the line.
But as you say KitaYama, we were oblivious to the health risks back then.

 

[ColinEssex]

Remember the Marlboro man? Super fit outdoorsy type climbing mountains, running like a train then enjoying a nice fag. If you smoked, you could be like him.
Col

 

[The_Doc_Man]

They did a good job to change the situation without putting anyone under pressure.

While I understand what you are saying and don't - in general, at least, disagree with you, I would quibble that the methods used were not properly describable as "without putting anyone under pressure." There was plenty of pressure. I never felt it directly because I was not a smoker. But I felt bad for my smoking friends because I could see the pressure they were under to quit. The pressure was subtle - and maybe even beneficial - but it was also tangibly pushing them away from smoking.

I think the pressure was NECESSARY because sometimes humans behave according to Newton's First Law of Motion - an object will not change its path unless acted on by an external force. People have a form of ... call it "social inertia" that makes them keep on doing what they are doing unless you make it unpleasant, difficult, or impossible to continue. Which is why sometimes a "get tough on crime" method works better to break someone's criminal habits. Which is why sometimes a person needs a health scare to change their dietary habits or smoking habits. Which is why people with addictions need to "hit bottom" and face facts about how they got that way. So understand, KitaYama, that I am NOT saying the campaign you described was wrong. I just think that if there weren't pressure, it wouldn't have been effective.

 

[moke123]

Remember the Marlboro man?

Back in the 70's or early 80's, my next door neighbor, best known for his long run on a daily soap opera "Edge of Night", was offered the Marlboro man gig but he turned it down for being a bad example for his kids. He had also been offered the original TV Batman role but turned that down too.

 

[Cotswold]

Remember the Marlboro man? Super fit outdoorsy type climbing mountains, running like a train then enjoying a nice fag. If you smoked, you could be like him.
Col

I never smoked Marlboro because they were in a paper packet. Once bought them but some snapped and others crushed, pointless. Mind you I couldn't associate with a cowboy. Didn't the actor die of cancer, or some smoking related disease? Then Tele Savalas came along in Kojac smoking those thin brown cigarettes and everyone was smoking them trying to look cool.

 

[Isaac]

A relationship with God has definitely kept my marriage together, I'm sure of that. Going on 27 yrs

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Didn't the actor die of cancer, or some smoking related disease?

You are correct. But over the years it was more than one actor.

Tobacco industry, billions of dollars to compensate families of Marlboro Men

Dressed in a hat and denim jacket or shirt, with piercing eyes and a cigarette at the end of the lips! Who was not keen to look like a Marlboro Man and to smoke the same tobacco brand?

www.atlas-mag.net

 

[moke123]

You are correct. But over the years it was more than one actor.

The original one never smoked a day in his life.

 

[ColinEssex]

I never smoked Marlboro because they were in a paper packet. Once bought them but some snapped and others crushed, pointless.

I smoked soft pack ciggies back in the day. Marlboro, Lucky Strike, Peter Stuyvesant etc. I bought a cigarette case to avoid the crushing. Still use it today. I bought it in 1967 in Selfridges.
Col

 

[The_Doc_Man]

The original one never smoked a day in his life.

But five other actors did - and died of lung diseases.

 

[moke123]

But five other actors did - and died of lung diseases.

Sh*t happens

 

[DickyP]

I tried a couple of cigarettes and didn't like them in 1959, and never since and I'm now 77. However, for decades, I like everyone else, worked and played in smoke filled environments so I wonder how much damage I suffered. Both my brothers smoked heavily: one died of heart disease at 69 and the other of lung cancer at 74. Proves nothing but coincidence ?