POLL: Do you smoke?

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My brother recently travelled to Europe, and one of his observations was that people in Europe tended to smoke far more than people in North America. I found this impossibly strange. I saw no reason for it. So, granted this is a small sample size, but I had to know. There are a bunch of options here, as I had to essentially make three lists of each options, for North American, European and other.

Poll Information
This poll contains 1 question(s). 95 user(s) have voted.
You may not view the results of this poll without voting.

Poll Results: Do you smoke? (95 votes.)

How do you characterize your smoking habits (or lack thereof)? (Choose 1)
* I'm North American, and I've never even tried a cigarette - 18% (17)
* I'm European, and I've never even tried a cigarette - 26% (25)
* I'm neither North American or European, and I've never even tried a cigarette - 9% (9)
* I'm North American, and I smoke socially (pubs, clubs, etc.) - 4% (4)
* I'm European, and I smoke socially (pubs, clubs, etc.) - 8% (8)
* I'm neither North American or European, and I smoke socially (pubs, clubs, etc) - 0% (0)
* I'm North American and I smoke frequently (daily) - 5% (5)
* I'm European and I smoke frequently (daily) - 13% (12)
* I'm neither North American or European and I smoke frequently (daily) - 1% (1)
* I'm North American and I quit smoking - 8% (8)
* I'm European and I quit smoking - 5% (5)
* I'm neither North American or European and I quit smoking - 1% (1)

 

North American/quit smoking.

I noticed the same thing in Spain. Smoking appeared much more prevelant. Our (Spanish) tour guide even commented on it.

 

I started smoking at 16, quit as seventeen. It never really dug it's meathooks into me, thank god. Or, I'm just better at quitting than most people. I did a tapered-quit plan (ie. half pack a day, down to 1 pack one week, half pack the next, then quarter, etc.) One of the stupidest activities one can engage in, IMO. The desire to look like a tough guy was the reason I started.

(hey Aldeth - you should include at the top a request for people to say WHY they got started)

Sidenote: In case any girls here wonder if smoking is a turn-off...if the guy doesn't smoke, then yes it is. Just nasty.

 

I smoke at times when out drinking and such, not very much though. I am however a nicotinist. I use a Swedish style of tobacco which you use by putting it under your lip. You have it in the states even if it isnt widespread. Copenhagen and Shoal and the like. I am seriously hooked. I actually started out as a smoker and got addicted to nicotine that way but smoking was too expensive and had many many obvious negative effects so I started using my "snus" instead. Not good but a lot cheaper and healthier than cigarettes. Too bad it is even more addictive and I cant see myself ever quitting.

 

I have also noticed that in China, smoking is very common - people smoke in restaurants, workplaces, etc. However, no one in my family currently smokes (we are all Asian).

I was also unsure of what to put for North American/European/Other. I was born in Asia but spent most of my life in the US. But I have no idea whether you are referring to ethnicity or social background, Aldeth.

 

My grandfather died when I was 12. Lung cancer, caused by smoking too many cigarrettes. He wasn't 60 yet. Listening to him coughing and spitting blood, along with tiny pieces of his lungs when he was near the end, convinced me to never try a cigarrette in my life. It's bad enough having to be a paassive smoker.

There are far too many smokers in Spain, specially young people. I think it's because the idea that you will look cool if you smoke. Personally, I don't consider "cool" kissing a yellow-toothed girl that smells like an ashtray.

I am now living in Ireland, where the recently implemented smoking ban in pubs and restaurants is a blessing from the gods.

 

Hah ! I just like places I can dump useless trivia I sucked up somewhere. The difference between Frane and Switzerland is, that the French smoke very "hardcore" cigarettes, while the Swiss go for everything that has "light" printed on it. The reason for that is, if may memory doesn't fail me now, is that France did take steps against smoking very early. In case, they put bans on advertising smoking. That was before "light" cigarettes became the great marketing hype. Because of the regulations, advertisment for "light" cigarettes never reached the French smoker and he was simply unaware of the existence or "reasons" to smoke "light" cigarettes. So, he stayed with the "un-filtered" or "less-filtered" cigarettes. The introduction of the new "light" type of cigarette just wasn't possible because a marketing campaign couldn't be successfuly launched.

That of course leads to the point that because of steps to hinder smoking, they supported it. Isn't that ironic ?

 

I quit for good last summer after 5 years of smoking and 2 1/2 packs a day in the end. I don't regret that I ever smoked, but I am so happy that I quit and thankful to have my life back.

Indeed it is and it's far more dangerous than people, especially smokers, believe. A recent study with children whose parents smoke in the house showed that their nicotine blood level was 15! times higher than for children who lived in a non-smoker house. Even smoking outside (e.g. the balcony) doesn't completely reduce the effects on other people (nicotine blood level is twice as high for children whose parents smoke outside).

 

North American, and I've never tried cigarettes. Now the occasional cigar or other recreational incarnations...That's another story.

 

@ Oaz

Only you can answer your question - do you consider yourself an American or an Asian - it's your choice.

 

I'm European and used to smoke, though never heavily. Now I've kicked the habit, and just enjoy a good cigar every once in a while. Now the other type of cigarette....

 

nope, never smoked and never will I don't think. European

 

European/never touched a cigarette, but I'm an exception over here.

 

European, and I usually enjoy a few cigarettes when I'm drinking (especially if it's beer). But in Norway you are no longer (since June 1, 2004) allowed to smoke at places where people work (all pubs, bars, restaurants, cafés etc.).

 

Wel, I smoked for about 3 months when I was a teenager, but it was too expensive, so I quit.

In our city, smoking is banned in all indoor areas, so more and more people are quitting (I guess freezing your ass off in the middle of winter just to have a smoke isn't much fun). It's so weird now going to other places and smelling cigarette smoke in, say, a restaurant (non-smoking areas aren't always all that smoke-free).

 

I fall into the North American/Never smoked column. It is a little early to tell but it looks like there will be far too many never smoked and too few smokers to do a proper geographical comparison.

My general observations from my travels throughout Western Europe/Canada/the Eastern U.S.A. have been that smoking wasn't noticably more common in Europe than it is in North America (except for Spain where smoking seemed to be very common).

 

As for the geographical thingy I am quite sure that many studies have shown that it is a north/south thing in Europe and to some extent a west/east thing. In my own experience Greeks also smoke like crazy while smoking in northern Europe with the exception of Denmark is pretty much like in the states.

 

European, never did never will.

 

European, i don't smoke, cause i want to live very long, happy and healthy, but i'm the only one of my classroom who doesn't smoke.
And i've never smoked or touched a sigarette.

 

European, and i have been smoking for 26 years now. Never even tried to quit, i enjoy it too much.