Smoking

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I still don't see why people are trying to make this out to be about religion either, by going on about who's the most holy or crusades.
Religion has nothing to do with my views on the matter.

Incidentally, not that thelibrarian bothered to ask before launching into an attack against me yet again.... but I took a look at the first link of the generic Google search which he posted, and it actually didn't say what he seemingly thought that it did.

The article remarked on the positive effects of pure nicotine, before going on to say that none of the mainstream forms of imbibing nicotine is really pure - and that it is in no way advisable to use any of these methods (snuff, chewing tobacco, fags or patches) for health reasons because they cause far worse assorted negative health effects, especially in people who have pre-existing conditions.
The conclusion was that because of this, doctors were attempting to isolate the part of nicotine which is beneficial to create drugs which use extract of nicotine to create positive effects.
This is what is meant by "pure nicotine which is beneficial" ... definitely not snuff etc.

It appears that in fact this is what many of the Google links are saying.
Perhaps Thelibrarian should actually read resources and then post them, rather than just doing a half-baked Google search and then expecting me to do all of the work for him ; at the same time as belittling and insulting me when he assumes that I haven't.

Since thelibrarian likes lazy Google searches so much (and feels inclined to mock people who don't pre-emptively do them) I assume that he is already fully aware of this -
https://www.google.com/search?q=snuff+mortality&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t

Even just the first link would have informed him that using snuff was shown to increase the human mortality rate.

According to research E-cigarettes would be likely to have a considerably lowered likelihood of causing anxiety disorders (such as agrophobia) or overall increasing anxiety and stress levels, when compared to smoking standard fags,
They are also less likely to set off panic attacks, it seems. This is because smoking E-cigarettes causes a lower level of blood nicotine absorption compared to smoking fags.
The level of increased anxiety and stress varies from person to person, although some people do cope with managing it to a normal (or close to normal) level despite smoking E-cigarettes through careful planning of other lifestyle choices.
Of course, E-fags are are still nicotine based... so each puff will shoot you up with adrenaline (the 'fight or flight' hormone), leading to problematic blood glucose consequences.
So if a person doesn't want to increase stress or anxiety levels, then it would be sensible to avoid using either E-cigarettes or standard fags.

I smoked for a long time, then stopped for a couple of years. A few months ago, I bought a pack in a stressed-out moment of foolishness. The experience, however, served to confirm what I had already learned. Smoking actually caused me stress. The relief from stress that I experienced when having a cigarette was merely the relief from the symptoms of addiction. Since stopping again last Friday, I have felt much less stress in general than I did when I was smoking a pack a day. The psychological neediness that comes along with the addiction is clearly worse than the physical symptoms, as I felt better as soon as I decided to stop again. In accordance with the instructions in The Easy Way to Stop Smoking, I resolved to feel good about stopping as soon as I finished my last cigarette, and I did just that.

There really is nothing to give up.

Did I mention the annoying zealot repelling qualities of tobacco? Nice side bonus.

As to the OP's question about AS specific reactions, I haven't noticed any, but like any activity, smoking can be a useful icebreaker and introduction to different social circles. When I was taking welding classes I used to have a 1 hour break between two labs, so I'd bring a cigar to smoke, and ended up chatting with quite a few people who I'd likely have never met before who were also smoking between classes, led to some good conversations.

Never have, and never will... My father was unfortunate for being born in a decade when smoking was considered "a status symbol."

He deeply regrets it, and hopes that I don't stray down that similar path...

I'm a smoker too - passive since 5 years old until I moved out (about 19), then - after two months living on my own, I started smoking. I agree with most advantages and disadvantages of smoking you wrote, but for me there is only one strong reason I probably will never quit it: the ritual of smoking.

I like the fact, that smoking one cigarette requires repeating a lot of tasks in specific order and pace, also it has strict timeline - when smoking always same brand, it takes always the same amount of time, with error margin of several seconds. I "mastered" my smoking ritual to the point of starting preparations while leaving my office building (smoking is only allowed outside), timed so I always do the same thing at the same point on my way out. When opening front doors I always have lighter in my left hand, pack hidden back in my left front pocket and the cigarette held between two fingers of my left hand. Whenever something disrupts this ritual, it makes me really annoyed - even if it's something as simple and common as someone going in the building.

I also tried e-cigarette, but I feel it gives too much freedom: vaping is allowed almost everywhere, variable length of usage with no strict 3:45 minutes timespan, also, too fluent measurement of how much I can use before recharge or refill. I know removing limitations was one of main goal when inventing and advertising e-cigarettes, but it's also what makes them inferior for me.

I think you people simply need to get into the habbit of the afternoon "coffee/tea and cookies" break. It´s quiet the same, so people from the office gathering themselves without any big cause and having some social chat and conversation...but without the smoking stuff. ^^

Actually, I ended smoking because of planning to conceive children and dont miss it in any way. In the opposite to potsmoking (which I did not do regularly, but for festivals or concerts or lake-birthday-parties and so on), so the first joint after ending to breastfeed, will be highly celebrated by me. ^^

It has its appeal, but I'd say cookies and coffee are more expensive and not as easy to come by. Plus smokers will always smoke.

Yesterday I successfully tried my hand at networking during a smoke break in an event. Cigarettes *really* are useful for such things, there is a certain camaraderie and relaxedness among smokers (and the actual, chemical effects of it help for that) that draws non-smokers too just to hang out.