How many of you are smokers

[drbill]

I didn't smoke when I started diving, four years later I started smoking and diving, I quit for two years then started again and FINALLY quit for good 28 years ago. If I hadn't I might not be diving today.

I think it will depend on where in the country (or world) you are. Most California divers I know don't smoke, many midwesterners and Easterners seem to. I met lots of divers and instructors from Europe who smoke.

If you want to dive into your golden years (am I there yet?), I'd certainly recommend stopping!

Dr. Bill

 

[MISFIT DIVER]

I guess I will be the bad guy Kat, I have smoked for the last 20 years, tried several times to quit with no luck. I have been diving for about ten and have smoked all the time. I agree with the others, not smoking would be better but those of us who do, know it is not the easiest thing to do.
I belive that it would help in the over all ability to dive, but I do not feel it has hurt me of yet. I will admit that I do sometimes feel winded, but not to the extent to make my diving unsafe. Anyone has sure fire ways to quit, I would like to here them.

 

[Wendy]

I was what you would call a social smoker, I would just smoke when I drank, which was about once a week. Now I haven't drank alcolhol for 6 weeks and I haven't smoked either. So I guess I can say now that I don't smoke. And having a boyfriend that has never smoked helps me not to smoke as well.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I'm an old guy of 57 and I'm glad I never started because I had enough trouble quitting M&M's.

Lost both of my parents to lung cancer and heart disease. I do have quite the attitude about smoking but as far as smokers go I do feel sorry for them. Most start when young and foolish. It's a shame.

I know several instructors that smoke. Always amazes me.

 

[cornfed]

Al Mialkovsky once bubbled...
I'm glad I never started because I had enough trouble quitting M&M's.

My wife is trying to get me to kick my habit; I have a fondness of those big orange "circus peanuts".

Cornfed

 

[Wendy]

cornfed once bubbled...


My wife is trying to get me to kick my habit; I have a fondness of those big orange "circus peanuts".

Cornfed

Circus peanut addiction? Now that's a bad one. You must be really hyped up those things are like pure sugar.

 

[Curly]

I was never a super-regular smoker, more of a social smoker (read: if there was drinking going on, I was smoking). Which was weird, in that I was always running, swimming, etc. I knew that this was not right, but just couldn't get myself to really and trule quit. My wife quit when she got pregnant -- and I always thought she would have a harder time than me.

However, all it took was a case of malignant melanoma (totally unrelated, of course) and a trip to an oncologist to make me give it up altogether. Now been totally smoke-free for over four years. But I will never be a radical anti-smoker, and think that those anti-smoking laws in California and New York are a joke & bad for the bars and restaurants.

JMHO, your mileage may vary substantially.

g

 

[cornfed]

Wendy once bubbled...


Circus peanut addiction? Now that's a bad one. You must be really hyped up those things are like pure sugar.

It's hard but after a while you learn to type with your hands shaking.

 

[Zagnut]

Those things are pure CRAP!............Man! I used to love those things!
They still make those?

 

[MrMojo]

It amazed me the amount of UK divers who smoke, drink heavy and are over weight.I was worried about not being able to dive as i smoked when i first took up this sport but it seems to be the other way round.
I smoked for twenty years but worked out/swam daily so always kidded myself one would offset the other.I tried lots of times to quit to no avail hypnosis,accupunture,patches,gum,will power,big bets,wonder drugs all failed.The hardest part to over come is my job as i manage bars/night clubs i never get away from it .Two things i always promised myself is :-
1/ quit smoking if i start coughing in the morning
2/ quit booze if i get a beer belly

A month ago i woke up with a smokers cough and now have given up for just over three weeks and the strangest thing is that over all the years i have tried this time it seem a real lot easier ,this i think is the secret that this time I REALLY DO WANT TO QUIT were as before i just thought i ought to.
The price of one packet of fags is £5 ($7.50) which i would smoke daily now goes into Mal's Truk lagoon holiday fund.
Oh by the way i still have not got a beer belly so i can still drink
People have been telling me i will notice all these improvements when i have given up but i am yet to feel these except the cough has gone ,maybe the damages is already done and i am a bit to late.



Regards,
MAL..