Are cigarettes THAT terrible?

[Gringo]

PROS:
None.

CONS:
-Bad breath
-Raspy throat
-Smelly clothes
-Expensive
-Yellow fingers
-Bad defenses (you become susceptible to sickness, well at least I did).
-Women won't want to kiss you
-Gives you all types of cancer blah blah blah, etc, etc.

Dude, seriously? It's not the 1950's anymore. It's getting banned everywhere (public places). Cigarettes & smoking are PURE shit, simple as that. Don't do it.

[Steve89]

Well, to be fair, there are some benefits of smoking cigarettes.

The biggest benefits that I've read of are that cigarettes increase your metabolism, decrease your appetite, reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and some other diseases/conditions. Smoking cigarettes has been said to help some people concentrate, relax, and reduce anxiety. Finally, they give a mild sense of euphoria, especially to people that smoke infrequently.

That said, the cons far outweigh the pros; cancer > all.

[pangram]

Ah yes, the euphoria of a nice drag on a freshly lit cigarette...

I'll take new squat PR euphoria over it, though

[FilthyMcNasty]

Well, to be fair, there are some benefits of smoking cigarettes.

The biggest benefits that I've read of are that cigarettes increase your metabolism, decrease your appetite, reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and some other diseases/conditions. Smoking cigarettes has been said to help some people concentrate, relax, and reduce anxiety. Finally, they give a mild sense of euphoria, especially to people that smoke infrequently.

That said, the cons far outweigh the pros; cancer > all.

..look up the phrase "self medicating", it will explain away all these "benefits" that help ppl relax, reduce anxiety...and if you still get a euphoric hit, you're not really a smoker. Smoking infrequently will produce a light headedness. Regular smokers just cough up portions of their innards.

[Mehdi]

Well, to be fair, there are some benefits of smoking cigarettes.

The biggest benefits that I've read of are that cigarettes increase your metabolism, decrease your appetite, reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and some other diseases/conditions. Smoking cigarettes has been said to help some people concentrate, relax, and reduce anxiety. Finally, they give a mild sense of euphoria, especially to people that smoke infrequently.

That said, the cons far outweigh the pros; cancer > all.

How can you improve concentration and relaxation from the same product? Those are opposites.

Smokers do smoke in periods of stress and to relax. This is how brainwashed smokers are. Allan Carr's point this out in Stop smoking.

[knoted]

The biggest benefits that I've read of are that cigarettes increase your metabolism, decrease your appetite,

Just like most stimulants.

reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and some other diseases/conditions.

What. The. Fuck?

Smoking cigarettes has been said to help some people concentrate, relax, and reduce anxiety.

In smokers, yes, but the cigarette is a major cause of those symptoms.

[Steve89]

I'm not trying to start an argument at all; I really am not going to smoke again, and am not advocating that anyone else start/continue. I've never seen it discussed before in terms of lifting before, though, so I figured I'd ask the experts - I was surprised to find such a strong opposition to it, and have taken that heavily into consideration in my choice. For that, I thank you.

In a sense of fair play and accurate information, however, I'd say that it's a sure bet that the anti-smoking campaign has exaggerated the harm of cigarettes to further their agenda. The repetition of an exaggeration (or even a falsity) often makes people believe that that exaggeration (or falsity) is true (it's known as the sleeper effect). Smokers may not be the only brainwashed ones, in other words .

It seems to be heresy to mention to the average person that there are health benefits to be had by smoking cigarettes (as evidenced by the posts following mine); I find this to be intellectually abhorrent. There are health benefits related to smoking tobacco; don't believe that there aren't. I don't want to write a research paper here, but there are many peer reviewed articles on the numerous health benefits of tobacco. If only there weren't so many pesky side effects...like death.

[Gringo]

Which agenda dude? The "less cancer" for everyone agenda? Then I'm all for it! The natural tobacco plant is kinda healthy - once i got an infusion prepared (to inhale), and it cured my stuffed nose.. but that's it.

[TakeFive]

There are health benefits related to smoking tobacco; don't believe that there aren't. I don't want to write a research paper here, but there are many peer reviewed articles on the numerous health benefits of tobacco.

How about a link to one double blind controlled test that shows a benefit? And I don't mean weight loss. Hell, cancer gives you weight loss too.

Look at it another way. What's the benefit?

I hung around people who smoked when I was 14 and decided to give it a try. Smoked 3-4 cigs a day, and bought maybe a half a dozen packs. At the same time I got interested in running cross country. It didn't take long for me to notice I felt a little "off" after I smoked. At some point as I was about to light up, I realized: "what the fuck? This is incompatible with running. And besides, I'm a dork and smoking doesn't make me look cool. It makes me look like a dork trying to be cool and everyone can see it".

So is smoking compatible with what you want out of life? Will it be compatible in the future when it becomes a needy and jealous mistress?