"One in five Americans smoked last year, down from almost one in four a decade earlier. But the declines in smoking have recently stalled, with virtually no change in smoking rates since 2004 and even a hint of an increase last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting. Some 20.6 percent of Americans were current smokers in 2008, barely down from 20.9 percent in 2004, according to the Nov. 19 issue of the C.D.C.'s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report." I know I'm doing my part, what about you guys?
I, for one, am a dedicated smoker. I have in fact taken up the slack for a few friends who quit recently.
These statistics don't seem to include the "I only smoke when my wife is out of town" demographic. Not that I know anyone that fits it, cough cough.
Glad I'm not the only one.
Also a member of the "I only smoke at work and suck lots of Altoids on the way home" demo.
I only smoke when I vodka.
We are pathetic and we demand to be counted!
Quitters.
Try harder, Alex.
Am obvs. the old in this here crowd, quit cold many years ago and, tbt, would be dead cold in the grave if I hadn't.
PS. With all he DID do, Lester didn't smoke (cigarettes, that is).
I quit cold turkey for a coupla years. It was fine.
But then I started back up again. And it was glorious. (She said, taking a drag.)
I only smoke outside now, though.
The nicotine patch is a useful bridge for those who want to start smoking. Once you build the addiction, you'll find it easier to reach for a Camel.
I have a friend who has taken to wearing a nicotine patch or two when she binge-drinks, because it fills the Sparks-sized hole in her heart and gives her the buzzy-drunk feeling she craves, and because cocaine is expensive. She still smokes, though, because she is a champion.
I want to meet your friend.
If we all follow Choire's pie crust directions perfectly, you'll soon have most of your readership smoking. So that's a start.
The $800/pack price increase here in NY has been trying, but I'm doing my part.
There's a 2 for 1 special on Marlboro Gold (Lights) in duty free in London, so I get my friends to bring them to me. I'm very specific about times now, due to a limited supply. 1 cigarette after 3 glasses of champagne vs the old days where I had a drink in one hand and a smoke in the other.
Oh, duty free are the best! Because then you've got the huge print "SMOKING KILLS" warnings on the front of every pack. (Even more fun in French!)
And the rotting lungs!
I used to read Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report in high school.
People thought I was morbid.
Our library has an online subscription, if you need PDFs of anything.
So we can read, sitting next to each other in the limo. Awesome.