smokers

Peter Martin, an economist who always writes (and speaks on radio) entertainingly, has written a fascinating account of the interaction between smokers and the economy, among other things.

I was a dilletante smoker (only smoking at parties or in bars) during my 20s. Since I gave up, I haven't had one moment's wish to smoke. Whenever I see people smoking, it looks appalling, as bad as if they had their mouths around a car exhaust pipe. And I see a lot of people smoking - one of the effects of cigarette bans indoors is that during the evening rush hour in the city, every smoker lights up. People who would not usually have smoked as they walked from office to train station now do, in their thousands. And of course they all huddle outdoors together at cigarette breaks. In my smoking day, you'd know who else smoked cause we sat together (smoking) in the hall outside the office. Nowadays, I guess smokers know who else smokes, but non-smokers don't. I was shocked a few months ago to see some women from my office lighting up down on the footpath - it had never occured to me that they did that!

Some friends of ours who have two young children smoke. They smoke outside in their garden, but I've noticed the smoke blowing back indoors. Their two year old constantly seems to have a cough or cold. It's one of those confronting situations where I can think of nothing to say or do - they know as much about the negative health affects as I do.

Comments

[Ron]

Peter was right on the effect of pregnancy on smoking, at least in our case.

My partner and I both stopped smoking when she was pregnant with our daughter.

I still get an urge to smoke now and again even after twelve years although not one I have to fight. Our teenage son who is only 15 is smoking now despite our pleas and bribes. All but one of his peer group smokes which is disappointing. His clothes and hair and breath stinks. It really upsets me, I could cry, when I think of the damage being done to his young body.

When I see so many young people smoking, I think the quit smoking campaign has only been beneficial to older people.

[susoz]

Ron, I can imagine wanting to cry too. If that happens to Olle, I will cry. Some friends of ours also have a 15 year old who has been caught with packets of cigarettes recently. Not yet sure if he does this regularly ie every day or if it's only at parties on the weekend. I don't know what the stats are (I'm sure there are stats) but I'd imagine that most smoking teenagers turn into smoking adults. C0-parent began smoking as a teenager. She gave it up at age 31.