<p>I suppose you could write a letter to the editor of the school paper. Maybe they can provide the numbers you are looking for.</p>
<p>
[For</a> some students, Tulane smoking ban is a breath of fresh air | wwltv.com New Orleans](<a href=“http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/For-some-students-Tulane-smoking-ban-is-a-breath-of-fresh-air-202802271.html]For”>http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/For-some-students-Tulane-smoking-ban-is-a-breath-of-fresh-air-202802271.html)</p>
<p>This is from last year:
<a href=“http://thehullabaloo.com/mobile/news/article_7eac4fde-1ea4-11e2-823d-001a4bcf6878.html[/url]”>Unavailable;
<p>Student testimony:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/tulane-university/1431541-student-answering-questions-3.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/tulane-university/1431541-student-answering-questions-3.html</a></p>
<p>I don’t think the percentage of the population is actually that relevant. In my experience, on a small college campus, that will turn into many of the smokers on campus trying to get their cigarette in at the same time (between classes) in mostly the same place. I don’t think my campus had a large percentage of smokers at all but I feel like I usually smelled smoke walking outside in between classes. I live in Boston and walking by Emerson College, which I think may have a larger percentage of smokers, often feels like walking through a cloud of smoke. Emerson is right downtown and very condensed – I’m talking about a strip of sidewalk less than half a block long, but in a very central part of Boston and that almost always has multiple college students smoking. (I love Emerson, have a close family member who went there, and don’t mean to put it down at all.)</p>
<p>I just can’t stand the smell and try to avoid walking through it, but I have a friend who I have seen go into an asthma attack just from walking by someone smoking outside. I also was recently told by a doctor that to avoid getting a genetic condition in my family (I have the gene, may or may not get the condition which results in legal blindness) that the best thing I can do is avoid any kind of smoke inhalation to the point of steaming everything I cook if possible. So, yeah, people smoking outside kind of annoys me.</p>
<p>20% is sizable. I take back what I said earlier.</p>
<p>" I don’t really see many smokers any more and hardly inconvenienced by them."</p>
<p>Igloo–are you in a state where there are strict and enforced smoking laws? 25% of my state smokes and in my area, I’d say it’s at least 30%. Of my renters, 90%-95%. You absolutely cannot avoid the smoke and butts in my state unless you live as a hermit and never venture past your property’s borders.</p>
<p>I know that smoking is bad for my health. I imagine most people do. It’s hard for me, as a smoker, to imagine what it would be like to have a physical addiction to nicotine. Am I really the only one who doesn’t feel like he was ever addicted to smoking? How could a smoker prove he isn’t an addict?</p>
<p>Really, how is addiction defined? Are specific claims of addiction falsifiable, or is it a blanket statement of personal religious conviction?</p>
<p>It seems more than a little presumptuous to tell somebody that they, in fact, don’t enjoy something, and are, instead, a desperate drug addict waiting for the next hit. One could make a lot of unpleasant claims using the same template.</p>
<p>^^^^
People are not born with a lighter in their hand. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>I smoked last about 35 years ago. I had only smoked a couple cigarettes a week generally. I did so as a social bonding thing, not by myself. It didnt do anything for me except raise my blood sugar.
( which is why all those things that boost your blood sugar for a short time go together. Coffee, cigarettes, donuts, soda & alcohol. But then it drops again so if you want to cut out one of those things that gives you a jump- eat protein -something that metabolizes more slowly.) </p>
<p>From articles Ive read, some people have many more mu opiod receptors and so would be more addicted, which would explain why I was able to quit so easily.
[Quitting</a> smoking may be down to our genes | COSMOS magazine](<a href=“http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/quitting-smoking-may-be-down-our-genes/]Quitting”>http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/quitting-smoking-may-be-down-our-genes/)
Nicotine seems to be worth more study, it seems to protect the brain.
[Nicotine:</a> can it save your brain? | COSMOS magazine](<a href=“http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/features/nicotine-can-it-save-your-brain/]Nicotine:”>http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/features/nicotine-can-it-save-your-brain/)</p>
<p>( so for you neurologists out there, would this influence my ability to take anesthesia? I need more anesthesia than predicted for my metabolism/weight- or is that just a redhead thing?)</p>
<p>And another study which may come up with a new way to treat addiction.
[Why</a> nicotine in cigarettes can relieve anxiety in smokers](<a href=“http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121108181723.htm]Why”>Why nicotine in cigarettes can relieve anxiety in smokers -- ScienceDaily)</p>
<p>
You can quit. That’s about the only way.</p>
<p>It’s not “presumptious” to say that the vast majority of smokers are addicts–it’s science. If you are one of the few who isn’t actually addicted, that’s great for you.</p>
<p>I used to smoke, in college, at parties, and at my first job. I’d buy a pack and it would last me 2 months. </p>
<p>But I really craved a cigarette when I had a drink, or after dinner. Really craved it. And inevitably, someone in our group would look at me with disgust and say “that’s such a filthy habit!” or “Don’t you know bad that is for you?” But one friend said “you know, I think it’s harder to stop when you only smoke every so often.” I’m not saying he was correct or that there’s any scientific backing to his statement, but soon after that, I stopped smoking all together because his words had compassion, and understanding, and that’s what I needed to hear instead of the criticism and revulsion.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It’s hard for all smokers to think of themselves as desperate drug addicts, living all day, every day, for the nicotine. All you have to do to test it… Next time you are stuck in a meeting that runs long, do you start to get “antsy” and run to light up as soon as the meeting ends? Have you ever left a fun dinner conversation in a nice restaurant to go outside, even in the rain, and smoke? How about when you travel? Have you ever needed nicotine so bad that you would go in one of those disgusting glass rooms in airports? Or go out through security and back just to smoke? Have you ever lit a half-smoked cigarette from an ashtray to “hold you over” until you can get to a store and buy a pack? Have you ever smoked when you have a horrible flu, scratchy throat, and practically have to choke to get the nicotine into your lungs? These are not things people do because they “enjoy” smoking. These are things people do because they “enjoy” the relief from drug withdrawal that starts as the nicotine levels in their bodies start to fall.</p>
<p>There’s a very simple test any smoker can do. Just quit right now. If you are not addicted, it should be no problem and you should experience no physical discomfort. It’s an easy test with no commitment. Quit for 30 days and then you can start smoking agin if you “enjoy” it. Heck. Just quit for 24 hours.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Nicotine addiction is one of the most heavily studied subjects in biochemistry. The tobacco companies have known why people smoke (nicotine) for years. Here are the smoking gun quotes from a 1973 memo written by the Assistant Director of Research at R.J. Reynolds:</p>
<p>[Research</a> Planning Memorandum on the Nature of the Tobacco Business and the Crucial Role of Nicotine Therein.](<a href=“http://tobaccodocuments.org/landman/501877121-7129.html]Research”>Astuces pour en finir avec le tabac !)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The physical addiction properties of nicotine on the brain chemistry has also been studied and studied and studied. One of my favorites is a study of smokers who were made to quit for a period of time and then asked to smoke a cigarette while hooked up to a brain scan imaging system that could identify the brain receptors. Just one cigarette (after not smoking for days) and nearly 100% of the receptors were bonded to by nicotine. This dopamine receptor system is the brain chemistry cause of drug addiction for nicotine, just exactly in the same way that it is for heroin and for cocaine.</p>
<p>Here’s a good layman’s overview of the physical addiction side of smoking:</p>
<p>[Nicotine</a> Addiction 101](<a href=“http://whyquit.com/FFN/chapters/FFN_01_Nicotine.pdf]Nicotine”>http://whyquit.com/FFN/chapters/FFN_01_Nicotine.pdf)</p>
<p>An important point. The physical withdrawal from nicotine is really not that bad. For most people, it’s no worse than a bad flu bug for a week. The insidious part is that the whole dopamine pathway mechanism is the human body’s way of teaching us to believe that doing the thing that we were doing at the time of the dopamine release is vital to our survival and something we must do! Thus, every cigarette, every “pow” of nicotine hitting these receptors hour after hour, day after day, week after week, year after year, reinforces the belief that we need to smoke. We need to smoke to get started in the morning. We need to smoke after a meal. We need to smoke to concentrate. We need to smoke to relax. We need to smoke after shopping. We need to smoke in the car. Heck, I even thought that I needed to smoke to go to the bathroom… </p>
<p>That’s the insidious nature of drug addiction and this dopamine reward system. The action of the drug in the brain leads to an incredibly strong “habit”. That’s why, when you actually quit, there’s a phenomenon called “first time triggers” where you will reach for a cigarette the first time you do each thing that you have learned to associate with smoking in this way. It takes about a year to get through all of them, because so many are seasonal. The first time you mow the lawn. The first time you shovel snow. The first time you cook Thanksgiving dinner. All things the dopamine circuit has taught you to associate with nicotine and smoking. For example, six months after I quit cold turkey, I was done with smoking. Really never thought about it or wanted to smoke. Then, I went clothes shopping for the first time as a non-smoker. When I walked out of Marshalls after an hour of trying on clothes, my hand reached up to my shirt pocket for the cigarettes. Like Dr. Strangelove. I had to just stop, right on the sidewalk, and laugh. I didn’t want to smoke. I didn’t need to smoke. But, for 38 years, I had always reached for my cigarettes after being in store for an hour. So, by god, my hand knew exactly what to do! That’s how crazy this addiction is. It’s actually kind of fun to sit back an notice all these “first time” triggers after you quit. If you know what’s happening, they aren’t very troublesome.</p>
<p>From the mental health side, the stardard is the textbook of mental disorders which lists specific criteria for addiction. Here’s the test, in simple form, from the Mayo Clinic:</p>
<p>[Mayo</a> Clinic Nicotine Dependence Tests and Diagnosis](<a href=“Nicotine dependence - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic”>Nicotine dependence - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic)</p>
<hr>
<p>If anyone is thinking of quitting, I could recommend two resources, both which dispel a lot of the bunk about quitting smoking these days. For example, smokers are told to prepare weeks ahead of time before quitting. Are you kidding me? That just gives them time to decide not to quit. The overwhelming majority of successful ex-smokers quit on a whim, spur of the moment decision that enough is enough, no planning whatsoever. I drove to the store at midnight, bought two packs of cigarettes, opened one, lit a cigarette, took one puff, put it out, and never took another puff again. How’s that for planning?</p>
<p>The second biggie is that somehow you can cure nicotine drug addiction by continuing to use nicotine. That’s like saying you can cure alcoholism by switching from bourbon to beer. The problem is the drug and with addictive drugs that work on these brain receptor systems, the easy way to quit is to just stop using the drug, period. Don’t drag it out. Don’t torture yourself. Rip the scab off and be done with it.</p>
<hr>
<p>The first resource is [WhyQuit[/url</a>]. These guys got me through the first week of nicotine withdrawal and, really, kept me focused on the process of becoming an ex-smoker who never wants a cigarette. The Video quitting lessons are particularly good. I spent all night watching these when I couldn’t sleep on about my second night of nicotine withdrawal:</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“Joel Spitzer - YouTube”>Joel Spitzer - YouTube]Joel</a> Spitzer - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.whyquit.com%5DWhyQuit%5B/url”>http://www.whyquit.com)</p>
<p>A second resource is a book that is widely available:, probably in your library:</p>
<p>[Allen</a> Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking: Allen Carr: 9780615482156: Amazon.com: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easyway-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155]Allen”>http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easyway-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155)</p>
<p>Allen Carr was British guy who quit smoking, wrote this book, and then started a chain of stop-smoking group support clinics. Very successful approach. They offer several versions of their seminar, including online video. I didn’t see them until after I had quit, but I think it’s a great approach (although you certainly don’t have to buy anything to quit smoking).</p>
<p>Here are a couple of free YouTube clips to give you a flavor of this approach:</p>
<p>[Allen</a> Carr’s Easyway To Stop Smoking Webcast (Clip 1) - YouTube](<a href=“How To Stop Smoking - the smokers way to stop smoking - YouTube”>How To Stop Smoking - the smokers way to stop smoking - YouTube)
[Allen</a> Carr’s Easyway To Stop Smoking Webcast (Clip 2) - YouTube](<a href=“How To Stop Smoking Webcast without willpower - Allen Carr's Easyway - YouTube”>How To Stop Smoking Webcast without willpower - Allen Carr's Easyway - YouTube)</p>
<p>I’ve watched the entire on-line seminar these clips are from. It’s terrific.</p>
<p>idad – I applaud your ability to stop cold turkey. The only thing I want to mention with regards to the advice about “smokers are told to prepare weeks ahead of time before quitting” is that I’ve heard that advice given this way: if you want to be successful at stopping smoking, identify your triggers, figure out ways to avoid them, have gum and candy at the ready if a craving strikes or your gym clothes and sneakers nearby so you can take a walk instead of a smoke. So the preparation is mostly to help make the quitting something that will stick.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’m not an addiction expert, but I would imagine if you quit smoking your 2 or 3 a day, you could presumably go into nicotine withdrawal, which would be one measure.</p>
<p>I only drink one cup of coffee a day, and don’t drink soda or tea, but if I don’t have it, I will get a horrific headache within hours to a day or so. REALLY bad headache. Is it possible that I am addicted to caffeine even though I only have 1 a day? Apparently so.</p>
<p>Class of 2015:</p>
<p>Oh, I’m well aware of the advice to plan ahead so you have time to buy all your patches and nicotine gum, yadda, yadda.</p>
<p>I signed up for the official “Become an EX” website – paid for by the tobacco settlement money and setup by the states – about a month after I had quit. I filled out their questionaire, picked the next day to quit, and it told me not to because I hadn’t completed all the planning. Said I wasn’t ready.</p>
<p>Smokers aren’t going to quit on a quit day a month in advance. Something will come up. The process is more like swimming in icy water. You have just have to jump in and start paddling like heck.</p>
<p>
Excellent, now we’re getting somewhere. I haven’t smoked a thing in six months, but would still very much enjoy to do so. You’ll agree, then, that I’m not an addict, and that arguments that the government has a role to protect addicts from themselves - if such an argument were legitimate - simply wouldn’t apply to me?</p>
<p>If we have established that the government derives no authority over me in this matter from the “addict” argument, then there should be some other source from which the government can derive legitimacy. I return to arguments previously covered:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Secondhand smoke is damaging to non-smokers. This is a completely legitimate reason to ban smoking in public places, so long as the claim can be sustantiated in those areas. AFAIK, studies of secondhand smoke support a ban on smoking indoors in public areas, but the evidence is much weaker for outdoor bans. To those who have said that it shouldn’t matter; but of course it does. Poorly ventilated areas (e.g., indoors) are very different from well-ventilated (e.g., outdoors) areas. In that respect, tobacco smoke isn’t very different from paint or varnish fumes, car exhaust, etc. In any event, I’m willing to look at evidence here, if there is any.</p></li>
<li><p>People just don’t like how smoke smells, so the government should ban it to maintain order. (Related: people don’t like cigarette butts littering the ground). In this case, proponents of bans should be up-front about their true intentions so as not to mislead the public. Furthermore, bans should be written so that smoke, per se, is not the object of the ban; rather, offensive smoke and/or fumes should be the target.</p></li>
<li><p>Smokers cost the US health care system a lot of money. In that case, how much more do smokers need to pay to break even? If a study demonstrates they’ve been overpaying for years, do they get a refund? If it can be shown that the government wasn’t necessarily acting in good faith, do affected smokers collect penalties and interest?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>^#175</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0222.pdf[/url]”>http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0222.pdf</a></p>
<p>The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention estimates that smoking-caused
health costs and productivity losses total $10.47 per pack sold.
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, December 5, 2012 </p>
<p>How many states are charing $10.47 per pack? They are $5/pack here. Don’t think smokers are close to breaking even in paying for their health care costs.</p>
<p>In our city, a pack of cigarettes is almost $9 with various sin & sales taxes.
[Cigarette</a> taxes in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigarette_taxes_in_the_United_States]Cigarette”>Cigarette taxes in the United States - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Disregard my ^^^ up thread it was in response to another post that was removed.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’m not terribly interested in debating government anti-smoking actions, but on a personal level, I would only say that once you have been addicted to nicotine, you will probably always be addicted to nicotine, at least on a dormant level that that can be quickly rekindled.</p>
<p>It would be a huge mistake to quit for six months or six years and think it would be OK to smoke a cigarette because you are no longer an addict. For any ex-smoker, the motto really must be “never take another puff”.</p>
<p>Actually, one of the theories on why some teenagers get physically addicted so fast is that they were born addicted to nicotine from mothers who smoked during pregnancy. The addiction was then dormant, but quickly rekindled upon smoking even a few times as teenagers. The down-regulation of the nicotine receptors in the brain may be somewhat permanent.</p>
<p>My mother smoked so I was almost certainly born addicted to nicotine.</p>
<p>
I’ve heard it argued that smokers do the rest of us a favor by dying early and leaving us their share of the Social Security pot, but I’m not sure whether their additional medical costs outweigh that or not. It would be interesting to see studies of this.</p>
<p>I will reiterate that I don’t get addicted to substances and whch I didnt understand for a while.
Not cigarettes, not coffee, not pot, not Tramadol,not alcohol, not coke, not speed, not mescaline, not qualudes, not Vicodin, not anything.
I could smoke a cigarette tonight and I wouldn’t want one ever again.
The last time I smoked one was probably actually about ten years ago, when I was trying to emphasize to my H how upset I was. However, he can be fairly oblivious.
I doubt I even smoked the whole thing- blegh. But my brain is wired differently than most.</p>
<p>Ive read a few places that costs for smokers are actually less- howevr they are blogs so cant link.
I dont have a problem with charging smokers more for insurance, if we also charge those who drink more than a couple a week, and those who are more than 15 lbs overweight.
We might as well get those who drive like idiots, those who lose their temper while watching televised football because they are just a stroke or heart attack waiting to happen, and dont forget those people who do not spay/neuter their pets.
They have a special place in hell awaiting, but while they are here, lets charge them more for insurance too because they are forcing everyone else to clean up their messes.
:p</p>