on smoking...

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why is it that some health care professionals still smoke when they know for a fact (i think it is expected from them) that it harms their health? :confused:

Because they do. Every person has a vice whether it be gambling, drinking, eating, excercising, cleaning, drawing, working tons of hours etc etc.....Yes smokers know it's bad for them but that's their choice...I just quit a week ago because I wanted to quit. Whenever someone would say to me "don't you know that's bad for you" I would look up like I was thinking very deeply & just say " no, really? when did you find out?" And the look on the persons face was priceless, kinda shut them up and they would just walk away foot in mouth...:lol2: I love getting a rise out of someone who tells me something that is frankly none of their business to begin with.

I hate the smell of smoke on someone even though I smoked ( well hopefully it will stay past tense) I just worry about me & mine & don't worry what others are doing...;)

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Specializes in med-surg, BICU.

I am not a smoker but my best friend started the nasty habit and I was so upset by it because I cared for her. I just do not like it when those I care about wants to do it. Also I really don't like to breathe in the second hand smoke so it really upsets me when smokers are inconsiderate (and maybe a little selfish) such as yesterday when I went to the laundrymat. One lady was in there smoking and when I came in she left but all the nasty smoky smell and residue was left in that closed in area for a little while. Why the hell would she smoke in there to begin with!? Countless other occasions like this makes me really mad.

Also I think that parents who smoke are setting a bad example for their children. Children model behavior. Sometimes I think it is selfish to smoke in this case because it teaches children very nasty habit.

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Why do we assume that everyone who smokes is because they are addicted to it? :)

:yeahthat: Exactly!!!! I quit cold turkey last Tuesday...because I wanted to..and I have smoked since I was 14...so we're talking 24 years of puffing here.........If I am addicted ...why haven't I even felt a craving for one??? I think most of my reason for smoking was boredom & something to do with my hands..........I honestly never even felt the urge to have one or anything......I quit before 2x for year and same thing..never felt any craving to light up........I think it depends on how badly you want it..just like anything else in life.......;)

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
:yeahthat: Exactly!!!! I quit cold turkey last Tuesday...because I wanted to..and I have smoked since I was 14...so we're talking 24 years of puffing here.........If I am addicted ...why haven't I even felt a craving for one??? I think most of my reason for smoking was boredom & something to do with my hands..........I honestly never even felt the urge to have one or anything......I quit before 2x for year and same thing..never felt any craving to light up........I think it depends on how badly you want it..just like anything else in life.......;)

Congratulations!!!!

My mother did essentially the same thing, quit after over 20 years of smoking, stopped cold turkey after an MD said her lungs were weak, and never had a craving and never smoked again. That was about 20 years ago.

However, I would venture to say that after 20 years of active daily smoking my mother was an addict.

I will still venture to say that most people who smoke are physically and pyschologically addicted to it. However, there are quit a bit of people who smoke for many reasons and can put them down with ease, picking them up a few weeks later, putting them down with ease. Virtually no cravings or withdrawals. I'd still say the majority are hooked. Natrually you can't generalize to the entire population of smokers anything.

Just my two cents. Really, I just wanted to give you kudos for quittings. I wish it was that easy for everyone.

I smoked heavily for 11 years, starting as a teen and I hated practically every puff I took, and struggled the entire 11 years to quit. Something clicked one day in 1986 and I haven't had one puff since. I went through very uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Twenty years smoke free here! I know first hand how tough it can be to quit.

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My issue with smoking as compared to overeating, is that overeating predominately affects the overeater whereas it is well documented that secondhand smoke is deadly!

I am non-smoker and very sensitive to odors. There have been occasions where a smoker has been providing a service for me (massage therapist, optometrist technician) and they smelled so strongly of smoke or nicotine that it made me sick. Smokers can wash their hands until they're raw, but that smoke/nicotine smell permeates their entire body, oozes out of their pores, and can't be washed away.

All the hospitals in our area are considering going non-smoking. We don't see too many issues with employees, but how do you control visitors and patients?

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