Poll: Do you smoke? • Hacker News Board

Re: Poll: Do you smoke?

#111

Post by ninjaa » Thu, May 07, 2009, 1:34 AM UTC

Basically if you are a programmer who smokes (and I was until a few weeks ago) it's easy to quit smoking. You already know how grossly inefficient and wasteful smoking is. You just have to trick your mind into instinctively realizing smoking is fundamentally stupid, the same instinct that kicks in when you see a code segment that goes "if (x = y) { ...".

Instead of trying to control the craving or stop thinking about cigarettes, you have your brain evaluate the "should I smoke right now?" question with the answer _no_. Once I did that, I found quitting smoking surprisingly easy. I still think about it quite a bit, but so far I haven't strayed from the correct answer even a little bit.

Regular exercise right at the beginning will help you ride out the initial physical cravings. Within a week your lungs feel much better and you're way more alert etc etc so the virtuous loop is in place and that's where I am and so far it feels pretty good.

Re: Poll: Do you smoke?

#112

Post by lacker » Thu, May 07, 2009, 1:37 AM UTC

Zak wrote: post #11

I have never been able to figure out what would possess a person to put something that smells like cigarette smoke in their mouth. Beyond that, most people I know who have tried smoking found the initial experience physically unpleasant (smoke burns the throat and lungs). The only explanation I'm aware of for people continuing to smoke after the first time is social pressure. From what I've observed, hackers tend to…

The only explanation I'm aware of for people continuing to smoke after the first time is social pressure.

I think this is a bit off. The best explanation for smoking the first time is social pressure. Maybe the first few times. After that, the best explanation for smoking is nicotine addiction. When you are used to the effect of nicotine, smoking a cigarette makes you feel good.

Also, not that I advise smoking cigarettes, but you can avoid burning your throat and lungs with good technique. Don't just suck on it like you are sucking juice through a straw; you will inhale too much smoke too quickly. Instead, only loosely touch your lips to the end of the cigarette, and inhale slowly. That will both let air mix with the cigarette smoke and give it some time to cool. If you do it right you should not burn your throat or lungs at all and the experience should be purely pleasurable.

(Damn... I'm going to talk myself back into smoking if I'm not careful.)

Re: Poll: Do you smoke?

#113

Post by chanux » Thu, May 07, 2009, 1:37 AM UTC

icey wrote: post #31

Zak wrote: post #11

I have never been able to figure out what would possess a person to put something that smells like cigarette smoke in their mouth. Beyond that, most people I know who have tried smoking found the initial experience physically unpleasant (smoke burns the throat and lungs). The only explanation I'm aware of for people continuing to smoke after the first time is social pressure. From what I've observed, hackers tend to…

I started smoking when I was 13. Mostly because it seemed like something "forbidden" to do. My parents smoked, so it was easy to get access to cigarettes. As I got a little older, the "cool kids" smoked, so it gave a shy kid some openings for socialization. I quit 5 years ago, and it was easily the hardest thing I've ever done. Some mornings I still wake up and reach for my pack before I'm fully awake

Why still keep a pack?

Re: Poll: Do you smoke?

#114

Post by glompix » Thu, May 07, 2009, 1:42 AM UTC

Nicotine is great for coding. I used to smoke, but now use Swedish snus instead. I get all the benefits I did with smoking, but with very little detriment.

Re: Poll: Do you smoke?

#115

Post by whatusername » Thu, May 07, 2009, 1:44 AM UTC

chops wrote: post #81

I'm completely clean. No smoking, no drugs, no alcohol. I never have, and I have no intentions or desire to start. It's a lifestyle choice, and not a religious thing or anything like that. Caffeine doesn't seem to have much if an effect on me, but occasionally, if I need to hit a deadline in coding, I'll try in vain to generate extra energy with caffeine, but that's about it as far as drugs go for me.

wow. I've never done drugs or smoking, but 100% no alcohol is pretty rare to find.. I'm impressed.

On Caffeine - I assume you've seen this pic before: Still amuses me though: http://www.coffee.co.uk/images/spider.jpg

Re: Poll: Do you smoke?

#116

Post by lacker » Thu, May 07, 2009, 1:45 AM UTC

sho wrote: post #102

niels_olson wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should quit smoking. If you are ready to quit, http://www.smokefree.gov/

Fuck off.

I don't support his spamming these threads but honestly, "quit smoking" is possibly the best advice you will ever get. Just because of the odds of lung cancer killing you. It's hard to argue with the logic that asks, is it really worth it? I admit, smoking is fun, feels good, enhances your social life, and makes you lose weight. But even so it's asking a lot to make that trade off against your health.

Re: Poll: Do you smoke?

#117

Post by chanux » Thu, May 07, 2009, 1:50 AM UTC

mitechka wrote: post #43

If I smoke a cigarette about once a month, does that count?

Yeah! There's only 1 or 0. Nothing between.

Re: Poll: Do you smoke?

#118

Post by patio11 » Thu, May 07, 2009, 2:02 AM UTC

whatusername wrote: post #115

chops wrote: post #81

I'm completely clean. No smoking, no drugs, no alcohol. I never have, and I have no intentions or desire to start. It's a lifestyle choice, and not a religious thing or anything like that. Caffeine doesn't seem to have much if an effect on me, but occasionally, if I need to hit a deadline in coding, I'll try in vain to generate extra energy with caffeine, but that's about it as far as drugs go for me.

wow. I've never done drugs or smoking, but 100% no alcohol is pretty rare to find.. I'm impressed. On Caffeine - I assume you've seen this pic before: Still amuses me though: http://www.coffee.co.uk/images/spider.jpg

100% no alcohol is pretty rare to find

Well, now there are two of us. My cover story for friends and coworkers is that I have a lethal allergy to alcohol. (I live in Japan -- it is easier, and more socially acceptable, to lie on this question than tell the truth.) When I was younger, I did not want to end up a drunk. These days, even assuming that I would probably not end up a drunk, there does not seem to be anything missing in my life that could get conveniently replaced by alcohol.

Re: Poll: Do you smoke?

#119

Post by reuel » Thu, May 07, 2009, 2:16 AM UTC

chanux wrote: post #113

icey wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I started smoking when I was 13. Mostly because it seemed like something "forbidden" to do. My parents smoked, so it was easy to get access to cigarettes. As I got a little older, the "cool kids" smoked, so it gave a shy kid some openings for socialization. I quit 5 years ago, and it was easily the hardest thing I've ever done. Some mornings I still wake up and reach for my pack before I'm fully awake

Why still keep a pack?

assume he meant that some mornings out of habit he might reach for his deck

Re: Poll: Do you smoke?

#120

Post by reuel » Thu, May 07, 2009, 2:18 AM UTC

i smoke rollies here in australia. decks/packs are overpriced and the way a hand rolled cigarette smokes is just way better! +1 for the rollie crew (if were out there..)