Nonsmoker? Is smoking (tobacco) still a thing nowadays?

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, augustus said:

I find the attitudes against smoking fascinating.  Weed smoke stinks worse and is mind altering.  The pot grown today has 10x the THC levels of the weed from 30 years ago and is causing psychosis and schizophrenia, but that's cool.

The fact that THC messes with your brain has nothing to do with nicotine's extremely deleterious effects to one's physical health. And some people take THC as edibles (I don't know what percentage of the market).

[Luv2play]

I grew up in a non-smoking house and had parents who actively discouraged smoking. This was back in the 50's and 60's when smoking was pervasive. Over my 75 years I have seen a revolution in sttitudes about smoking and today very frw of my friends, famlly or acquaintances smoke. 

I used to hate the smell of cigarette smoke in confined places like planes and bars. In the 70's if you went to a gay bar it was smoke filled, like straight bars too. I certainly exposed myself to a lot of second hand smoke.

I agree its a cultural thing and now a class thing too. The better educated and higher income earners are not so likely to smoke now. I tend to move in those circles.lol.

[kingsley88]

I live in NYC and I see the smokers all outside their office buildings during the day (yes more people are working remote nowadays but all my finance friends are working onsite or hybrid.) 

Ever since weed became legal, I smell weed everywhere too. I walk around Manhattan every day and I see at least one person smoking/vaping. All races by the way. 

[Cbilly17]

I am a non-smoker but I grew up in a house full of smokers and I hate the smell and the taste when kissing someone. I can deal with vaping, because of the flavored scents. 
I do not find it sexy when I see men smoking cigarettes but find it very sexy when women do.

[ShortCutie7]

I regularly see people smoking in NYC (both cigarettes and weed).  I HATE the smell of weed so was not happy when it was legalized and now smell it everywhere, even sometimes from inside a car with windows shut and no smokers in sight, which is bizarre.  I actually don’t mind the smell of cigarette smoke, but am always surprised that it’s usually healthy-looking people who I see smoking.

[pubic_assistance]

I rarely see white people people smoking tobacco in NYC anymore. Years ago when you'd go out to a bar it seemed everyone smoked while inside drinking. Now you rarely see anyone. Just the occasional addict who slips outside to indulge.

If you do see people walking around smoking a cigarette, it's Asians. I am guessing the Tobacco companies saw the writing on the wall and moved their advertising to China.

The majority of smoking habits I see on a daily basis are 20-somethings  vaping or people smoking weed.

I agree with ShortCutie: It's unfortunate that the smell of weed is in the air everywhere now. I know lots of people smoke weed, as did I myself when I was younger....I just wish they were a little discreet about it. Changing times.

[+ WilliamM]

I smoked in college and Vietnam, but stopped after that.

 

Have not been tempted since then

[ShortCutie7]

On 5/21/2024 at 8:22 AM, pubic_assistance said:

I rarely see white people people smoking tobacco in NYC anymore. Years ago when you'd go out to a bar it seemed everyone smoked while inside drinking. Now you rarely see anyone. Just the occasional addict who slips outside to indulge.

If you do see people walking around smoking a cigarette, it's Asians. I am guessing the Tobacco companies saw the writing on the wall and moved their advertising to China.

The majority of smoking habits I see on a daily basis are 20-somethings  vaping or people smoking weed.

I agree with ShortCutie: It's unfortunate that the smell of weed is in the air everywhere now. I know lots of people smoke weed, as did I myself when I was younger....I just wish they were a little discreet about it. Changing times.

I HAVE seen plenty of people of all ethnicities/races (including white) smoking in NYC, but yes, it does seem like Chinese people (more than any other group) are the biggest offenders.  What’s baffling about the weed in the air is that you smell it without being anywhere near someone smoking it… this is not the case with tobacco smoke or vape.

[Varkiel]

It is actually. Tabaco is also very frequently used. But vaping is becoming more and more popular in the time to come. For instance, I used to smoke tobacco, but now, due to health reasons, I started to vape, and I feel better than smoking cigarettes. But yes, overall, cigarettes are frequently used.

[EZEtoGRU]

On 5/29/2023 at 1:07 PM, Luv2play said:

I agree its a cultural thing and now a class thing too. The better educated and higher income earners are not so likely to smoke now. I tend to move in those circles.lol.

I totally agree with the above.  Amongst people under 50 in the US, lesser educated/low income earners are much more likely to smoke IMO.  I confess to being judgmental when I see someone smoking a cigarette these days (less so if they are vaping).  With everything that is now known about the dangers of smoking cigarettes, its amazing to me that people actually still voluntarily choose to do it.  Flame away at me...but when I see someone with a cigarette, they automatically go down a notch in my estimation.  Poor judgement and bad choices.

As far as Vegas goes, the Park MGM on the strip is a completely non-smoking casino hotel...including in the bars and the casino.  It sits between the Cosmo and NYNY...so a very central location.  If you hate cigarette smoke, this is the place for you.  Sometimes I stay at the Cosmo but do all my gambling at the Park MGM due to the smoke-free environment. 

[BSR]

10 hours ago, EZEtoGRU said:

As far as Vegas goes, the Park MGM on the strip is a completely non-smoking casino hotel...including in the bars and the casino.  It sits between the Cosmo and NYNY...so a very central location.  If you hate cigarette smoke, this is the place for you.  Sometimes I stay at the Cosmo but do all my gambling at the Park MGM due to the smoke-free environment. 

Thanks for the info. I didn't realize that Park MGM's casino was nonsmoking (haven't been there since it was the old Monte Carlo).  I thought the Westin made a mistake when they made the whole property nonsmoking (brand-wide policy) except the casino.  They could have marketed themselves as the only nonsmoking casino in Las Vegas, but perhaps that was too avant-garde a notion when they opened back in 2003. 

I stayed there in late 2003 and remember being a mite annoyed that they advertised heavily as a nonsmoking property, yet you could smell the stench of smoke every time you went in & out of the hotel.  Gambling revenue could not have been that significant given how small the casino was (less than 300 machines, only 10 tables).  When a new owner took over after a foreclosure, they got rid of the casino, and all accompanying smoke, entirely.

[SouthOfTheBorder]

11 hours ago, EZEtoGRU said:

With everything that is now known about the dangers of smoking cigarettes, its amazing to me that people actually still voluntarily choose to do it

people do lots of things that aren’t logical, aren’t good for them & known to cause health problems. - terrible diets/obesity, crystal meth & other drugs, unprotected sex & the list goes on.  
I get smoking can be annoying for a non-smoker

interesting to note that in Japan & Spain they smoke like chimneys. Those two countries also have the longest average life-spans in the world.  Of course smoking is bad for health - yet, it sure looks like a diet with real food & much less additives, preservatives & junk food has more to do with living a longer & healthier life than not smoking. 

being in a casino doesn’t exactly make sense either - the house always wins, eventually 

Edited Tuesday at 02:40 AM by SouthOfTheBorder

[+ azdr0710]

mention of weed in this thread reminded me about the current odor of marijuana we all smell at times these days......

does anybody else (over about age 40 or 45) notice how vastly different it smells these days than when we were younger/in college??.....the smell now seems the result of industrial production (since it's legal now) with a much sweeter/manufactured scent......back in college days, pot smell seemed earthier, natural, and very obvious......I really don't like the smell of pot from either era, but today's pot is soooo different.......

anybody notice this and have a comment on how this new scent came to be??......thanks

[+ sniper]

On 5/29/2023 at 12:31 PM, augustus said:

I find the attitudes against smoking fascinating.  Weed smoke stinks worse and is mind altering.  The pot grown today has 10x the THC levels of the weed from 30 years ago and is causing psychosis and schizophrenia, but that's cool.

Um, they were saying that abiut weed 30-40 years ago when they were putting the "Just Say No" campaigns into schools. I doubt it's 100x more potent now than it was in the 60s.

[Cbilly17]

On 5/28/2024 at 12:51 AM, azdr0710 said:

mention of weed in this thread reminded me about the current odor of marijuana we all smell at times these days......

does anybody else (over about age 40 or 45) notice how vastly different it smells these days than when we were younger/in college??.....the smell now seems the result of industrial production (since it's legal now) with a much sweeter/manufactured scent......back in college days, pot smell seemed earthier, natural, and very obvious......I really don't like the smell of pot from either era, but today's pot is soooo different.......

anybody notice this and have a comment on how this new scent came to be??......thanks

Back in the 70s and 80s, it smelled like ‘grass’ burning. Now it smells like potent skunk.

[+ augustus]

2 hours ago, sniper said:

Um, they were saying that abiut weed 30-40 years ago when they were putting the "Just Say No" campaigns into schools. I doubt it's 100x more potent now than it was in the 60s.

Incorrect.  The potency of pot today is very high and causing serious problems.  Just what this country needs!  Pot is something you do in high school and then move on.  It ain't cool.  Life is difficult enough as it is.

 

Not Your Grandmother’s Marijuana: Rising THC Concentrations in Cannabis Can Pose Devastating Health Risks

MEDICINE.YALE.EDU

---

Brain changes and other cannabis side effects need more study, say Yale researchers.

 

[+ augustus]

Here's another article:

 

Legal Pot Is More Potent Than Ever — And Still Largely Unregulated - KFF Health News

KFFHEALTHNEWS.ORG

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As marijuana has become far more mainstream, potent, and sometimes dangerous, uneven regulation at the state and federal levels leaves consumers at risk.

 

[Monarchy79]

On 5/29/2023 at 12:31 PM, augustus said:

I find the attitudes against smoking fascinating.  Weed smoke stinks worse and is mind altering.  The pot grown today has 10x the THC levels of the weed from 30 years ago and is causing psychosis and schizophrenia, but that's cool.

Add heart problems and overall cognitive decline to that list. 
I loathe weed. 

[+ augustus]

1 hour ago, Monarchy79 said:

Add heart problems and overall cognitive decline to that list. 
I loathe weed. 

Agreed.  I know 2 adults who started smoking weed when it became legal in my state two years.  It's like they are descending into madness with the paranoia and irrational thoughts.  And an ER doctor neighbor told me they are seeing many young people with mental problems caused by pot.  All drugs are bad and there's nothing "cool" about them.

[Varkiel]

People still use tobacco a lot, but vaping is becoming more popular. I used to smoke tobacco but switched to vaping for my health. I buy my vapes from Nexus Smoke and feel better than when I smoked cigarettes. Still, many people use cigarettes