My 2c. This all comes down to responsibility, doesn't it. I sympathise with you, Pikachu, but at the end of the day tobacco companies are selling a product that has a lot of warnings associated with it, which has been proven to be addictive and has been proven to be not good for you. I agree that Big Tobacco is probably amoral, selling a product that it knows is addictive and has serious health implications, so they certainly had a part to play in your plight. Call it the evils of capitalism, if you will. [img]smile.gif[/img] But I don't think it's purely the tobacco company's fault that you had a moment of weakness over a lifetime of good decisions and decided to have a smoke because in this day and age everyone knows that cigs are bad for you. Cigarettes are dangerous. John Grisham wrote about it in the Runaway Jury. Russell Crowe and Al Pacino warned us about it in the movie The Insider. The words "SMOKING KILLS" is written on the packet of each cigarette (in Australia anyway).
Everyone knows the risk. It's ingrained in our society today. I think a mature adult's decision to smoke is made with both eyes open. If you need something to blame then blame the circumstances that caused you the moment of weakness.
Maybe in the 60s when tobacco advertising was in full swing and Big Tobacco was denying the bad effects of nicotine and glamourising it, or maybe if you were 70 years old and started smoking fifty years ago, then blaming the cig companies would be reasonable and valid - but I would find it difficult to believe that in this day and age someone could partake of something that everyone knows is clearly addictive and then blame the company that made it for getting hooked, especially if you're now 23 years old and should be well aware of the massive risk. Bit like playing Russian Roulette, I'd say. [img]smile.gif[/img]
I don't mean to sound so opinionated, I'm just a strong believer in mature adults taking responsibility for their own actions.
Just so people know where I'm coming from; I smoke about 5 sticks a day, 4mg tar (ultralights). I went into it both eyes open, clearly aware of the ramifications. I might go through a week where I smoke 1 stick a day, then I might go through a weekend where I'll smoke a pack. I don't really mind it at this point in time, I don't crave it except when I'm out drinking or dancing. But I know that it was because of me that I started, and it will be up to me to stop. I'll get around to that eventually, once I stop going out. I don't really smoke when I'm at home.
As for you...have you seen a doctor about the head pains, disconnection, etc? Have you tried gum, patches, etc? Half a pack a day doesn't seem like much, considering you've been smoking for less than a year. If you're smoking socially you could be psychologically addicted to it as well. Have you tried therapy?
Good luck with it, mate. Hope you get over it. Have faith in yourself. And try not to bite the heads off of people who disagree with you. They're just trying to help you. [img]smile.gif[/img]
[ 01-26-2004, 07:56 AM: Message edited by: Memnoch ]