On 3/12/2013 10:37 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

> On Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:01:29 -0400, Dave Smith
> > wrote:

>> Something seems to have worked because there are far few smokers now
>> than there used to be.
>
> Less people are starting. Buying smokes is more difficult for the
> under 18 crowd, more cancer education, less peer pressure as there are
> less smoking peers to learn from.
>
I see less people smoking at work but it could be many of those who
smoke don't do it during business hours. Our company prohibits smoking
on company grounds, though it doesn't stop some people and it didn't
stop me back when I smoked. Others did it, so there was no enforcement.
The ones who don't have their careers in mind and don't want to be
seen doing it.

The weird thing is that probably 1 in 2 cars I see on the road when I'm
out have someone with a cigarette hanging out of the window. Seems like
there's still a lot of smokers to me.

>> I can tell you that I used to smoke, gave it up
>> for a long time, made the mistake of thinking I could have the
>> occasional cigarette and then started up again, quit, started again and
>> quit again.
>
> Once I quit, that was it. I've been tempted, but I've heard too many
> stories of people that after some years tried one cigarette and then
> went pack to their old pack a day habit. Sitting here writing about
> it, I think a good smoke might be nice and it has been almost 40 years
> since I stopped. Too addictive to take a chance.
>
I've had that passing thought, too, that I can smoke one once in a
while. I haven't tempted fate by giving in to that.

>
> The last time was helped by the introduction of the
>> harmonized sales tax which saw about 70 cents added to the cost of a
>> package of cigarettes. It came into effect July 1, about three years
>> ago. That was it for me. I didn't buy any more.
>
> Good for you!
>
Ditto!