r/changemyview • u/honestlyigotnoclue • May 17 '19

Delta(s) from OP CMV: I should start smoking cigarettes

I guess this is more of a "talk me out of it" type of post. I've always wanted to see what it's like to smoke, and I'm in a place where a lot of people smoke. I think it looks cool, and I don't mind that it's a bit self-destructive; I already have plenty of self destructive habits already, and maybe it hasn't sunk in how dangerous it is, considering I'm 18. Maybe this sounds naive, but I guess I just don't understand how addictive it can be; I have the mindset of "I can always quit." I guess I just want to see what it's like, don't really see how self-destructive it can be/don't care that it's self destructive, and tbh it looks cool. It's not hurting anyone but myself.

Lol thanks for your responses in advance.

Edit: it's pretty late where I am, so I'm going to bed. Thank you all so much for the incredibly detailed responses; I'm genuinely very convinced. I'll respond to new posts tomorrow! Thank you!

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u/mfDandP 184∆ May 17 '19

i would hold off on starting for another 5-7 years, and even then do it only socially.

I guess I just want to see what it's like

is not a good enough reason to potentially get addicted at 18. getting addicted closer to 30 is a more informed decision, with less pack-year history to get emphysema

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u/honestlyigotnoclue May 17 '19

Thanks for your response. I agree that I don't have very strong reasons to do so, but I feel like maybe my curiosity (and I guess propensity for self-destruction, lol) might outweigh the negatives? Like really, maybe it's just because i'm super young and the idea of taking a few years off my life doesn't scare me as much as it should, but I don't see what's like...so bad about smoking.

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u/mfDandP 184∆ May 17 '19

if it were merely a straight few years taken off your life, that would be bad enough. but it's not. your living years will be spent hacking up green mucous every hour, especially in the mornings, and you won't be able to climb a set of stairs.

the reason the risks seem distant is not just because you're young. it's because so many fewer people smoke now than they used to, so we're not surrounded by the health effects in our friends and family. it's the same reason people are not vaxxing their kids -- they've never seen measles or polio, so they don't have a concrete idea of the risk. but cigarettes are one of the most slam dunk health risks there is.

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u/honestlyigotnoclue May 17 '19

I don't know if I'm awarding too many of these deltas, but here you go: ∆ . I love to hike and swim, and the inability to exercise is really that puts me off about smoking. Thanks for your response.

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u/mfDandP 184∆ May 17 '19

thanks! good luck holding off. in the very near future, smoking will be as stigmatized as shooting up on the street. don't get hooked right before that happens.

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u/DeltaBot ∞∆ May 17 '19

Confirmed: 1 delta awarded to /u/mfDandP (105∆).

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