Cigarettes

[EC]

Skoal, of course!  It's dip, smokeless tobacco, whatever you wanna call it. Does that answer your question?  If not, i can go into more, gross detail.:)

I have no idea what skoal is.  Gross details please!

[primushead]

If you insist...Ok, it comes in a small can, about the size of a hockey puck, and basically, it is ground up tobacco with a certain flavoring (i.e. mint, apple).  Anyway, you get yourself a pinch and stick it between your gum and teeth, usually to one side, but some people stick it in the middle.  From there, the fiberglass in the dip cuts your gum, making a tiny series of holes that allow the nicotine from the dip to get in.  After that, you chill, spit every once in a while, and let your gums swell up.  And that's a crash course in the subject of dip.  I hope you found it informative.

[EC]

If you insist...Ok, it comes in a small can, about the size of a hockey puck, and basically, it is ground up tobacco with a certain flavoring (i.e. mint, apple).  Anyway, you get yourself a pinch and stick it between your gum and teeth, usually to one side, but some people stick it in the middle.  From there, the fiberglass in the dip cuts your gum, making a tiny series of holes that allow the nicotine from the dip to get in.  After that, you chill, spit every once in a while, and let your gums swell up.  And that's a crash course in the subject of dip.  I hope you found it informative.

You have got to be shitting me.  WHAT?  You cut up your gums with fibreglass and tobacco and flavouring?  And they swell up?  Is that legal?  That sounds worse than smoking.  

I'm sure it's one of those things that everyone else is used to, But what about the fibreglass?  Does it go into your body?  That's not good for you!  

[primushead]

Well, your gums only swell up if you dip a whole hell of a lot.  I've cut down alot because of that...actually I think it's been 3 weeks since I've taken a dip.  But yeah, it's a bizarre form of tobacco.  I don't think the fiberglass actually goes into your system, there's too little of it.  But it cuts your gum ( you can't actually see the cut though.)

[EC]

Well, your gums only swell up if you dip a whole hell of a lot.  I've cut down alot because of that...actually I think it's been 3 weeks since I've taken a dip.  But yeah, it's a bizarre form of tobacco.  I don't think the fiberglass actually goes into your system, there's too little of it.  But it cuts your gum ( you can't actually see the cut though.)

Okay.  Well be careful.   :-/

[MMJ_fanatic]

where did you hear that there's fiberglass in it?!  I think there's only tobacco in there :-/

[dwight]

No. he's right. There's fiberglass in some cigs... Kools an some others.  Wonderful.. isn't it!

You have to ask yourself - "When.. will I stop smoking?"
because it's not "should" I stop smoking.  

The fact is...everything looks great on a young person's body; smoking, tattoos, even morgue pictures look good. Now, on the other hand.. Seeing a 65 year old lady smoke or 70 year old guy on oxygen is anything but cool, interesting,or attractive.

Here are the facts - (1) When you smoke you're falling prey to the single greatest corporate rip-off/manipulation/marketing scheme in history. You're playing in to the "mans" hands - that includes the Republicans and George Bush.  (2) You're killing yourself and the people around you (3) In 500 years they'll look back at smoking as an unbelievable tragedy.. like we would Nazi Germany. (4) Cancer is one of the worst ways to die. It's slow. It's painfull. Treatmant sucks and it's expensive.

Be original.. be strong..be progressive..protect you and your loved ones... QUIT SMOKING and support the anti smoking lobby.

[primushead]

No, i was talking about dip, not cigarettes.  But there are some cigs that have fiberglass in them.

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

yo Dwight,
I dig where you are coming from.  Smoking cartons upon cartons each week and being addicted sucks donkey ass.  What I'm speaking of is the occasional puff here and there, kinda like binge drinking.  No one paints me an alcoholic if I get loaded every once and a while, but they sure would if I came to work drunk every day (for example).

I can see both sides.  My dad is going to end up in his grave with a Kool Filter King squarely planted in his mouth.  And that's his choice, as it's his life.  So long as he's not hurting anyone except himself, I can't really judge him.  (not that I haven't, or at least tried to sway him with photos and whatnot...but I digress).  After 2 tours of Vietnam, 35 years in a steel mill, 3 kids (me included!) and 50+ years of smoking, he's probably going to die as a result of smoking.  And that's sad, of course.  

Not sure where I'm going with this...

[MMJ_fanatic]

jc--I hear somewhere that the clove numbers are supposedly worse than regular cigs...

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

yup, I've heard that too.  but just like burgers, if you don't eat them everyday, you can enjoy them every once and a while...moderation is the key (as with everything EXCEPT MMJ, of course)

[dogandponyshow]

I chewed one time way back when in my math class and thought I was going to blow chow.  Never did it again.  Way back when I smoked some cloves and I heard they make your lungs bleed. Every know and then when I am drunk I will take a puff a cigarette.  Cigars are where it's at.  Nothing better than sitting a poker table in Vegas and smoking a cigar.

D.

[EC]

Woah.  Thanks dwight.  I appreciate your efforts.

I would like to point out, however, that smoking tobacco has been a ritual for many, many years - loooong before cigarettes came in packages that keep asshole tobacco companies very rich and powerful.

There are alternatives - American Spirit cigarettes are organic, and I believe, made from tobacco processed on rotating crop farms that treat their employees well.  I don't think they have any preservatives, either.  

And in Toronto you can't smoke inside.  Anywhere.  So nobody's killing anybody else here.

And all that said, you are absolutely right, and I am very aware of the fact that I started smoking because I thought it was cool, and I very guiltily still kind of do even though I KNOW how terrible it is.  I will work on that.

damn.  damn damn damn damn damn.  

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

very thoughtful post, Meg...

[dwight]

thanks Meg

this is by no means meant to be a jab at your comments - they're appreciated!

however, many things went on for centuries that we no longer do now - blood letting, surgery without sterilization and hand washing

They're always be drugs and people who do them but there's no greater addiction on the planet that kills more people that's been glorified by the media and society

[primushead]

I wouldn't say it's been glorified.  I haven't really seen a pro-smoking ad, well, ever.  Except by the companies themselves...ok i stand corrected.  But society is much more non-smoking oriented today than ever.  

[EC]

thanks Meg

this is by no means meant to be a jab at your comments - they're appreciated!

however, many things went on for centuries that we no longer do now - blood letting, surgery without sterilization and hand washing

They're always be drugs and people who do them but there's no greater addiction on the planet that kills more people that's been glorified by the media and society

Only because it's interesting, and again, NOT to in any way shape or form take away from the fact that smoking is bad for you.

But they ARE still doing a form of blood-letting:  leeches.  They're using leeches in post-operatic care.  For example, if you're got gangrene, they'll stick some leeches on the infected area.  My surgeon uncle told me this.  Apparently it's really great, because they suck out all the poisonous substances as well as get the blood flowing, and help reduce swelling.  Not entirely the same as the weird little blood-letting devices.  Those are weird.  We have one, and it's been in the family for a long time.  You press a button and these sharp little razors spring out.  Not a good toy for children.

And cultures, especially American and Canadian native cultures, do still use tobacco.  In fact, just last week I went to the artistic director of the native theatre down the hall for some advice, and she gave me some advice and a little ritual to do, and the ritual involved releasing tobacco on the ground near a tree.  

But again, and qute seriously, I only mention these things because they're interesting.  I am in no way trying to justify my gross habit.  :)

[primushead]

You know something, I heard cloves were really bad for you, too.  But i mean...they're all cigarettes in the end.  

[MMJ_fanatic]

now what I heard was they're worse for you than regular cigs.  I think Tommy's got a decent alternative--he rolls his own

[tomEisenbraun]

cloves liquefy your lungs. I wouldn't get too addicted to em, or you'll die a lot earlier than any Camels'll do ya.