Health inequalities: Why do people smoke if they know it’s bad for them?

I’ve been a smoker for over 50 years. I gave up 5 months ago but to-date have not felt any different. In fact I’ve had more problems & seen the doctor more in the past 5 months that I have in the previous 5 years. I was hardly ever ill, just the odd cold. I gave up for financial reasons and have never felt that smoking affected my health. I believe that there are many more bad things that cause more cancers than smoking. How much research has gone into the effects of poor diet and being overweight? The government introduced tobacco and they have made millions from the taxes. It’s not right that they should be persuaded now to stop people who are hooked on the drug. It’s very hard to give up and I believe everyone should have the right to make a choice.

‘As individuals, there are things we can do to reduce our risk of cancer. But across the UK population, it’s the wider determinants that drive our health, even though things like smoking maintain an illusion of free, individual choice and responsibility.’
I disagree with the way that this is framed and emphasised.
‘Wider determinants’ influence, not drive, our choices.
‘Free, individual choice’ is not an illusion, it’s a fact – and a very important one.
Don’t dismiss the power of the individual to make informed and intelligent choices – it’s probably by far the most important factor in whether an individual (indeed the vast majority, nowadays) chooses to start/continue/attempt to give up smoking.
This of course doesn’t reduce the need for better information and control of information about smoking, or the need to help individuals who have for whatever reason, chosen to commence smoking or enable it to become. a habit

I think it is about time that people who are told to give up smoking when admitted to hospital for a smoking related cause, either pay for their own treatment when they refuse to give up, or have it withdrawn because of wasting valuable hospital time, beds,and resources. I know of someone who is having extensive treatment for COPD, is frequently admitted to hospital with clots and circulatory issues of the legs, but blatantly refuses to give up smoking when knowing it is making him ill.

Teach children at school, from an early age, the dangers of smoking, as well as alcohol and drug abuse. Help them to understand the bad impacts on society these issues have. These bad habits sometimes may be associated as a form of self medication, which has a really bad effect in the long term and creates even worse problems. Teach children it’s really cool to be healthy and avoid these temptations. Hopefully the message will get through to their parents etc.

I definitely believe we need a coordinated ‘kick smoking’ policy. It is easy to ‘preach to the already converted’, but it those that would love to ‘give up’ but find it tough that we really need to focus on.

I would like to see more tv government promotion of the dangers of smoking.

Very informative but I think most smokers will not read it!

Still find it difficult to understand why people want to even start to smoke when the reports show the risks

I think most people who smoke are addicts and won’t listen to warnings, therefore not interested in giving up… sadly.

There needs to be more for other things. Most people who smoke choose too and won’t stop whatever

It’s hard to educate young ones who think it’s cool to try cigarettes and smoking kills on a pack means kills some but I’ll be ok. Photographs of tar in lungs and the effects of smoking on each pack is surely the best deterrent. Pressure government again!

Now that buying cigarettes and tobacco’s is not as straightforward as before, plus young children cannot buy them until a certain age. So would hope it shouldn’t be used as much as before but some people do continue it. And now it’s told that it can course cancer, so hope in time smoking people prevent using it

I lost both parents and my sister to cancer, all smokers. Sadly I dont think the government will do what it takes as they make to much money from the tax on tobacco.

A vulnerable group that wasn’t mentioned is the gamblers. The stresses in their lives are tremendous. Gambling advertising promoting it as a fun, macho thing is designed to lure and hold. The result is devastation for individuals and families and friends. Creating a mental health problem which will help the tobacco and alcohol market. Gambling, tobacco and alcohol industries feed into each other and create mental health problems whilst wrapping themselves in the cloak of helpfulness.

People don’t like being told what to do regarding any of there habits smoking included, some will do it all the more when told to stop. You have to educate the children of the dangers and show them the damage smoking causes and hope it sticks in there minds, and hope it provents them starting.

My maternal grandparents smoked and died of lung cancer, my mother smoked and developed permanent bronchitis but refused to accept it was the effect of smoking, my sister refused to accept that her lung cancer was due to smoking. I have never smoked, the smell is bad enough and the fumes make me choke. Hence friends have been non-smokers. How can one get over that ‘it is not cool to smoke’ but just makes one look stupid?

I lost my father to lung cancer when I was only 13 years old. It had a profound impact on me and my family. After seeing someone you love go through an awful death, you would never want to smoke.

I think you are more likely to smoke if you have a nervous disposition as it gives you something to do and concentrate on, if you have an addictive personality and have been persuaded (especially when young to try it, it gives you a bit of a thrill to know you are doing something you shouldn’t) and if your friends smoke you don’t want to be the odd one out.

I have lost two sisters to tobacco related lung cancers who did not smoke but because of their ages ie they were both in their 60s, they sadly got lung cancer because when they were young, everyone smoked ‘everywhere’ and even if you did not smoke, you might as well have done, as you were inhaling the same amount of smoke anyway. I don’t want my grandchildren to suffer this.

My wife and I gave up smoking at the end of March 1986, once we realised that our 8 year old son abhorred the habit and was worried about losing us to cancer. From a health point of view it is the best thing we have done. I believe the government should work with appropriate health authorities to understand why people smoke and to then devise ways of helping those people to kick the habit.

The young should be shown more medical films which show what smoking can do to major organs in the body before they are old enough to even think about smoking

My husband smoked two packets of cigarettes every year, when we were on our summer holidays and he thoroughly enjoyed every one but when the holiday was over he didn’t smoke again that year. He did this all his life but he wasn’t addicted to cigarettes.

Government(s) should be more pro-active. Smoking should be banned from ANY public area. Hospitals and doctors surgeries have enough to contend with without people who smoke resulting in self-inflicted cig/tobacco conditions. It’s horrible to walk through a cloud of smoke/fug outside entrances of shops etc. Cigarette/cigar advertising should be banned completely. Smoking is not cheap – food is often sacrificed in order to keep the habit going. The availability to purchase tobacco and cigarettes is too accessible and most definitely should not be sold in any food store. The industries that provide these addictive and disgusting products should be taxed to the highest and provide their own medical centres! Extreme – yes but why should the non-smokers have to suffer physically as a result of smokers’ habits!. Smoking is expensive – don’t people realise the price of a packet of cigs can produce a decent balanced meal!

Preventive health care should be a much greater priority than it currently is

After 45 years of smoking and enjoying it, I became a non-smoker in 2000 because of the increased tax cost.
I read Alan Carr’s book “The easy way to stop smoking” and after 3 weeks the craving stopped and it never bothered me to be with somebody smoking.
The best benefit was my healthy wallet!
I am now 81 years old-don’t think I would have got here without stopping smoking.

Tobacco products should be banned

Smoking, if done for years, is like a drug. The person who smokes, needs to admit they have a problem and needs help. The Government should be doing more so the younger generation don’t start smoking in the first place.

I totally agree with all the above. Many years ago the goverment advertised on billboards that smokng was the in thing as this brought in a large amount of revenue for the goverment now that that they no longer do due to the fact that people’s health costs to the Nhs supperseed that due to smoking related illness. Very Hypercritical. Damaged already done

Both my parents smoked, neither my sister nor I smoked.. My son and my sister’s family are all non smokers. I hated sitting in the living room when mam and dad were smoking I used to flap my hand if smoke driffed into my face it was awful all our clothes and hair smelled of smoke mam stopped smoking suddenly when she decided she couldn’t afford it, dad never did. Mam agreed with me about getting smoke in my face and apologised she knew what I’d put up with!

There is nothing that the health authority or the government can do to make people give up. It is the decision of the individual to stop or continue smoking regardless of the risk .I smoked for many years and I gave up when I was ready to do so and not due outside influences Or restrictions .

Educating children from a young age on the risks to their health and making it more difficult and expensive to obtain tobacco products.

Target youngsters and stop them from ever starting in the first place

People who are stressed smoke.I encourage them to quit.

I think that the government could do a lot more to stop young people taking up smoking.

People take up smoking through peer pressure and perhaps they think it looks ‘cool’,
I joined the RAF in 1953 as a non smoker but before ‘square bashing’ was finished I had joined the ”fall out for smoke break”. It then took me until 1966 when I became self employed to stop. I simply said I am not smoking any more and it was as easy as that.

Tobacco should be banned in any form.

Everywhere smoking and drinking are part of every film or drama as being safisticated and the thing to do.

I believe that smoking is a very complex problem. There are no single solutions. Very often people smoke to be part of a group. Others begin through stress. Others for comfort. However, I feel that advertising had a great influence and often glamourised smoking..

A good overview.

There’s only one way to stop people smoking.Make cigarettes to expensive.

It must be hard to give up the ‘ habit ‘, I was lucky not to have gone down that road, however it is a lot easier for people to try to give up smoking nowadays than it ever was, so the campaigns must keep going.

I have never smoked in my life despite family and friends smoking. Maybe we should do something to show people that sometimes it is cleverer not to follow the crowd

I honestly do not know why, so called people who can’t afford to smoke or drink continue to waste their money doing so. Prices have soared over the year and still they do it, sometimes to the detriment of their families and their own lives. However, we are not a dictatorial or nanny state and quite honestly I don’t think they take notice.

For some old people there is little other pleasure on offer. We have to think of quality of life and the right people have to make their own choices, even bad ones like smoking, drinking too much and getting too fat.

I totally agree about smoking. When I was a youngster starting smoking was a part of growing up. Parents and adults smoked so you copied them. I gave up 10/11/1999 and haven’t smoked since; nicotine completely out of my system. The need for nicotine was the urge to have a cig and the inhalation of smoke causing cancer. I’m afraid that many youngsters today are into roll ups but a lot of ex smokers are now relying on nicotine inhalers for comfort. I just say drop inhalers and be strong and in 7 years it will be completely out one’s body. The urge will have disappeared.

Very informative to those that smoke and don’t understand what it does to your body thankyoy

Government won’t do anything while they get money from Tobacco companies

Nicotine is very addictive and many smokers find it so hard to give up,more education is needed to show hardened smokers the real damage they are doing to themselves and what passive smoking does to their family and friends.

No brainer

Agree that smoking is bad for you and young people need to be given more advice not to start but I think that vaping is probably equally as bad and this needs to be addressed also.
The government need to do more.

Those who smoke need to make better choices and take responsibility for their own health, no one else can do this for them

One of the unfortunate side effects of a liberal society is to use one’s freewill to the extent of licence! We do not always know what the longer term repercussions will be. Perhaps our educational system can help our young people to understand more the difference between freedom and licence.

I totally agree more should be done. After seeing my father die from lung cancer and then my mother, who never smoked, but went on to develop cancer probably caused from the effects of my fathers smoking. Me and my brother suffer from asthma. I’ve also recently lost my mother in law to lung cancer I would welcome raising the age limit. Think this is a sensible and achievable goal. I would not want any family to go through what myself my family went thro and the suffering my parents experienced.

I totally agree more should be done. After seeing my father die from lung cancer and then my mother, who never smoked, but went on to develop cancer probably caused from the effects of my fathers smoking. Me and my brother suffer from asthma. I’ve also recently lost my mother in law to lung cancer I would welcome raising the age limit. Think this is a sensible and achievable goal. I would not want any family to go through what myself my family went thro and the suffering my parents experienced. The tobacco companies should be made to pay.

Initially we had the “Big Smoke” lie perpetuated by the tobacco companies with the support of so called medical experts. Fortunately that was replaced by proper medical advice which warned of the real dangers of smoking.
However, many completely disregarded that advice and satisfy their irrational indulgence with the consequential adverse effects on their health.
They also either ignore or are just simply prepared to pay the additional premiums now charged by insurance companies.
Unfortunately, I see the only major deterrent to the young and others would be that the NHS levies a charge for treating ailments or performing surgery for illnesses directly attributable to smoking.
Smokers will no doubt trot out the usual platitudes about personal freedom of choice. But how much better it is to return home from a pub without clothes wreaking of smoke. And how they could self indulgently and selfishly pollute the air in restaurants and aeroplanes never ceased to annoy me!

Good article raising valid points.

It’s so unfashionable to smoke these days. The hard hitting photos showing the possible side effects should be enough to deter users. Government needs to price tobacco out of reach.

Yes it is very important to show a good example to children.
At the moment people are stressing to feed their families.
When I had my family I gave up smoking and the fact that money was short helped me get my priorities right.
It must be so hard when you want to do the right thing but keep tempted.
We need to help those who find it hard, maybe looking more at the health benefits and really rewarding those who do manage to give up and how they can help others.
💕👍

I think the government could do a lot more with all preventative health care – as well as all forms of air pollution and funding for nhs services but good luck with that!

Smoking is addictive, that’s what needs to be addressed initially. More needs to be done to eradicate smoking altogether.

Definitely agree with this interesting article. Much more needs to be done to stop young people starting to smoke in the first place.

Risks of smoking are well documented and shared- and still people smoke

Very interesting read, highlights the enormous difficulty in trying to stop people from starting smoking or to persuade them to stop, its personal choice. More explicit info, tailored to target young people, raise taxes to make them beyond teenagers pockets.

It could be talked about much more and they couldn publish statistics each month on deaths from smoking and the cost of cigarettes.

There is no established requirement for routine tests to be carried out on people with families who have succumbed to multiple cancers.

Never smoked. My family did. I couldn’t stand the smell.Early deaths for my mother and brother – so sad. I wish they knew what we know now and I wish the government could do more to help people stop and to stop people starting.

That is a very true story you told. I’m 69 now and have never smoked and never will. My Dad smoked and died at 60 years although part of this was war related. I don’t see why people need to smoke. Fitness would probably help a no smoking situation for people.

Support disadvantaged communities and strive for a more equal society with new job opportunities and more realistic benefits.
Further increase the tax on tobacco products. Promote smoking cessation by increasing support, e.g provide dedicated services in easily accessible areas. Make NRT free..

I quit three daily rollups about 15 years ago and went on to Vaping for 1 year and then quit altogether christmas eve 1998. and have never felt better.

Very interesting to read.but companies will always put profits before health. The Government has a duty to ensure that companies are taxed and that income should be used to educate ,help research and support people to stop smoking.

The doctors should help more with giving up smoking

Perhaps tobacco companies should pay a special levy to compensate shops that agree to stop selling cigarettes and tobacco.

Smoking is a dangerous and antiquated habit with no discernable benefits

So glad I never started smoking, as did most of my family. Very interesting info to read – lets hope it helps somebody to stop smoking or never start in the first place.

Recently my husband sadly passed away as a result of having lung cancer having smoked since he was 13. I realise how addictive smoking is and feel if the Government increased the tax on cigarettes significantly it would force people to quit smoking sooner rather than when its too late as happened with my husband.

Smoking is very bad for health, without a doubt !!!!
There are more things that can be done to steer children & young people away from smoking, plus to encourage people to give up smoking.
Education is vital from a young age. Evidence of how smoking affects health should be made available to deter people from this awful habit.

Smoking is a personnel choice for the individual, but cancer from passive smoking should be taken into account.
You need to think of the damage done to yourself and others but you also cannot dictate to people on this choice. A complete ban on smoking in public areas is the only way to reduce deaths from cancer caused by passive smoking.

Smoking was the main factor in my fathers death when I was only 12. I still miss him and it certainly stopped me from ever smoking.

I agree with the comments set out above

Promote effective campaigns against smoking and excess alcohol plus excessive sugary food. Not sure if tax is answer. Come forward Marcus Rashford – the nation needs you.

The government receive tax on tobacco.
Putting up tax alone makes poorer family’s pay more.
Children suffer as a result.
There must be more penalties on the manufacturers.
People will always pay to kill them self’s.
Just like alcahol.
Drink driving several decades ago was no big deal.
Now it is not acceptable for all if not most.
People smoke for many reasons. Taste Calming stress.
Make smoking taste bad to start less people might just not take it up. If bad taste is enforced to all brands things might change.

Very detailed information. Lots to take in.

Teenagers will no matter what has been said in the past, present and future, try out smoking. Now the trend – maybe as a possible replacement for smoking – is vapping which is something that is little known about.

More funding to local authorites public health departments to check on illegal sales would help

Very interesting and informative.

A very good article. I started smoking when I was 13 years old (male) mainly because it was a challenge to authority. I grew up in a lower working class flat with no bathroom and an outside loo. Both my parents smoked. I managed to give up when I was 27 after two unsuccessful attempts – largely due to getting together with friends and drinking a few pints. In those days (60’s and 70’s) it was commonplace in pubs for someone to get out a packet of cigarettes and pass them round the table.
I think alcohol consumption plays a significant role in preventing people from giving up smoking, especially in communities where people with certain common interests gather together.

I think we should stop smoking!

I was 11 years old when my dad died of lung cancer so it put me off smoking for life. Sadly I think if someone really wants to smoke they will, despite knowing the risks. They don’t believe it will happen to them until it’s too late.

People smoke to curtail appetite and also out if boredom. I watched my Mum die if Lung Cancer and would see cigarettes banned completely if possible.

Don’t smoke it’s bad for you.

I don’t think there is much more the Government can do. It’s up to the individual whether they want to smoke or not.

You can give them all the information but it’s up to themselves.it seems to be more young people especially girls smoking

People say they smoke because they are stressed. I say 2 them u r now a stressed Smoker

Leave people alone! Yes educate them, let them know the risks, but stop using the threat of ‘more government intervention’. Because in real life that just means the government TAX us ordinary people more and usually on the only pleasures in life, alcohol, sugar and yes smoking. If people want to do it, let them, hell it’s just a good job they can’t tax sunshine as well, seeings as that can give you cancer too!
Stop trying to nanny state people, we take risks every day in life, we get hammered every week in our pay packets, we don’t need cancer research pressuring the government to ‘do more’ to stop anything, that just means us paying more!

We all have responsibility for our own health given the right information.

Catch them young. Ban smoking in all eating places even OUTSIDE at tables , bars etc. in conjunction with present legislation.

Prevention is better than cure
The Government would save the NHS money by observing the above

It’s not only smoking , it’s fast food in restaurants which offer chicken nuggets and chips for ‘kids meals’ while adults have a wider, healthier menu.

The government has a vested interest in NOT banning smoking. They get too much taxes generated by it. They don’t give a toss about people’s health, only profit!

Put more tax on cigarettes, which will help the government, and hopefully stop people from buying cigarettes.
The best solution is not to start smoking, but if a smoker, willpower and a desire to stop.

I lost my father, three uncles and a dear nephew to lung and throat cancer. ALL were smokers but refused to accept the warnings. Sadly we share this with smokers.

Not only tobacco these days –what about illegal drugs causing cancer–grass etc!

Holding tobacco companies responsible for their products is a good move forward. I am concerned that this will negate their responsibility, a little like carbon offsetting. Any move to help the cessation of smoking is a welcome move. Improving rogue importers(illegal tobacco transportation) would be beneficial.

I agree. The familial link for starting smoking is so obvious. People who live in that environment are so disadvantaged.

The price of nicotine replacement is astronomical. The manufacturers should be “encouraged” to stop profiteering.

My first husband died with cancer that’s why I support cancer research ,none of us ever smoked in the family and neither did his parents ,it makes me still bitter 24 years later that people I know smoke and don’t get cancer,

My first husband died with cancer that’s why I support cancer research ,none of us ever smoked in the family and neither did his parents ,it makes me still bitter 24 years later that people I know smoke and don’t get cancer

Something can be done which any problem but it’s getting the government to recognise it
We need more spokespeople in the government

Smoking, like most if not all addictions is usually a symptom not the cause of a problem. It usually starts out as a solution (feeling grown up, fitting in, perceived de-stressor, instead of food weight control etc) before it becomes a problem, health or otherwise. To help someone stop smoking they need to get to the cause of why they smoke, what it gives them or think it gives them or get from it. Whilst that benefit perceived from smoking is greater than their perceived risk/problem they will not stop. How much the government can help with this I do not know, just saying it is bad for you or making it difficult is not enough as a person will always find a justification to disprove this real or imagined.

Smoking is banned almost everywhere and has been for many years yet it is still being blamed for cancer which is going up in incidence. Someone should look at the statistics.

I have read your article and I am inclined to agree with the points raised. I lived with a family of smokers and in the 60s as a teenager it was the accepted thing to smoke, even thought of as quite fashionable but as the message became louder and clearer I managed to stop smoking, however there was still a huge temptation although there were still advertising and other enticements and I am happy to say I have not smoked for over 30 years now.
I worked in a mental health hospital for over 20 years and saw how much the patients relied upon their cigarettes so that is a very valuable point, anybody who does not fit into the norm would consider smoking to be a way of supporting their inadequacies and although we know this is nonsense to them it is very real.
There has to be a way of breaking the dependency on cigarettes being used as props and support, however it is a big ask and banning it does not deter or help those that feel they need this prop or support and there has to be a way of replacing it !

Sometimes there are many reasons why someone smokes from copying what their parents did, using it as a way to lose weight to a stress reliever. We as a country need to do more to encourage more people to give up smoking as it isn’t just themselves they are affecting and this includes ther children, grandchildren to passive smoking for others.

The Government should continue to increase taxation on tobacco and tobacco products at rates MUCH HIGHER than inflation. In order to minimise the loss of revenue from increased tobacco taxation the government should also increase the taxation rates on the alternative vaping inhaler products.

The “Polluter Pays” principle applied to tobacco companies is a great idea!

outright ban on all tobacco use in public places – heavy fines
massively increase the duty on all tobacco products

I think smoking should be banned completely – would hate to think people could get cancer through passive smoking.

I agree with comprehensive tobacco control strategies being put in place by the Government to ensure that people will not start smoking and smokers are helped to cease smoking.

I am an ex smoker . I tried smoking as a teenager to look cool. But lucky I didn’t like it.
But when I was a teenager I liked cannabis and struggled to stop . But it was the tobacco I think in a joint . Gave up because I had children for many years. Then my son got cancer and stress and having people around me smoking I started smoking to release stress and got hooked . Finally giving up cigarettes 4 years ago but now my habit has turned into food.
I think it’s in my personality to get addicted to things in general .
More free therapy and mental health help is needed.

I am sorry that people have developed the smoking habit and cannot get out of it. I tried smoking when in my teens and thought it was a disgusting habit and could not afford to smoke as I had a car to run. One of my friends developed cancer and stopped smoking immediately. She got a fright.

The proposed measures seem to be sensible – and the tobacco industry must be made to pay – but how far the government will be prepared to go in the present climate is debatable.

Ban all forms of smoking

The simple answer would be to ban the use of tobacco, make it a Class A drug. Of course this will never happen because Government relies heavily on the tax revenue the Tobacco Industry brings.

As a former smoker, I agree with all of the above completely.

Cancer research is crucial and needs maximum support. You are doing a marvellous job
which reinforces the serious shortage of work on reducing inequalities and shortage of Health Education.

I think that we need to be focusing on the carcinogenic effects of drinking alcohol and pay more attention to that. Alcohol is implicated in a number of cancers and other forms of ill-health, both physical and mental. Yet it never gets a mention

Thank you for this article; very interesting and helpful. I still feel that more needs to be done to dissuade young people from smoking. Recently I have noticed significant numbers of very young teenagers smoking cigarettes.

I think all these vape cigarettes are doing more bad than good. I think they encourage young non smokers to actually take up smoking. They think it’s trendy.

It’s about time the Government banned the production of these disgusting things. Having grown up in a smoky home it put me off for life. What I object to is other people smoking affects those that don’t and many cases of cancer are found in non smokers for this reason. I know the Government make money from sales but just close production!

Any steps taken to prevent smoking is a plus. It’s not a one size fits all. I’m in my seventies, both my parents smoked and my brother started at 11 but the smell and the whole smoking process revolted me and my children and husband are non smokers

This is a good article and research topic. However, the title struck me as one we should be using in general for addictive disorders, whether it be alcohol, nicotine, or diamorphine. To wit: “Why do people inject heroin if they know it’s bad for them?”

”One of the factors that could contribute to the pattern of smoking and mental health include the perception of smoking as a calming activity, or something to do in a stressful situation. Even some mental health professionals have expressed reluctance to help their patients to quit. After all, why would you want to add to the burden of someone living with a mental health condition?
But this is an illusion – temporary withdrawal from nicotine between cigarettes is another source of stress, and the sense of calm only comes from briefly addressing that nicotine withdrawal. In fact, research shows consistent mental health improvements following smoking cessation.”

Unsure if the article writer is/has been a personal smoker in the past, or, not.

We have been induced into the fact that we should smoke a ciggy after having sex, to calm us down from all that physical exertion, this ideaology has been around for the last 75 years, or, more, and we still do it as a society, it’s not just a perception, it’s a fact.

My Mother suffered from Epilepsy, for 50 years, I turned to smoking at the age of 12 to stem the bad nerves I had been born with, that wasn’t my fault, it was an end result of the ”disease”, and many GPs currently, as you mention, won’t stop you from smoking if they think there is a risk to yourself of self harming, for example, because you’re ”climbing the walls’ wanting to smoke.
I wore a nicotine patch for nearly a year, it makes your body reek of nicotine, especially in the summer months, when you sweat in the warmer weather by default, when you go to work you stink the office out and everyone hates you for it, it’s as anti-social as eating garlic in abundance, so, I went back to smoking again and everyone was happy.

I smoked heavily for 42 years, working in the 1970s everyone smoked, that was the in thing in society, we had mass marketing and advertising, and having an Uncle who worked for John Players he used to get a pack of 200 cigarettes at work weekly, part of the perks of the job, he shared them out with the family, they were easy to obtain, along with vending machines on street corners, a 2p piece sellotaped to the back of the carton for a 8p pack of ten fags if you put a 10p coin in the slot, easy to carry on with your addiction and nobody could stop you and you weren’t age challenged like you were in a newsagent’s shop.

I only stopped smoking when I got Bowel Cancer, after having a Pelvic Exenteration and losing the major organs in my Pelvis the addiction stopped overnight, I don’t even look at a ciggy any more, and if I see youngsters at the bus stop smoking I give them a lecture.

An interesting article.