What made you start smoking?

[silliemillie]

I have never smoked myself so dont understand the whys & wherefores.

Obviously once the addiction takes over thats different but why would you think to start in the first place?

Was it mostly peer pressure/being encouraged to by others?

[puzzlenat]

In my case, it seemed that all 'grown ups' smoked so in order to feel part of that group I needed to. I spent 3 weeks smoking loads in private until I could manage it without choking or feeling sick, and only once I had sufficiently practised did I smoke in public.

[sandyRoe]

It seemed a grown up thing to do. Cigarettes were also associated with all kinds of sport and were advertised everywhere.

[LazyGun]

@puzzlenat - Looking back ,I am amazed at how persistent I was when I started smoking.

I still remember making myself sick with packs of Players (?) No.6 in an attempt to be a smoker - ridiculous really.

And then there was the spell of smoking menthol cigarettes, in the mistaken belief that somehow this would hide the fact that I was experimenting with smoking from my parents ;)

[Smowball]

Have never smoked in my life, or even tried it.

[wendilla]

It was the done thing when I was young you were not popular unless you smoked. And yes I worked in hospitals where smoking was quite normal.Waiting in the dentists. Thankfully I stopped 15 years ago.

[zebo]

I've never, ever smoked, I can't handle an ashtray, a cigarette or even a cigarette packet, caused problems when OH was a smoker. His Mother would hold the ashtray under a long bit of burning ash, apologise for disturbing him, and knock it off!

[yogasun]

Started many years ago as first proper boyfriend smoked. It seemed very 'cool' at the time to be sporting a Dunhill and everyone seemed to smoke!

Gave up 33 years ago, best thing (one of them!) I ever did!

[padanto]

At the time I began smoking all the television ads. and newspaper and radio ads were telling us how good these cigarettes were and how fashionable we would look if we had a cigarette in one hand and the packet in the other. Usually the company selling them would have the most beautiful girls showing them off

[lcfc2222]

Found a pack in the street when I was 11 years old

[Proudbrit]

Never smoked cigarettes but Father-in-Law introduced me to smoking a pipe which had such a variety of tastes. Then Havana cigars at business functions, also good. Stopped when told to after a heart attack but then on losing my wife and needing to get my health back again through exercise, my doctor agreed that I would never be an inveterate smoker so took up pipe & cigars again. NEVER a habit, no problem to have stopped just a joy at 81 to smoke an occasional pipe and cigar.

[paddywak]

When I started in the early sixties just about everybody smoked there was no anti smoking campaign, in fact as has already been mentioned just the opposite was happening on TV or at the cinema, so I started because everybody else did. I kicked the habit back in 1970 and I've never regretted it.

[mibn2cweus]

I was 5 and thought maybe I could give up my thumb if I smoked . . .

. . . oh well. :o/

[Uncle Tricky]

I can only speak for the generation I belong to, I am 59 years old and started smoking at th age of 15 along with a lot of my friends, I finally gave up 2 years ago after 42 years. In my youth nearly everyone smoked and it was a surprise when you offered someone a cigarette and for them to refuse and say 'I don't smoke'. It was a very 'sociable' thing to do (oh how times have changed) and could be an ice breaker when meeting somebody for the first time!

I found smoking a relaxing activity and I still miss it even after 2 years of quitting, it is extremely diffcult to explain to anyone who has never smoked what it is all about. What I do say is don't feel too smug or superior about being a lifelong non-smoker, just be thankful you were sensible enough never to have succumbed to the temptation because a lot of smokers and ex-smokers wish they'd done the same as you!

[Arksided]

Passive smoking... when I was in a Band playing drums as a teen we regularly hired a soundproof rehearsal room away from main recording studio at first, but as the booking got closer other band members used to smoke more frequently... until that dreadful day when I gave up and asked for a cig.

[LazyGun]

@Mib LoL - taken me about 3 hours, but i finally get your post! :)

[4getmenot]

started so I could fit in with mates. I gave up in March after 17 years smoking

[mibn2cweus]

LazyGun
@Mib LoL - taken me about 3 hours, but i finally get your post! :)
19:41 Tue 09th Oct 2012

I believe Site Rules prohibit me for divulging my next attempt at replacement therapy, LG. ;o)

[craft1948]

Peer pressure for me. When I had the daughter in 1970 you could even smoke in the maternity hospital................

[askyourgran]

At a youth club aged 14 one of the senior girl club workers asked of I fancied one, not wanting to look as if I was a kid I said OK. So on club nights I went to the staff room and had a cig with Hazel the senior cig merchant.