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by XRD
on Fri Apr 23, 2004 3:38 pm |
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Hi, I just found this forum. Let me tell you more about myself:
I just turned 18 in March of this year, been an "occasional closet smoker" for 4 years now. I am a college student. I smoke much less than a pack/week and I do buy my own. I started in high school with some friends who were trying it for the first time as well and we thought it was cool and decided to do it again: (you know how it goes  ) Like I said, I have been smoking for 4 years and have never been hooked and don't plan on becoming hooked anytime soon. To me, the pleasure of smoking also lies in the possibility of enjoying the activity once in a while and not doing it constantly. Being able not to do it constantly also allows me to hide it from my parents.
I would want to tell them I smoke sometimes because I am tired of hiding but I fear too much their reaction as they are real stubborn anti's. They will, however, permit smoking in their home if a smoking relative comes to visit, which has happened many times in the past. I tried telling them I smoked one day when I was still in high school but I think they felt great disappointment and I didn't like how they reacted so I just told them I would quit. Yeah, right.
Back when I was young, I was quite an anti too, even through the first part of my teen years. Until I tried it with my friends. My story is kinda weird because I have always been fascinated with smoking and smokers, yet I have been an anti for the biggest part of my life. When I see someone smoking I used to just stare (I still do sometimes, smoke is beautiful to watch). It's always been this way. In a way, I sometimes like to think that I was born to smoke. But I am afraid of smoking in public and in front of people I know (apart from my friends) and have never found the courage to come out in the open. I think I will probably stay an occasional closet smoker all my life. I worry too much about what others will think of me. This is awful. I'm 18, for crying out loud. I am of legal age.
Anyhoo, I live in Québec, the province in Canada with the most smokers and where smoking is the most tolerated in restaurants, bars, everywhere. We probably herited this from the French, as our entire culture is derived from it. That's why many Americans come here, it feels like a Little Europe only 6 hours from NYC. We're not smoking in hospitals or stores though, like everywhere else. I can't think of any bar I have ever been to here in Québec which prohibited smoking, though we are slightly becoming smoke-free just like the rest of North America. Like I said, I am not hooked so I don't really mind not being able to smoke somewhere but I understand very well why smokers are affected by these rulings.
But there is something I hate here: We can't get any American cigarettes here (well, we can but it's very hard) which I like better than Canadian brands. I want Marlboros, I've been to the US three times (Niagara Falls, twice in NYC, and going to Boston/Providence this summer!) and tried them, they are quite the best! But they're not sold here. All US brands we've got (at least here in Québec) are Winston/Winston Lights, Camel/Camel Lights, More/More Menthol and something else I think I don't remember. But I recently bought a pack of those Camel Filters with Health Canada warnings (gotta hate those!) and they taste like American cigarettes. I was skeptic at first but when I saw "Made in U.S.A." I knew they weren't made of Canadian tobacco. Sounds like I have found my brand (at least when I won't be able to get Marlboro Reds)
Well, at this point I have written a lot more than necessary so I think I'm going to stop here.
Thanks all for reading me, I hope to be able to come here regularly,
XRD in Québec |
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XRD
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by BWilliams
on Fri Apr 23, 2004 6:57 pm |
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Hello XRD, welcome aboard! FYI, the tobacco is slightly different but you can buy just about any American-type brand online at yesmoke.com or any of a number of other internet resellers listed in our Links section.
Hope you come back and post again. |
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BWilliams
Smoking Lobby Sponsor
Joined: Jun 05, 2003
Posts: 1104
Location: New York City
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by XRD
on Sat Apr 24, 2004 1:54 pm |
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Thanks for the suggestion BWilliams, but I do not smoke enough to buy them by the carton and besides, my parents would know I smoke by seeing the package come in the mail. I had thought about this though...
No, I believe I'll just stick with the Camels. They're quite good and they taste like American cigarettes, which is not surprising because they are...
Later,
XRD in Québec |
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XRD
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by Tom
on Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:46 am |
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| Quebec is a great smoking friendly place. That is a great place to have fun. It sounds like you're just a social smoker. I guess you're legal to go to bars in Quebec now, so enjoy your social cigarette at bars, nightclubs, etc. The providence of Quebec is a very liberal free place. Have fun, and enjoy your cigarettes. |
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Tom
Smokers Rights Activist
Joined: Aug 24, 2003
Posts: 961
Location: The Kingdom of New Jersey
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by Guest
on Mon Apr 26, 2004 3:32 pm |
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| Now Los Angeles city cancel is banning smoking on all county beaches. Mayor Hahn is expected to sign in aggreement. see CNN .com Like in Santa Monica, the public finds out after the fact/vote. The beach is a very breezy, often isolated, open, PUBLIC space. This is clearly not a health issue. This is another so called "moral majority". Like the first version, they are neither, but are getting their way. Banning a legal product is an abuse of power. These smoker's rights sites need to be updated and more effective. Pro choice in all matters. |
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by Tom
on Mon Apr 26, 2004 4:18 pm |
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| You're right, the beach is a brezzy place, so just smoke anyway. No one will know, and if you do get caught, there's plenty of places to hide the evidence. |
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Tom
Smokers Rights Activist
Joined: Aug 24, 2003
Posts: 961
Location: The Kingdom of New Jersey
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