Smoking just one cigarette per day

[avacado]

Hey all,

 

So I've never considered myself a smoker. Sometimes when I'm out drinking I'll smoke a few cigarettes and some days I'll have just one to relax. Most days I have zero. I've always assumed that this isn't dangerous. But I wonder if when you smoke 1 cigarette, it's 5% as bad as someone who smokes 20, or if it's higher or lower. There really isn't much info on the internet regarding the danger in smoking very little, there's just an all or nothing attitude that is hard for me to believe and results in me smoking. But if I found some credible source that showed me how smoking even a little bit was a significant health hazard, I'd likely stop.

[TaraMaiden]

Hey all,

 

So I've never considered myself a smoker. Sometimes when I'm out drinking I'll smoke a few cigarettes and some days I'll have just one to relax. Most days I have zero. I've always assumed that this isn't dangerous. But I wonder if when you smoke 1 cigarette, it's 5% as bad as someone who smokes 20, or if it's higher or lower. There really isn't much info on the internet regarding the danger in smoking very little, there's just an all or nothing attitude that is hard for me to believe and results in me smoking. But if I found some credible source that showed me how smoking even a little bit was a significant health hazard, I'd likely stop.

 

 

Credible source:

 

.....However, it’s a myth to believe that if you smoke only two cigarettes a week for example, or just on the weekends, that it won't affect your health. Even a few cigarettes can increase your blood pressure,and put you at a slightly increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Some studies show that young smokers who light up only occasionally have signs of artery disease. And though their risk of developing cancer is nowhere near that of a regular smoker, compared with a non-smoker, the risk is elevated.

 

....What’s constitutes a social smoker? If you were to ask them, they’d tell you they don’t consider themselves smokers because they don’t do it every day. Studies show social smokers are younger, often smoke only with friends at social functions and typically don’t typically purchase their own cigarettes in packs. Because of this, tobacco companies often market to social smokers in bars and clubs. The FDA will now regulate tobacco industry marketing in an effort to reduce social smoking in America.

 

Bottom line, ...., is that no quantity of cigarettes is safe or healthy for our body.

[NGC1300]

1 cigarette a day isn't going to have any significant health implications, despite what people tell you.

 

Google Jeanne Calment. She holds the world record for longevity, reaching age 122. She smoked 1 to 4 cigarettes a day almost up until she died.

 

As with many things, cancer and other diseases are largely determined by genetics. That's the reason why so few smokers actually get lung cancer. This fact doesn't bode well for the anti-smoking campaign though. That's why they have to flip the statistics and claim that the majority of people with lung cancer also smoked.

[Els]

There really isn't much info on the internet regarding the danger in smoking very little, there's just an all or nothing attitude that is hard for me to believe and results in me smoking. But if I found some credible source that showed me how smoking even a little bit was a significant health hazard, I'd likely stop.

 

I don't actually believe you, because I spent 10 seconds doing a Google search and found several credible sources, including a few high impact journal articles.

 

However, it honestly is your decision and your life. I don't see why other people need to put in the legwork to show you 'credible sources' because lack thereof 'results in you smoking'. If you care about finding the answer, you'd spend those 10 seconds yourself searching. If you don't care enough to do that, you're really just looking for an excuse to continue - to which I say please, go ahead, it's your life and not ours.

[carhill]

Have you tried an alternative nicotine delivery device? I ask because you mention having one to 'relax'. Further, since smoking is banned in so many public places, using alternatives can allow for public social 'smoking'.

 

IMO, having had the benefit of being born to and raised by two habitual smokers, one who smoked until he died and the other who quit when I was young, I'd opine that YMMV, hence no definitive answer, similar to whether my drinking an occasional alcoholic beverage will negatively impact my long term health any more or less than the 20 or so years of breathing second hand smoke every day. Hard to know. Healthy so far. Could change tomorrow.

[almond]

If you can stick to one cigarette per day, the adverse effects should be negligible (relatively).

 

The likelihood of actually sticking to only one per day long term is the issue.

 

Get yourself a good ecig instead, or go for a nice walk/have a bath/listen to some music to wind down.

[LilGirlandOW]

I've been a social smoker since a teen, go years without a single smoke, somedays have a handful depending on the circumstance.

 

If you can control it I wouldnt worry to much.

 

Like a glass of wine/day is supposed to be good for you? a bottle of wine a day and you might have a problem.... Anything in moderation and under control can tbe that bad?

[Eclypse]

I've been a social smoker since a teen, go years without a single smoke, somedays have a handful depending on the circumstance.

 

If you can control it I wouldnt worry to much.

 

Like a glass of wine/day is supposed to be good for you? a bottle of wine a day and you might have a problem.... Anything in moderation and under control can tbe that bad?

 

Well yes in theory but every cig you smoke you still inhale all the tar and carcinogens and crap that are in it. Plus it smells disgusting.

[LilGirlandOW]

oh absolutly,

 

I'm just saying its probably not the end of the world.... although I know alot of people who view cig smoking as a deal-breaker for R. Even if he/she is a social smoker.

[whichwayisup]

It is a bad health choice and you are doing damage to your lungs and organs. Best thing is just not to have that one. It's so pointless! One cig does damage to the protective hairs in your lungs.

 

I am in the process (again) of getting into the mental mindset of quitting smoking. It's not easy and honestly, I wish I never started smoking.

[Els]

Like a glass of wine/day is supposed to be good for you? a bottle of wine a day and you might have a problem.... Anything in moderation and under control can tbe that bad?

 

There is actually scientific literature that backs up the fact that a glass of (red) wine a day is good for the heart and causes no problems.

 

Then there are other things that have no merit even in small doses - or at least sufficient drawback that they override the merit. Some examples would be a cigarette a day, or cocaine once a day, or whacking yourself in the head once a day... you get the idea.

 

Sure it's better than 20 times a day, and like anything else, it's a matter of statistics vs individuality - some do suffer from adverse long-term effects while others don't. Frankly, I'd rather not bet my chances on it. Everyone else is welcome to make their own choice, of course.

[skydiveaddict]

Hey all,

 

So I've never considered myself a smoker. Sometimes when I'm out drinking I'll smoke a few cigarettes and some days I'll have just one to relax. Most days I have zero.

 

It's a situation/stress thing. When I was in Afghanistan I smoked two plus packs a day. So did everyone else. I haven't touched one since.