Why people smoke when they know that they'll get sick and " quit " ?
437158
Main reason is addiction and some people I know wouldn't quit even if they got sick.\n\nAnd yes it's really cool to fill your lungs with tar and not be able to breath and have a very slow and painful death (note the sarcasm)
1055736
I think people are just of the mentality of "it won't happen to me".  That, or the addiction overrules the risks.  I personally smoke, and there's times where I'll think about the damage I'm doing, and think that I'm going to quit, but I won't.\n\nI don't deny the health risks etc however.  I'm open and able to admit that I am stupid :)
344856
Because the smokers lungs fill with tar and there isn't as much room for air. They also become less efficient at absorbing oxygen.
824498
The combinations of being stressed out and smoking are two big risk factors for infections and many illnesses.  Being stressed out lowers the effectiveness of your immune system so that it is easier for you to get an infection.  At the same time, being a smoker makes people more prone to chest infections.  This is because the lungs contain something called cilia, microscopic, finger-like projections in the lungs that help move mucus that contains debris and other things like bacteria that has been inhaled.  When someone smokes, the chemicals in the cigarette basically paralize the cilia so that they cannot move the mucus and bacteria up out of the lungs.  This is why smokers get what is known as smoker's cough.  It is their body trying to get rid of all the nasty stuff that has accumilated in their lungs.  \n\nSo, you have two risk factors against you, the stress and the smoking.  Next comes bronchitis and possibly pneumonia.  After that, your lung cells are at risk of mutating and becoming something between normal cells and cancer cells.  At this stage, you can still stop smoking and your cells can go back to a relitively normal state and your cilia will be active once again. But after lung cells have changed to cancer cells, they cannot be changed back but only distroyed to prevent more cancer cells.  I would very much so recommend you stop smoking.  It may seem in the short run that it is helping you cope with stress, but in the long run it is causing you more by allowing you to get so many chest infections and other problems in the future.  \n\nI know this all seems harsh, but it is the truth.  Better you find out the truth so that you can stop things from happening to you before they do.  I hope everything goes well for you.\n\nAnother thing, taking antibiotics too often can cause the germs in your body that do survive to become resistent to the antibiotics.  This can basically create a super germ that antibiotics can no longer kill, and if that germ multiplies, well then you have a stronger germ that can't be killed by antibiotics.  It also makes you more prone to germs in hospitals.  Some doctor's have been known to give out antibiotics way more than neccisary, so I recommend you to read the article i have provided in the sources below.\n\nEDIT: it seems to me you should go see a phyciatrist.  I know there are certain stresses out there that are unavoidable, but being able to talk to someone and possibly getting on a medication that can help calm you might help out.  And everytime you pick up a cigarette, try to make yourself think of some of the things I have said, mainly that the cigarette is making you more stressed in the long run and that you would be way more stressed out than you are now if you had pnemonia or lung cancer on top of all of that.  Best of wishes to you.
1111806
I have a 2 ideas for you.  First the mainstream/medical thought I have is that it could be allergies aggravated by smoking.  I myself just suffered with such a thing - chest cold, nasal, tough to get rid of.  My whole family had it, but I was first and last and it hung on until I gave up cigarettes - though I had been wanting to give them up for some time, this gave me the extra shove i needed to stop - I've been off now for 2 months (yay!)\n\nNow my personal philosophy is one of the mental and emotional causes of disease and discomfort (as described in Louise Hay's book "You can heal your Life") and according to her list of symptoms book, I would think that you are going through a tough time in your life right now.  These symptoms seem to say that you are not getting the attention and recognition you deserve and that you may kind of be at the mercy of others in an important area of your life.  The fact that the post nasal drip/runny now has been added recently shows that the problem could be escalating or you are just very tired of dealing with it.\n\nOften times when we are ill it is our bodies way of making us slow down and take time for ourselves.  Take the time - look at your life.  Try to identify the problems that are causing your physical symptoms.  Often times we can not change our circumstances (hard to quit a job when you need the money) but we can change our mind, our thoughts.  We can set a resolved to look at these things in a more positive light (i.e. my mother in law hates me, but it sure makes it easier to move out of state for both me and my husband because of it).  \n\nThere is good and bad in every situation and when we get stuck in the negative there is no way out and we get sick. If you email me I can talk to you more specifically about your situation, but you can do yourself the most good quickly and easily by quietly sitting and visualizing yourself feeling better - really see yourself happy and laughing, no trace of illness or stress.  If there is someone or something that is bothering you, imagine them or it just as you woud like it to be.  The more vivid the image in your mind, the better it will work.  Do it for 3-5 minutes at a time, 1-5 times a day, and you will feel better in 3-5 days.\n\nI sure hope this helps - this is what always helps me most.  I wish you peace and health!
797743
because most people dont quit when they should, they quit when they have to and at that point most have significant heart disease.
39981
smoking is a horrible thing and is very addicting! sometimes people do it because they are mad about something, peer-presure, or other things. but i dont think the addiction will go away anytime soon. dont you ever smoke!
1141403
They smoke because they hate themselves and want to die. Isn't this why all of those who smoke do it?
483714
It all depends on your dependency to the physical and mental aspects of smoking. I quit on January 1st. I ended up with a horrible flu and clinical depression. The flu is a "good" thing though. Your body has to repair the damage caused by the smoking. Flu-like symptoms are rare, but it is usually coughing, shivers, cold sweats. If you take Wellbutrin to help then you might have night terrors from the medication. The length depends on your social situation. If you have friends who smoke or like to go bar hopping (in states where indoor smoking isnt banned) then your cravings will last a long time. Become a hermit and youre fine, lol. But I don't recommend that. Part of the quitting process is learning to look cigarettes in the eye and not smoke them.
524492
the sooner you quit, the sooner you stop damaging your body and the sooner your body can heal.  It is never too late to stop smoking... unless you are already dead
577350
I am a smoker, here are my reasons.  I smoke so I don't kill people.  It give my hands something to do. It is so relaxing and decreases stress.  AND Damn it!  I just like it!! :o)
854365
I know smokers well. I was one for 20 years. Your moms excuse is just her way of not having to quit smoking. A smoker will make up all kinds of things to justify smoking. \nIt relaxes me. I like it. Well I don't cough? I'll gain weight.\nI'll quit someday. All excuses to continue smoking.\n\nTo answer your question though. She probably will gain a few pounds. It's because she'll eat when she gets the urge to smoke. Big deal? So you gain weight for 6 months. Then all you have to do is diet. She needs to understand this when she quits smoking. It's just a part of the process. \n.
202059
Hi person from outer space.  Which planet are you from and what brought you to visit this planet?  To answer your question, smoking is the process of setting on fire and inhaling dried tobacco leaves that have been shredded and encased in very thin paper (which holds them together).  It is a pleasurable experience because it releases nicotine into the blood stream which makes us humans feel relaxed and happy.  Too much nicotine is poisonous though and can kill people.\n\nThe negative side of smoking is that traces of tar are left in the lungs and this can cause bad problems over time.  Also smoking has been linked to all sorts of cancers.  \n\nAt the moment it is considered very anti-social to smoke cigarettes, and a lot of people are coming under pressure to quit.\n\nAs an ex-smoker myself, I recommend stopping for fitness reasons.  I have found it much easier to do physical activity for extended periods of time since I stopped smoking.  However, I do miss smoking and one of the first things I would do if armageddon was due would be to smoke a pack of cigarettes.
712866
Your risk of several types of cancer are increased, and more so if you have a genetic predisposition to cancer causing cells. Besides that and, of course, the fact that it isn't legal for you to smoke, you are young and the damage you do to your body will reverse itself if you quit. Your are changing your body's ability to breathe, distribute oxygen to your brain and other organs, circulate blood properly and about thirty other things that your body does involuntarily to keep you alive. So, you need to ask yourself, why do you smoke? While at your age some people (also mostly your age) will form a certain opinion about what kind of person you are, once you hit about the twenty to twenty-two age group and older, most people think you just look weak and ignorant for not knowing what you're doing to your body and too lazy to help yourself (much in the same way most people view those who are morbidly obese). The fact that you're smoking such a small amout says to me that you don't need it, you just like it. I know. We can smell our own. When I quit I promised myself I would light up one or two whenever the mood struck me-this idea helped me quit cold turkey. I had one a couple of months later, a few a couple of months after that, another one about six months later, etc. The more time that passes the less I feel like I like it so the less I smoke. But the only reason I ever did smoke was because I liked it, the feel, the flavor, the smell even. If you can't pinpoint why you do it at all-then why do you do it at all?
912152
Smoking is bad for your health - period.
682927
AMEN sista........ both my parents smoke, my boyfriend smokes, and my friends smoke... I don not, what is the point really? WHY Smoke... it's makes your clothes and house stink, cost you a sh*t load of money each month, smell your fingers.....gross they smell like an ashtray don't they. I mean I don't care if people smoke, but their is really no POINT to ever start, espically people that never smoked and then they start when their like in their 20's thats crazy!!!
6070
You do not know what will be the reason you die until you do. I have known many people who smoked for many years and lived to ripe old age and died a natural death. \n What I find so interesting is that more people are getting sicker and at younger ages no matter what they are doing in their lives.\n Certainly smoking is not good for you. I do not believe people think it is cool anymore to do so as they did back in maybe the 50's. But then it was common to come home and have your wife hand you a martini after work too. Times change,attitudes change\n Habits change, lifestyles change. \n  And guess what there are smokers who actually enjoy smoking and are healthier than some of their contemporaries..\n As I said you do not know what will cause your demise. Their are many things we do and are exposed to in this world of ours that cause many health problems and Social problems (like alcohol)\n You certainly don't hear about the guy who smokes his cigerette then smacks his kids or wife around? Or woman doing that either for that matter? Yet everyone jumps on the cigerettes are bad for you bandwagon.  \n Oops off my soapbox here... Some of these issues really are so petty and are blown out of proportion that it makes me sick.....