Drinking vs Smoking?

[jmjconder]

Why are these two addictions seen in such different light by people? Both kill…both have huge affects on families. Why is smoking “tolerated” and drinking condemned?

I have family that struggle from both - it is clear how one is OK and one not.

 

[pensmama87]

Why are these two addictions seen in such different light by people? Both kill…both have huge affects on families. Why is smoking “tolerated” and drinking condemned?

I have family that struggle from both - it is clear how one is OK and one not.

It’s strange that you say this. In my experience it’s been the opposite - smoking is hugely frowned upon, largely because of the risks of secondhand smoke, while drinking is seen as more of an individual thing - that you can’t hurt people as long as you’re not getting behind the wheel or neglecting your obligations. I wouldn’t subscribe entirely to that way of looking at things, but I do feel much less negatively about drinking than I do about smoking.

Part of this may be regional, or generation-based.

 

[Rau]

Why are these two addictions seen in such different light by people? Both kill…both have huge affects on families. Why is smoking “tolerated” and drinking condemned?

I have family that struggle from both - it is clear how one is OK and one not.

Let’s put aside the context of “addiction” for one moment. Then, I think we can say, without controversy:

1. Drinking in moderation is not harmful, or not more so than consuming other foods and drinks.
2. Smoking is **always harmful **to self, and potentially to others.
3. Smoking tends to be addictive for those who take it up, whereas consuming alcohol is not addictive for the majority of those who drink.

So this leads me to consider smoking to be, in general (ie. for most people), the more dangerous activity, and the one best avoided.

You pose the question whether alcohol **addiction **is more or less deserving of condemnation than smoking addiction. Alcohol addiction drives regular extreme behaviours which are both highly anti-social, and imminently dangerous to self and others. It is understandable that it is more frowned up.

You say smoking (addiction) is **tolerated **and drinking (addiction) is not. You might need to spell out what you mean here, but note that:

• they are equal before the law (neither is an illegal substance);
• both attract specialist medical treatments.
• smoking (at least in some jurisdictions) is subject to extensive Government action to prevent the effects harming others (eg. enclosed spaces are smoke free) and self (eg. advertising bands, retailing restrictions, health warnings, plain paper packaging, etc.)

On balance, smoking attracts the greater government effort to reduce its adoption.

 

[BarbG]

I’mnot sure this is the place where I should add my comments, cut my sister died of lung cancer several years ago and there is NO cigarette that’s worth what my sister went through. I saw her the day before she died and when her son called me the next morning with the news of her death, I thanked God because she was in agony.
I live near 2 high schools, and I can’t believe the number of youngsters I’ve seen smoking outside their schools. I don’t watch much television, but do enjoy some of those old movies onTurner Movie Classics – another situation I can’t believe – in thos old movies there are so many people smoking!!!
Any of you reading these comments that are smokers, PLEASE give it up!!!

 

[KimberlyCat]

The love of my life was both a chain smoker and an alcoholic. He died alone in his apartment at the age of 49 surrounded by empty bottles of Listerine and Thunderbird wine. His autopsy determined he died of cirrhosis of the liver. They both kill. I think alcohol abuse kills faster. He was a functioning alcoholic. We didn’t even know he drank that much. Just a beer or two from time to time. He suffered in silence. He was very successful in life. An attorney who won several supreme court cases in his state. They. Both. Kill. If you even remotely suspect a loved one is a alcoholic PLEASE reach out to them with concern and let them know how much you love them and encourage them to get help.

God of mercy, we bless
you in the name of your Son,
Jesus Christ, who ministered
to all who come to Him.
Give your strength to all
alcoholics and smokers,
who are bound by the chains of addiction.
Enfold them in your love and restore
them to freedom through your grace.
Amen

 

[Allegra]

I actually think it’s more the opposite. Smoking is disgusting to non-smokers and no one wants to be around it, even if it’s only one cigarette. Actually, some people smoke so heavily that their clothes and hair stink so bad that they don’t even have to be actually smoking on order to make people retch. Drinking doesn’t start bothering other people until the third or fourth round and lots of people never get that far in public. On the other hand, drinking does tend to get out of hand to the extent that it kills and maims other people much faster than smoking. (ie. if someone gets behind the wheel of a car) So maybe it should be drinking that is tolerated less.

 

[EasterJoy]

If you go off and chain smoke by yourself, you come back smelly but you can still drive and do your job. You might even be easier to get along with. If you go off and get drunk by yourself, you come back an incompetent and often offensive mess.

IOW, people find moderate and responsible alcohol use tolerable, but when it come to instances of overuse, drunks are far more immediately destructive than chain smokers.

 

[bobballen_18]

Both can have very detrimental effects if abused. I don’t know the statistics, but I bet smoking is more addicting, although I know there are plenty of alcohol addicts out there. It would be interesting to see statistics on alcohol addicts compared to smoking addicts, numbers-wise. Both can be done in moderation, although it is smoking, I think, that will be the more harmful of the two.

I wish, though, that there were more statistics on the effects of all kinds of smoking, not just smoking abuse. Because I smoke, but I don’t smoke a lot, and I would not even come close to considering myself a chain-smoker. Whether I’m addicted or not is another story… (haha) but I only smoke about a pack (20 cigarettes) every month, and I’d be interested to know the effects of this type of smoking - not chain-smoking, but now-and-then smoking. I don’t have to worry about this with alcohol - I know (or at least am under the impression) that my now-and-then alcohol consuming is not harmful to me.

If I weren’t a runner, I’d probably be closer to a chain-smoker. My goals in running scare me away from smoking - I know excessive smoking can damage lungs, and obviously my running would be hindered if I smoked excessively. This is another reason why I’d be interested to know the effects of less-often smoking. Going from experience though, although I’m sure this varies from person to person, I think it’s harder to refrain from abusing smoking. I guess this is proof that I don’t abuse either - I don’t know which abuse would be more costly. Honestly, I couldn’t afford to be an active abuser of either of these things.

These can be difficult areas. Some people say, you shouldn’t engage in either of them at all, because it can lead to bad things, and you can’t just assume that you’ll be able to resist these temptations. Others will say, you can and perhaps should engage in them, to develop a better sense of self-control, and at least in the case of alcohol, it is a good thing (many will say, a gift from God) to enjoy in moderation. Smoking might be a more difficult case, because of the lack of study on “smoking in moderation.”

If anyone is aware of this kind of a study, though, they should let me know.

 

[Michael57]

Why are these two addictions seen in such different light by people? Both kill…both have huge affects on families. Why is smoking “tolerated” and drinking condemned?

I have family that struggle from both - it is clear how one is OK and one not.

Neither smoking nor drinking is, in and of itself, an “addiction”.

Some people smoke, some drink, some do both, and are not addicted. Nor do they experience any adverse health issues. They are moderate in their consumption, and suffer no adverse effects.

Some people drink to excess. Some drink to the point where they become alcoholic - these people have become addicted. Some of these people experience health problems. Not all drinkers are alcoholics.

Some people smoke to excess. Some smoke to the point where they become addicted. Some, not all, experience health problems. Not all smokers are addicted.

It is not universally clear how one thing can cause addiction and the other not in any particular individual at this point.

 

[Allegra]

I know theoretically that there are non-addicted cigarette smokers, but I’ve personally never met one. The only people I know who can tolerate the ungodly, sickening stench of a cigarette are those who are addicted to the point that they are uncomfortable if they don’t have one, or even if they know it will be a while before they can have one again. On the other hand, I do know people who only smoke cigars and pipes occasionally, so I assume those aren’t as addictive.

 

[jmjconder]

Neither smoking nor drinking is, in and of itself, an “addiction”.

Some people smoke, some drink, some do both, and are not addicted. Nor do they experience any adverse health issues. They are moderate in their consumption, and suffer no adverse effects.

Some people drink to excess. Some drink to the point where they become alcoholic - these people have become addicted. Some of these people experience health problems. Not all drinkers are alcoholics.

Some people smoke to excess. Some smoke to the point where they become addicted. Some, not all, experience health problems. Not all smokers are addicted.

It is not universally clear how one thing can cause addiction and the other not in any particular individual at this point.

Thank you for response. I have never known a smoker who was not addicted. I am grateful that you have.

 

[EasterJoy]

The occasional smokers I know are all cigar smokers–and I have known a chain cigar smoker–but there are probably other “secret smokers” out there. The things with cigars is that the good ones are more expensive, and people tend to “savor” them. With cigarettes, though, it is more like people who chew their nails. There is a degree to which just the ritual is a self-medication for nerves, even though fingernails are nobody’s idea of a savory thing to chew on. I assume that people with an addiction turn to cigarettes because they are far cheaper and more convenient than cigars and pipes. (Besides, it is a rare woman under the age of about 120 who’ll be caught smoking a pipe of tobacco.)

If you don’t notice the smell on them, you won’t know the occasional cigarette smokers, after all, since occasional smoking (like occasional alcohol use) tends to be something people do at home after working hours or on special occasions.

 

[Gordon_Sims]

In my family, after several deaths from lung cancer, smoking was the big taboo for many years. Since more people in the family have taken up the habit, or started smoking again, it’s not looked at as negatively anymore. Most of the smokers in the family are more occasional smokers who only smoke while drinking and/or with a certain crowd, although none of ones who smoke occasionally can forgo it for a night when they’re in one of those situations where they smoke.

While moderate drinking isn’t harmful and can have some health benefits, I know very, very few people who are actually just moderate drinkers. We have huge problems in my neighborhood due to apparent alcoholism, including several abusive spouses who tend to only beat their wives when they drink (and they drink every day). We also have family members who we can’t take our kids around in certain situations because we know that, not only will they be drinking to excess (and they tend to be nasty, mean-spirited drunks), but at most parties and family gatherings they plan on drinking themselves into oblivion, either to the point of passing out, throwing up or both. Just to repeat, their stated goal for the evening is to either pass out, vomit or both.

Despite drinking excessively when I was younger and having gone through a couple periods of cigar smoking, I’m pretty sternly opposed to both now. I’ve had family members die as a result of both activities and I’ve seen way too much abuse come about from drinking. I have nieces, nephews and cousins’ children who play-drink and play-smoke, and who have already said they plan on drinking/smoking just like mom/dad as soon as they’re allowed. You’d think people would be smart enough not to let their personal habits lead to these problems, but that doesn’t seem to be the case in general.

 

[LisaB]

I read this somewhere once (I paraphrase): If you don’t drink or smoke, you won’t live longer, but it will sure seem like it.

I used to be one of those smokers who was never addicted. I smoked because I liked to have a cigarette in my hand and inhale the smoke, and social aspect of it felt good too, not the nicotine. I could smoke one cigarette a day or many (never an entire pack or anything) - depending on the circumstances. I could stop at anytime if I wanted - and did, not because I decided to “quit” one day, but because I moved away from my smoking friends, and smoking was not a social experience anymore. Even now, I will smoke when I visit my best friend from college once a year, but that’s it.

Same thing with my brother - used to smoke in varying amounts until he got older, started dating his now wife, and quit without any problems, nicotine patches, etc. So yes, there are people out there who smoke but not addicted to it.

 

[EasterJoy]

In my family, after several deaths from lung cancer, smoking was the big taboo for many years. Since more people in the family have taken up the habit, or started smoking again, it’s not looked at as negatively anymore. Most of the smokers in the family are more occasional smokers who only smoke while drinking and/or with a certain crowd, although none of ones who smoke occasionally can forgo it for a night when they’re in one of those situations where they smoke.

While moderate drinking isn’t harmful and can have some health benefits, I know very, very few people who are actually just moderate drinkers. We have huge problems in my neighborhood due to apparent alcoholism, including several abusive spouses who tend to only beat their wives when they drink (and they drink every day). We also have family members who we can’t take our kids around in certain situations because we know that, not only will they be drinking to excess (and they tend to be nasty, mean-spirited drunks), but at most parties and family gatherings they plan on drinking themselves into oblivion, either to the point of passing out, throwing up or both. Just to repeat, their stated goal for the evening is to either pass out, vomit or both.

Despite drinking excessively when I was younger and having gone through a couple periods of cigar smoking, I’m pretty sternly opposed to both now. I’ve had family members die as a result of both activities and I’ve seen way too much abuse come about from drinking. I have nieces, nephews and cousins’ children who play-drink and play-smoke, and who have already said they plan on drinking/smoking just like mom/dad as soon as they’re allowed. You’d think people would be smart enough not to let their personal habits lead to these problems, but that doesn’t seem to be the case in general.

I read this somewhere once (I paraphrase): If you don’t drink or smoke, you won’t live longer, but it will sure seem like it.

I used to be one of those smokers who was never addicted. I smoked because I liked to have a cigarette in my hand and inhale the smoke, and social aspect of it felt good too, not the nicotine. I could smoke one cigarette a day or many (never an entire pack or anything) - depending on the circumstances. I could stop at anytime if I wanted - and did, not because I decided to “quit” one day, but because I moved away from my smoking friends, and smoking was not a social experience anymore. Even now, I will smoke when I visit my best friend from college once a year, but that’s it.

Same thing with my brother - used to smoke in varying amounts until he got older, started dating his now wife, and quit without any problems, nicotine patches, etc. So yes, there are people out there who smoke but not addicted to it.

There was no smoking allowed in our home, because we had a family member who had massive asthma attacks when around cigarette smoke. It was simply out of the question. As for alcohol, I was lucky, because both of my parents were true moderate drinkers. Both had one or two drinks daily, except Advent and Lent, and yet I never saw either one drink to excess, As far as I know, neither one ever did. There were some on one side of the family who did have drinking problems, but they also had other problems that they self-medicated with alcohol.

That is where the problems come: when people use alcohol or tobacco to achieve a certain neurological effect, and especially when either is used to combat stress. In cultures where alcohol use is appropriate (such as among Orthodox Jews), which is to say where it is used to enhance a festive gathering and not to escape a difficulty or as an end unto itself, the rate of addiction is extremely low. It is the drink-to-cope (“what I terrible day, I need a drink”) or the drink-to-get-drunk mentality that opens up the door that leads to addiction. Likewise, any time you “need” tobacco is a good time to go without it.