Drinking, Smoking & other bad habits

[dohupa]

There's a big controversy down where I live for banning smoking in restaurants etc and fine people that don't comply. Not going to happen - half of the population here smoke EVERYWHERE.

Quit both cold turkey 10 years ago - though I may have a beer once a week whilst foruming at VEF with the rest of you. However, I ain't addicted to the bastard anymore and mind you it was a lot more difficult to get it off my head than smoking. You know the reason right - the damn thing is everywhere; you go to Tesco's for shopping and booze is there looking at your face.

Loved my drink at the time though and always thought that no matter how bad things are - I had this partner right there next to me who will never betray me. Well, that's the trap there with all substances - legal or not.

I would love this to be a lively discussion and/or confession time with some of you - not certain if it's appropriate though and/or has been attempted before. Guess I'll find out soon - if I get a PM that is.

[Estreeter]

Originally Posted by dohupa

There's a big controversy down where I live for banning smoking in restaurants etc and fine people that don't comply. Not going to happen - half of the population here smoke EVERYWHERE.

Mate, smokers down here are made too feel like leppers
It's basically banned everywhere, soon ya won't even be able to smoke in your own car

The do gooders and know it all's are real good at getting what they want

But, stuff em,
Long as I live, I'll continue to drink, smoke and gamble

[dohupa]

I know where you're coming from mate; I was there so I can understand your feelings towards health fascists. Having said that, your place and mine are the 2 opposites - down here doctors smoke in hospitals whilst at work. I sh*t you not.

What we need is a little common sense really.

[Estreeter]

Originally Posted by dohupa

What we need is a little common sense really.

What we need is a bit of common sense and sanity.
I have no problem with having strictly no smoking areas, that's just common courtesy, and alcohol free areas at sporting events and so on.

It worked well once before, drinkers and smokers had their areas where they could freely continue their habits at restaurants and public events, so why the hell change

Guess the do gooders had nothing better to do

Anyway my 3 favorites

[dohupa]

Sanity.... Hope you're no casino junkie mate cause there's no way to win there - pure maths.

Poker in a sort of limited circle is a different matter though; it's half psychology and half luck. The luck element is always there, yes.



I was a pretty good poker player in my teens, but I did lose one big game that hurt my pride so I quit that too.

Not that many options left - women (well, there's a certain genetic need so can't quit that ) and football.

Oh yeah, porn forums also.

[keefriff]

Smoking has been banned in all restraunts, bars, indoor/outdoor concerts, indoor/outdoor sporting events where I live. Alot of places have adapted and contain an outdoor smoking area. I have a differing opinions about the issue because I think it is BS that someone can't have a smoke at an outdoor concert but at the same time it is nice to go to a bar/restraunt and not have to deal w/ cigarette smoke all night. I don't hang at the bars much any more so it doesn't really bother me one way or the other. I am a non smoker and have never smoked cigarettes.

Now if we are going to talk about other substances I can add some conversation. I battled with some issues when I was younger. I have never been a big drinker, maybe a bit more when I was younger. I like to drink a few beers but I would guess that I don't get drunk more than 1-2 times a year. Not falling down drunk, I'm talking a nice shine. I dabbled quite extensively with some more dangerous substances in my wayward youth. I had some real problems for a few years trying to get a handle on it. I watched friends of mine lose everything they had in the course of their addictions and I watched one of them die from it. It took that rude awakening for me to realize what I was doing to myself and to the people who loved me. I had been to rehab in the past and it didn't stick. It took my friend dying and the effect it had on his family for me to straighten my life out. I quit all those substances cold turkey about 15 years ago. I did it on my own with the help of friends and family. I had to say goodbye to many "friends" that I had that were not conducive to me staying alive. And that is how I look at it. I need to stay away from that stuff in order to stay alive. I will occasionally partake of the softer stuff on certain occasions but no more of the demon dusts in my life. That stuff has been put away and I don't think it will ever come back. I don't attend meetings, I don't preach and I am not stone cold sober. I just needed for my own well being, mentally and physically, to stop the madness. I am not ashamed of it, as you can tell, and I look at it now as a very good lesson that was very painful and destructive to learn. Thanks for letting me share.

[billybunter]

Smoking is banned in all public places here. And that means If you drive a van at work you cannot smoke! I gave up 5 years ago, but don't mind people smoking around me, except when I'm eating. With regards to booze we Irish like our booze, and I drink to much my Doctor keeps telling me That said all northern Europeans drink alot. Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales has a major alcohol problem kids in there late teens/early twenties are having liver failure! There was a guy from Belfast aged around 21 or so whose liver packed up. In order to get a transplant you have to be booze free for 6 months. He was told he would die in two. Because of his age and the high profile of the story the liver Dr who treated George Best agreed to treat him (for free I think) he was transferred to a hospital in London and last I heard he made a full recovery. Of course he will never be able to drink again. I'll not go into other "substances" I experimented with in my youth

[ErnestoGuevara]

One boneheaded piece of legislation that we have here in Scotland is that you cannot buy alcohol until 10 am. I've found myself standing around in supermarkets for two or three minutes on a Saturday morning because I've bought some ale/wine for a Saturday evening and I don't want to embarrass the assistant (and myself) who'd have to tell me that I can't do that at two minutes to ten, but I can at ten.

As you might guess from my username, I'm partial to a Havana cigar or two, particularly with a pint of decent beer. I have no problem with not being able to smoke in a restaurant, but pubs, for goodness' sake. Pubs are not health farms and it should not have been beyond the wit of those in power to have some form of compromise. Then again...

[tony_grego]

Only my opinion

I was a smoker between my 17 and 26 y.o. (2-3 Winston packs daily)
At home I keep lighters, ashtrays and a packet of snuff always available to my friends who smoke (Probably helps the fact that my wife has never stopped smoking entirely)
I was also a major drinking between 17 and 26 y.o. (I think remember that I set my record of to stand up with dignity on 14 "Cuba-libre - Bacardi-Cola" in an afternoon, or 11 cava bottles shared with a partner in a night)

My time in other less legal drugs was really fast shooting. About a year from smoking hashish and marijuana, and a few months selling hashish, just to fund my own use.
I think those experiences have made me tolerant enough to allow everyone to do what your body asks
At present I do not smoke, do not take illegal drugs, eat only what the doctor lets me (though not always)... I drink what I want, controlling excess...
And when I consult my doctors, is that they are a couple of Cubans, who do not stop drinking Macallan, smoking cigars and cigarettes, eat fried banana ... but are good boys.

Oh! i'm almost happy. Only want more sex (another illegal drug), but i'm in the way.

Salut !

[MaxJoker]

It`s frankly ridiculous , especially as we have precious few actual freedoms as it is .

Next thing you now they'll ban entrepreneurs selling crack outside the school gates , or murderers from killing people.

It`s health and safety gone mad i tell ya