I enjoy certain aspects of smoking, like the way it makes me feel when I'm stressed out. But that doesn't mean I enjoy being addicted to them or that I enjoy the cravings I get. I certainly don't enjoy the withdrawal symptoms; so I smoke more to make them go away.Withdrawal is one of the main reasons people have a hard time with addiction and why they keep getting sucked back into it. Because using alleviates those uncomfortable symptoms (and depending on the substance, sometimes life-threatening symptoms). I don't know that I'd say that cigarettes cause the same level of problems that narcotic and illegal drug addiction can have on people's lives and the lives of those around them. Cigarettes will most likely kill me, if I continue smoking them for the rest of my life though, so I should probably give it up if I want to live to be an old woman. Quitting smoking isn't quite as bad as say, quitting alcohol, especially if I've been drinking for 30 years. The withdrawal symptoms from that can be terrifying and even life-threatening. So there is something of a difference there.
I've tried to quit probably about 3 times and had a really, really hard time with it. I suppose I am making the conscious choice to continue to be an addict if I continue smoking even though I want to quit, so I can see what you're getting at there. But I didn't choose to become addicted to smoking. Most people don't choose to become addicted to prescription painkillers but that's how they end up.
I noticed you didn't even allude to vaping. Most vapers I know (from online) go with cessation from smoking. The few I know in person it is about split 50/50.
Becoming moderate smoking person, plus having experience I've had of being fully liberated, I know I'm no longer addicted to smoking. I don't get the cravings.
The reason(s) I choose to smoke / prefer it over continuing to vape in that moment is namely the taste. In general, vaping tastes way better than smoking, but I do sometimes prefer or desire a taste of a smoke. So, I'll have a half a smoke sometimes. "Smoke" is not a flavor that the flavor chefs/chemists have been able to nail down, and even if they came very close, I'd probably prefer the smoke occasionally for the 'smoke' feeling. I think they don't really care to make a 'smoke' flavored vape. I compare it to soda in this regard. Soda makers don't care to make a beer flavored beverage. Myself, I strongly prefer the taste of soda over all beers I've ever tried. Yet, sometimes I prefer or desire the taste of a beer. In 2016, I've probably had 3 beers at most.
Another reason I smoke, but is so unique and hard to convey that I'm reluctant to bring it up is that I'm still fond of being able to be a moderate smoker. There's so much stigmatization / negatives associated with smoking that I feel are either entirely, or mostly attributed to being an abusive or full fledged smoker.
Like you bring up "like the way it makes me feel when I'm stressed out." Only a smoker can relate to this, and non-smoker probably, or anti-smoker for sure, would suggest you find another way to deal with stress. Heck, I'm now sure even you and I would suggest that, but hopefully you and I wouldn't beat up / make guilty them that choose smoking as way to cope with stress. Honestly though, as vaper, I've noticed my stress level go significantly down. When I ceased smoking, there is a 'honeymoon' period where that appears to occur, but then I found it would eventually come back to 'normal level' and as non-smoker, I'd either a) use some other substance (likely food/sweets) or b) use my spiritual understandings to focus on rationale for stress and overcoming it. I think B happens with most everyone, but smoking just makes it easier to focus.
Which is a key word, focus. Nicotine in generally has me focus better. I get that more from vaping than smoking, and is noticeably more than when I had ceased smoking. Nicotine is somewhat well known in medical research for being a bit of a wonder drug, and has helped in treating (though not curing) alzheimer's or similar brain debilitating diseases. Yet, because of significant / ongoing political battle over smoking, and now vaping, this gets majorly downplayed in pop culture.
The withdrawal factor is something I can relate to. I went cold turkey 3 times. One was super duper easy to stop (and very spiritual for me), the other 2 were less spiritual and more of a psychological struggle. Got so bad on I think day 3 that I gave in, had about 3 puffs and then (only then) knew I wouldn't want another one for the foreseeable future. After about 30 days, cessation can become addicting, and after about 1.5 years (for me), I felt so liberated it would be hard pressed to think why I would ever smoke again. With vaping, the routine reported experience is that the switch has zero or very little impact on withdrawal (which still surprises me, but I find to be accurate) and then quitting vaping (nicotine) leads to zero withdrawal as well.
Though another, I would say huge benefit, of vaping is I no longer get colds. I used to get them at least twice a year, more if I was smoking. Now, I've had one cold in past 5 years. As vaping liquid uses anti-germ substances, it makes sense why no longer get colds. I can feel that familiar feeling of 'coming down with a cold,' then vape that day a bit more than usual and by that night, I'm no longer feeling like I have or will get a cold.
Getting a bit back to the topic, though I think this is all on topic especially given how hypocritical Obama/Dems are on nicotine as drug and making it so addicts feel as ashamed as possible, I would agree that smoking addiction doesn't generally line up well with say alcohol abuse or hard drug (like meth or crack) addiction. Never used the latter 2, and never felt addicted to alcohol, but I would say habitual use of those routinely comes across as worse for the individual and possibly those around the users than smoking. I agree that the detox/withdrawal effects and experience are arguably reason enough to maintain the addiction to the other substances.
Though, I still see that as a choice, because as you are conveying, no one wants to be addicted, yet will tolerate and/or forgive themselves of a whole slew of problems, some health related while being an abuser. Thus a psychological battle that is ongoing and likely very personal, though also not very unique as many have come before them and had strong addictions to those substances. I think, from my own experiences with addiction, it's partly self identity (as in who am I really if I'm not using) and partly, or mostly psychological in the way that withdrawal is not desired and strong belief that 'I function better' when I use. Having it removed against choice might be helpful (very likely in the short term), but the psychological withdrawal may not be satisfied until a rock bottom of sorts is reached and they choose to seek help with not just withdrawal, but substituting with the inherent stress that comes with the psychological things I brought up. I personally find spirit (own internal guide) will see right through self deceits built up around fear of quitting and provide source to draw upon for choosing otherwise when next urge to use comes up.
As this thread shows, and I think is normative thinking, society generally has far less patience with habitual users who hint at not wanting to continue, and yet may still choose to use again. I think many feel that cannot be treated with kid gloves and focus on cessation as only viable goal, and to heck with any psychological factors (or BS) the user may feel otherwise.
Thing is, and I brought this up in earlier post, I really don't see many people (like one out of 1000) who aren't addicted to some other drug or some type of behavior. Bring any of this tough talk up with them about that and suddenly those same types are whistling another tune, one where they no longer want to be around you cause they really do think they have their 'usage' under control and yet have zero vocal desire to slow down or stop.
So, when I see that stuff in a thread like this, I take it with a grain of salt. Chances are they have own addictions, but find it easier to beat up on these 'low lifes' than face their own self.
