21 Comments
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Mind of Yu's avatar

I started smoking at 16 when I got into college and stopped around 3 years ago. For the past couple years, I had a crazed matcha phase, yoga and sound bath sessions, 5 minute meditations in the morning to which I took the liberty of internally cursing everyone who pissed me off in guise of well, meditating and intricate meal plans and calorie counting that probably birthed several eating disorders. Now, I’m back to smoking and I can’t write without a damn cigarette

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Tor Peavensee's avatar

Sometimes I notice that no one sits down quietly to smoke anymore, talking about things that interest us. They just smoke out of anxiety instead of habit (tudum tss 🥁).

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Luciana Cole they/them's avatar

i mean smoking defo helps with anxiety and there’s nothing wrong with that, but i love being in the smoker area of a club and just talking with strangers like thats kinda the magic of it

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Caroline Beuley's avatar

I have noticed this too! So many more people are smoking! Tbh kind of love it

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Dark’n’Stormy's avatar

I love smoking, honestly, never once thought of quitting. Especially with the vape hysteria, I mean, if it's gonna kill me, I'd rather have cigarettes do the job. Taken out by a strawberry vape? Yikes.

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Luciana Cole they/them's avatar

honestly vaping helps to limit smoking but apart from that i don’t see the appeal

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Frank Rush's avatar

In Ireland the price of a pack of smokes in 18 euro. And 30g rolling tobacco is verging on 30 euro. It's a shambles.

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Luciana Cole they/them's avatar

HOLY FUCK

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The Intrepid Editor Press's avatar

Yeah, but now that everyone seems to be doing it, I think it’s time for me to quit…

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Luciana Cole they/them's avatar

i get it, all of my friends are quitting too and focusing on vaping instead, only smoking tabac when we’re smoking weed and that’s much healthier

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The Intrepid Editor Press's avatar

Maybe I should have a joint every time I crave a ciggie instead?

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Luciana Cole they/them's avatar

that can mean a lot of joints tbh but you do you

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James Mayes's avatar

Love it! I'm an 80s child, but can relate so much to this. One week, I'm all about needing to exercise and eat right and quit smoking, the next week I'm downing a 12 pack of Bud Ice and smoking down two packs because the world sucks anyway. Nicely written!

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Jamie (they/he)'s avatar

I understand this article on a spiritual level as someone who kind of has one foot in this door and one foot in the other i’ve been smoking since i was 15, went down the spiral of trying to quit and giving up then trying to quit again then giving up etc etc but i also recently started taking care of myself by going to the gym and replacing atleast one of my daily redbulls with some water (hardest thing i’ve ever had to do) i think i just realized that it’s not fun to suddenly feel dizzy and out of breath while dancing your ass off at a stranger’s house or some club so hey i’ll work out a little so i can party without dying right there on the dance floor! Incredible work as always mwah

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Luciana Cole they/them's avatar

hey Jamie!! thanks for reading! i totally get your take and agree with you that living a completely unhealthy lifestyle doesn’t work especially after 25 so i think life is about to hit me pretty hard but im glad you’re taking care of yourself to sweat better on the dance floor. you deserve it

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lita's avatar

Youve got me obsessing over this cultural shift now! Shit like this is what sociologists should be studying

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Luciana Cole they/them's avatar

yeah but they’re not cool enough to even notice it

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_ k's avatar

solid take. i’m here for it.

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Ron's avatar

cigs are good for you

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Barnaby's avatar

honestly I’d been wondering about this, it feels like everyone on my city’s queer scene smokes, but I guessed it was me being in our gay smoky little bubble

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Vas Priebe's avatar

This conversation. So good. I think with any extreme behavior, in this case wellness, the pendulum always swings back. Balance is best. I say, enjoy your life and take care of yourself too! ☺️

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