Media Influence, Stereotypes, And RL/SL Comparisons

[Drake1 Nightfire]

13 minutes ago, Sam1 Bellisserian said:

You could say the same for pot smokers but people seem to advocate for that.

 

[Theresa Tennyson]

14 minutes ago, Sam1 Bellisserian said:

In the case of my ex....as much as smoking

So, around 14 times a day?

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0118-smoking-rates-declining.html

Theresa Tennyson nods and smiles.

Of course...

[Silent Mistwalker]

4 hours ago, Theresa Tennyson said:

How many times a day does the average pot smoker light up, and where, versus the average cigarette smoker?

lol

Most of us smoke cigs, too. Before and after.

[Arielle Popstar]

4 hours ago, Theresa Tennyson said:

So, around 14 times a day?

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0118-smoking-rates-declining.html

Theresa Tennyson nods and smiles.

Of course...

Arielle nods, smiles and rolls her eyes at another who doesn't understand that if smoking is down, some other addictive substance is up to take its place.

[Theresa Tennyson]

43 minutes ago, Arielle Popstar said:

Arielle nods, smiles and rolls her eyes at another who doesn't understand that if smoking is down, some other addictive substance is up to take its place.

That involves open flame?

[Kathlen Onyx]

5 hours ago, Theresa Tennyson said:

So, around 14 times a day?

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0118-smoking-rates-declining.html

Theresa Tennyson nods and smiles.

Of course...

um yes...actually probably more. He used to wake up and take a hit and go back to bed. Any other questions about that?

[Luna Bliss]

1 hour ago, Arielle Popstar said:

Arielle nods, smiles and rolls her eyes at another who doesn't understand that if smoking is down, some other addictive substance is up to take its place.

This might be true for you -- I believe it if you say it's so -- but research shows it is not true for everyone. There are plenty of people who quit smoking but do not develop any other addictive behavior. And so I wish you would stop speaking of it as if it's absolute enshrined truth, sent by God to mankind. 

We discussed this before -- the idea that there is something called an "addictive personality" is a myth, began and perpetuated by Alcoholics Anonymous. Addiction is complex and the causes are varied. There are various conditions (mental health conditions and/or specific brain structures) that are tied to higher rates of addiction, yes.

If you tell me that you have a tendency to become addicted to substances or experiences I can understand that, but the cause is due to your own unique makeup which creates this condition and not this phantom "addictive personality" you assign it to.

Edited October 6, 2021 by Luna Bliss

[Kathlen Onyx]

27 minutes ago, Theresa Tennyson said:

That involves open flame?

Heroin

[Nick0678]

5 minutes ago, Sam1 Bellisserian said:

Heroin

[Arielle Popstar]

9 minutes ago, Sam1 Bellisserian said:

Heroin

and crack

[Rowan Amore]

Rowan smiles and rolls her eyes and wonders if some people have heard of crack or Richard Pryor.

[Rowan Amore]

Some crack addicts use those little butane blow torches, too.  Yeah, not a fire hazard at all.

[Arielle Popstar]

13 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

This might be true for you -- I believe it if you say it's so -- but research shows it is not true for everyone. There are plenty of people who quit smoking but do not develop any other addictive behavior. And so I wish you would stop speaking of it as if it's absolute enshrined truth, sent by God to mankind. 

We discussed this before -- the idea that there is something called an "addictive personality" is a myth, began and perpetuated by Alcoholics Anonymous. Addiction is complex and the causes are varied. There are various conditions (mental health conditions and/or specific brain structures) that are tied to higher rates of addiction, yes.

If you tell me that you have a tendency to become addicted to substances or experiences I can understand that, but the cause is due to your own unique makeup which creates this condition and not this phantom "addictive personality" you assign it to.

In the context of my response to Theresa it was on a national level. Weren't you just mentioning about watching a documentary about the opioid crisis last week?

[Theresa Tennyson]

25 minutes ago, Sam1 Bellisserian said:

um yes...actually probably more. He used to wake up and take a hit and go back to bed. Any other questions about that?

 

24 minutes ago, Sam1 Bellisserian said:

Heroin

 

14 minutes ago, Arielle Popstar said:

and crack

 

10 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

Some crack addicts use those little butane blow torches, too.  Yeah, not a fire hazard at all.

Here's the thing. None of those things are routinely done in crowded public spaces, on public transportation, while walking down the street or while driving down a road. When smoking was common and where you could do it was largely unregulated, people were routinely lighting over a dozen tiny fires all over town every day. 

[Silent Mistwalker]

57 minutes ago, Theresa Tennyson said:

That involves open flame?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Pryor

 

[Arielle Popstar]

1 minute ago, Theresa Tennyson said:

Here's the thing. None of those things are routinely done in crowded public spaces, on public transportation, while walking down the street or while driving down a road. When smoking was common and where you could do it was largely unregulated, people were routinely lighting over a dozen tiny fires all over town every day. 

I would blame the firebug/arsonists and is a reason why matches are harder to buy these days in Canada at least. They also started to put a fire retardant chemical in cigarettes too to prevent them from continuing to smolder while unattended, especially to prevent people dying in bed from falling asleep while smoking.

[Rowan Amore]

6 hours ago, Theresa Tennyson said:

A careless smoker can kill a few hundred people in an evening.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/08/000807064005.htm

 

11 minutes ago, Theresa Tennyson said:

 

 

 

Here's the thing. None of those things are routinely done in crowded public spaces, on public transportation, while walking down the street or while driving down a road. When smoking was common and where you could do it was largely unregulated, people were routinely lighting over a dozen tiny fires all over town every day. 

Don't change the goalpost.  Causing a fire in your home is completely different than lighting up walking down the street.  By the way, you can't smoke on public transportation.  How does me driving down the road, smoking, kill anyone?  Drunk drivers kill far more people yet drinking is still allowed.

Rowan wonders just what some people are smoking.

Edited October 6, 2021 by Rowan Amore

[Theresa Tennyson]

1 minute ago, Arielle Popstar said:

I would blame the firebug/arsonists 

I'm sure you would.

There's an interesting dynamic in these threads. Apparently nicotine is harmless, smoking is an anti-gateway drug that keeps people from freebasing cocaine, etc. 

For the record, I'm not the one saying to regulate portrayals of smoking, making it illegal, etc. I'm just responding to people who are defending smoking. If you want to say, "Yeah, smoking isn't great but I do it anyway. So what?" I'd have no problem with it.

But, yeah, it isn't great.

[Theresa Tennyson]

4 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

How does me driving down the road, smoking, kill anyone? 

https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/page.php?id=327

[Silent Mistwalker]

6 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

 

Don't change the goalpost.  Causing a fire in your home is completely different than lighting up walking down the street.  By the way, you can't smoke on public transportation.  How does me driving down the road, smoking, kill anyone?  Drunk drivers kill far more people yet drinking is still allowed.

Rowan wonders just what some people are smoking.

People do toss still burning butts out the window and set things on fire. Drought is one of the reasons I don't usually take cigs with me when I go to the grocery store or other local business. These days, I only smoke at home.

Edited October 6, 2021 by Silent Mistwalker

[Rowan Amore]

Just now, Theresa Tennyson said:

https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/page.php?id=327

And why there are ashtrays in cars.  I don't toss my butts out the window.  Careless handling of campfires also start many brushfires.    I'm in no way saying smoking is good.  I don't think anyone is.  

[Rowan Amore]

In addition to natural causes of bushfires, many human-led factors influence its spread. While we only blame natural factors for wildfires, statistics have an entirely different story to tell. Nearly 50% of forest fires are caused by humans, and these are the results of campfires, burning debris, arson, or just plain recklessness. On top of everything, most of these human-led factors of wildfires are intentional as an act of invading the space of other creatures. This space is then used for farming, agriculture, residential, or commercial purposes. 

[Arielle Popstar]

3 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

And why there are ashtrays in cars.  I don't toss my butts out the window.  Careless handling of campfires also start many brushfires.    I'm in no way saying smoking is good.  I don't think anyone is.  

Speaking of ashtrays in cars, that is a disappearing option in an increasing number of newer vehicles. That is a result of the anti smoking brigade who thought it would reduce the temptation to smoke and but just created another problem with their supposed solution.

Edited October 6, 2021 by Arielle Popstar

[Silent Mistwalker]

5 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

And why there are ashtrays in cars.  I don't toss my butts out the window.  Careless handling of campfires also start many brushfires.    I'm in no way saying smoking is good.  I don't think anyone is.  

New cars do not come with ashtrays. They haven't had ashtrays in over 10 years.

Edited October 6, 2021 by Silent Mistwalker

[Rowan Amore]

Just now, Arielle Popstar said:

Speaking of ashtrays in cars, that is a disappearing option in an increasing number of newer vehicles. That is a result of the anti smoking brigade who thought it would reduce the temptation to smoke and but just created another problem with their supposed solution.

My mom's car has no ashtray.  The van we used to own didn't have one either.  We used one of those ashtrays that fit in the cup holder with a little hole in the top that snuffed out the cigarette.   I don't toss butts out the window or in my yard.   It's a nasty enough habit and I don't want to inflict it on anyone else.