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Comment by tfh | Hacker News Reader

I know some people who started smoking because of that. They only smoke at work. I contemplated starting too, but I know I won't do it because I really hate that smell.

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I was a work only smoker for a year when my boss smoked and no one else in the dept did. It helped a lot. It was never a kiss-ass thing and there wasn't any direct benefit, no raises over non-smokers or anything.

But when we were working long hours and she went for a smoke I went with her and we shot the shit. It just made us closer and it was more fun to work together overall. (I had quit a pack a day habit years before and when I left that job I stopped the work smoking.)

You might be the person to tell me.

I always felt people can't stop because they associate smoking with bad feelings. You give a smoker bad news and he lits one, every time.

Now you associated it with something good: engaging with the boss. And so you could easily stop.

Would you agree with that?

No. Smoking's hard to stop because it's a crutch OR a boost (besides the physically addictive properties of nicotine). You make a great sale: I'll go have a smoke. You get your ass chewed because you screwed: I'll go have a smoke. So no matter what you're smoking.

The hardest part about quitting for me, was the fact that I'd gotten used to a 5 minute break from MY LIFE every hour or so no matter what I was doing. It was terrifying the first day I stopped habitually smoking all the time, because I had nothing to look forward to. It was like I just had to get through the next tiny chunk of whatever I was doing, but without that smoke break coming up, I had the rest of my life to get through. This was all on a fairly subconscious level and I can articulate it looking back, but at the time I was just really pissy.

I'm sure it's different for everyone. (The psychological part, anyway. I think the physical addiction is just chemistry and takes time to get over.)

Smoking is hard to stop because it's a drug addiction. Like most drug addictions there is a physical component (addiction to nicotine) and a social/psychological component. The physical addiction to nicotine is easy to overcome compared to other physically addictive drugs. The social and psychological aspects are often much harder to deal with.

Um...lung cancer isn't worth advancing in your career!

Well, I quit. But not only I can confirm that what the article says is true, but also that I miss those conversations with strangers during my trips in USA (they were very fun, and bridged the gap I had with my very bad English). And, yes, lung cancer is a reality... but the alternative of "office drink afternoons" is not way more healthy... ;)

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