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Comment by LatteLazy | Hacker News Reader

But it was never actually fun though. Maybe it was advertised that way. But there was no positive effect from it.

Drinking on the other hand DOES effect peoples mood, behaviour, confidence etc.

This is what always mystified me about smoking: at least other drugs have some effect, nicotine just gets you addicted.

Edit:

To be clear: smoking has no meaningful affect unless you're already addicted. A non smoker who tries their first cigarette is no more relaxed or confident or calm than they were before.

The same is not true for alcohol or marijuana or basically any other drug people use recreationally...

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> A non smoker who tries their first cigarette is no more relaxed or confident or calm than they were before.

Heh, I can tell you've never smoked.

I'm not a smoker, but did try a cigar once. Combined with alcohol, it was an utterly euphoric experience. Think caffeine times ten, at least. I quite literally dreamed about smoking for a couple of days after that experience.

Does that effect persist for regular users? Nope. But for non-smokers it can be a very pleasurable experience.

I mean my first experiences with tobacco did involve a bit of a head rush, but I’d hardly call it a “utterly euphoric experience”

You aren’t supposed to inhale the cigar smoke!

>smoking has no meaningful affect unless you're already addicted

This isn't true. I started smoking socially in the summer and nicotine absolutely gives you a head rush and relaxing feelings. It also suppresses my appetite quite a bit. I found if I just ate and I'm full and then smoke a cigarette it makes me want to throw up.

And on the topic of fun, it is a social thing and you meet all kinds of interesting people by smoking. It's such a great ice breaker at the bar to meet people.

I gave it up because it's winter and I don't go out to bars as much. Plus it's cold and I have no desire to go outside and smoke anyways. I'll definitely pick it up socially again next summer though, it was one of the best summers of my life.

No positive effect from it? I take it you haven't been a smoker yourself. You being mystified about why smoking was seen as a desirable drug by many is evidence of the massive culture shift that occured surrounding that particular drug.

The limited amount I’ve smoked shows it has an effect similar to coffee but less jittery.

Smoking has a calming effect.

Smoking also helps with weight loss.

How is that fun?

this is why we are taught in HS how insidious smoking is. We were taught that with many drugs (say heroin), one is always chasing that "first high", as it is tremendous feeling, and subsequent usages never are the same. While with cigarettes, almost universally people will tell you that their initial usage is terrible, they can't stand it.

The only reason people are able to keep doing it is because they get used to it, and their body develop a dependency on it.

> While with cigarettes, almost universally people will tell you that their initial usage is terrible, they can't stand it.

Sounds like beer.

> Sounds like beer.

I disagree. While a lot of people might not like the taste of their first beer, they tend to not have the same feelings about the effects of it.

E.g., the first time i tried mezcal, I was not really into the flavor of it, but I liked how it made me feel afterwards. Eventually I developed an appreciation for the flavor and started genuinely liking it (just like it happened with beer for a lot of people). But I liked the effects of it the first time around just like I liked them later on, all that's changed is flavor.

Had a similar experience in terms of flavor with some cheeses as well, it is just an acquired taste. And in case of cheeses (unlike with mezcal), there was no "feeling" that I liked the first time around, I just eventually started enjoying the flavor.

With cigarettes, the first time I tried it, there was not a single feeling I liked about it at all.

as he said, there's a difference between disliking the taste of something and something physically making you ill (i.e. it making you cough and feel terrible). i.e. your body is telling you "this is poison". so yeah, you can acclimate to the poison, but its still poison. Even if one considers ethanol to be poison, the first consumptions of it (say in wine) doesn't give the same reaction.

I'm not sure this is really true, you get huge nicotine buzzes at first, though too much can make you feel nauseous.

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