Never picked up a single cigarette in my life thankfully (and don't plan to ever
)....... my dad started smoking in his teens and he looks like hell not even 50 years later, nasty nasty habit. It really seems to be catching up to him, he is constantly coughing nowadays so obviously all those years of smoking have done a number on his lungs.
I will say this: at least with cigarettes there is at least
some public awareness about the dangers, lung cancer, etc. I mean, my god...... cigarettes have been basically villainized and demonized into the ground. The government's attitude also seems to reflect this negative societal view (i.e. the deliberately high taxes on cigar sales). There is also still a pretty commonly held "stigma" against smokers as well, people in general still view smoking as a "dirty" habit.
...... alcohol on the other hand is portrayed as "safe" or "fun" by society at large, so in that regard i can see how it is in a way "easier" to get hooked on booze since this country and culture is a very pro-alcohol environment. I'm a little past 6 months into being sober, but i still feel very much "scammed" by the whole thing.......... a little angry too. Often i think to myself
"if only i had known more about this it never would've gotten out of control in the first place".
Hindsight really is 20/20.