AllieB

I haven't smoked a cigarette in 8 or 9 months, but in the last couple months a handful of people have made it known (either by asking me, telling me, or quietly asking someone else who might know) that they think I smell like I've been smoking.

I can't control what people believe, of course, and whether I'm seen as a smoker is much less important than whether I'm actually smoking, but I don't want to smell like a smoker either. I drink a lot of coffee, and I've always wondered whether burned coffee smells like smoke to a non-smoker. . . ?

Maybe I'm just picking up something from being in my car, but my car has been airing out for months. It still smells like stale cigarettes if you're in it, but I wouldn't think that it would still be stinky enough to affect my clothing on a drive.

Soberpotamus

My husband says my coffee reminds him of cigarettes... so maybe it does smell like it! I can't imagine how though... I hate cigarette smoke and have never smoked in my life. Lol.

Oh, and he used to smoke... so I believe him when he says it reminds him of smoke.

AllieB

So the vote is 50/50 on whether burnt coffee smells like cigarettes, then. I've never heard a nonsmoker say that coffee reminds them of cigarettes, but a couple ex-smoker friends of mine have agreed with me and with your husband when I've mentioned the similarity. Wonder whether that's because our ex-smoker brains automatically default to cigarettes when given the chance, or just coincidence.

I'd sure hate to give up coffee, but I also dislike the idea of being perceived as a smoker (without having the pleasure of actually smoking), so I'll have to do further research. Thanks!

Soberpotamus

I wouldn't worry with it... no one but my husband thinks it smells like that. And he only thinks it smells that way straight from my French press... not my breath or whatever. Not sure why your friends are thinking that?? Weird.

AllieB

I've always thought so too, though, which is why I was polling around to see whether it was a common association, or just something a couple friends and I had hypnotized ourselves into believing.

I notice it the most in offices and gas stations and etc where the coffee has been on the burners all day and gets a bit charred and caramelized.

But, I don't carry around a French press (though I'm rarely seen w/o a cup of coffee in my hand before 2 pm), so maybe the coffee is a red herring.