Smokers - how has your smoking changed since you've been in Korea?

[#basedcowboyshirt]

Back in Canada, I used to smoke about two packs of cigarettes a month - hardly anything. And I've been smoking that same amount for the last 5 years or so.

Since I've been in Korea, I'm a solid pack every week plus a full pack on the weekend if I'm anywhere even remotely close to alcohol. Since it's such a prevalent part of life here, and practically inescapable, I'm not optimistic about my chances of quitting or reducing while I'm here.

So what about you folks? Anyone quit smoking since you've been in Korea? Anybody that wasn't a smoker started since being here?

How have your habits changed and been influenced by the omnipresence and ridiculously low prices of cigarettes here?

[Artist Formerly Known as Moderator Jason]

oh god yes.  I quit smoking for a year before I came to korea.  That all changed. I was up to a pack a day too. Than one day, I bought a pipe and started using that..  I have been cigarette free for about 4 months now but now thinking about it I really feel like i want one.

[brentwantscake]

I smoke like a chimney at home.

Here I smoke like a chimney that also happens to be on fire.

[vitamin-d]

I've smoked for ten years and Korea just made it worse.
Managed to quit to 'weekend smoker' for the last 4 or 5 months though.
I just can't not smoke on a Saturday night. I swear it's impossible...

[eemneedah]

As a female smoker (of around 4 a day) when I first got to Korea I learned quickly about the taboo regarding women smoking in public. I was scolded in Korean by Ajuma's and Ajoshi's on the street and one man spat at me. I can only feel comfortable hanging out the window of my apartment smoking alone or with other foreigners. The stigma of being a female smoker and the stares and obvious judgment made me feel very awkward.

[joeco]

i used to smoke semi casually back home (u.s.), but had not smoked in over a month before i arrived in korea 4 weeks ago. the ridiculously low prices and the fact that you can smoke anywhere indoors just makes me want to have a cigarette, especially when i'm in a bar or restaurant. i like having smoke free spaces indoors, but when i wanna smoke, it's so nice to not have to leave the conversation and go outdoors. unfortunately i do not see myself quitting again anytime soon. especially after having a long week, give me a beer, a cig, and the weekend already!

[glitterstarbeau]

I don't let disapproval stop me from smoking.  Unless I'm on a date.  I ignore people who pointedly cough.  I mean, yeah, second-hand smoke sucks.  But no one's giving attitude to the old men doing it, so I'm not letting them pressure me.

I smoked a bit in America.  (I'm from SC, so we have the cheapest cigs in the country).  Now it's doubled.   

[Odang]

I have smoked for 15 odd years.  Usually areound 1/2 a pack a day.  I smoke a lot less than I did back home im Korea.  I don't smoke at school and I only have a couple smokes in the evening.  On the weekends, I do tend to smoke more when the libations are flying around.  However, I have also cut down on the nicotine and tar contents of the ciragettes I smoke, so they are almost like smoking air.

[Lexington]

I think I'm the opposite to most people.  For about a year or so before coming to Korea I was a social smoker and tended to smoke most nights I was out drinking, here I smoke maybe one cigarette every couple of months despite the fact that I drink much more frequently here.

I think for me it was more about the socialising than the smoking, and I liked going outside the club with my friends and having random conversations with the other smokers out there.  Here, because you can smoke inside bars I don't really have the need for it anymore because nobody has to go outside and I don't have to 'keep them company.'

The bad thing is that I have about five almost full packets of cigarettes in my apartment because I hate stealing cigs off people, so when I do get the urge I buy a full pack, smoke one, and then add the rest of the pack to my 'collection'.  Thank god cigarettes cost barely anything here.

[kerrym]

Never smoked in the US (South Carolina), but, here in Korea, I'm up to about 3 lighters a day.

[minamteacher]

I don't let disapproval stop me from smoking.  Unless I'm on a date.  I ignore people who pointedly cough.  I mean, yeah, second-hand smoke sucks.  But no one's giving attitude to the old men doing it, so I'm not letting them pressure me.

I smoked a bit in America.  (I'm from SC, so we have the cheapest cigs in the country).  Now it's doubled.   

Funny, my second hand smoke intake has almost tripled!

[vitamin-d]

Never smoked in the US (South Carolina), but, here in Korea, I'm up to about 3 lighters a day.

Haha, Bill Hicks again. Yes 

[Manyisa_1]

Smoking has definately picked up.The price of smokes is just too right too here.Back home it took a week to klap a box.Now i buy one every third day.Hell if its the weekend and there is drinking to be done,a whole box vanishes.

[sheila]

When I came here the first year, I went from a half a pack a day to nothing for five months... Then I started teaching pre-school and jumped up to a pack a day in the first week. Needless to say, I just got back from my daily walk outside. Plus, I always smoke when driving.  Back down to a half a pack during the week, but I can easily burn down a full pack on Friday and Saturday.

[LemonWater]

Definitely smoking more with the cheap prices and ability to smoke nearly anywhere.

Sure, it's a bad habit and I'm not proud of it, but it is a social activity. Being a smoker has gained me many friends at school outside of the English department. Old teachers that don't speak a word of English come by my office and ask me to go for a smoke. It's a universal language.

[cleo999]

 :laugh:Manyisa!!! " Klap a box" Nice!!!

Yeah Ive always been a weekend smoker - but when got to Korea I hit the ciggies hard for about 3 months. Then one day i was damn my apartment just reeks of cigarettes. So im now back to being a weekend smoker - silly isnt it! I should just quit - just hard to give up ciggies when booze is around - cant have one without the other.

[Russbus65]

I smoked back home, but I was definitely smoking more in Korea my first 7 months here.  Cheap cigarettes and the fact that I could smoke them just about anywhere didn't pair well with my awesome addiction.  I managed my smoking during week well and never smoked at school, but once the weekend hit I smoked twice as much.  I "quit" about 3 weeks ago.  I bought an electronic cigarette and it has worked quite well.  I "smoke" less than when I was smoking the real deal.  It works wonders though when I'm drinking.  Instead of cracking and buying a pack, I use the e-cigarette a couple times and keep going about my partying.

[bern]

and one man spat at me.

Possibly  unrelated

[Fallon]

I have definitely cut back.  I'm just not as stressed. I've gone from 1/2 a pack a day, to a pack a week. A social plus of the low cigarette price is I don't might when people bum off me now.  Back home at $7.00 pack it would drive me crazy.

[jpaek]

I'm up from about half a pack to one pack a day in Korea. Guh. Mainly because my school lets me smoke. My principal is an avid smoker and we have a heated room dedicated to male smokers. Along with the phys. ed teachers, I smoke between almost every period.