Smokers...

[SNDavidson]

A few questions: just wondering how many of you regularly paintball and smoke cigarettes, how many of you feel it hinders your game, how many of you have succesfully quit...and how. Your input would be greatly appreciated. What is this like my 8th post? It's funny, I've been reading/posting on AO for only a matter of weeks, and the way you all handle yourselves, being mag owners (with everything that entails), is very refreshing, and somewhat of a rarity in this sport. I've been paintballing for about 4 years on and off now, and have definately noticed some changes that bother me, mainly at the corporate end of things. I've been smoking for about 8 months, and have noticed that I'm beginning to get that "urge" for a smoke now. While this post may seem out of place, I feel quite the opposite, this is a great community. I don't know, I just feel comfortable posting here, and in the next couple days, will be a proud owner of an AGD/Rogue mag...can't wait to show it off at Velocity paintball in Ramona, CA.

[SNDavidson]

Just realized, this might have been better suited for the meet and greet forum, my bad.

[SNDavidson]

...or friendly corner...darn.

[Chronobreak]

smoke what?


$ is $ place it where you choose.

[master_alexander]

i am not a smoker (only 14) but i see the signs outside of the gas stations and i am assuming you mean cigaretts and it's like 2.50 a pack right? i would try to quit and spend that money on paint... but that's me... and i don't know how it is or how hard it is to stop, but my 93 year old aunt stopped smoking after 60 years of doing it, and i bet since she can you can...

there is my 2 cents... cool

welcome to AO
a dancing bannana for you

[SNDavidson]

"just wondering how many of you regularly paintball and smoke cigarettes". Regular old tobacco cigarettes. Anyhoo, even though that was kinda funny, some real answers would help.

[jenarelJAM]

I've been smoking for about 8 months, and have noticed that I'm beginning to get that "urge" for a smoke now..

oh ok, it sounded like you were still smoking... eugh... gj quitting
since paintballing basicly kills you slowly and painfully, i think it would be better not to. 'sides, it makes it harder to breathe, and my goggles fog up enough without huffing and puffing.

also, i actually hate it when ppl smoke in the staging area. it forces the rest of us to breathe it and choke on it. the last thing i want after a game when im sweaty and coming back to refresh/refill is to be smothered in tobacco smoke.

[jenarelJAM]

oops

my bad, i read master_alexander's post and thought it was you again.
yeah, quit if you can, otherwise, plz dont smoke in the staging area

stop doing this !

[Will Wood]

Since the games are relatively short and allow you to catch your breath afterwards, you'd have to be a pretty heavy smoker and really out of shape for it to effect your game.

As for the money issue, that's not really an issue IMO. You're still spending money, just someplace else.

[Skywalker]

Damn $2.50 a pack ain't bad at all. In Philadelphia it's like $4.25.

Anyway I've been smoking for about 3 years and I haven't noticed a huge difference in the way I play paintball. And while it is one of the stupidest and moronic things you can do, I still enjoy it thoroughly. So I'm not planning on stopping anytime soon. What people should do is tr to walk away from the crowd when they are in the staging area, as a courtesy.

Try playing ice hockey and being a smoker. Now that kills you. I was in shape and out of shape at the same time.

[jenarelJAM]

well, i dont smoke so i dont know, but since i play woodsball alot (i ref at a woodsball field) and im running up and down hills all day, even when im reffing, sometimes my legs start to burn. and im not in bad shape, im 6'2" 170 pounds. I'd say any little bit of edge can help.
Also, i wouldnt really enjoy shortening my life any earlier than it will anyways.

[the123]

I was a regular smoker/paintballer and just quit 5 months ago. I will still have 1 maybe once per month just to verify that it tastes horrible. I have a lot of friends/family who do so stopping wasn't the easiest thing. Quitting, well, thats all in your head. I feel that the easiest way to quit is to NOT buy them. At $4 a pack it's easy. I always felt like a mooch bumming smokes, so I just stopped. Quitting now is the best way for YOU to successfully quit. If you just started, then your body isn't addicted. Stop while you have a chance.
While paintballing, I didn't notice any effect. Like Will Wood said, games are relatively short and allow you to catch your breath afterwards. Being in somewhat good shape helps, although there are some very good overweight paintballers.
#1 reason to quit smoking- all the extra paintball goodies you can afford.
$4 a pack times a pack a day. $1460 a year or 42 cases of paint($35case), enough paint to last a year for an above average player. Think about how much MORE paintball you could afford to play.

[SNDavidson]

Yah, I guess this was just my pathetic attempt at getting some support. I don't smoke near staging areas, I smoke by my car, or my buddy's car. Anyway, I've pretty much decided that I need to quit. I'm still fairly young (21), I've never really felt my lungs burn like this before. Oh, and compared to soccer, ice hockey is a cake walk (with some full body checking and fist fights). I guess the best thing to do is to just flat out quit. Sure, it will suck for a week or two, but from what I have heard, it gets much harder the longer you've been smoking. If you join the Navy or any other service, don't let the fact that you're away from your family and friends be an excuse to be weak and start doing stupid crap like smoking "to pass the time". Do the best you can with what you have, save up your leave, then go home and see how much you've improved yourself. In my mind I've set myself back 8 months, I really think that's true...just more motivation to better myself I guess, only thing I can do now.

[SNDavidson]

That's a good point 123

[felony]

im 20 years old, and was a smoker for about 2-3 years, i dont really remember. This past year I smoke pretty heavily for my style and for my wallet.

My friend had to quit due to heart problems and we decided to quit together. That was around the new year. Have had two drags since and just dont have hte urge anymore. I have the occasional black n mild just for fun every once in a while.

I do dip once in a while though, well more I guess.

In terms of making you worse at paintball, not really - less you are playing xball.. then it still isnt that big of a hoot.

If you wanna quit, just do it. there is not a patch, gum, or drug in the world that will make you want to stop smoking. you have to want to stop smoking. If you have a craving, man up and resist it. I did it, you can too.

Or you can smoke a pack in about an hour, throw up all day long, and the next time you smoke a square you will be ripping it outta your mouth and crushing the pack it came from