smoke?

[mweinstone]

bring ciggs or quit?im a light smoker.not before noon and 5 a day max.i dont bring ciggs and i never miss em.wondering what you do.

[Lone Wolf]

god made your lungs to breath in clean air not poisonous smoke. it's a no-brainer.

[MOWGLI]

Did he make an exception for the liver?

[khaynie]

Did he make an exception for the liver?

Yes. He turned the water into wine; it's our job to turn the wine back into water.

Mweinstone:

Leave the Marlboro's at the house.

[mweinstone]

bali shag or drum.

[Jack Tarlin]

MW---

While it'd obviously be in your best interest to quit or cut back before you leave, in the end, I don't suppose it will affect your trip much.

Many hikers---you'd be surprised how many---are smokers. Most of them cut way back while thru-hiking, so even if you don't quit this spring or summer, you'll probably find yourself smoking less.

But the cigarettes almost certainly won't be a factor in whether or not your trip is a success.

Some of the hikers I know best are smokers, and they seem to do just fine.

[Old Spice]

MW---

While it'd obviously be in your best interest to quit or cut back before you leave, in the end, I don't suppose it will affect your trip much.

Many hikers---you'd be surprised how many---are smokers. Most of them cut way back while thru-hiking, so even if you don't quit this spring or summer, you'll probably find yourself smoking less.

But the cigarettes almost certainly won't be a factor in whether or not your trip is a success.

Some of the hikers I know best are smokers, and they seem to do just fine.

I am glad to hear this... Not because I want to justify a habit I am trying to quit, but because I feel like this isn't something you hear often. I have only met a dozen or so thru-hikers face to face and I would say that half of them smoked. I am going to try and quit beforehand, but chances are I will smoke now and then on the trail...

[Gray Blazer]

Yes. He turned the water into wine; it's our job to turn the wine back into water.

Mweinstone:

Leave the Marlboro's at the house.

Never heard that one before. I still have coffee coming out my nose.

[neo]

i quit smoking in febuary 1985,i was smoking over 3 packs a day,i started coughing up blood at the age of 26,so i figured it was time to quit neo

[corduroy]

Before I began my thru hike I was an avid non smoker- participating regularly in major protests of big tobacco, training cigarette sniffing dogs at a semi-secret facility in Northern Ontario, openly criticizing smokers and warning them of their imminent demise- as soon as I started hiking however things began to change.
Within a week of beginning my hike I was up to a pack a day, chain smoking my lungs into torn paper bags at every shelter I could find, bumming smokes off of shuttle drivers, and robbing other hikers cold-blind of their Marlboro Lights.
I attempted to fight the battle against the great evil of nicotine on maybe two occasions but alas it was all in vein- within a month I had degraded into a hollow shell of a hiker- skipping sections and backtracking to Mtn. Mama's two or three times a week for their great deal's on American Spirit Organics.
At one point I had the habit under control- I'd set up a pretty systematic mail drop schedule with my brother, and was on my way to Katahdin- not smoke free, but in higher spirits then my prior days. But it all went downhill when I met a shadowy figure by the name of Baltimore Jack Tarlin.
Tarlin introduced me to the hard stuff, Marlboro something or others in fancy cases. On my first drag I knew all the glory and rapture of love and addiction, and within minutes was swimming in a sea of ecstacy, a tobacco fueled LSD like trance.
Long story short bring alot of tobacco.

[DLANOIE]

I had no idea how many hikers smoked either. Im three days with out a cig now and taking the patch. But I smoked drum, samson or balishag, no filter to pack out(guilt free)

P.S. does anyone know if you can buy these brands along the trail or will my options be limited to regular cigs and "backwoods" handrolling tobacco?

[saimyoji]

I had no idea how many hikers smoked either. Im three days with out a cig now and taking the patch. But I smoked drum, samson or balishag, no filter to pack out(guilt free)

P.S. does anyone know if you can buy these brands along the trail or will my options be limited to regular cigs and "backwoods" handrolling tobacco?

Why ask about availability of tabacco on the trail if you are trying to quit? Did I miss something?

[general]

I had no idea how many hikers smoked either. Im three days with out a cig now and taking the patch. But I smoked drum, samson or balishag, no filter to pack out(guilt free)

P.S. does anyone know if you can buy these brands along the trail or will my options be limited to regular cigs and "backwoods" handrolling tobacco?

most ingles supermarkets have drum and sampson. to my knowledge, in the south, aside from the renegade convenience store, that's the only place you're gonna get quality roll your own. there is a place north of neel's gap, on hwy 129, called sunshine grocery, that sells american spirit. it's pretty damn good too, and grown organically.

[the goat]

I had no idea how many hikers smoked either. Im three days with out a cig now and taking the patch. But I smoked drum, samson or balishag, no filter to pack out(guilt free)

P.S. does anyone know if you can buy these brands along the trail or will my options be limited to regular cigs and "backwoods" handrolling tobacco?

balishag & drum are usually available, just gotta look around sometimes.

beware of getting stuck w/ nothin' but the "bugler", i hate that crap!

[Ross]

I quit at Springer....until i hit Mountain Mama's. It felt better to quit but I still like the feeling of taking a break, taking in the view and smoking a roll-up.

Where you you in 04 L.Wolfe? I may have been a paying customer.

Ross aka Cheers

[DavidNH]

There are way way too many thru hikers and section hikers who smoke. Its really smelly and disgusting. Bad for your health as well as those around you too.

You are finally in the outdoors for an extended period of time, drinking clear cool and treated water and breathing wonderful fresh air. Why mess that up by putting nicotine pollutants in you? PLEASE leave the ciggs at home. It will be so much nicer for you and your shelter mates. Coming to an otherwise very nice shelter after a long day of hiking, and finding some shmuck sitting in the shelter puffing away was always a real downer for me and often times I moved on. Smoking is likely the most disgusting and revolting habit I have ever witnessed among hikers, though the very heavy drinking I so frequently witnessed brings up a close second.

[Lone Wolf]

i used to carry a carton of cheap cigs and sell them for $10 per pack to the folks tryin' to quit in georgia. made a killin'!

[hikerboy57]

There are way way too many thru hikers and section hikers who smoke. Its really smelly and disgusting. Bad for your health as well as those around you too.

You are finally in the outdoors for an extended period of time, drinking clear cool and treated water and breathing wonderful fresh air. Why mess that up by putting nicotine pollutants in you? PLEASE leave the ciggs at home. It will be so much nicer for you and your shelter mates. Coming to an otherwise very nice shelter after a long day of hiking, and finding some shmuck sitting in the shelter puffing away was always a real downer for me and often times I moved on. Smoking is likely the most disgusting and revolting habit I have ever witnessed among hikers, though the very heavy drinking I so frequently witnessed brings up a close second.

sounds great, but its an addiction.a very powerful addiction. ive quit so many times i can no longer call it quittingtried acupuncture, hypnotism, drugs, gum, now those new electronic cigarettes.. Ive quit cocaine, quaaludes, a variety of other drugs as well as alcohol, but tobacco is the one bug ive still yet to beat. I do not smoke while im on the trail, but i will enjoy a smoke at the end of the day, and in the am. I do not smoke near others, keep it well away from the shelters, as i prefer tenting anyway.but i dont need anavangelical sermon on how disgusting a habit you find it.you'll breathe in campfire smoke with no issue, filled with carcinogens, but of course, thats different.noise pollution is just as invasive as someone smoking outdoors, and its(tobacco) a abasic part of american culture.
i find picking your nose/butt even more disgusting,especially if done in reverse order.
i hope one day ill be able to say im a former smoker, but understand it is difficult for many to quit.

[Almost There]

I still smoke off and on...I don't smoke on the trail however, not because I feel it takes away from the nature experience, but more because I feel better at the end of the day without putting the smoke into my lungs. I say leave them and quit for good, you'll be better off in the long run. I so want to quit but it's hard, if I can't before my 4 week hike in June, well, the 4 weeks should do it. The funny thing is I never miss them while I'm out hiking, it's only when back in the real world that I want one. Besides you should pack out any butts you smoked, and that will leave your pack smelling like an ashtray! I have often packed out others butts, so don't smoke on the trail, but hey if you want one with a beer on zero...knock yourself out.

[MarcnNJ]

34 days to go till i begin my hike.....6 days ago when i woke up and saw that i had 1 ciggarette left in my pack, i told myself that im going to smoke it, and that will be the end of it.....i was a light smoker also, 5-7 a day....as much as i miss it at times and feel like pulling my hair out, i also love not being enslaved to it anymore....cant wait to finally hike those uphills with clear lungs!!