Do i smoke too much?

[SleepWalker]

Hi there,

I haven't got the money to splash out on fantasic cigars but i must admit i like dry-cured dutch cigars.

Now if smoking just cigars i can smoke 20 of them in a day, they're about 4 inches long with a 23 ring gauge. I find it hard to smoke any less.

To ease my throat i sometimes buy some cigarettes, so will have 10 cigarettes a day along with 10 of those cigars.

What do others do? How many cigars and what size do you smoke a day? Do you mix with cigarettes?

Apart from smoking a pipe or using snuff which i'm not so keen on, do you have any tips on moderating useage?

Thanks all, and happy smoking.

[leperaffinity]

cigar or two a week for me if im lucky..sometimes one per week or less

[Drewmidorn]

erm..... I (i imagine like many of the guys here) only smoke on average one or two cuban cigars a day and the rare NC (the very odd day I won't smoke and once in a blue moon i may have a couple more). It sounds to me that you are more akin to cigarette smoker in your habit, and maybe the cigars you smoke are a little more like cigarettes on the potency front.

Interesting that you have Mark Twain as your avatar. I believe he used to love a cheap cigar and smoked them prolifically.

[leperaffinity]

are you related to eggy?

[bambini]

Whether you smoke "too much" is very subjective. However, I can say with some confidence that you probably smoke more than most of the folk here (as Drew suggested).

WRT cutting down, I'm afraid it's all down to willpower. Here's the principle in a nutshell:

1. It sounds like you've reached the first step: motivation. You're recognising that something's amiss and it sounds like you're wanting to do something about it.
2. The next step is to set an overall goal: "I want to cut down to X smokes per day".
3. Then set a time frame: "I want to be there in X weeks".
4. Break that down into smallr, achieveable (cannot stress that enough) goals: "This week I'll cut down to 18 per day, then 16, etc."
5. Reward yourself. After a successful week, treat yourself to something nice, like a big packet of sweets for each week you quit. You could even buy a nice Cuban for Sundays, and say to yourself "with the money I saved this week, I can afford this delicious robusto"
6. Finally, be forgiving of lapses and relapses - it's OK to have a slip up from time to time, but there's no reason to just give up as a result. Get back on the wagon and keep on at it.

[SleepWalker]

I can't smoke as little as 2 a day! I enjoy them too much. Yes Mark Twain is my idol...

[Puff Scotty]

Hell of a question! But I get your drift, as a teenager I used to smoke, even in my own opinion, far too many cigarettes (players No6 - remember those?).
My boss, to break me of what he called "a disgusting habit" got me onto Villager Exports, another disgusting habit - my words, which in no time I was ramping up to 20 a day.
I now find years on that "less is more" smoking on average 3 good sized Cubans a day I am more than happy.
Yes I will still smoke a Marlboro occasionally & in no way am I a puro purist but you'll find them so much better than a nicotine patch if you think you smoke "too much".
No apologies to my Doc who thinks smokers are insane .

[Styler]

As has been said, it's a very subjective thing, but IMO 20 ciagrs a day is a massive amount. Even if they are smaller RG that's still a lot of tobacco.

I'm lucky if I smoke a decent cigar every 2 or 3 days but that is more down to being a bit skint right now and having to guide out what's in the humidor!

[MarkSDMF]

I'm lucky if I smoke a decent cigar every 2 or 3 days but that is more down to being a bit skint right now and having to guide out what's in the humidor!

Amen. to. that.


Lol.

:L
WITW Anyone?

[snooky]

In a word Yes, try to ween off the ol Dutch and swap for some descent Cubans, the average Cigar lasts me 1hr - 1hr 20mins if i smoked 20 a day !!!!
Simple Cigar etiquete says dont chain smoke . Good luck .

[SleepWalker]

Right... i realise now that i smoke a lot! Well, i kind of guessed that but this just reaffirms it. Doh.

[Big J]

are you related to eggy?

LOL!

[moidoid]

I can't smoke as little as 2 a day! I enjoy them too much. Yes Mark Twain is my idol...

Not a bad idol to have.

[cbob]

I can't smoke as little as 2 a day! I enjoy them too much.

Let's face it. It's no longer just "enjoyment", it's a habit.

Sore throat eh? Hmmm...
I'm guessing that you are inhaling most of those dutch cigars and if "To ease my throat i sometimes buy some cigarettes, so will have 10 cigarettes a day along with 10 of those cigars" you are not really a cigar smoker, merely a nicotine addict.

Not that there is anything wrong with that, of course, just that most of us who only smoke cigars could usually cut back to one or two/day without any problems.

I know a physician who smokes 3-5 cigars a day (but not every day) and since he does not inhale, he claims that he's not putting his health at risk.
He's kidding himself but claims that any evidence to the contrary is "junk science". It's called "See No Evil, Hear No Evil".

To be realistic about cutting back, I'd give up the cigarettes and switch from those "oh so easy to inhale" dutch tobacco sticks in favour of 2 or three decently full-bodied cigars/day. You will be able to lurk here at UKCF and find smokes that will give you lots of flavour without inhaling. Your throat will thank you.
Like any other "stop smoking" program, it might be difficult but if it's proves impossible, then resign yourself to being an addict and get a lung function test soon and often.

[platonas0796]

What do you mean by 'to ease my throat' me personally i smoke (not inhaling) 3/4 petit coronas daily and maybe a robusto at night,i love the sensation on my throat and nostrils,i was a cigarette smoker for many years but the combination of cigarettes and cigar smoking it doesnt work for me,cigarette smoke takes away the after taste sensation.Perhaps you have to adopt Davidoff's quote 'smoke less but smoke expensive'