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There are some players who smoke cigarettes on a regular basis, many players have an occasional cigar, and there are those who smoke marijuana.
I smoked for about 10 years (from age 13 to 23). Before I got fat, I used to play a lot of basketball at the local blacktop courts. Not only was I a 1 pack (or slightly more) a day smoker, but I would often play with a cigarette hanging out of my mouth and take drags while on defense or manning the post on offense. I never had a hard time breathing or keeping up with anyone (smokers or non-smokers).
Now I know that I was only 5 or so years into smoking (Newports were my brand for those 5 years), but I never noticed a single respiratory problem. After quitting slightly over 3 years ago, I haven't noticed a single change. I felt the same smoke free as I did while smoking. Now again, that was after only 10 years. My point is this - with the age most players start playing and the age they retire or drift away, it's feasible that they could smoke and not have any negative impact on the field. Not to mention the positions that don't really require a lot of physical activity.
If anyone cares to read up on my story of quitting and backstory :
As I said, I smoked for around 10 years. My mother never smoked. My father started smoking when he was 8 years old (still shocks me to hear that) and quit shortly after I was born. I grew up in a smoke free house, and none of my grandparents or uncle smoked. I had my first cigarette walking home along the train tracks back in 6th grade around 13 years old.
I quit cold turkey almost on a whim on 1/9/2010. My best friend passed away (not related to smoking) and I was at a get together with our common friends and his family. I was chain smoking and knocking back beers while playing pool. As we were all saying our goodbyes to head home at the end of the night, my deceased friend's sister crinkled her nose and said "Ew, you really smell like smoke.". Those words just struck a chord with me and I haven't had a single cigarette since that moment; no "last cigarette" before quitting. I just tossed what was left in my pack and never lit up another.
I miss smoking. I don't mean that I have cravings or anything. I just sometimes want to light one up because I truly enjoyed it. I smoked menthols. There is no feeling quite like sitting back on your porch on a hot summer day, lighting up a cigarette, and just watching small town life pass you by for that 7 minutes. Not to mention a smoke with an ice cold beer or rum n coke, or a smoke break during a stressful work day.
The dangers of smoking never bothered me.There are a million things out there that will eff up my life, from microwave popcorn bags to using paint stripper on woodwork, not to mention medicines I take to treat one ailment are slowly destroying my mind and possibly organs. The whole "smoking isn't cool" thing never worked because I never thought that it was cool. It was just something I enjoyed, same as drinking a favorite beverage or playing a video game.
The only reason I quit was because of those six words my friend's sister said to me. She was like extended family because I and her brother were so close. It just bothered me that I bothered her. If she hadn't blurted that out, I'd probably still be smoking. It was rare that I'd be around non-smokers with a cigarette smell lingering on me, but I didn't really care that night given the circumstances. Serendipity at its finest.
I was always a "considerate" smoker. I absolutely never lit up if there was a child nearby even when their neglectful parents chose to, never smoked inside my house or car (unless I had my T-tops off), didn't throw butts wherever I finished them (HATE people who do that), etc., so it always pissed me off when people would try to give me the whole "well you hurt me when you smoke" routine. XXXX off. People lecturing me on smoking would be more hazardous to their health (if you know what I mean :toughguy
than my smoking.
I smoked for about 10 years (from age 13 to 23). Before I got fat, I used to play a lot of basketball at the local blacktop courts. Not only was I a 1 pack (or slightly more) a day smoker, but I would often play with a cigarette hanging out of my mouth and take drags while on defense or manning the post on offense. I never had a hard time breathing or keeping up with anyone (smokers or non-smokers).
Now I know that I was only 5 or so years into smoking (Newports were my brand for those 5 years), but I never noticed a single respiratory problem. After quitting slightly over 3 years ago, I haven't noticed a single change. I felt the same smoke free as I did while smoking. Now again, that was after only 10 years. My point is this - with the age most players start playing and the age they retire or drift away, it's feasible that they could smoke and not have any negative impact on the field. Not to mention the positions that don't really require a lot of physical activity.
If anyone cares to read up on my story of quitting and backstory :
As I said, I smoked for around 10 years. My mother never smoked. My father started smoking when he was 8 years old (still shocks me to hear that) and quit shortly after I was born. I grew up in a smoke free house, and none of my grandparents or uncle smoked. I had my first cigarette walking home along the train tracks back in 6th grade around 13 years old.
I quit cold turkey almost on a whim on 1/9/2010. My best friend passed away (not related to smoking) and I was at a get together with our common friends and his family. I was chain smoking and knocking back beers while playing pool. As we were all saying our goodbyes to head home at the end of the night, my deceased friend's sister crinkled her nose and said "Ew, you really smell like smoke.". Those words just struck a chord with me and I haven't had a single cigarette since that moment; no "last cigarette" before quitting. I just tossed what was left in my pack and never lit up another.
I miss smoking. I don't mean that I have cravings or anything. I just sometimes want to light one up because I truly enjoyed it. I smoked menthols. There is no feeling quite like sitting back on your porch on a hot summer day, lighting up a cigarette, and just watching small town life pass you by for that 7 minutes. Not to mention a smoke with an ice cold beer or rum n coke, or a smoke break during a stressful work day.
The dangers of smoking never bothered me.There are a million things out there that will eff up my life, from microwave popcorn bags to using paint stripper on woodwork, not to mention medicines I take to treat one ailment are slowly destroying my mind and possibly organs. The whole "smoking isn't cool" thing never worked because I never thought that it was cool. It was just something I enjoyed, same as drinking a favorite beverage or playing a video game.
The only reason I quit was because of those six words my friend's sister said to me. She was like extended family because I and her brother were so close. It just bothered me that I bothered her. If she hadn't blurted that out, I'd probably still be smoking. It was rare that I'd be around non-smokers with a cigarette smell lingering on me, but I didn't really care that night given the circumstances. Serendipity at its finest.
I was always a "considerate" smoker. I absolutely never lit up if there was a child nearby even when their neglectful parents chose to, never smoked inside my house or car (unless I had my T-tops off), didn't throw butts wherever I finished them (HATE people who do that), etc., so it always pissed me off when people would try to give me the whole "well you hurt me when you smoke" routine. XXXX off. People lecturing me on smoking would be more hazardous to their health (if you know what I mean :toughguy
than my smoking.
