Kaye had mentioned in a previous post about smoking and it made me think of something. What do you think about parents who smoke? Better yet, pregnant women who smoke? That is my ultimate pet peeve and I look at those women in disgust!!

By Gammiejoan on Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 10:06 pm:

I also have a real problem with parents who smoke. On a number of occasions I have observed mothers holding a baby in one arm and smoking a cigarette using the other hand. I just cannot imagine what their thinking is on this. I can appreciate that smoking is one habit that is extremely difficult to break, but I just do not see how they can justify it. As for pregnant women who smoke, I wonder if they even stop to consider the damage they are causing their unborn children. They must just block it from their minds because their habit has such control of them. It's bad enough when our habits are harmful to us. It is even worse when they damage the innocent.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 12:14 am:

I worked in OB for about 5 months at one point in my career. The babies of moms who smoked definitely were smaller than the ones of moms who didn't smoke.

I hate it when young kids come into the clinic and tell me they smoke!

I hate that I have to start asking 12 yo's if they smoke! Ugh!

By Kaye on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 11:14 am:

I did mention this in my other post. I don't personally agree with. I did smoke, an occasional one my senior year and 2 years into college. I was up to a pack a day and just couldn't afford it and got engaged and all that stuff. Smoking just wasn't part of the picture I had for my life. It was hard, I miss it still (been 10+ years since I had a drag). I think plain and simple we have learned just how bad it is for you, twice as bad for kids and there are really great effective tools to quit. So I think if you are a parent you should never smoke in front of your kids and it would be nice to quit completely. However, I do feel like smoking should be banned in most public places, like restraunts, zoos, any place specifically designed for children.

By Jackie on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 11:34 am:

It makes me sick when I see pregnant women smoking. I have never smoked, and dont allow smoking in my house. But, I have plenty of friends who smoke and Im fine with that. But, when I see a pregnant women smoking, I want to scream. Im in a dift situation as I just have 3 miscarriages in a 13 month period. Unborn life is very precious to me, even more so after losing 3 precious babies who I will never get to hold. People who smoke and are pregnant have no compassion for the human life inside of them, or think something couldnt happen to them as they know people who smoked and had perfectly healthy babies. Also on the same note, it makes me sick to see breastfeeding women still smoking, what is a matter with people???Ugh.. I could go on, this ia very personal matter to me.

By Mylittleanimals on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 03:40 pm:

I hate seeing pregnant women smoking too, but you want to hear something? When my sister was pregnant her dr told her NOT to stop. He said that it would do more harm for her to quit cold turkey than if she continued to smoke..do to the stress. This isnt the first I have ehard of it either, many drs tell this to women. Not that I agree with it though, I would still try to stop.

I also agree thats its NOT good for a parent to smoke, especially when you are trying to teach your children not to. I am aparent that smokes and although I didnt smoke and hold my ababya t the same time, or smoke when I was pregnant, it still isnt good. Especially when your kids say, "Why shouldnt I smoke...you do."

By Pamt on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 10:04 pm:

Both of my parents smoked. My mom smoked through all 3 pregnancies (although in her defense, this was before we knew how really harmful it was) and I was a low birthweight, full-term baby. Smoking during pregnancy also leads to pre-term births often as well. My brother and sister have both had chronic respiratory problems and asthma. Not to mention now that we know there is a much higher incidence of SIDS with moms who smoke.

My Dad was able to quit off and on and quit for good when I was in middle or high school. My mom wasn't able to and didn't seem to even want to try. I can remember crying, begging, and pleading with her to quit because as an elementary-aged kid I was always worrying about her dying. Kids shouldn't have to worry about stuff like that. In hindsight I am also embarrassed about how I know that I smelled..like a smoker. When you are totally immersed in it you don't realize how much it stinks. I know my clothes totally reeked of it in highschool. Yuk! I can remember fully appreciating the difference when I went to college. Every time I would come home I would have a very sore throat and allergy symptoms all from secondhand smoke. My mom would always do my laundry and I would have to rewash it when I got back to my dorm because it smelled so much like smoke and made me sick.

I am please to say that a few months ago at age 56 (57 tomorrow ) my mom was finally able to quit cold turkey. My dad no longer smokes cigarettes either and my FIL has quit too! Something about those grandbabies perhaps.

I can appreciate that it is a VERY addictive habit and hard to break. My big question is why anyone would ever get started? It doesn't look cool, we all know it's bad for you, and no one likes it on the first try. It's an "acquired taste", so why try to acquire it?

Btw, I work at a women's hospital that primarily is a maternity hospital. There is no smoking by employees or guests ANYWHERE on the hospital grounds. There are signs posted everywhere stating the no-smmoking policy because "this air is reserved for our babies' first breaths." I love that

By Dawnk777 on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 12:39 am:

Wow, I'm glad your mom was able to stop smoking and your dad and FIL as well. My dad smoked a pipe when I was a kid. in the car. with the windows closed! Ewww! How did we stand it? We did complain! I don't remember when he quit, but he did finally. I was still a kid.

He tried at one point to get my mom smoking. Fortunately she didn't ever start.

I lived with smoking roommates in one of my college apartments. Like you said, you didn't quite realize the smell on you while you were in the situation, but when I went home to my parent's non-smoking house and opened my backpack, the smell would just about knock me over! I never even thought about how I smelled as I walked around school! Eww!

I just remember trying to sleep with all this smoky air coming into my bedroom, since I was right off the kitchen and often went to bed before they did. That's when I knew I couldn't live with a smoking spouse.

So, as it turns out, I never even dated a smoker and ended up marrying a non-smoker.

By Boxzgrl on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 12:47 pm:

OMG, PamT, I thought I was the only one in high school that smelled like an ashtray- and didnt smoke. It was horrible. I kept my bedroom door shut, windows open, who knows how many air fresheners/purifiers but nothing worked. And I lived in a house with 3 chain smokers.Mom, Dad and Grandma. When Kaitlyn was born, my Mom decided to quit cold turkey because she doesnt want her grand daughter to grow up around it. Too bad she couldnt do the same for me! Like i mentioned before, my familys household spends an average of $600.00 a month on cigarettes. Ugh, and theyre soooooo disgusting!

By Mommyathome on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 06:23 pm:

Ditto whate everyone else said. Smoking while pregnant is extremely unwise. Smoking around kids is also unwise.
I hate to say it, but I prefer that my DD not have friends over who have parents that smoke. The little kids stink of cigarrette smoke and it makes my house stink to have them here. Plus I don't care for the example that their parents are setting for my DK's either.
I know it's a hard habit to break. My DH started smoking at 18 (he was my BF at the time). Our first DD was born 2 yrs after that and he was still smoking. He definitely didn't smoke in the house. Always on the back porch.
If we were out and about, he would stand outside of the car to smoke while we waited in the car for him. That lasted about 2 months. Then I told him to choose. I said it's either me and DD, or your smokes. I thought it was BS. He was wasting time w/us so that he could smoke. Lucky for us, he picked us over the smokes. He quit cold turkey. And, I'm very proud of hime now. He hasn't smoked for 5 yrs.
It's unhealthy, it stinks and it's a habit that can be broken. Maybe not easily, but IMO that is no excuse when DK's are in the picture.

By Nanaoie on Monday, September 22, 2003 - 01:44 pm:

My only sister died 4 years ago from lung cancer,she had smoked since she was 14,she was 45.I cannot begin to tell you how this has damaged our family.I begged for years for her to stop.She would get mad at me for it.She smoked while she was pregnant,and her son was born at 8 months,thank god he was ok.I miss her everyday,she was my only sister.and because of those damn things,she will never see another day.I know this has gotten of the subject, but, if people would think how much it hurts families , maybe they would stop.
I refuse to let anyone smoke in my house,and I will not be around anyone who smokes!

By Annie2871 on Tuesday, September 23, 2003 - 12:23 pm:

I must say I hate to see anyone smoking, whether they are a parent or a pregnant woman. but to see parents smoking in front of their children just makes me so mad! I can't believe that these people are too stupid to see what it is doing to their kids.

I have really thought the past few days about smoking in general. We were out to eat the other night and we live in a community where it is still okay to smoke in restaurants, we were in non-smoking, but awfully close to the smoking section and by the time we left there, I smelled like an ash tray. I wish I knew what I could do to try and help our community stop smoking in public restaurants. I would rather drive 45 mins down the road to Little Rock, AR and be able to go out and eat w/o having to deal with the smoking. They choose to kill themselves with the smoke, I didn't, but they are killing me just the same!

By A_Good_Dad on Sunday, December 12, 2004 - 05:35 pm:

I know at our Health Department, a large percentage of the pregnant moms smoke. It is sad, but some of them will tell the nurse who counsels with the smoking program that they don't want to listen to all that and don't have to. They already know it. It's not unusual for them to be pretty hostile about it.

Unfortunately, I think a nicotine addiction is not that much different from an addiction to heroine or cocaine in the sense of being in extreme denial--and that is really hard to break through. It is sad.

Annie, perhaps a few phone calls to your local health department or elected officials would help get someone interested. In Ohio, it has to be either city councils or the state legislature; no one else can touch it. But our capital, Columbus, just went smoke-free and now we are defending it from legal challenges and referendums from the die-hard smokers.

But it takes vocal people to take a stand. Good luck!

By Tink on Sunday, December 12, 2004 - 11:45 pm:

I can't believe I came home from a family Christmas Party to this! My cousin is due next week and "snuck out" for a few drags while we were there! We all came down on her like a ton of bricks. Her defense? She already knows the baby isn't underweight. She had a sonogram just two weeks ago that told her the baby is at least 7 lbs. I can't believe that she thinks that is all that is needed for good prenatal health!

Both my maternal grandparents died of lung cancer and all three of their children smoke and two of their grandchildren smoke. It makes me nuts to watch them all light up when that is what killed our family members. Fortunately for the rest of us, they only smoke outside but I hate the influence it has on on the younger kids. My SIL smoked while she was nursing my nephew and my suspicion is that it wasn't just tabacco.

Luckily, CA did prohibit smoking in all enclosed public areas. It's been so long since I have seen anyone light up in a restaurant or bar that it sounds strange to me that people do in other states.

By Dawnk777 on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 12:07 am:

Tink, I so wish they would pass that kind of law here in WI. I hate going to Applebees and coming out smelling like I was smoking, too! And this happens even if we sit in the non-smoking section.

By Cocoabutter on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 01:45 am:

Funny I should read this tonight, cuz just the other day I was thinking about a girl that I worked with about 8 years ago, and I haven't seen her since I had my son.

For one thing, where we worked there was only one breakroom, and whenever I went in, there was always someone in there smoking. I don't smoke, but my mom has smoked now for 40 years, and my husband just quit after 19 years, but when I became pg, my husband wouldn't smoke around me. It didn't help that I was exposed to it at work 40 hrs/wk. When my son was born, he was underweight (he weighed 5lbs 6oz) and he was in an oxygen tent for about 3 hours. He is fine now.

However, one of my coworkers there had a son who had severe asthma. She said it was b/c she never quit smoking the whole time she was pg with him, and she still smoked after he was born. Here's the kicker- she told me she had a real guilt complex b/c she knew it was all her fault that her son had the asthma. I mean, I can't begin to know what that feels like, but she kept on smoking. So I guess she continued smoking b/c she felt sorry for herself?

By Boxzgrl on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 11:53 am:

Thank God for CA laws!!!!!! Ashtrays stink and I refuse to smell like one. In Vegas people look at me like i'm prissy because I will complain out loud in casinos when people smoke near me, lol!

By Colette on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 12:53 pm:

Can't smoke in Ma anymore either! I love going to restaurants and not having to smell smoke in the nonsmoking section.

But, for crying out loud, I drove into NH the other day and saw a couple of restaurants advertising that you CAN still smoke in NH - like it's a good thing.

By My2cuties on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 02:51 pm:

I do NOT smoke, I have in the past though. I was definately NOT addicted, I probably smoked on the weekends while at parties in High School, and only a social smoke..it was stupid, but I have not picked up 1 cigerette or even had one puff of one since I have been married (that was even before I had my children). I think it is really an aweful thing to see pregnant women smoking, my neighbor smoked the entire pregnancy and I told her how I felt about it on more than 1 occassion. Very nicely, I just said it was bad for the baby and she needed to think of someone other than herself. Dh and I think it is really disgusting to see people smoking and will openly hide our dd's faces from the smoke as we walk by people, we have also got up and left a table due to the smell of smoke. All I can really say is it is GROSS! My neighbors excuse is she would get fat if she stopped, well, whatever. What do you say to that...(?) sure had me puzzled

By My2cuties on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 02:59 pm:

Oh yeah 1 more thing, I have been seeing these cars with bumper stickers that say..At least I can smoke in my car...what in the world is that all about, and have you ever went to look at used cars and it stunk so bad of smoke? GROSS.

I have drove down the road and seen kids in the backseat and their parents just puffing away and those poor kids taking it all in....2nd hand smoke is even worse, I have to think, Do they care about their children at all?

By Missmudd on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 04:32 pm:

I smoked off and on for about 10 years, I never smoked when I was pregnant and I never smoked around my kids. I suppose I didnt have the "worst" habit, I probably smoked about 1/2 a pack a day usually at work. I have been quit for 5 years now, and I want to tell you folks that there still isnt a week that goes by that I wouldn't LOVE to have a cigarette. So yes pure and simple I am an addict. I hate the smell of smoke but if I go into a restaurant that allows smoking I still breathe it in, I will stand next to people who are smoking and then have to go home and take a shower because I hate the smell on my clothes and hair. I just wanted to tell you guys that while I was able to quit, I still dont know if it will be for a life time, it still calls to me after 5 years.

Instead of making me mad when I see people smoke around their kids or when pregnant, it just makes me sad. I think that they do know how bad it is but the call of that cigarette is more than they can cope with. Or they are just in total denial. I like to think that it isnt because they dont care because I like to believe the best in people. I tell my sons that the easiest habit to break is one that you never start. I sure wish that *I* had never started. I sure hope that I can stay stopped.

By Emily7 on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 06:33 pm:

I quit smoking when I found out I was pregnant with my son & have not smoked in 4 years. I feel so much better than I did. I do not think that it is right to smoke around children, it is your right to smoke, but it is their right to breathe clean air. I will not allow smoking near my kids or in my vehicles or house.

By Ladypeacek on Friday, December 17, 2004 - 06:44 am:

I smoked as well but luckily when i got pregnant with all 3 of my kids i had morning sickness so badly that smoking made me throw up so i was able to stay off them during the pregnancy. However even after 9 months i craved them after they were born. We dont smoke in the house or in the car. I think this time i will be able to quit for good cuz i have finally got to the point where the smell is standing our and icky to me now. Hubby is trying hard to quit and does a great job so far. He never smokes at home (meaning not even outside)...he only does at work and thats the hardest cuz all the guys he works with smoke. But he is down to 2 packs a week which is excellent!

By Ginny~moderator on Sunday, July 23, 2006 - 07:23 pm:

Thread spammed 7/23/06 - they do like the debate board