Smoking And Your Social Life

With the smoking ban firmly in place in an ever increasing number of public venues across the United States and Europe, as a smoker, your social life will be affected. The places where you go to eat, drink, relax, meet friends and make new ones are no longer prepared to tolerate smoking on their premises. If you really need that cigarette, you are likely to find yourself out in the street lighting up, while others continue the fun indoors.

Out In The Cold

It's all very well during the summer months, but restaurants, clubs, bars, art galleries, cafes, pubs, museums, theatres, concert halls and many, many more social venues are asking smokers to stop what they're doing and step outside before they can have a cigarette, even when it's cold outside. As a smoker, this fact in itself may not bother you too much, it does seem quite reasonable, after all, that the people who work in these places have a right to a smoke-free environment. However, over time, the small things you miss out on may start to have an effect. For example, the type of place you like to go to may depend on the outdoor smoking facilities they have. If one venue kicks you out onto the street corner and another provides a heated patio, you'll likely want to visit the second one. It may not be the same though for your non-smoking friends; they might want the place with the better music/food/friendlier staff. Doesn't it seem a pity to prioritize smoking over having a good time? And do you really have the right to ask your friends or family all to go to a certain place, or to sit at an outdoor table at a restaurant, just for your own comfort?

Meeting People

Whether at a business meeting or social gathering, you run the risk as a smoker of being left out of the hub of the action. You might get lucky and find that the client you've been courting is a smoker too, but with more and more people giving up cigarettes, you could just as easily fail to impress by spending half your time outside puffing while you should be indoors clinching a deal. Likewise, how many times have you broken off a conversation with someone you're interested in so you could nip outside for your nicotine fix? Was she still there when you came back? If so, she's patient, not everyone is.

No Money To Go Out?

How much money do you spend on cigarettes? Wouldn't that be better spent on quality time with friends and family? On treating your date to a luxury dessert? On a present for the special person in your life? With the price of cigarettes increasing all the time, the savings to be made from quitting are significant.

Holidays

Even the types of holiday you take are restricted if you really need to smoke. Long haul flights are extremely difficult for the addicted smoker. Likewise, smoking accommodation is increasingly hard to come by and it's probably not fair to ask non-smoking friends and family to share it with you. Do you have to opt out of a day at the museum because you know you won't be able to smoke inside? Do you and the people you drag with you spend a significant portion of the day searching for a place you can smoke? If so, don't you think that's a problem?

Quit Smoking And Have More Fun!

You need to be honest with yourself. Your smoking is probably restricting your social life and that of the people closest to you. If you give up now, here is what you stand to win:

- staying part of the action and part of the fun; not spending a lot of the party outside!

- more money to spend on enjoying yourself, foreign holidays, etc.

- freedom to go anywhere and do anything you like without feeling uncomfortable and panicky without cigarettes.

- new friends as you take up new activities to keep yourself busy as part of the quitting process.

- confidence; quitting smoking is tough. If you can do it, you can do anything you put your mind to.