skydiving and smoking

[skreamer 1]

OK, here's a post that pretty much nobody is neutral on - smoking. I have noticed that quite a few skydivers seem to smoke and don't quite understand why. It costs money (that could be used on JTs), it stinks and it kills you. Is this perhaps because there is a bit of a fighter pilot mentality, ie what we do is so dangerous why shouldn't I smoke?
Skydiving is about living, smoking isn't...
skreamer
(and I bet every smoking skydiver owns a flame-thrower...)

[skyhawk 2]

HOW DARE U SAY THAT thats it out comes my flame thrower nah i agree but its there choice just like a cypres and we dont want to get into that again

[Dutchboy 0]

It reminds me of when I was a student pilot. All of my flight instructors smoked. It was scary since smoking raises your effective altitude 5-7k feet. So if you do a cross country at 10k your instructor could end up with hypoxia!

[Grogs 0]

It's kind of funny you should mention that. Back when I was taking AFF and I had all the newbie jitters, I think the smoking actually helped me keep calm. I'd inhale about half a pack before every jump. I actually came to associate skydiving with smoking because of that. Now that I've quit, the DZ is still one of the hardest places for me temptation-wise (dance club is the worst).

[Dutchboy 0]

It seems like most of the smokers at my DZ are old skydivers (15 years+). I don't see too many of the younger ones (like the Atlanta Freeflight crowd) smoking.

[skyhawk 2]

dance club what the hell is a dance club and what temptation is there there ooohhhh suddenly i understand i still dont know what a dance club is but i think the temptation is obvious
do u mean dance club as in bar-hopping clubbing ect or dance club as in lets learn to do ballet/hip hop/ slow dance ect please say the first one

[skreamer 1]

Dutchboy, do you mean to say they smoked in the plane while you (a non-smoker and student) were flying? Or did you just mean that being smokers there is a notiecable effect when at altitude?
I am really curious about this smoking/hypoxia relationship, hopefully we have someone medical who can confirm/explain it.
/s

[Grogs 0]

Quote

do u mean dance club as in bar-hopping clubbing ect or dance club as in lets learn to do ballet/hip hop/ slow dance ect please say the first one

Yeah, lots of ballet dancing
By club, I'm talking about a place where there is either a DJ or a band playing some rock music so loud that your ears start to bleed, lots of alcohol, and people out in the middle of the floor dancing, writhing, gyrating, whatever.

[skreamer 1]

Skyhawk this has NOTHING to do with a cypres. If you choose to jump with or without a cypres, that has absolutely no relevance to my health (unless you bounce on me of course). This reminds me of the smokers pathetic excuse that alcohol kills more people than smoking. Alcohol can be drunk in moderation (apparently), I can choose not to drive a car or go hunting when pissed. But if I am standing next to you drinking a beer, does that stink and damage your health? (unless I start farting, then woo-hoo run for cover)
One of the things I liked best about California was to be able to go out drinking and clubbing and not smell like poo the next day (even though I had slept in a gutter). In fact I found that in California I could wear the same clothes for a week (day and night) without needing to change.
/s

[Grogs 0]

How about this pathetic excuse then:

Quote

Yeah, smoking takes 15 years off your life, but they're the crappy ones at the end. Who wants to live in a nursing home anyway?

[maverick 0]

Well, smoking doesn't remove those crappy 15 years, but skydiving might , so...

[skreamer 1]

I think there are a couple of senior citizens out there jumping who might feel just a little different about that...Maybe we should ask FFF, I hear he is REALLY old.
hee hee I think I smell some incoming abuse

/s

[maverick 0]

Go easy on the guy, i think we are approaching dangerous waters...

[Grogs 0]

Quote

Go easy on the guy

Which guy. FFF? I hope you're not talking about me? It's pretty hard to get me riled up, and something like smoking probably isn't going to do it.

[maverick 0]

Yeah, i meant FFF. But he is probably off "smoking" tyres or entertaining some skygoddess . Well, i'm not the one to get anyone riled up.
mav

[skreamer 1]

Good thing I am!
/s

[Grogs 0]

Quote

But he is probably off "smoking" tyres or entertaining some skygoddess

LOL, you're very close to the truth with that Skygoddess remark. I'll let FFF fill in the details as he pleases though.

[Iflyme 0]

Gee... smoking... 50% of the people who partake in that disgusting pastime will die as a result... but let's face it - the tobacco companies have loaded their deadly product with highly addictive substances to keep you spending your jump tickets on them... your loss, their gain. As far as personal choice, if our society grants the right to kill yourself with cigarrettes, then why aren't other forms of suicide legal?
Live healthy, skydive safely
Frank

[skybytch 273]

Skydiving attracts and holds people with addictive personalities. Me thinks this is why there seem to be a lot of skydivers who smoke.
I've been addicted to the stupid things for fifteen years now. Unfortunately when I was a teenager it was considered "cool"... Each pack I buy is the "last one"... longest I've gone without one is four days. I try to be considerate - I move away from other people when I light up, watch that the smoke isn't drifting into other's faces, would never smoke inside a building and generally try to make it so my addiction doesn't affect others.
I agree that smoking is dumb, smokers smell and we usually have yucky yellow teeth. But if you have never smoked and quit then you have NO idea how difficult it is to stop and IMHO you really have no place saying anything about it.
pull, flare, huff and puff back to the landing area,
lisa

[Dutchboy 0]

Quote

Dutchboy, do you mean to say they smoked in the plane while you (a non-smoker and student) were flying? Or did you just mean that being
smokers there is a notiecable effect when at altitude?
I am really curious about this smoking/hypoxia relationship, hopefully we have someone medical who can confirm/explain it.

No, they didn't smoke in the plane. What I learned as a student pilot (10 years ago) was that smokers destroy their lungs so they cannot function as well at higher altitudes where the air is thinner. Depending on how much they smoke they raise their effect altitude 5-7k feet.

[skreamer 1]

Lisa
What you said might hold true in California, but unfortunately here in the UK a lot of public places are still made unpleasant for non-smokers by cigarette smoke. I definitely don't whinge about it, if I find a shortage of oxygen in a place I will leave. Unfortunately, I am not always in a position to exercize my 'rights' as a non-smoker. Hopefully the new laws they have passed here will change that. I never mentioned anything about how hard it is to quit and this is not something I think about much (or will ever have to). What I do care about is that I get to breathe clean air (well, as clean as it can get in a big city anyway).
/s

[Deleted 0]

Hey, what kind of crap is this? DZ.com gone politically correct? If smoke bothers you so much skeamer? stand upwind!!!

[SKY 0]

firing one up is very similar to jumpin out of a plane, instant gratification, ok one stinks, but I love my Marlboros and they love me too

[skreamer 1]

Very brave posting that one anonymously, whoever you are...
Come out and play...
/s

[Pammi 0]

I agree Lisa, er, skybytch :) (great name btw). I think you hit the nail on the head with the comment on addictive personalities. While I don't smoke myself (both of my parents broke me of wanting to do that, thank goodness, since I had to breath it all of the time growing up) I have an extremely addictive personality myself. I look at it this way, look at all the people in the world who are 'addicted' to food in a way? Granted, what they do has nothing to do with MY health, but it helps give a sympathetic viewpoint. Why don't they just 'quit' eatting bad things? Not that simple. I can get irritated at people who say "I will/would never..." too. Um, I used to say the same things, but when you've actually had the opporunity and DID NOT do something, THEN you can tell me I'm weak. (I mean geez, I used to want to be a nun once too, things change over time *smile*) I consider the strongest people those who overcome whatever addiction(s) it is that they have.
Anyway...I too hate smoke and would love to not have my contacts burning for days after going to a club, but I definately feel for those who try to quit. The thing I've wondered lately is when did it become 'cool' again? It was 'out' for a while, now teens are lighting up again. I'm so out of the loop...I really had hoped they'd stick to the 'uncool' ideas on this one though.
Blues
Pam