Vegans who smoke.
Posted by ladeda on Jun 11, 2010 · Member since Jun 2010 · 1 posts
What is your opinion on vegans who smoke? I'm talking about vegans who knowingly smoke cigarette brands tested on animals. I have a "vegan" friend who tells me she "just doesn't think about it". I know of plenty of supposed vegans around where I live who inhale Marlboro's as if their life depends on it and I just don't get it.
Well, when meat eaters are eating their hamburgers, they're just not thinking about how the animal was slaughtered.
If she's vegan because of animal rights and she knowingly smokes cigarattes tested on animals....that just doesn't make sense (and is pretty selfish, imo).
If she's vegan for health reasons than that also doesn't make any sense.
I can't speak for your friend, but I smoked while I was vegan - I actually just quit in January after smoking since I was 12 yrs old. Of course I was embarrassed to be a smoking vegan - I rarely talked about it and when questioned, my only response was - "we all have our vices" and that "I'm not vegan for health reasons"
But quitting was actually incredibly easy for me and I already have an attitude for smokers and being around smoke....not necessarily fair, but that's they way it's happened for me....
But if your friend smoked before going vegan, it might be that she just needs some help and time to quit - some people are more addicted than others....it took me a really long time to decide I was ready....
The big brand companies test on animals (this is what I'm getting from you--I've actually never really thought of cigarettes in much context before). Do the smaller brands? And if it's just loose tobacco that you roll yourself, then is that vegan? I've never thought of this!
Good for your Erin. You should be very proud of yourself!
I have only been vegan for about a year, and I am a smoker. I have been smoking for about 22 yrs. I want to quit, but it is much harder than I thought it would be. Like someone said before me, some people are more addicted than others and I think I am one of those. I have tried to quit several times over the last 2 - 3 years, but have been unsuccessful thus far. I haven't given up, one day I WILL BE SMOKE FREE, but until the mean time, it's a very tough battle
Nicotine is physically far more adictive than bacon -- or even cheese! guess it stands to reason that it's harder to change away from... it doesn't 'make sense' idea-wise, but it makes perfect sense to the neural synapses of someone dependent on nicotine. Hopefully your friend will come to a point where she is able to quit... but neurologically, there are many more obstacles to that behavior change than, say, shifting to no-cruelty shampoo. That's the thing about addiction: it OVERRIDES what makes sense.
American SPirit, I believe are vegan.
Wow didn't even think about ciggs not being vegan... I really don't smoke that much though... Only when I go out with friends drinking
I have only been vegan for about a year, and I am a smoker. I have been smoking for about 22 yrs. I want to quit, but it is much harder than I thought it would be. Like someone said before me, some people are more addicted than others and I think I am one of those. I have tried to quit several times over the last 2 - 3 years, but have been unsuccessful thus far. I haven't given up, one day I WILL BE SMOKE FREE, but until the mean time, it's a very tough battle
You can do it. You can. My dad smoked for over 30 years, tried to quit every time one of the 3 kids were born, and always went back to it. He wasn't allowed to smoke in the house, so he'd go outside in the winter, 10 degree weather to smoke. He finally got fed up with how ridiculous it was to smoke in the cold, leave a dinner table to smoke outside, and all the money he wrapped up in it. He finally said "enough," and quit cold turkey. He had some withdrawal symptoms, for about 2 weeks, including some vomiting and body aches, but he made it. He has repeatedly said it was the best decision he's ever made. That's been about 10 years now, and his health is improving to "non-smoker" levels. You can do it, and you're going to be SO GLAD that you did. Do it for your daughter!
American SPirit, I believe are vegan.
Yeah, that's the one I was thinking of. If I ever socially smoke, it's those (loose leaf). But wow, that's actually been more than a year now.
I have only been vegan for about a year, and I am a smoker. I have been smoking for about 22 yrs. I want to quit, but it is much harder than I thought it would be. Like someone said before me, some people are more addicted than others and I think I am one of those. I have tried to quit several times over the last 2 - 3 years, but have been unsuccessful thus far. I haven't given up, one day I WILL BE SMOKE FREE, but until the mean time, it's a very tough battle
You can do it. You can. My dad smoked for over 30 years, tried to quit every time one of the 3 kids were born, and always went back to it. He wasn't allowed to smoke in the house, so he'd go outside in the winter, 10 degree weather to smoke. He finally got fed up with how ridiculous it was to smoke in the cold, leave a dinner table to smoke outside, and all the money he wrapped up in it. He finally said "enough," and quit cold turkey. He had some withdrawal symptoms, for about 2 weeks, including some vomiting and body aches, but he made it. He has repeatedly said it was the best decision he's ever made. That's been about 10 years now, and his health is improving to "non-smoker" levels. You can do it, and you're going to be SO GLAD that you did. Do it for your daughter!
Thanks for the encouragement.
American SPirit, I believe are vegan.
Yeah, that's the one I was thinking of. If I ever socially smoke, it's those (loose leaf). But wow, that's actually been more than a year now.
Sorry, but this just makes me think of the Clutch song, 'When Vegans Attack':
'When vegans attack, on ten speed bikes
Tatoos with meaning, American Spirit Lights...'
Great song, go find it!
I'll be quiet now.
American SPirit, I believe are vegan.
Yeah, that's the one I was thinking of. If I ever socially smoke, it's those (loose leaf). But wow, that's actually been more than a year now.
Sorry, but this just makes me think of the Clutch song, 'When Vegans Attack':
'When vegans attack, on ten speed bikes
Tatoos with meaning, American Spirit Lights...'
Great song, go find it!
I'll be quiet now.
That's funny!
The federal government spends millions each year to run tests on animals to prove that smoking is seriously unhealthy to smokers and everyone around them. So, no cigarette can truly be vegan. The more people smoke, get sick and die, the more pressure there is to come out with more studies to counter powerful tobacco lobbies and persuade people to stop smoking.
Sorry to be a downer.
The federal government spends millions each year to run tests on animals to prove that smoking is seriously unhealthy to smokers and everyone around them. So, no cigarette can truly be vegan. The more people smoke, get sick and die, the more pressure there is to come out with more studies to counter powerful tobacco lobbies and persuade people to stop smoking.
Sorry to be a downer.
Not a downer. Good to know. I didn't know the government ran the tests, I was getting the idea that only the individual companies did. Why is that research even necessary? We all know cigarettes are bad (mmkay), and further testing is just wasting A) animals' lives B) time C) money.
Sorry, but this just makes me think of the Clutch song, 'When Vegans Attack':
'When vegans attack, on ten speed bikes
Tatoos with meaning, American Spirit Lights...'
Great song, go find it!
I'll be quiet now.
A+, the mob's going wild! : )
First, in order to inact any new anti-smoking legilastion that protects child or other secondhand smokers, there has to be tons of studies to support it. This is a biggy. Tobbaco lobbies are very powerful and will fight to the teeth to block anything that will lessen their profits. Case in point. Secondhand smoke has been known to be dangerous for decades but it has only been in the last decade and half that laws limiting were people smoke has passed.
Second, the effects of smoking costs a lot of money. Much more than any research. Smokers will eventually get very sick. At which point they will need serious, longterm medical care that cost more than they will ever pay into the system. This reality causes quite a bit of pressure on the gov't and the healthcare industry to get people to stop smoking or never start. Compelling evidence seems to be one of the best ways to get this to happen.
you could always try and grow your own tobacco? see what happens?
This is also the same as people who drink alcohol without knowing if its vegan- especially wine. Many just think it must be vegan if it is organic maybe or from a small company but its not.
I only know that american spirit is vegan. i hear that of some others around europe that maybe are vegan but i dont remember the names. I think they are produced by a cheap company so they dont test for finanical reasons not ethics.
my mother is a vegan ans she smokes a pack a day,,,cant really ask her why cause seh gets mad lol but i guess they have their reasons !!!
I think sometimes people are just weak. And I don't mean this in a judgemental way.
Your friend is addicted to cigarettes. At this moment she is not able to stop for whatever reason. I am betting she does not like at all what cigarette companies are doing to animals but she is not strong enough to stop for now.
But perhaps in the future she will be.
As others have said, often people are not willing to see the truth until they can say "no" to it. I think this is what is happening with your friend.
Maybe just look at all the good she is doing being vegan (which is HUGE and much more than the average person) and when she wants support to stop smoking support her.
The federal government spends millions each year to run tests on animals to prove that smoking is seriously unhealthy to smokers and everyone around them. So, no cigarette can truly be vegan. The more people smoke, get sick and die, the more pressure there is to come out with more studies to counter powerful tobacco lobbies and persuade people to stop smoking.
Sorry to be a downer.
So if it is the government running tests, I don't know if it is fair to say any tobacco is non-vegan, but more the government. What about animal tests the government would mandate for things like Tylenol or Aspirin? The FDA has mandated tests for pretty much every drug which is developed, but we don't seem to see the same amount of opposition. Plus, those drugs which are developed and tested on animals are usually chemical derivatives, tobacco is something which has been naturally grown and used for thousands of years before there was testing.
I am not trying to stand up for the tobacco industry. I have smoked light amounts in the past, and only the loose organic american spirits. I don't think it is appropriate to put a blanket ban on an herb due to a government's chosen testing. Tobacco has a long and deep spiritual history, and the herb has been perverted and mismanaged in the past few centuries, but that doesn't mean the plant and its proper uses are wrong.
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