Vegan Smokers?!
What kind of effect does the tobacco industry have on the animal farming industry?
I have kept myself naive to these things as I don't want to face the obvious. In this sense I am no better than the meat consumers who don't want to know where their food comes from.
Answers: How many vegans out there smoke cigarettes? How many vegans out there have quit smoking after becoming a vegan? I have been a vegan for almost two years, and I smoke. I know the obvious hypocracy in this. I know how counter productive this is and it makes me sad I cannot fully enjoy the benefits of a vegan diet due to this huge flaw in myself. Yet I can't seem to find the motivation to quit.
What kind of effect does the tobacco industry have on the animal farming industry?
I have kept myself naive to these things as I don't want to face the obvious. In this sense I am no better than the meat consumers who don't want to know where their food comes from.
I know plenty of vegans that smoke. Most of them try to quit, but don't/can't... I think that decision is based more on obvious health risks than animal rights.
That being said: apparently American Spirits are the most human brand. It is shade grown tobacco, maybe fair trade etc etc.
As for tobacco industry and animal (as in livestock) industry... I doubt that there is a great connection... but for sure they have to run tests on mice and rats and who knows what else in order to make those safety warnings and "studies."
Quitting smoking is a good idea regardless of your politics. I'm sure you already know that. Want motivation? Find some significant other that is repulsed by it, haha. Or just look up some lung cancer stats. They have inhaler type things to get you to quit now. But to be honest, you shouldn't have to justify yourself for quitting something that is so damaging to your health with some anti-capitalistic agenda. And since you ARE posting this... it seems to me you do have the motivation. So enact the same will-power you gathered those first few virgin vegan weeks and quit that ****.
The huge turn off for me to cigarettes was sitting in a car with two friend from Europe, who were smoking with the windows rolled up. It just made me sick to only breath that in, now I can barely stand the smell of one. Plus watching my dad go through all this lung testing from 9/11 inhalation is pretty jolting as well.
You'll thank yourself later...
Okay- think about it this way, if you continue, you will have to have meds, that are tested on animals! You will have to take meds to help your lungs, and many meds have animal ingredient.
thats how I over came my need to eat sugary foods. - I realized that I may have to have injection, - insulin form animals. then i started eating better and working out to avoid getting diabetics
I do not know exactly, - about the animals involvement, but I am sure there is. like all the animals that get tested on for cancer research because smoking causes cancer!
You eat a vegan diet, but arent actualy "vegan". Vegan's do not believe in consuming or even using anything that an animal was sacrificed for.
And to answer your initial question, I do not smoke.
Long story short you should take whatever steps necessary to quit. I had a good friend die of lung cancer due to smoking and he still would not quit after being diagnosed.
I highly suggest finding a support group who can encourage and help keep you accountable.
There are many ways including homeopathics that can help you quit but ultimately you just have to have the desire and to make up your mind that you are going to do so.
Try not hanging out with friends who do for a while. Don't drink or go to bars, this also increases the temptation to fall back.
Kudos for the vegan lifestyle. We can't all be perfect in all respects but we can keep striving to find it.
Best of wishes : )
P.S. Ss far as how many vegans smoke I'd be willing to bet it is a small proportion of people because vegans tend to be more health conscious as well. But obviously there are exceptions.
Finding solid stats might be a little difficult to find. As far as myself I don't smoke any more but did so at various times in the past.
The side-effects of smoking are tested on animals. Absolutely horrendous experiments – made me want to vomit when I read them.
(Although why they need to test the side-effects on animals, when they can see the side-effects on humans in any hospital, is beyond my comprehension)
Tobacco and the different contents of tobacco are tested on animals.
Also tobacco contains animal by-products.
So yes, to smoke and call yourself a vegan, is a little bit hypocritical.
I would have thought that if the very likely risk of bronchitis, emphysema, heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, possible amputation, erectile dysfunction, acute myeloid leukaemia, abdominal aortic aneurysm, cataracts, periodontitis, pneumonia, plus cancers of the lung, throat, prostate, mouth, cervix, kidney, pancreas and stomach, can’t motivate you to quit, then nothing will.
Smoking "low-tar" or "low-nicotine" cigarettes does NOT offer any health benefit over smoking regular cigarettes. If anything they may be worse, as you suck harder or smoke more for the same effect as full strength.
Plus kissing a smoker, is like kissing an ashtray - hardly makes for a romantic love fest.
As a motivation – quit and then put all the money you would normally spend on smoking in a jar and at the end of 12 months you should have quite a pretty packet – spend on a holiday, a new camera or some other healthy treat.
.
I don't really know about the tobacco/animal farming industry, but maybe you could look into what your cigarette company does (or the company that owns that company), see if your money is being spent on things you don't agree with, like product testing on animals or something.
This article looks like it may help: http://www.impactpress.com/articles/febm...
Good luck!
PS- Giving up caffeine and alcohol for a period may help control your urges.
I wouldn't be too hard on yourself... everyone has a vice and you're already doing so much for your health & the animals by being vegan. I personally don't smoke, but I know a few vegans who do. One of them only buys American Spirit cigs because that's only cigarette company in the U.S. that doesn't test on animals.
"American Spirit has broken ranks with big tobacco and become the first-ever cruelty-free cigarette in the U.S. Santa Fe Natural Tobacco even includes a factoid to that effect in many packs that says: 'Did You Know? Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company does not engage in the practice of testing any of our tobacco products on animals.'"
http://www.smokinganimals.com/aspirit.ht...
Most tobacco companies pay experimenters to conduct horrific experiments on animals, even though the dangers of smoking are already well-established and federal law doesn't require cigarettes to be tested on animals.
Good luck.
Pft.
You are a smoker.
Do you know where the tobacco in your smokes come from?
Or whats inside of it?
I wouldn't be surprised if there was actual products from animals inside of cigarettes.