Cigarettes

Bflobill 1125 said:

Yeah I have to admit Lucky's are the best tasting smoke ever made.........I still buy them sometimes.They have a very unique flavor.

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Not only did they make you look cool, they scared the casual smoker away. When you're at a party and somebody decides, "hey, I think I'll smoke! Why don't you give me one of yours?" they're not asking you.

Did anyone else smoke them "backwards"? (Light the end with the brand mark on it.) I was always told the American spies in WWII did that so as not to give away that an American had used an ashtray...

I'll be 5 months tobacco free on May 17

theperfectstorm said:

The really thick, English Oval-sized Davidoff's are really good though.

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Davidoff used to produce an awesome cigarette called the Magnum. I'm not sure if they are still being made ... I know they haven't been available in the United States for about 10 years now.

Even when they were available, they were extremely hard to find. I knew of only two stores that carried them, and availablity was spotty. They were about $8 a pack back in the mid-'90s.

The Magnums were a large cigarette, about 100mm long, and the diameter was about 50% bigger than a regular smoke. This produced awesome aerodynamics which gave the Magnum a very easy draw, and the smoke was very cool and mild. And the larger size made it last about 15 minutes, rather than the 5~7 minutes you get from a king-size. Almost like smoking a small cigar rather than a cigarette.

When I found out they were being discontinued, I broke down and bought a carton. That lasted me about 2 years, since they were a special occasion kind of indulgence, not an every-day smoke.

I smoked my last one about 5 years ago ... I found it in the jacket pocket of a suit I had worn to a wedding or something. Even though it was dirty, slightly crushed, and some of the tobacco had fallen out, it was still quite a sweet smoke.

sympleko said:

Not only did they make you look cool, they scared the casual smoker away. When you're at a party and somebody decides, "hey, I think I'll smoke! Why don't you give me one of yours?" they're not asking you.

Did anyone else smoke them "backwards"? (Light the end with the brand mark on it.) I was always told the American spies in WWII did that so as not to give away that an American had used an ashtray...

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Yeah, for sure! With a pack of Lucky's on you not too many guys or girls bum them! I remember my Dad a WW2 vet who was in the occupation of Japan right after the war ended telling me how the GI's used American smokes in place of money in dealing with the Japanese. Different brands had different value. Lucky's and Camel's had the highest value. Raleigh's and Old Golds( known by the GI's as Mold Golds)
had the least value.So the folks back home were told what to send their favorite GI.

Bflobill 1125 said:

Yeah, for sure! With a pack of Lucky's on you not too many guys or girls bum them! I remember my Dad a WW2 vet who was in the occupation of Japan right after the war ended telling me how the GI's used American smokes in place of money in dealing with the Japanese. Different brands had different value. Lucky's and Camel's had the highest value. Raleigh's and Old Golds( known by the GI's as Mold Golds)
had the least value.So the folks back home were told what to send their favorite GI.

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My father was a Merchant Marine, and traveled all over the world. Even though he had given up cigarettes decades earlier (he still liked cigars, though,) he never left home without a good supply of American cigarettes. They had tremendous barter value at any port he visited, and could often buy him things that dollars would not.

A friend of mine who is a militant non-smoker always carries a few cigarettes and a book of matches in his fanny-pack. One night, he met a girl at a bus-stop who gave him oral sex in exchange for a cigarette, because she was jonesing so badly for a smoke. My friend was jonesing, too ... but not for a cigarette. Let's just say it was a "win-win" situation.

Never underestimate the power of tobacco!

dpm802 said:

My response to suggestions I quit: "I CHOOSE to continue smoking."

I'd like to see more social action to defend the rights of Smokers (with a capital "S".) We are NOT second class citizens. We are NOT nicotine slaves. And We are NOT happy about being pushed around by Big Brother.

We're just as smart as the rest of the population. Our jobs are equally important. We have just as much discretionary income. And WE VOTE, too.

We smoke because we enjoy it, we smoke because it tastes good after a meal, we smoke for a lot of different reasons that are nobody's business but our own.

So the next time somebody suggests that you extinguish your cigarette ... suggest that they BUTT OUT.

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I think there needs to be a balance.

While second hand smoke may or may not be as dangerous as it is portrayed now-a-days, it is still irritating to non smokers. Both sides of the issue should be considerate of the others. There should be a balance between your right to smoke and my right not to. Unfortunately this balance is not easy to find.

I think in private businesses (bars, restaurants, shops, etc) it should be up to the shop keeper to set the rules of smoking in his or her establishment. We each then have the right to patronize the shop based upon our personal feelings of what was allowed. Though this case where a company terminated employment (after a set warning notice, I don't recall the details) of it's staff that smoked, even if only at home, I thought was generally wrong though it is kind of a gray area because, right or wrong, smokers do have higher insurance premiums and is it the right of the company to determine how much they wish to pay for insurance?

In publicly owned places it gets a bit more tricky to find the proper balance.
Should we allow smoking on a public transportation bus/train? Does your right of smoking supersede my right to not have to inhale it? Or what about my right of not smoking supersede your right to smoke? I think for short duration enclosed spaces a slight preference should be given to the non smoker. Fact is you can light up sooner or later, you don't have to light up now and my state of non-smoking is a constant, I won't be smoking before, during, or after my trip on the bus.
Open air places are slightly different though. I work with several smokers and they go outside the building to smoke and I occasionally accompany them. I usually can find a suitable place to stand and enjoy their company without getting lung fulls, maybe just the occasional whiff of the cigarette scent, so there under most circumstances I would fully support your right to smoke.

(ps: wow this went on longer than I expected...even after editing it to chop it in half..apologies to those that were subjected to this long winded moderate non-smoker viewpoint )

dpm802 said:

Davidoff used to produce an awesome cigarette called the Magnum. I'm not sure if they are still being made ... I know they haven't been available in the United States for about 10 years now.

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There you go. That's them--I kept think Maximum instead of Magnum. Damn fine smokes. $9 US a pack in Dallas a year ago.

Nowadays, if I get a pack I get some Shepherd's Hotel. German smokes I believe, but in a very English Hotel style.

dpm802 said:

Nat Sherman (any variety) are really good smokes. Expensive, but worth it if you have a special occasion to celebrate or just want to indulge yourself in some luxury. The Classic line are among the best I've ever tasted, and I've smoked almost everything out there.

Ever since early January, I've been making my own cigarettes, with some pretty satisfying results. My smokes now cost me about $1.40 a pack, and I'm lighting up some pretty high-end tobacco and using the most expensive tubes out there. You can make a pack of cigarettes even cheaper than that, but why bother? I'm saving about $100 a month compared to getting packs at the convenience store, even when I was using coupons and buying 2-for-1 specials. And I'm getting better quality smokes, to boot.

First, go to www.ryomagazine.com and do a little reading to bone up on the terminology and learn about the different types of machines and tobacco available. Look at their multi-media sections and watch some short films that show how the process works, choose a machine, how to blend your own tobaccos, which tobaccos you might like, etc.

Next, place your order for a starter kit. You might want to go to your local tobacco shop and buy it there, but its cheaper by mail-order and you have more choices. Lots of places sell them, and you can find links at www.ryomagazine.com

The place I like to shop by mail is Daughter's and Ryan www.cigarettetobacco.com , a custom-blender out of North Carolina. They refer to themselves as "the real Mayberry RFD." They have an unbelievable number of tobaccos to choose from, along with a huge selection of filtered tubes, and you can experiment with blending your own custom tastes once you learn the basics. D&R prices are cheap, and they get even cheaper when you order in bulk. Order one of their sampler packs along with a machine, and you're in business.

Make Your Own Cigarettes: Smoke the Best, and Save Money!

No additives, No Chemicals, and NO STATE TAXES !!!

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Thanks for this post. I am now thinking of ordering the premium kit from smokersoutlet.com. It comes with tubes tobacco, supermatic injector, a cigarette pack and instructions. Have you heard of Golden Harvest? It looks cheap at 16.25 for a 1lb bag. I was wondering if it was any good as it is included in the kit. After that bag was done I was going to head over the web site you suggested and check out some of their tobaccos. I also would want a metal cigarette case. Any thoughts on what I should try?

dpm802 said:

A friend of mine who is a militant non-smoker always carries a few cigarettes and a book of matches in his fanny-pack. One night, he met a girl at a bus-stop who gave him oral sex in exchange for a cigarette, because she was jonesing so badly for a smoke. My friend was jonesing, too ... but not for a cigarette. Let's just say it was a "win-win" situation.

Never underestimate the power of tobacco!

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Your friend is pathetic.

can you roll drum tobacco in a tube? I thought it was to tight to roll in tubes. Do they make a loose leaf brand or something?

matt said:

Thanks for this post. I am now thinking of ordering the premium kit from smokersoutlet.com. It comes with tubes tobacco, supermatic injector, a cigarette pack and instructions. Have you heard of Golden Harvest? It looks cheap at 16.25 for a 1lb bag. I was wondering if it was any good as it is included in the kit. After that bag was done I was going to head over the web site you suggested and check out some of their tobaccos. I also would want a metal cigarette case. Any thoughts on what I should try?

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I've never heard of Golden Harvest ... if its included in the Starter Kit, its probably the cheapest tobacco they carry. I suggest either buy the machine, tubes and tobacco a-la-carte, or else get some other (name-brand) tobacco along with the kit.

My starter kit included a pound of stuff called "People's Choice" ... I didn't like it at all. I made up 5 or 6 cigarettes, smoked them, and never touched the stuff. Luckily, I had also ordered a can of Peter Stokkebye Norwegian Shag at the same time, and that was quite satisfying, and got me through about a carton and a half of tubes before I had to re-order.

I'm not sure about the metal cigarette case. I know you can sometimes find metal cases in antique shops and flea markets. Most metal cases I've seen being made today are either pretty flimsy, or else priced so high you want to keep in a safe rather than carry it in your pocket.

I found some really nice plastic cases at AmericanThrust. I haven't ordered one yet, nor even seen it in person ... but don't they look cool? So cheap, too!

matt said:

can you roll drum tobacco in a tube? I thought it was to tight to roll in tubes. Do they make a loose leaf brand or something?

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Yes, Drum can be used in a tube. As a matter of fact, I'm smoking some right now. (Actually, I've got Bali Shag Blue, but its basically same as Drum.)

It comes tightly packed in the package to help keep it fresh. Just fluff it up a little, let it dry out for 20 or 30 minutes, and you can inject it just fine.

theperfectstorm said:

There you go. That's them--I kept think Maximum instead of Magnum. Damn fine smokes. $9 US a pack in Dallas a year ago.

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Glad to know Magnums are still available. I'll have to look for them next time I'm in a big-city tobacconist. I know none of the shops around here have them. I did a little Googling after I posted, and found them available by mail for as little as $41.99 a carton, shipped. Even cheaper if you order larger quantities, and they can set you up on a subscription plan where they send a carton a week. Cool, huh?

Nowadays, if I get a pack I get some Shepherd's Hotel. German smokes I believe, but in a very English Hotel style.

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((cough)) ((cough)) ((haaaaack)) Shepherd's Hotel is one of the very few tobaccos I've tried that are too strong for my taste. That, and Gallious (sp?) from France. I generally like a Full Flavored smoke, but those two brands proved to be more than my cast-iron lungs could handle.

If you like Shepherd's, then go for it.

well so much for my pack of Perique AS lasting as long as usual. I went to a party on Friday and guess who has two thumbs and was mr. popular was that night. This guy! I gave away about 8 cigs to friends and smoked three myself. i now have four left (hopefully can make em last.) I think i'll get some lucky strikes in a few days and hope no one will accept them at parties so i can hold on to them for a while.

waerloga said:

I think there needs to be a balance.

While second hand smoke may or may not be as dangerous as it is portrayed now-a-days, it is still irritating to non smokers. Both sides of the issue should be considerate of the others. There should be a balance between your right to smoke and my right not to. Unfortunately this balance is not easy to find.

I think in private businesses (bars, restaurants, shops, etc) it should be up to the shop keeper to set the rules of smoking in his or her establishment. We each then have the right to patronize the shop based upon our personal feelings of what was allowed. Though this case where a company terminated employment (after a set warning notice, I don't recall the details) of it's staff that smoked, even if only at home, I thought was generally wrong though it is kind of a gray area because, right or wrong, smokers do have higher insurance premiums and is it the right of the company to determine how much they wish to pay for insurance?

In publicly owned places it gets a bit more tricky to find the proper balance.
Should we allow smoking on a public transportation bus/train? Does your right of smoking supersede my right to not have to inhale it? Or what about my right of not smoking supersede your right to smoke? I think for short duration enclosed spaces a slight preference should be given to the non smoker. Fact is you can light up sooner or later, you don't have to light up now and my state of non-smoking is a constant, I won't be smoking before, during, or after my trip on the bus.
Open air places are slightly different though. I work with several smokers and they go outside the building to smoke and I occasionally accompany them. I usually can find a suitable place to stand and enjoy their company without getting lung fulls, maybe just the occasional whiff of the cigarette scent, so there under most circumstances I would fully support your right to smoke.

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I agree with everything you said. Balance is the key. Right on, 100%

I don't have a problem with separate areas for smoking. But I think the arrangements should be Separate but EQUAL.

While I wouldn't insist on subjecting a non-smoker to my side-stream, I don't think its fair that Smokers are forced to go outside, 50 feet from the building, stand out in the rain, cold, wind, heat, sun, etc ... and stand next to the dumpster which often smells worse than my cigarettes.

My employer provides a gazebo for us to smoke, back between the loading dock and the employee parking lot. It seats about 8~10 people at a time, and its always full at break time. Sometimes, its SRO. While its better accommodations than I've seen elsewhere, its far from ideal. The wind is fairly fierce and constant, when it rains we have to stand up because the seats are wet, when the sun is shining it beats right into our eyes. During foul weather, we don't have any protection at all, because the sides of the gazebo are open, and we have to cross about 100 feet outside to get to it.

What I would like to see is something indoors ... a segregated area, climate controlled, with an outside exhaust vent, of course. There's plenty of room inside the building, and it would be cheap and easy to build. But to do so, we'd be in violation of state laws.

That's what really bugs me ... legislators discriminate against smokers by forcing us to extreme conditions. Some things just shouldn't fall under their jurisdiction. They should keep their noses out of the affairs of Smokers, and just let common sense and common courtesy make the rules.

What comes next? "Brush your teeth after every meal. Its not just good dental hygiene ... IT'S THE LAW!!"

Any aficionados of the late French Gauloises?

My cousin, who smokes with a passion that can't be described, visited from Greece a few years ago and ran out of (filterless) Gs mid trip. Nothing else would do. I ran all over Boston looking for a stash before I nailed some at the old Ehrlich's.


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One for your Netflix queues (or reading lists), whichever side of the health "debate" one's on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thank_You_for_Smoking

Yesterday the smokes, today the fries, tomorrow the cheese. A 'healthy' taxpayer is a living taxpayer is a paying taxpayer.

im not familiar with the Gs. Are they incredibly hard to find? and are they worth smoking?

Straight Arrow said:

Your friend is pathetic.

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Actually I think the girl was pathetic. Great use for a cigarette IMO.

MTgrayling said:

Actually I think the girl was pathetic. Great use for a cigarette IMO.

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I second the motion.

well, i went to scooty's today and bought some Lucky Strikes. They're not bad. Kind of nutty, but they go down a heck of a lot smoother than i was expecting. I like them, but probably won't be buying them too often.