High Sierra Topix

How many of you smoke cigarettes, cigar, or a pipe while backpacking or in camp?
Has anyone given you a hard time because of it? How do you dispose of your butts?
Is there anyone who used to smoke but quit because they got into backpacking?
To those of you who do not smoke, have you ever been annoyed by second hand
smoke on the trail?

I smoke cigs, at this point it is simply an addiction i feed. 99% of the time I dont enjoy it. Quitting is insanity, but I really need to buckle down and stick with it.

I will elaborate a little more on the hippocracy tossed around by non smokers when I have more time.

Saying that I do try to be aware of the smoke and where it is heading

I've backpacked with smokers. Doesn't bug me. They're generally courteous, and pack out the butts. Bugs me more if someone above treeliine builds a campfire.

Not many smokers in my circle. Went once with someone who turned out to be a pothead - that's more annoying due to the influence on the guy's behavior.

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AlmostThere wrote:Not many smokers in my circle. Went once with someone who turned out to be a pothead - that's more annoying due to the influence on the guy's behavior.

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lol, do tell.

All the potheads I have known, and believe me, they are many, practice LNT, so I have no beef with them, or their behavior.
2ndhand smoke, and discarded cigarette butts are my personal pet hatreds. I have been fortunate enough to successfully avoid both on my Sierra trips. I believe that cigarette companies should be forced to buy back butts at a nickle a butt because that type of litter is so pervasive and disgusting. Apologies for getting off topic and ranting.

Let's just say there are those who have bad reactions to an otherwise benign drug and leave it at that.

I've had plenty of former potheads show up in my office - cumulatively, it's not benign. It can make you hallucinate - rare, but true.

Never been a smoker but been a second hand smoker all my life. As a result I loath cigarettes. After so many years of major exposure I have developed a sensitivity to second hand smoke. If someone smokes around me heavy I will get irritation in my nasal passages that can last as long as 6 weeks. Really being in the Sierra is the only time the effects of cigarette smoke can fully be healed for me because I am always exposed.

I also hate when people smoke and hike with me because it seems like it always works out where I am down wind of the person smoking.

Marijuana is a whole different story. I personally have never tried it but I have been around smokers of it my whole life and honestly any more these days everyone is a smoker of it. When I am around that type of smoke it has no negative effects at all. I even can breathe around it vs cigarettes where I instantly can't breathe and feel like I am suffocating.

Smoking of any kind while hiking is against fire restrictions in the Sierra most of the summer. In camp smoking may be legal if you follow the guidelines (cleared area, etc).

I prefer not to be around smokers of any kind.

I've been known to partake out there. This is my vacation so why not? It has no negative effects for me, even well above tree line. I usually have bourbon too, which can put you in a lot more trouble if you're not careful.

LNT is no concern, but being seen is, mainly out of courtesy to other hikers. So far so good there.