Smoking and Backpacking

[Herm]

Almost all of my trail experience has been with those who partake in the left handed variety - I have no problem with that . I can think of only one fishing partner who smoked cigs, and he was extremely cognizant - he snuffed out his smokes in liquid, then packed the butts in a zip-lock bag - did the same when fishing on the ocean, so I have to commend the guy. And then he quit smoking, so all the better.
Over the years, I have picked up many cigarette butts while hiking wilderness trails, and carried them out in a zip-lock bag - too bad it is necessary, but I will always carry them out. And yeah, I think it would be a great idea for cig co's to buy back the butts, at $.05 or more.
Cheers.
Herm

[TahoeJeff]

Wonder what Markskor is going to say?!?!?

[markskor]

OK, I'll bite -

Interesting to note that after extensive (undercover?) research with the PCT crowd as they came through Tuolumne Meadows last season...met/partied/hiked with over 100 serious mountain individuals.
Everybody smokes - everything.

Wilderness means freedom to me: I am self-contained, able, and mobile. While second-hand smoke is indeed note-worthy, considerations are available - lots of room. Every backpacker I ever met who partook (outside of the Valley) has been diligently serious about LNT practices.
I do not care what you do in my Sierra as long as you LNT. Other than that, why should anyone's freedom, how they personally enjoy the wilderness, make any difference to you?

just my 2¢

[paul]

I have often thought that a backpacking trip would be a good way to quit smoking if you were a smoker who wanted to quit but found it hard to do. Once you are out there with a weeks' worth of food and days from the road, and no source of cigs in easy reach, it seems like it would be easier to pull off. My brother did something like this in order to finally quit; he drove several hours out into the desert on a jeep trail, and camped there until the worst jonesing was over. He said he actually got into the truck a couple times and almost stated driving out to get cigarettes, but the thought of all that driving made just enough difference to keep his willpower from breaking.

[TahoeJeff]

Wilderness means freedom to me

I agree %100.

those who partake in the left handed variety

I'v been known to...

[Carne_DelMuerto]

I've been known to partake of a cigar in the evenings at camp, but it has lost it's appeal lately. No one I hike with smokes anymore. If they did, I'm tolerant of it as long as they pick up their butts. Finding butts on the ground is one of my major pet peeves also. I have absolutely no qualms with anyone smoking pot on the trail.

I may have shared this story before, but years ago we took a friend on his first backpacking trip and pushed ourselves up to Vee Lake. Once there, he lit up a cig and within 20 minutes came down with altitude sickness. We put him in his bag, gave him hot liquids, and packed him down the hill first thing the next morning. In an area where oxygen is already lower than normal, it can get dicey when one fills their lungs with smoke.

[RoguePhotonic]

The only reason I rant about people smoking cigarettes is because it effects others. I personally do not care what you do to yourself because that's your choice. Put legalizing cocaine or heroin on a bill and I will vote yes on it. If cigarettes were illegal and you put that on a bill I would vote no.

The trouble is these days we try to regulate morality in an attempt to control how a person thinks, walks, talks and feels. We think this constitutes progress when no real progress has been made within our nature. Instead people are oppressed by systems of control that breed animosity and hate. It's a caged animal that will break free and cause chaos.

[Wandering Daisy]

The only problem I have is the fire hazard issue. Even the most careful smoker can have ashes fall or get careless (we all are human and get careless at times about all sorts of things). I definitely think there should be no smoking during fire season. If it is wet out or spring and early season when things are not dry -that may be OK (but against the rules). Common sense says no smoking while on the trail, but OK in camp. If fires are allowed in camp, why not smoke around the campfire?

However, no smoking is allowed inside my tent! Pipes and cigarettes do not smell that bad from a distance. Cigars - well I guess you would have to sit a bit farther away! And no smoking in my car. Very few people I know, and nobody I backpack with, smokes so it is not something I think about much.

[oldranger]

I have a friend (who shall remain nameless to protect the guilty) who tokes up regulary--then coughs for 5 minutes afterward. Always blames it on the "quality" of the material. I keep thinking that maybe his body is trying to tell him something. But he is a halfway decent companion in the backcountry so I tolerate him. (Besides I'm no prize either!)

Mike

[TahoeJeff]

If you don't cough, you don't get off!
(old stoner saying)

[RobS]

I am not a smoker, but I have tired of the attacks on smokers treating them like second class citizens.Sensitive to cigarette smoke, but not pot smoke?? Really? Perhaps an emotional or psychologically triggered response.

[RoguePhotonic]

[rant]

No I can assure you it's all physical. It's not really that surprising with all the chemicals that are in cigarettes.

I do treat smokers like second class citizens because they act like them. There is all this talk about most smokers being kind and courteous about their smoking. I don't know where you all live but I have not met one yet. They all are inconsiderate assholes in my experience. I think they are weak individuals who have to turn to substances to help them through life. Tens of thousands may die a year from second hand smoke but hey **** em right? All I know is the only thing I have left in the world which is hiking depends on healthy lungs that are greatly diminished due to others habits.

So as I pointed out before, turn to the bottle or shoot some smack into your arm. Snort some white powder, sniff a marker. Do whatever you have to do to make this life a half way sufferable existence. But don't take what little health the rest of us have left.

I'll take the disgusting filth in the air over Bakersfield vs cigarette smoke any day.

[/rant]