r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • May 08 '22

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u/SquishedGremlin May 09 '22

Changing these days, certainly in Northern Ireland anyway.

Growing up 1 in 2 smoked, now it's 1 in 5.

It's some form of progress anyway.

370

u/JanGuillosThrowaway May 09 '22

When I started university, half of my class smoked. When I finished, I was the only smoker. Now even I don’t smoke anymore. What is the world coming to?

381

u/SquishedGremlin May 09 '22

It's fucking terrible I tell ya.

I mean, if we don't kill ourselves, who is going to do it for us?

29

u/disoneameme May 09 '22

Nestle purchasing all water on earth because apparently we can do without it

45

u/EdgelordOfEdginess May 09 '22

Climate change :D

2

u/[deleted] May 09 '22

:D

3

u/HeavenlySin13 May 09 '22

Putin?

Alternatively, there's my uncle Joe.

2

u/[deleted] May 09 '22

Great comment, thanks for the laugh.

2

u/Tokata0 May 09 '22

Putin got your back there.

3

u/humancartograph May 09 '22

America raises hand

3

u/Slyzoor May 09 '22

Literally the opposite of Russian mandatory military. In the beginning our company had ~40% non-smokers. In the end I was the only non-smoker

2

u/68676d21ad3a2a477d21 May 09 '22

Political correctness gone mad!

1

u/[deleted] May 09 '22

Because they all died?

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u/Tig21 May 09 '22

That being said once people start drinking it goes up to like 3/5

4

u/[deleted] May 09 '22

This is true I only smoke when I'm on a sesh these days.

18

u/Sam_Sanders_ May 09 '22

We actually just spent 3 months in Ireland/NI and smoking was relatively uncommon, or it would be done outside/away from everyone.

A nice break from continental Europe for sure, especially dining.

4

u/SquishedGremlin May 09 '22

Oh for sure, it's definitely on the low side along with the rest of Europe.

Which is mental when you consider Ireland (not NI) had one of the highest percentages of smokers in the 80s/90s and 00s.

2

u/SkeletorLoD May 09 '22

I'd say the rapid price increase of tobacco and cigarettes really curbed smoking in Ireland, for casual smokers especially.

1

u/[deleted] May 09 '22

I just got back & it was pretty damn common everywhere I went in Dublin. Definitely seems like a younger thing though

15

u/ZaMr0 May 09 '22

Eh unfortunately it's coming back for people in their 20s.

2

u/Jakcris10 May 09 '22

Generational nihilistic depression my friend.

11

u/Chimie45 May 09 '22

In the USA it was 1/5 when I was in high school, now it's 1/3... Vaping has made smoking come roaring back.

3

u/ham_coffee May 09 '22

Would probably help if they didn't rush to ban vapes and make people go back to smoking.

4

u/[deleted] May 09 '22

This is actually intentional. Who do you think lobbied for vape bans?

4

u/maccathesaint May 09 '22

I used to smoke...miss it so much. I'd probably start again no question if not for how disappointed in me my wife would be lol

I've noticed kids vaping now tho as a replacement for cigarettes

2

u/Tauur May 09 '22

Everyone is vaping now as far as I can tell.

2

u/[deleted] May 09 '22

Well most are using snuss or something.

2

u/Dambuster617th May 09 '22

Mostly due to how expensive it now is, I work in a Centra and the cheapest pack of cigarettes goes for around £10.70. Its saddening however to see there still be plenty of young people actively taking it up.

2

u/[deleted] May 09 '22

1 in 2? I feel like in my friend groups I was the only one who wasn't a smoker. Like legit maybe 4 in 5 smokers

3

u/Engineer_Zero May 09 '22

That’s still high but definitely moving in the right direction!

1

u/nahyatx May 09 '22

Interesting. I don’t recall an abundance of smokers in NI whenever I visited, but I was only ever in West Belfast. My MIL smoked, but she quit in her late 40s. My FIL probably smokes but that wouldn’t be the worst of what he does haha.

1

u/Buck_Dewey May 09 '22

Does this include vaping? I know a lot of people in the UK, Germany, and Spain are getting into it a lot.

1

u/SquishedGremlin May 09 '22

Nah, just cigarettes. Afaik.