Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with cigarette

Really, no more cloves?

Anonymous — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:14:08 -0800

So... The US has banned clove cigarettes. This is the only type I smoke because I dislike the taste and feel of smoking a tobacco-only cigarette. What options to I have? Please, no advice about quitting. I am an adult smoker who is aware that smoking is harmful, and I've set for myself a time at which I will quit. The FDA meddling in my decisions is not the time I had selected.

Things I've considered...
~ It seems that pipe tobacco may still be ok - does clove pipe tobacco exist?
~ Blending my own pipe tobacco with (organic?) cloves
~ Purchasing from an online retailer (outside the US) and sending money orders to the government to cover the taxes I would have incurred, had I been able to purchase the cloves in my area.
~ Driving to Canada or Mexico.
~ Asking friends that live in other countries to send them to me (from Europe, Asia or Africa)
~ Purchasing them on an American Indian reservation (I haven't been able to decipher whether or not the law prevents them from being sold there)

I live in a major US city within a day's drive from either Mexico or Canada. I can be contacted at nocloves@gmail.com for follow up questions or information you'd rather not post here.

Thank you!

How do I prevent a cigarette burn from leaving a scar?

washburn — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:10:34 -0800

How do I prevent a cigarette burn from leaving a scar? As I maneuvered through a crowded beer garden last night, some gesticulating smoker put his cigarette out on my arm. I didn't worry too much about it yesterday evening, but this morning it does look like the spot might end up scarring.

Any day-after advice for preventing the burn from leaving too noticeable a scar?

Smoke, smoke, smoke le cigarette

Shepherd — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:20:30 -0800

What is the best equivalent for Camel Ultra Lights among Canadian convenience-store cigarette brands in Quebec? My wife, who is American, likes to smoke on occasion, and her preferred brand is Camel Ultra Lights. The local stores here in Quebec do not carry any such cigarette, and after a disastrous experiment with DuMaurier Premier, I'm hoping somebody can tell the the closest garden-variety cigarette that delivers the same sort of smoke as the Camel Ultra Light (Marlboro Ultra Lights used to do for her in a pinch, but those are equally unavailable).

The DuMaurier Premiers (which are the lightest cigarettes DuMaurier makes) were too harsh.

Cigarette Price Map?

zaphod — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:19:12 -0800

After the shock of paying almost $10 for a pack of American Spirit wore off I thought there must be a website like Gas Buddy or Boston Gas Prices for cigarette prices. My google foo has failed me on this one, anyone know if there's any such site(s)? Yes I know they're bad, and I should quit. And, yes I know I can drive to NH and buy cartons for less, but I don't want cartons as I just end up smoking more.

If you don't know any such site, do you know anywhere in Boston (Downtown, Back Bay, Kenmore) that isn't so friggin' expensive?

Health effects of very light cigarette smoking over the long term

Simon Barclay — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:12:09 -0800

What are the health effects of very light cigarette smoking (1-3 per week) over the long term? The highly dangerous effects of cigarette smoking are well known, however (from my understanding) this is based on studies that have considered the difference between non-smokers and 1+ pack/day smokers.

So, what are the health effects of very light cigarette smoking? Define very light as being 1-3 cigarettes per week, perhaps less.

Are the effects at that dosage negligible or almost the same? Obviously I would expect it to be somewhere in between, but are there any studies that demonstrate this? One might expect that the effect of smoking is exponential, and there is a tipping point where the impact starts becoming much more pronounced with additional use. Or, one might expect that any exposure is detrimental.

I've googled it using the search terms that I could think of, but found nothing. Can anyone point to any research on this topic?

Anecdotal evidence, although interesting, would probably not be helpful in this circumstance.

As a cigarette should

frecklefaerie — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:57:48 -0800

Smoking hot american mefites! I'll be traveling from MD to MA soon. Which state between here and there has the cheapest cigarettes? I found this lovely document in my searches, but it seems to be dated 0207 and since then at least MD's cig taxes just went up, so I don't trust its accuracy. I will likely be traveling through MD, DE, PA, RI, CT, NY, MA. Thanks!

How to exorcise cigarette smells and tar from an iMac?

mattybonez — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:32:26 -0800

How can I clean away cigarette odor and tar buildup from a G3 iMac? I loaned an old iMac to a friend who needed a computer after his house was burgled. The “week or two” loan turned into many months, and I finally got the computer back last night.

When I saw the condition of my previously minty Mac, I was very sad. The keyboard, mouse, and computer are all showing signs of living with chain smokers. There is some tar discoloration in the clear plastic bits, and there is also a very distinct smell. It's strong enough that I can't bring the computer into my house.

I'm planning on taking apart the components and cleaning them up, but wanted to know if anyone had any additional tips or suggestions before I get started. Any idea on cleaning agents that I can use that won't craze the plastic?

Thanks in advance.

Crush crush crush!

Glitter Ninja — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:48:59 -0800

Where can I buy a pack of Camel Crush cigarettes online? the tobacco products wiki tells me theseare finished testing in Japan and are now available in test markets in PA- however, I'm far down south, and not making a road trip just for these. Is there anything you can tell me about them, if you've had them, or tell me how I can go about acquiring a pack?

Lots of powered add-ons in the car, but hate wires

luser — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:18:03 -0800

I've got four add-ons in my car that need 12VDC power: cell phone, sat radio, ipod, GPS. If you have this same problem, and you hate seeing wires everywhere, what have you done about this? Bonus points if you drive my car (2004 toyota corrolla). As you might guess, I'm not interested in one of those 4-in-1 cigarette lighter ports. I guess I'm wondering if it's possible to run wires back through the dash into the fusebox, and how many devices can you do that with? And what did it cost?

Wondering how people are dealing with this in general.

Got an electrical outlet?

gbinal — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 15:57:38 -0800

I have heard that prisoners will use a trick involving sticking a bit of metal in electrical outlets to get a spark in a rather Macgyver-esque process of lighting a cigarette. Is this more urban legend than reality. It shouldn't surprise you that part of the reason I'm asking is that I entered a bet on this subject, telling the other party that this seemed rather like an urban legend.

I wouldn't guess most jail cells have electrical outlets; in the commons areas as well. I would also guess that with so much smoking that goes on in jail, there would be plenty of matches going around.

The idea that a process involving lighting some lent or cotton off of sparks made by sticking pieces of metal in electrical outlets... well, I'll just say again that it reminds me of grand daddy long legs supposedly being the most poisonous spiders except that their mouths are too small.

I've googled all around but not found anybody addressing this. Thanks in advance for any thoughts and if we cross paths, I'll buy you a cup of coffee with the $10 bucks you folks help me win.

Cigarette Sampler?

ThirstyEar2 — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 09:21:12 -0800

Is there such a thing as a cigarette sampler? I started smoking a couple years ago and I've had a few different types of cloves and regular cigarettes (Djarum, Marlboro, Newport). I want to try other cigarettes without buying a whole pack in case I don't like it. So, can I buy a "sampler"? I'm willing to shop online and if this product exists, I will be happy!

non-filter

Oddly — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:56:42 -0800

What's you're (witty?) response to someone who asks you for a cigarette? Seems that every day now, at least one complete stranger asks me for a cigarette. I don't mind, really, unless they appear to feel oddly entitled to it -- so I usually oblige. But I'm curious about how one might make the interaction a bit more fun. On the flip side, do you have any iron-clad strategies for bumming a smoke when you need one yourself?

What are some ways that actually work to reduce cigarette smells in an apartment hallway?

rmd1023 — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 10:03:04 -0800

Looking for suggestions and experience with doing cigarette smoke stink abatement for the small common area of a two family house. I live in the upstairs of a two family house - 1920 victorian style - and the guy in the downstairs unit smokes like a fiend. The smoke doesn't really drift into my part of the house, but the foyer and stairway common area STINK of smoke. I think a full-on air purifier in the stairway area might be overkill, plus I'd have to find a way to mount it in the stairway (and probably have to run a new electrical outlet), so I'm looking for suggestions for things that have worked for a small space like this.

This is sort of a repeat of this question from last year. I can't really complain to the landlord since I am the landlord. Has anyone tried the ground coffee trick? Does it work? I don't really care for the smell of most consumer-grade "air fresheners".

cigar ros

white light — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 06:10:49 -0800

What's the story on car cigarette lighters? Standardization, origins, etc When did car cigarette lighters become a standard feature?
Why were they necessary when Zippos (I am told) were commonly available well before them?
Why and how did they all become the same size and type, while most other car features are stylistically different on each model of car (locks, handles, vents, etc)
Were they made to allow things to plug into them to get powered, or were these things made to fit the cigarette lighter plug after they were already common?
What were the first things to plug into them?

Avoiding cigarettes in Wien/Vienna and other smoker-friendly cities

allterrainbrain — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 06:56:29 -0800

Ideas for respectfully avoiding cigarette smoke when visiting a strong smoking culture (especially in Wien/Vienna, but advice for other cities is very welcome too). From my previous travels, I know & respect that most European countries have very smoker-friendly cultures relative to where I live (NYC). I'm just asking this question for my own needs (as someone who physically can't be around smoke other than very briefly), with no desire to question or debate any of these cultures as they exist.

For my upcoming month in Vienna, I'll be sharing a non-smoking house, and I've made sure that all the places I'm committed to spending time in (classical music venues) are actually non-smoking inside. From what I've read, there are also laws against smoking in public transport and some indoor spaces, but they're often unenforced.

I'm looking for your experiences / suggestions, especially in Vienna but also in general, of issues I should think about, places and restaurants I should seek out (for example, all Starbucks branches in Vienna are non-smoking [double sacrilege :)]), and issues I should keep in mind. Please help me by sticking to practical discussion (not debates about smoking).

I'd also love to hear recommendations of any tools you've used that protect against smoke (from simple half-masks to the "air supply" necklaces I've seen). Thanks!

Time for a smoke?

Hogshead — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 12:18:04 -0800

How long does it take a typical person to smoke a typical UK-brand cigarette (e.g. Silk Cut or Marlboro Light) to just above the filter? I'm not a smoker and I don't know any people who admit to being smokers.

Glitter Ninja wants new exciting cancer sticks~!

Glitter Ninja — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 16:24:40 -0800

Nicotenefilter: Where can one purchase kreteks (clove cigarettes) and flavoured cigarettes in Mississauga/Toronto, Ontario (preferrably in the former) and the Columbia, SC area, also preferrably for a good price? Also, experiences/reviews of your favourite brands/types of the aforementioned greatly appreciated, since I'm used to smoking nothing but Camel Wide Menthols. :)

If only I was in geneva...

1024x768 — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 11:44:56 -0800

Finding Davidoffs in chicagoland I've been trying to find Davidoff cigarette's (not cigars) in the chicagoland area as a gift to my brother, and cannot find them anywhere.

I'm looking for one (or both) of the following:
1) A tobacconist that would carry such a beast
2) A *reputable* online purveyor of fine tobacco products that carries such a thing. I've searched for online cigarette's but the sites I see seem on the skeezy side (i.e. take your credit card number and run, or ship counterfits).

Thanks in advance for any help. And please, no "tobacco kills" sentiments, I am more than well aware of the negative effects tobacco use has on health.

Why do people make a lucky cigarette in their packs of cigarettes?

nibaq — Wed, 31 May 2006 03:11:44 -0800

How did the ritual of inverting a single cigarette in a fresh pack of cigarettes start? Was there some cultural reason, or a simple good luck charm?

Stinky Sickly Air "Freshener" Situation

Fat Guy — Sun, 21 May 2006 08:33:16 -0800

I believe that another tenant has place an air "freshener" in the hallway out side of our apartments in violation of their lease. I want it removed. What should I do? I guess this is the inverse of this post.

Recently, new neighbors moved in across the hall from me. A couple and a baby. Soon afterward, I noticed a Glade Wisp Air Freshener on the landing of the stairway immediately outside our apartment doors. I can't say the other tenant placed the device there, because I don't know that for a fact, but it is certainly likely. Maybe the landlord placed it, but I think they would have said something to me if they did.

The hallway now smells like a men's room, and I don't have the world's greatest sense of smell. Aside from the foul odor from this device, it is designed to emit a aerosol of "combustible" material "every 9 to 36 seconds". According to the product packaging, the aerosol is "hazardous to humans and household pets." I am concerned for myself, and my two cats. I am also concerned about the build-up of combustible gas at the top of the stairwell.

Full disclose: I smoke cigarettes, but not "every 9 to 36 seconds". Though not prohibited by lease, I have never smoked or carried lit tobacco products in the common hallway. I'd like to avoid restricting a legal activity that is not prohibited by my lease, but I'd being willing to compromise as long as the device is removed from the hallway permanently.

I believe the device is in violation of terms in the other tenant's (mine too) lease which prohibits items that "could damage the leased premises or harm tenants or others" and forbids "hazardous material from being stored in or around the leased premises". I want the device removed immediately. I'm ready to fire off a certified letter to landlord asking for that, but I figured I would google "smoking bothering apartment neighbors", and post a question here.

I haven't met these people, and I don't really care to meet them. I'm really mad that they would move in here and almost immediately do something to bother another tenant, they are obviously inconsiderate people. They must have toured our complex and looked at empty units before they moved in, if the hallway smelled like smoke then, they should have rented another unit.

Have any renters (smokers especially) been in a similar situation? From what I've seen online, the problem and resolution is typically told from the non-smokers perspective. While I welcome that here, POV from smokers might be more helpful in this particular situation. I've already checked out Tenants Rights.net. I don't really want to become the test case for smoking and tenants legislation, I just want to be able to walk up the stairs to my apartment with walking through a aerosol of foul-smelling hazardous material generated by a device placed there.

Remove Cigarette Smoke From PS2 Controller?

ejhdigdug — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 21:30:22 -0800

How do you remove the smell of Cigarette Smoke from a Game Controller? I bought a new unopened controller on ebay, but it stinks! Google says to soak it in Vinegar, but it's an electronic? I bought a video game controller on ebay. I thought I was safe because the controller was new and in an unopened box. I knew I was in trouble when I received the package in the mail. The package reeked of cigarette smoke and that was on my door step. I thought I would be safe because the controller was in a factory sealed plastic bag, but I was wrong. I got the controller out and it just stinks.

It's a really hard to find, one handed controller that I got for a good deal, so I don't want to give it up. But at the same time I don't think I could live with it the way it is. Does anyone know a good way to get rid of the smell?

removing cigarette smoke from leather bag?

eatdonuts — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 10:04:46 -0800

Anyone have a suggestion for getting cigarette smoke smell out of a leather purse? Everytime I unzip my bag, I can now totally smell it.

Stinky Sickly Secondhand Situation

pranalaxmi — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 07:06:22 -0800

I live on the second floor of an old turn of the century mansion and the first floor party-hardy dwellers are serious chain smokers. Their noxious, secondhand smoke is so pervasive (they entertain smoker friends by the droves) that it seeps through my hardwood floors and walls and stinks up my apartment something awful. Sometimes it seems like I'm living above a nightclub it is so bad. I moved into the place in July not knowing their habits, so now that the windows are closed for the winter, the smell has intensified to an intolerable level. It seems unlikely that I can convince two heavily-addicted users to smoke outside their own place, so I'm left to "treating" my own environment, cleansing my own air. Incense is only a temporary relief, while a little essential oil diffuser doesn't seem to be cutting it. What else can I do but move out or open the windows and freeze?

Fake cigarettes?

Corpus Callosum — Mon, 08 Aug 2005 23:52:27 -0800

I need some help quitting smokes. I am trying to find a fake cigarette (not EZquit) to puff on. I remember seeing a "styrofoam" cigarette that came in a normal pack and looked and felt exactly like the real thing.
If anyone could help me find such a thing and a place to get it online, my lungs would owe you big.
Does anyone have any alternatives that worked well in your case? I can master the nicotine but the process and feeling of smoking always gets me.

Nicotine bingeing

Keyser Soze — Sun, 20 Jun 2004 21:11:06 -0800

I can go all day without smoking a cigarette if my mind is on something else, but when I have them I go through half a pack to three quarters of a pack a day. Is this normal? I know that some people lack a way to properly break down nicotine in their bodies, requiring less smoking per day. Does this have something to do with it?