Why didnt anyone tell me

[just1972]

how bad you smell as a smoker. Now that I am smoke free I can sniff out a smoker by a mile. Its horrible. I cant even handle standing next to one. **VOMIT*** why oh why did I not believe I could actually stink like them. And no people, spraying a ton of perfume all over your clothes does not help, it just makes you smell worse.

wahhhh!! all these years I stunk like ...

 

[mistinthewoods]

Correction. BURNING ....
Me too. We all did.

 

[just1972]

lmao, yes you are right....Hi, my name is j and I smell like burning ......lol

 

[mistinthewoods]

My ..., my ..., my ... is on fire!
We don't need no water
Let that ............ burn!

 

[Pamster]

I think that people are just too afraid to say anything you know? I know I don't want to tell my mother she reeks BADLY because like most people that would hurt her feelings. I think it's just the fact people are reluctant to hurt someone's feelings, even at the expense of their own comfort sometimes.

 

[mistinthewoods]

You're right Pam. If anybody told you that it would just make you mad or hurt your feelings. It wouldn't accomplish anything positive.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

Plenty of people, mostly ex-smokers, let me know that I smelled like an .... Some were subtle about it, "Did you just come in from a smoke break?" Others were just downright tactless about it, "You stink like an ashtray!" Now they're all asking me if I quit smoking and I can honestly tell them "Why yes! Yes, I did quit smoking!"

 

[Cil]

Unfortunately, as smokers, we didn't want to listen. Lot's of public information films saying this, also, with the smoking ban in pubs and clubs, there isn't any environment with that smell so much more noticeable.

I can now understand the non smokers vitriol towards us. pew....

 

[iamjn]

The moment of epiphany for me was when I was walking down the sidewalk, and a car drove past me (sidewalk was a good 30' away from the road mind you, and was in the far lane from me, so it was a total of a good 40-50' from where I stood). It was a day with no breeze to speak of and sunshine-a-plenty. As soon as the car was caught up to where i was on the sidewalk, I could smell the cigarette smoke from it. It wasn't that lingering stench smell, but a currently burning cigarette smell. I was amazed at both how incredibly nasty it was, as well as how much my sense of smell had returned. There have been countless times since, but that was the first one I really noticed how bad it stunk.

 

[potholerepairman]

The fact that you smelled like death and people still hung out with you when they did not smoke shows just how good of a Personality you must have had.Merry xmas.

 

[emanguba]

I take smoke breaks with my co-workers (even though I vape) and I tell them all the time---Ya'll STINK!

 

[DC2]

My wife told my I stunk nearly every time I came back in from having a cigarette.
Lucky for both of us I only had around 5 per day on average.

The thing was, I wasn't in denial or anything, I actually didn't believe her.
I really thought she was making it up to get me to quit.

I mean, I used to hold the cigarette above my head, and blow the smoke straight up.
I was SURE there was no way I was getting smoke on me except maybe just a little bit when I took the actual drag.

Clearly that little bit is more than enough.

 

[banjo]

how bad you smell as a smoker. Now that I am smoke free I can sniff out a smoker by a mile. Its horrible. I cant even handle standing next to one. **VOMIT*** why oh why did I not believe I could actually stink like them. And no people, spraying a ton of perfume all over your clothes does not help, it just makes you smell worse.

wahhhh!! all these years I stunk like ...

We didn't tell you because we are a friendly group & don't like to hurt people's feelings.

 

[Raynen]

I remember when I smoked analogs I would hug my Dad and he'd cough. I mistook it as him just being anti-analog and trying to make a fuss.

Recently, I hugged a smoker friend and I held down the cough. I apologized to my Dad when that happened, and never realized how BAD it was.

 

[Sorrid]

I actually feel like a hypocrite at times. I smoked so heavily for so long and now I can't stand the smell of cigarettes,especially the smell of stale smoke on someones clothes(gag!)
I used to think people that told me I smelled like ... were exaggerating to make me feel bad about smoking. Now I know better.I did smell like ....

 

[NCC]

Yeah, I can smell it. I work indoors and I can easily tell when someone has just come inside from a smoke break. I can't say it makes me want to vomit, as the OP said. It's simply obvious, unmistakable and ... for sure not a pleasing scent. But, I pledge to never become a rabid anti. I'd rather just spread the good news to the best of my ability. Still, it is an eye opener to realize that that scent used to emit from me. And, I'm glad it doesn't any more.

 

[Neemy]

OMG I'm dying, here, with all the "I smelled like ...!" comments!! True, you can't smell it on yourself, and I used to fool myself by carrying around a travel size body spray from Bath and Body Works in my glovebox, and that Ozone air freshener for my car. Now I notice that my car still smells like a smoker's car. I want my leather interior smell back, not dirty-ashtray-with-a-hint-of-Coconut-Lime-Verbena!!! Once the weather gets nicer, I'm taking it in for a good detailing.

I actually feel like a hypocrite at times. I smoked so heavily for so long and now I can't stand the smell of cigarettes,especially the smell of stale smoke on someones clothes(gag!)
I used to think people that told me I smelled like ... were exaggerating to make me feel bad about smoking. Now I know better.I did smell like ....

The stale smoke is the worst. I can handle cigarette smoke - actually, I will very sheepishly admit that it kind of makes me want to bum one off the guy smoking it - almost did, last weekend, but pulled out my SmokeStik, instead, and sucked that baby dry. Yay, score one for Neems.

 

[NCC]

Agreed about the stale smoke smell. Even as a 30 cigarette days smoker; getting a smoking room at a hotel was often a bit much to stomach. I've had a few of those which I could barely tolerate. Again, as a smoker myself at the time. Blech!

 

[DC2]

Agreed about the stale smoke smell. Even as a 30 cigarette days smoker; getting a smoking room at a hotel was often a bit much to stomach. I've had a few of those which I could barely tolerate. Again, as a smoker myself at the time. Blech!

As someone who never smoked in the house, getting a smoking room was...
Well, I have no words for it, really.

I got a smoking room once, and never again.

Ever since that experience I would get a non-smoking room and go outside to smoke.
Or in the stairwell, or in the bathroom with the fan on, or crack the window and stick my face against it.

 

[Dmass]

I am having the same thoughts. i can now smell a smoker from across the room, and when I smoked, I actually believed that no one could really smell me. How stupid. I now know some people who smoke that i didn't know did before. It's great to have my sense of smell back!