Tobacco smoking and veganism

[luna_kitten]

This is something I've been thinking about for a few days now, I've been wondering if smoking tobacco fits in with a vegan lifestyle? It seems like if one is vegan and smokes tobacco, it could be contradictory. I don't smoke tobacco myself, I've even tried to get into cigarettes to find out what the big deal was and I couldn't handle them, ugh.

Comments

[shrines]

depends on how much they care about animal testing.

also, i dunno, but personally what i got from your post was a lot of judgment about cigarette smoking. "I'm sure there are vegans out there who smoke cigarettes after having a wonderfully healthy meal" in particular got to me - not everyone is vegan for health reasons, and not all vegans eat healthily. judgment about cigarette smoking, unless it's in the context of animal testing, is pretty weak.

[edgiko]

I agree with your last bit. OP, you came as pretty judgmental and you lumped everyone in the "vegan for health" category. I live off of the college student diet: pre-packaged ramen and a soup base (mm vegetable base though I love non-chicken) that's filled with sodium and empty calories. Not to mention junk food. I made tater tot casserole recently and it was faaar from healthy. All these dishes vegan and all of them not worthy of saying "wonderfully healthy meal."

[luna_kitten]

I wrote this post in the wee hours of the morning and I was half asleep. I am a little bit judgmental towards cigarette smoking, yes. I don't mind the smell normally but if it gets in my face, I won't hesitate to complain whether I know you or not. I thought health was ONE of the reasons people are vegan, I know it's for animal rights as well. I guess I'm wrong about health being just one of the reasons for everyone. I know how the college diet goes... I used to be on that too when I was in art school. Ramen noodles with hot sauce I remember was one.

[obvious]

My Veganism has nothing to do with health whatsoever.

Potato chips for the win!

[lavajin]

I wish I could quit smoking again (last time I lasted 2 years.) I'm not one of those people who can just stop, though. Most of the time, I roll my own and buy tobacco from smaller companies. Otherwise, I buy generic brands that as far as I know aren't owned by the larger companies.

[amyakieran]

which ones?

[lavajin]

I'll smoke American Spirits if I can afford them, otherwise usually USA Gold. I can't remember the brand I bought last for rollies, some weird little podunk brand.

I haven't been able to find anything on whether Commonwealth Brands, Inc. does animal testing. Do you know?

[blinddogs]

I wouldn't consider smoking vegan. It's directly supporting the vivisection industry... I don't even see much room for debate.

[blueheron]

completely depends on what you are smoking.

[blinddogs]

I assumed we were talking cigarettes.

[blueheron]

Well, the OP didn't specify cigarettes. They specified tobacco in general, and you can certainly obtain and smoke tobacco without putting money into the hands of the cigarette companies.

[c_a_turbulence]

Yeah, if you're doing veganism for health reasons it makes no sense. If you're doing it for animal rights reasons it makes no sense due to all the testin. If you extended animal rights towards humans, then those that pick/sort/deal with the tobacco get a form of poisoning from it. And if you're vegan for anti-capitalism/big buisness reason, then well, yeah.

But if you're Vegan to be cool, you should definatly be smoking as well.

[monkey_goose]

haha

[emptycages]

A+

[blueheron]

The OP said "tobacco" not "cigarettes" as everyone seems to be interpreting it.

You can grow your own tobacco and smoke it in a pipe, bong, shisha or roll it into cigars or cigarettes.

It won't harm any animals (other than yourself, but hey, that is your own right), won't support the tobacco industry, and won't support capitalism/big business.

Personally, I only rarely smoke tobacco, and when I do, it is usually in the form of a Cuban cigar, or in a shisha. I also am starting to grow this next year in my garden.

[amyakieran]

philip morris owns, i'm pretty sure, all us tobacco.

[lavajin]

Nah, there are a few big companies. http://www.smokefreenow.org/big-tob-list.html