How Do Your Friends and Family Respond to Your Cigar Smoking?

[Amanda]

One thing I noticed right away when I started smoking cigars is that they illicit a rather strong response from just about everybody. While some of my friends were rather intrigued when they first saw me fire up a stogie, most wrinkled up their noses and expressed disgust. Let's just say my parents are not exactly thrilled about their little girl being a cigar smoker. Other friends have been a little stand-offish as well. Fortunately, my best friends have been more accepting. Many of them have even tried a cigar of their own, with mixed reactions. Of course, most of them already smoke cigarettes, so it's probably not as big of a leap.

On the other hand, I've been pleasantly surprised by the attention I've gotten from guys when I smoke cigars in bars. I'm sure it repels a certain number of guys, but I still seem to be attracting more guys than I did before I was a cigar smoker.

I'll be eager to hear how the rest of you guys have dealt with peer response to your cigar smoking. Have a Happy 4th by the way.

[Buhz]

I think it depends on your age when you start smoking cigars. I only started recently, but i'm 33 so most of friends and family have realized that I'm an adult (my girlfriend my disgree on that) and am capable of making my own choices.

Also there is a weird attitude towards cigars. There is a ton of info about smoking an its hazards but very little that is put forth in the mass media. So part what happened to me was people not sure how to react to me firing up a cigar. The smell is usually what people comment on, some love it, others hate it. I only smoke outside so I figure I can be rude about people telling me to put it out Most people I've dealt with have preferred the smell of a cigar to cigarettes.

So how I deal with peer pressure is to basically figure I know what I like, I know the consequences of what I'm doing and friends family can deal with it as long as I'm not impacting on them.

[SFG75]

In terms of family, my parents think the cigar butts are the product of my brother in law. He got me started smoking and our wives have come to expect that when we're together, cigars are going to be smoked. She has been very supportive and doesn't mind my habit as long as the kids are down for night-night time. Friends at work aren't as accepting. While we trade barbs back and forth, one of my friends (a home ec. teacher) runs the school's "Tobacco isn't for kids" program or something like that.

You're correct, they do bring out a strong response-though it's easy to point out that double-cheeseburger that mr. or mrs. critic is holding when you're under the gun.

[cigar no baka]

My father and brother in law smoke cigars, and my wife, stepson, mother and sister all smoke cigarettes, so I was the black sheep of the family until about six months ago when I started with cigars.

Friends I don't smoke around unless they also smoke cause most of them are non smokers.

[mithril]

family is discusted (sp?), wife tolerates it, and friends encourages it.

[cigarsarge]

Don't matter to me how they react. If you don't like my cigar smoke don't come around me.

[chrisboy]

strangers give me the 'look', friends are okay about it (might even share a smoke with me sometimes), family tolerates it. frankly, i dont care.

[grand cru no 2]

Don't matter to me how they react. If you don't like my cigar smoke don't come around me.

Ditto!

[labmonkey]

my wife loves them...she usually doesn't smoke cigars on her own, but she enjoys trying whatever I'm smoking, and has on occasion smoked a whole cigar. The rest of the people in my life could care less...either that or I could care less about their reactions...not sure which.

Generally though coworkers and friends are very interested to hear about cigars and I have had some great conversations about it with non-smokers who seem a lot more accepting of cigars than cigarettes.