Something for the weekend
Friday, October 21, 2016 at 19:20
Simon Clark

Thanks to everyone who has completed the survey on smoking for the Centre for Substance Use Research that Forest is funding.

Almost 500 completed surveys have been submitted since we launched the survey on Tuesday but we'd like a few more so if you haven't completed it yet we'd be grateful if you could find time over the weekend. Click here.

No survey is perfect but I'm pleased to say that the general response has been very positive. I was particularly touched by this comment from Russell Ord:

Done and enjoyed filling it in. It's the first time I've been able to expand on why I smoke to give the simple answer that I enjoy it and it adds something to my life :)

That is exactly the reaction we were hoping for because we've been conscious for a long time that smokers rarely get an opportunity to put into words (in a formal survey at least) what many really think about smoking.

Instead they have to put up with politicians, public health campaigners and, more recently, evangelical vapers telling them they can't possibly enjoy smoking and how much healthier they'll feel when they've given up their terrible addiction to combustible tobacco.

I'm not pre-judging the results, by the way, but I've always known that a lot of people enjoy smoking and don't want to quit. Unfortunately such views are almost taboo these days and are rarely heard outside blogs such as this.

Thanks, btw, to these bloggers – Frank Davis, Head Rambles (aka Grandad) and Dick Puddlecote – for publicising the survey. Much appreciated.

If any other bloggers would like to give it a plug it's not too late.

To complete the survey please click here.

Article originally appeared on Simon Clark (http://taking-liberties.squarespace.com/).
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