Daniel Radcliffe's heavy cigarette habit

[Penny Lane]

If he smoked pot, he'd be Harry Pothead.

[MoodyJenny86]

He has probably smoked for years. I don't know why people are surprised. This hardly makes him an ax murderer.

^Agreed.

I think a lot of people think that these 'child stars' couldn't possibly ever smoke or drink or anything like that because they are put up on pedestals and looked at as good role models and people think that just because they are in family friendly movies that they are goody-goodies...and then when they find out that they aren't- such as *gasp* "Zomg, Daniel Radcliffe smokes!? I'm not taking MY child to his movies anymore...hmmph!"

Smoking is a bad, nasty habit and bad for your health, yes-we get it. But it doesn't make you a bad person (which a lot of people in general seem to insinuate this) and has nothing to do with one's character...smokers get way too much crap.

I'm with crumpet on this.

I'd bet anything he's been smoking for years along with a bunch of the other Harry Potter kids (a lot of them are known smokers).

Does up to 20 a day qualify as a "heavy cigarette habit''? I was thinking more like two packs a day.

^Agreed, I'd hardly call that heavy.

I'd say anywhere from 2 packs and up is hittin' it pretty hard.

[GoldDust77]

gross. why would anybody start smoking? it's beyond comprehension.

^^This is the same thing i think, Grimm, whenever i hear of young people smoking. WHY, on God's green earth, with all the knowledge that people have these days of the horrible things smoking does to you, would you DECIDE to just start smoking??? I mean, i can kind of understand why people my grandmother's age smoke--they didn't know how bad it was back then. (But even that, i question why someone would take it up.--Gee let me start a habit of inhaling SMOKE into my lungs! That's a GREAT SUBSTANCE to put in my lungs!) But kids of today, WHY, WHY, WHY???

[Charlotte]

I smoke. Started a few years ago, nothing to do with peer pressure (believe me, in the group i hung around with the only pressure was to get homework in ON TIME). I enjoy it. I like the sound of the crisp leaves as they begin to burn, i enjoy the slight burn at the back of the throat, and the smoothness with which the smoke goes down into my tarry black little lungs. It's like a little pause button when the head rush begins after the first fag of the day. Mmm, heavenly.

So yes, i find it enjoyable. I do a lot of things for the sole purpose of enjoying them, and smoking is one of those things. I knew the risks when i started, i know there's almost a cast iron guarantee that it will be detrimental to my health. I choose to smoke out of my own free will. If anything happens to me then i'll deal with it as and when. I am not invincible, and one day (maybe even tomorrow, i could get hit by a bus, who knows?) i WILL be a rotting corpse, or ashes. Same as everyone else. Oh, and contrary to popular beliefs when it comes to smokers, i am not lacking in IQ points. I am not weak willed, and i am not (to my mind) a degenerate.

Why do people smoke? The same reasons for why people drink, have sex, go hunting, or all those other little leisurely pursuits...societal pressure (in some cases), or mostly for escapism.

20 a day isn't particularly heavy.

[WitchHazelEyed]

I don't know. I think smoking is a dumb risk to take for the few benefits it has.

And most smokers I have encountered are really not very considerate to non-smokers (including my own father, who, thank god, is now a non-smoker). They crowd around the entrances to buildings forcing everyone to breathe their smoke (they've created a non-smoking zone at my school's entrance for this reason) and my dear old dad would constantly smoke in the car when I was in it with him. I was already prone to car-sickness and the smell of cigarette/cigar smoke to to this day makes me ill.

That said, I'm sure there are plenty of smokers who are considerate and a wonderful addition to the human race but I still fail to see how the benefits of smoking outweigh the risks.

[Lalique]

^^^^I swear, whenever a smoker comes down with an illness that affects all kinds of people everyone swears it was the ciggs that did it. If a smoker has the flu during flu season, it's always blamed on the smoking. Smokers can get illnesses not related to their addiction.

I wasn't talking about a communicable disease. I'm talking about cancer. That is related to smoking.

[GawsipRawksz]

I like the sound of the crisp leaves as they begin to burn, i enjoy the slight burn at the back of the throat, and the smoothness with which the smoke goes down into my tarry black little lungs.

barf

[crumpet]

I wasn't talking about a communicable disease. I'm talking about cancer. That is related to smoking.

Some are, some aren't. Non-smokers get sick and die,too. Who or what do we blame for that?

[Dixie Normos]

If he smoked pot, he'd be Harry Pothead.

If he were a plant, Harry Potted.

[baked_tater]

He should go visit Patrick Swayze.

[Bijoux]

Smoking is cool.

It gives you cancer.

So that means, Cancer is also cool.

[Lalique]

Some are, some aren't. Non-smokers get sick and die,too. Who or what do we blame for that?

Hmmm. Do you want to compare the rates of lung cancer, oral-pharyngeal cancer, emphysema, etc between smokers and non-smokers? The rates are astronomically higher for smokers. Do non-smokers ever get lung cancer? Sure. At greatly reduced rates of incidence. Are you willing to gamble with your life? I'm not. I love my children and family and want to be around them as long as possible.

[Sibyl]

I've never liked him. On the other hand, Rupert Grint seems like such a sweetheart.

[DoveFeatheredRaven]

Do we have any not-on-stage pics of him smoking?

I don't care how enjoyable smoking is- it is very UNenjoyable to be around. Blech! I am so glad they have legislated smoking bans etc. I am sick of walking through the mess to get where I need to be. I still do not understand why anyone in this day and age would start smoking.

[nycgirl]

Ultimately we're all going to die anyways. Might as well let adults (18 and up) do what they want with their own bodies. I have lots of friends and family members who smoke, and I've tried to get them to stop, but they won't. They have to want it themselves.