Reasons not to smoke

So I'm an ex smoker. Which means I shall have to become evangelical about not smoking, have the ability forever more to sniff out a cigarette at 100 yards (sorry kids) and will always slightly lean towards smokers when drunk.

Unless I start again. This has happened before, and has also happened with meat, fish and doughnuts so I can't discount that possibility.

But for now, I haven't smoked for a while and have got to the point where I don't need to remind myself every time I go to the shop that I don't buy them any more.

And if I should falter, the reasons not to smoke are many.

1) They cost something approaching 40p for each single cigarette. That's ridiculous.

2) It is nice being able to breathe. Having been in possession of a particularly virulent cough for the last few weeks, the thought of anything unavoidable ever irritating my fragile lungs is anathemic.

3) Cigarettes reek, they don't half stink. It is pleasant to be able to enjoy things like perfume.

4) Having been a closet smoker (as a manner of speech; I'm pretty sure I didn't ever smoke in a closet, not least because I call it a wardrobe) it is pleasant not to have to formulate plans to sneak off and have one.

And then we get onto

5) I'd like to live long enough to see my children grow up and ideally their children too. Smoking would mean that this would become considerably less likely.

I'll still always find affinity with those that have smoked. It's a rite of passage, or lasagne if autocorrect insists.