this post was submitted on 18 Aug 2025
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Inspired by another question on this community about "the first time you drank alcohol", so I was just feeling like I'm the odd one out here.

I personally have never smoked (neither tobacco nor weed), never drank any alcohol. (Parents also don't do smoking, or drinking, or gambling so I kinda got lucky with the environment I grew up in, I guess...) Is that unusual? Gen Z btw.

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[–] SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 week ago

Nope.

At least not normally. I'll vape in certain settings, and do enjoy smoking socially. But that shit is so bad for you, is unattractive, and expensive, that there's really no reason to consume it on a regular basis. It's like dessert to me, in that I really don't need it all the time, I'm too focused on going the OTHER direction in life, so that when I DO consume stuff like this that's fun and feels good, it's in limited settings and quantity.

That being said, I'm really really weird and not like most other people in a ton of ways. So, largely, to each their own, but this is just my way.

I'm a millennial, for reference, my parents (mostly my dad) casually drank a bit when I was younger (like a six pack of beer on holidays, or a beer here or there maybe a 24 pack over a few months), but now that they're retired, neither smoke nor drink except for special occasions. Also neither of them are gamblers (gambling is super stupid and I see it as intellectually cowardly. You wanna take a risk? Go try to do something powerful in the world that helps people).

I don't really entirely like the effects of nicotine, alcohol, or cannabis, either. So they're very social-coded for me. If I wanted to be out of breath, I'd go for a run. If I wanted to be loud and stupid, I'll just be loud and stupid. If I need to relax, I'll meditate. They're self destructive to me, and my life doesn't need more of that hahaha

Like everything, there's a time and place for all of these. And my day-to-day life and long term health is not that time or place.

I do want to emphasize though, that we ALL have our vices, and we don't entirely get to pick them. So I will not condemn anybody that has these other than pointing out why specifically I don't.

[–] TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 week ago

I've tried alcohol and it tasted awful. I made it through 1 bottle of Soju and then nearly threw up.
Don't wanna risk nicotine so I'm not trying it.

Weed is cool.

[–] lunarul@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I was smoking in middle school and high-school. Decided to stop around 11th grade, smoked a few times socially in the next few years, then gave it up completely. People I know who started around the time I gave it up are still smokers today. I now live in an area where smoking is frowned-upon, so it's not something I've had to think about in the 14 years since I moved (in my country you couldn't escape the smoke anywhere).

Tried weed three times in my life and each time the effect was the same: similar to drinking too much but without the feel-good part. Black-outs, confusion, headache. Guess it doesn't agree with me, so no reason to try it again.

I grew up in a country where having alcohol with your meals is normal. I don't drink to get drunk, just enjoy a drink with my meal (especially if eating something like a steak or a burger, a cold beer goes great with it). Had to adjust when moving to the US, it's apparently weird to drink at lunch here.

[–] STUNT_GRANNY@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

29 here. Kinda consider myself between generations.

I smoke tobacco, albeit very, very seldomly. About two packs a year, tops, plus a proper cigar roughly every quarter. Never vaped. Can't do weed, because my job is federally regulated and I get drug tested too often.

I used to drink rather heavily, especially during the pandemic - I'd put away a bottle of rum or vodka over the course of nearly every weekend. I still drink sometimes, but nowhere near as much or as often. Mostly taste-testing homemade wine batches, every couple months. It's been about a year since the last time I got pandemic-levels of drunk.

[–] Vupware@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 week ago

I’m addicted to a vape. Not the disposable ones, thank fuck.

I cut out drinking and weed because I can’t not use them when they’re available… weed is awesome, drinking sucks ass but is alluring despite its awful effects.

[–] sanguinepar@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Never smoked (although I probably got a fair bit second hand from my dad, back in the day)

Don't do crazy drinking, but do enjoy a cold pint or two now and then, and maybe a few more if I'm out at a gig or something. And in the summer I'll often have some bottles chilling in the fridge.

Also enjoy an occasional whisky - single malt, nice and smoky, preferably.

Don't usually have other spirits, maybe vodka or rum in a cocktail, but pretty rarely tbh.

[–] ArgumentativeMonotheist@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I haven't drank any booze in about 7 years. I stopped when I met my now wife cause I only drank in clubs before trying (and usually failing) to get laid and I was no longer single so why would I go to these places? I never liked the taste, tbh, and thanks to her I eventually went back to God and converted to Islam so that gave me an ever bigger push until eventually alcohol just tasted too gross to even consider. I also think that being foolishly drunk after a certain age is just shameful (have a glass of wine/can of beer here and there but if you're a loud alcoholic past the age of 30 you need to check yourself, and I hope you have no offspring yet/they're old enough to disregard your bad example).

I don't mind the herb, and I've smoked ciggies since I was 15 but I'm on almost on the 3rd month of a cannabis break (recent changes in my life require my full attention) and I went down to a pack of menthols a week years ago because the French government pretty much doubled the price of ciggies in the span of a decade. At least it forced me to control my intake! 😅

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Tobacco, no. I was on a construction crew one summer, everyone else chain smoked, I didn't, then I went off to college and a week later couldn't figure out why I was craving the smell of cigarettes. That was a rough semester.

Alcohol, 2-3 units/drinks a month. A glass of wine with the week's fancy meal, maybe but that's about it.

Cannabis, wake and bake. I use it medically, but could probably cut back a little. Not much tho, it manages a life threatening condition well enough my case got put into the literature.

The cult I grew up in was straight edge without all the ethics, so like even coffee was a big deal when I got free of that one

[–] NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 1 week ago

I never smoked anything.

I hardly ever drink alcoholic beverages but that's mostly because I don't enjoy their taste and mouth/throat feel.

I have nothing against drinking, as long as it's not overdone and (obviously!) not combined with driving or other dangerous activities. Under those conditions it's genuinely harmless fun and socializing.

The only time I was remotely drunk was at a wedding where I found a wine I actually liked. I think I drank the whole bottle, or maybe half of it, something like that. I liked the feeling of how my muscles are loose and don't react normally. I didn't feel like my thinking was compromised, but who knows.

Even if my mind was intact, it's obviously no state to drive if my muscles don't do what they would. I have no idea how some people actually get behind the wheel in this state.

I drink a couple times a year. I generally get in the mood for it a handful of times a year, but beyond that I just have no desire.

[–] hardcoreufo@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Never liked smoking anything including weed though I do enjoy it as an edible on rare occassions (maybe twice a year max). I also drink beer on occassion (0-2 a month). Wine and liquor jusf upset my stomach too much.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 2 points 1 week ago

smoking no. can't even handle being in a smokey area. Alcohol yes and decently enough when young. First drank after finals of freshman year at college. Would not touch a drop till classes were over and I had been successful in my first year. At that point I was underage and continued that pattern for awhile. Would only drink after finals each semester or when on break. Usually drank to excess if I did drink. Did see a point in being buzzed was looking to be drunk. Drank a bit less at dance clubs as I wanted to generally be nicely buzzed so like to the edge of drunk. Part of this was the cigarette smoke combined with all the movement making hangover and puking to be more likely if done to a full drunk state. As I got to adulting and more serious relationships that wound down. Partying just was less appealing. As an old fart now I still drink as does my wife (who also does not smoke or want to be around smoke) but very rarely. We bought some brandy to use with eggnogg one xmass out of nostalgia and it took years to empty the bottle and she used it in cooking and I was trying to use it. Similarly we have a vodka bottle going on a year or so. I said we have to limit to vodka because I want something that will last forever (maybe brandy will but vodka is basically grain alcohol with no real flavor so is more generally useful). That being said I can sometimes pickup some new product which I usually find disappointing. Basically my wife and I can drink multiple times a year or not at all and usually its around some social setting or with me when trump talks. I never got casual drug use. If I am going to use something I pretty much have to have time planned out to allow for partaking and recovering and going back to normal day to day. I use the term drugs but I have only used alcohol but if I did use others im sure it would be in the same way. Again my wife is like this to.

[–] dil@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 week ago

I used to like moking, tobacco and weed in a bong, would make my brain stop buzzing around, extremely calming, honestly it was just a way to self medicate not knowing I prob have adhd/ocd, I'm still super "lazy" about seeing a doctor and getting medicated, just swapped to vaping weed and nicotine. It doesn't work as well, can honestly be overstimulating compared to how calming it used to be, ocassionally works

[–] MrScottyTay@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Smoking has always been gross to me. It stinks from a mile away and the breath of smokers is horrendous. Doubly so for weed. I also think vaping sucks. Most vapers just seen to not care about anyone in their surroundings. If there's a vaper near me at a concert I find it hard to breathe at times, on top of not being able to see through their Thomas the tank engine sized puff of smoke.

I don't mind drinking but I've never been a crazy drinker as I've not needed it to join in on the fun. I've not drank for the entirety of this year but that's due to my adhd meds and I've not felt the need to actively not take them just so i can drink one night.

I'm a millennial.

I smoked for a couple years but gave it up when a new GF complained. I know I'm lucky af for this.... but I quit just over a single weekend. Physically it wasn't a big deal for me. I only miss the social aspect of meeting new random strangers. This was about a decade ago and don't have any cravings at all.

Booze? I used to binge drink in my 20s, not healthy mentally or physically, but once I hit 30 it felt like my tolerance dissapered and hangovers lasted days. Only on the rarest occasions do I have a single cocktail at a restaurant. Like maybe every 6 months or so.

Do a fair amount of CBD and CBN for pain relief, and around bedtime THC, but all that is edibles.

[–] Feathercrown@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

It's more common for younger generations to abstain. I don't want to do it because it's harmful for your body and mind and is addictive. I do drink for social reasons once or twice a year though.

[–] steeznson@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Yes, both.

Nicotine: will hit my wife's vape or buy a pack of nicotine pouches during the week. At the weekend I'll buy a pack of cigarettes becauss I like smoking at the pub. Main deterence is how expensive it is but I feel like I'd only get a 10 deck at the weekend if they still sold them in the UK. Healthwise, living in the city is roughly equivalent to smoking a few cigarettes a day so I think I'm just tinkering around the edges.

Alcohol: I'll have a beer or some wine most days. More when I'm out at the weekend. Probably drink too much but I enjoy it. Social activity.

Edit - millenial

[–] daniskarma@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I only drink a soft drink (beer or wine) a couple of times a year. I do not smoke or take any other drugs.

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[–] davidgro@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

Yeah, I don't smoke or drink alcohol either.

I'd love to say that my choices are entirely because of health, financial, or even moral reasons, but honestly, my parents didn't, and that's likely the major reason I don't. I might still avoid it though because I do feel strongly about the health and money stuff... But that's somewhat negated when I acknowledge that my drug of choice is sugar, and it might eventually kill me.

I am what is now called millennial, but the term didn't exist when I was growing up.

[–] FreedomAdvocate 1 points 1 week ago

Never smoked anything because I’m smart enough to know that doing something that has zero benefits while having massive negative health consequences is dumb.

Drinking wise I’ve done my fair share, but have never been anywhere close to a drink multiple times a week or go out and get blackout drunk person. The last 10-15 years when I decided to get serious about my health as I got older I basically stopped altogether, though I’ll have a celebratory drink or stick when catching up with mates here or there.

My body and my bank account are much happier and healthier.

[–] leftthegroup@lemmings.world -3 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Every tobacco smoker is gross.

Maybe that's a product of the old "every swan is white" kind of fallacy (don't know the name of it offhand), but I've never met a habitual smoker that didn't cause physical pain to be around. They stink, their clothes stink, their car stinks, their room stinks, and maybe their whole house.

"Stinks" may be just an opinion, but it seems to be almost universally agreed on (again, in my experience).

I've always looked down on them and judged them for consciously coding to smell like that, especially because all they get from it is keeping the symptoms of withdrawal away. They don't get "high", they don't even get "relaxed" (except in the manner of relief from withdrawal symptoms). Literally all they get is smelling like poison and a priority pass to the lung cancer ride.

Not to mention possibly causing mild symptoms to everyone else nearby.

Also everyone doing it now wasn't born back when they thought it was beneficial or even neutral. It's always been the most reliable route to cancer in everyone alive today's life.

So I think all smokers are stupid and stinky at the very best, and intentionally malicious at worst.

Given that there is absolutely no benefit at all, and given the definite danger of it to you and others, I deem smokers are just bad people in general.

On the more stupid end of the spectrum, they're more stupid than bad, but even the very "best" tobacco for is stupid AF.

So to answer, no I don't consume tobacco, and that is why.


Alcohol I believe is at least not as addictive, but is a bad choice for most of the same reasons. Typically they have to go more out of control to present an offensive odor, and if kept away from driving or sharp things, much less danger to others.

Their motivations seem more apparent since they do get high from it (drunk is basically just the word for a high specifically from alcohol). I also think that (not pushing this as I don't know definitively) alcohol does less cumulative damage over time when used responsibly.

I drank occasionally (aka like 2x a week at the extreme high end) for a few years, and while I didn't ever get a hangover exactly, I did black out once and started getting headaches regularly, so it quickly became more of a negative than a positive. Haven't touched it for over 9 years, except for one sip of champagne for a toast at my brother's wedding. And it was kinda gross in my opinion. Never did like the taste of alcohol, but being drunk was fun as a while as a kid, and enjoying doing something my parents wouldn't like (coming out of a pretty conservative household) was part of it.

But almost no one just smokes occasionally. Plenty of drinkers drink occasionally. And if they're not driving, they're likely being annoying at worst. I don't judge them nearly as harshly as tobacco smokers.

I'm fine with weed enjoyers. Whether you smoke it, vape it, or eat it, I'm interested in all of it. But it does still have an odor problem. Tobacco smells bad kinda universally (in my opinion), and that tar in it makes it super gross. I've never seen weed smoke "set in" to anything and make any permanent kinda smell. Maybe because I keep it cleaned up, maybe just because it's not as oppressive in the first place.

Obviously I'm biased in how "bad" the smells are in relation to each other, but weed smell does seem to dissipate more. In my case I dry vape it, mostly through a window so it goes outside. None of my shit smells like weed. The room smells a bit when I'm emptying abv and loading new, but as soon as it's put away it's like it was never there.

So anyway, no. I don't do either. And if you smoke tobacco (at least often or regularly), we are probably not friends. And you would definitely not be my SO. Smoking goes on the "ick" list for sure. Probably the textbook example of an ick.

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