How many people don't drink or smoke?

Sometimes when I am around my friends I think I must be the only person who doesn't drink or smoke. I've never had the urge to smoke...ever.

I have however tried drinks before, but I just do not like the alcohol taste. Which is fine by me...to me the...

hard stuff is a Coca-Cola. My friends usually make fun of me, but I'm secure and it doesn't bother me at all.

I just wondered if I am by myself on this or are there others that do not like to participate in these things?

P.S. There is a wine glass beside me in one of my pictures, but it's Welch's grape drink in it. lol. I just love wine glasses, and have a huge collection of them.

That describes me too - just never started smoking - although when I was 8 or so, we tried these long slender things off a vine (I think it was - called them Indian Cigars) - tasted terrible and produced a LOT of smoke if you inhaled deeply, LOL - never really started drinking either - only time I tried, when I was in Germany in the military, after a softball game it was very hot and all they had was bottles of cold beer - didn't like the taste but that coldness was great ! - today, neither, so you're not alone :-)

50-50

Are you saying that you think 50 percent of people do not drink or smoke?

I don't smoke- my parents smoked until I was about 7, and I've just never really wanted to start. I don't mind when others smoke around me, but if there's too many people smoking in one place (like a bar), I usually leave. The worst part is smelling my clothes when I've been around smokers- they smell stale, and I usually was them twice before wearing them again.

Drinking- I will have a drink once occasionally, but I don't get drunk anymore. Last time I did, I whacked my head against a wall a few times, which made the hangover worse in the morning. It took about 3 days to come right again, and I though Well, that was pointless. Usually, the hardest I drink now is pear cider, because the smell of spirits makes me feel queasy. I also put Sherry in my Christmas trifle, but other than that, people still joke around that I'm such a grandma. But it doesn't bother me

And I understand having a love of wine glasses- I absolutely love champagne flutes. I usually put them on tables around the house and put chocolates or sweets in them.

Wow, thats a great idea about putting chocolates or sweets in the wine glasses. I'll have to try that. I usually serve layered deserts in my wine glasses or champagne flutes. Everyone usually really likes it, because it is different than just putting it on a plate or in a bowl. I'm glad to know I'm not the only grandma out there. lol

Amblessed: Do you know that I've never even tasted beer before? I know I sounds weird or something. Everyone I know says that beer tastes bad and is an acquired taste, so I knew I wouldn't ever drink enough to acquire the taste so I just didn't.

The drinks I have tried have been mixed drinks...and I'd way rather have them without the alcohol. lol. One of my friends asked me, well whats the point of the drink without the alcohol? Well, the point is, it tastes BETTER to me.

Plus, I get free entertainment by watching all the people getting wasted around me. lol, just kidding --I don't go to bars, but its amazing what people will do in their own homes when they are drunk.

That reminded me - in those few social occaisions to kinda blend in I did order rum and coke (the only thing I knew to order !) and would just sip on that, LOL - it is amazing the effect drinking has on some people !!

I must say, I do enjoy a pina colada- mainly because, you can't taste any booze in it. It's almost like a pineapple and coconut flavoured slushy. Mmm...

Yeah, my dad used to do traffic light jellies in wine or parfait glasses, only at Christmas. A handful of candy canes looks really nice coming out of a champagne flute.

Beer- sometimes the mood hits me, sometimes it doesn't. The most I drink is, like, one or 2 alcoholic beverages a month. Mainly because any booze that actually tastes okay is way more expensive than a can of cola.

I don't smoke - what on earth is the point?

But I do drink wine. Most people in France do. It's sociable to have a glass over the family meal or with friends, and we are surrounded by vinyards, so everyone is interested in the process of making, selling and tasting wine. I've almost never seen anyone badly drunk here, however. I am really impressed by how the French 'consommer avec moderation' (which means what you think - 'consume with moderation').

They drink with their familes and across age barriers. and it's OK to get a bit merry when you're next to your granny, but you're not going to go further than that, really, are you? They think they have a problem with drunkeness in their society, but I think that's very sweet and naive of them. They've not seen Britian's current binge drinking culture...

I've actually thought about trying to have a glass of wine before bed everynight or every few nights or something. I have trouble sleeping, and I've heard that it can help. My problem would be finding something that didn't taste too alcoholy (lol), and just something that I would like. It might have to be just like medicine, just get it down so it can do it's job.

Yeah... binge drinking frustrates me to no end. Sure, I've done it a few times, but I've grown up and learned from my mistakes. Half of my college class would go out every weekend and get so drunk they couldn't remember what had happened. Because I didn't, I was labelled uncool, and they bullied me something shocking- note that these are students studying to be primary/elementary school teachers. Not exactly leading by example...

Social drinking, by all means can be fun. But drinking to get drunk? I worry so much when I see girls (and guys) completely out of it- they're putting themselves in a prime position to be taken advantage of. My friends and I had rules when we went out:

1. Go in a group of at least 3
2. Carry drug test swizzle sticks (in case you think your drink may have been spiked)
3. Alternate alcoholic beverages with soft drinks or water
4. Keep an eye on each other!

Maybe we were a bit uptight, but none of us wanted each other to end up in a dangerous position. I really wonder if half these kids will find it so cool to be drunk when something bad has happened, only they have no recollection. It's sad, but it happens.

I have tried one cigarette in my life... I couldn't stop coughing and right then and there, I decided that it wasn't for me! Not that I had intentions of making it a habit in the first place, I just wanted to see why people did it, and it didn't help me understand it AT ALL! I've also NEVER tried weed either and some people find that so hard to believe!

I do drink on occasion though, I like mixed drinks and the only beer that I will drink is Corona with lime or that new Miller one that has lime and salt! I would say I drink maybe once a month if my husband and I go to a party or something (or, if I'm at a restaurant and want to try one), but I don't get wasted at all anymore (I've had a couple of experiences where I swore off drinking, lol, but now, I just do it in moderation!)! My favorite mixed drinks are the ones where there is not much of an alcohol taste as well, and I like the chocolate and coffee ones the best!

I gave up on both up years ago as a waste of time, Health and money.

rnealw: I dunno about it being a waste of health. Yes, binge drinking is generally not beneficial to health. However, a glass or red wine a day has been proven to help improve cardio-vascular health. I'd rather do that than waste money on Lipitor prescriptions (a cholesterol reducing drug which is linked to causing type 2 diabetes in people who take it), and end up with more heath problems down the track.

*** a glass or red wine a day has been proven to help improve cardio-vascular health. ***
concord Grape juice does the same thing. . . without the alchohal.

In 1997, researchers at the University of Wisconsin concluded that purple grape juice also reduced blood clotting. Another study by researchers at University of California at Davis, confirmed the findings that non alcoholic red wine contains the same antioxidant profile as red wine. However in a 1998 study, Japanese researchers found that while grape juice still had antioxidative benefits, it did not significantly lower LDL cholesterol levels compared to red wine.

(Taken from the Yale-New Haven Nutritional Advisor)

It's still in debate however, so we could see studies change this information soon.

I only smoked cigarettes a short while. I started smoking cigarettes when I was 12 but quit at 14 when I signed up for high school track and field. Our TF coach had a policy that if you were ever seen smoking you were automatically off the team. A teacher saw my older brother smoking while doing a March of Dimes walkathon and he was kicked off the team even though he was their best miler. I thought the policy was completely unfair but now I'm glad for it since I quit smoking before I was hooked.

I drink alcohol socially or with food sometimes. I like a glass of Chianti with my Spaghetti and I'll have a beer or two with Tex-Mex or Pizza. I even brew my own beer when I have time. I'll have a Gin and Tonic at parties and every now and then I like a shot of wiskey. I've cut way back on my beer the last few years because I'm trying to loose weight; it is the calories I'm avoiding rather than the alcohol.

I don't think that light or occasional alcohol is bad and like lexicon said, it might even be beneficial.

Texaskimmie, I'm not sure wine helps you to get a good night's sleep. More than one glass makes it harder to get up in the morning, that's true, but I'm not sure it actually gives you a sound night's sleep. People in France drink herbal teas to help them sleep at night - is it camomille that's meant to help with sleeping?

Isn't it funny how they'll come out with a study that says 'it's bad for you', then some years later, oh 'it's good for you' and vice versa, LOL

With consumption of food and alcohol, I'm of the opinion that no food is really bad, if it's in moderation. Too many times I'm seeing kids of younger and younger ages feeling guilty about that chocolate bar they ate, because it's bad for you. It's leading to more and more kids with eating disorders and self esteem issues, from what I've observed.

amblessed: Yeah, it's a pain, but I think it's better we have definate research and testing on these things, so we can assess the pros and cons. Maybe with grape juice having less antioxidants than red wine, we could couple it with something with lots of antioxidants. Grape juice and dark chocolate anyone? :P

LOL, I did all my drinking and smoking between the ages of 15 and 17. And that was about a hundred years ago. Lately I've discovered Australian red wine and will pick up a bottle of it once every couple of months. I can't tell the difference between a $20 bottle of wine and a $70 bottle, so I get the cheaper one and enjoy sipping on it while I'm preparing dinner.

I grew up in a house of smoke - dad smoked a pack a day or more, and sadly paid the price as he turned 50. When I think back to the 70s and 80s I cannot believe how things were. Offices full of smokers, board rooms with thick heavy smoke hanging in the air, a pack of cigs and a lighter in front of EACH PERSON... Insane and revolting.