Fresh Air (Smoking) Stops on the Coast Starlight

[PVD]

Many people forget that a great number of stations are not owned by Amtrak, so state or local laws may prohibit smoking in areas (like platforms)where time would otherwise permit it.

 

[chakk]

I recall that some towns on the CZ route banned smoking on their station platforms because too many cigarette butts were not being properly discarded into waste recepticles. The city fathers grew tired of having to pick up after these folks.

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[Lonestar648]

Yes, I remember hearing that being announced on a couple trains where smoking was still allowed on some platforms.

 

[Asher]

Does anyone remember when the only place you couldn't smoke was in a movie theater?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Does anyone remember when the only place you couldn't smoke was in a movie theater?

Depends on where you lived, you could smoke most places except Church in most Southern States back in the day!Profs could smoke in College Classrooms in Texas when I went !

 

[Asher]

Does anyone remember when the only place you couldn't smoke was in a movie theater?

Depends on where you lived, you could smoke most places except Church in most Southern States back in the day!Profs could smoke in College Classrooms in Texas when I went !

Exactly what I was saying. It was a great time for smokers. Not so much now, its not worth the effort and the reason I quit 35+ years ago. But, like they used to say in the service, smoke um if you got em!

 

[Lonestar648]

Unfortunately, I have had too many friends pass away prematurely from lung cancer due to their heavy smoking for years. It may have been a great time for smokers, but today many of those same people are suffering or have died. Watching the suffering each of my friends suffered through is gut wrenching. They thoroughly enjoyed their smoking but in the end many wished they had been more informed and smarter.

 

[SarahZ]

According, (if I was a smoker), I think I'd pack nicotine patches, rather than hope and rely on the "fresh air" stops.

So my question is, for smokers if this: is this not an agreeable option?

I am serious and most definitely not being snarky or trying to start anything... just curious.???

For my ex-bf, the patches helped a bit with the physical withdrawal but not the psychological withdrawal.

He liked the taste, the deep inhalation (which is relaxing even if you don’t smoke), the feeling of the smoke filling his lungs, etc.

Analogy: A glucose drip will keep you “fed”, but wouldn’t you rather have a cheeseburger?

The psychological addiction is why some ex-smokers gain weight. My mother missed the hand-to-mouth motion and started eating instead of smoking. She switched to carrot sticks and pretzel sticks after she realized she’d gained ten pounds. She also started crocheting.

It’s been ten years, but she still craves cigarettes. It’s a daily struggle, and I commend anyone who quits.

 

[Bob Dylan]

All ex-smokers ( ie "junkies" )have a struggle to give up such an addictive behaviour.In my case ( 35 years a chain smoker with a triple addiction of nicotine,coffee and menthol),I tried almost everything on offer to quit, but without real will power nothing will work.

I finally used Nicotine gum,will power and drank lots of water and juices,exercise and took a LOA from work and spent 6 weeks in a small Mexican Fishing Village where Cigs werent readily available to get away from stress..I also quit smoking pot even though that was enjoyable compared to cigs!

Best Thing I ever did for my health and my financial status!

Everything starting tasting and smelling good again, and for sure I gained a little weight but I'd been underweight for years!

Try it,it's Worth it!

 

[greatcats]

All ex-smokers had a struggle to give up such an addictive behaviour.In my case ( 35 years a chain smoker with a double addiction of nicotine and menthol),I tried almost everything on offer to quit, but without real will power nothing will work.

I finally used Nicotine gum,will power and drank lots of water and juices,exercise and and spent 6 weeks in a small Mexican Fishing Village where Cigs werent readily available.I also quit smoking pot even though that was enjoyable compared to cigs!

Best Thing I ever did for my health and my financial status!

Try it,it's Worth it![emoji6]

Bravo Mr. Dylan!

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[Asher]

Back in the 70s my dad, brothers, friends at work quit cold turkey. I tried and never got through one day before giving in. Finally one day I got past the first day and decided I never wanted to go through that day again and never have. There is a lot you miss, shortness of breath. Takes about a month to notice that. The aggravation of where and when you can light up, and the cost of the damn things. Dont want to beat smokers up, but .

 

[KmH]

I quit cold turkey too, at age 53.

I was a dedicated smoker - 2 packs a day.

The first week of quitting was made easier because I was in the hospital after having had a myocardial infarction and 2 days later quintuple bypass surgery.

A year later, apparently the medico-official point one can declare being a ex-smoker, my family was still amazed I had managed to quit smoking.

I just made up my mind the day after my MI that I was forever more a dedicated ex-smoker.

Frankly, stopping smoking is the nicest thing I've ever done for myself.

Doctors & nurses told me very, very few people quit smoking after having a heart attack.

March 21, 2018 it will be 13 years since I last smoked a cigarette.

 

[Lonestar648]

Congratulations on your 13 years. Your family and friends must be thrilled just as much as you are.

 

[CAMISSY55]

Kudos to all those that have stopped smoking! When I asked the question about nicotine patches, what I really was getting at was warding off the physical withdrawal symptoms so as not to be anxious, irritable, and worrying when the next smoke (or fresh air) stop will be.

I never became a cigarette smoker. I used to try it when out with friends when smoking was still allowed in restaurants and bars. Fortunately, I just never took to it. That is not to say other vices haven't plagued me. The love of good food and red wine (and advancing age) make keeping my weight under control a daily struggle.

 

[dogbert617]

Smoking is not allowed at any train platforms in the state of Illinois. This law predates Metra, and possibly, Amtrak.

Actually, I know that is NOT true. I know you can basically smoke on the outside of ANY train platform(and definitely Metra commuter rail ones) I've been to in Illinois, with the exception of the few communities that stupidly forbid smoking anywhere on the platform(i.e. Deerfield, Highland Park, etc). The catch is you have to be at least 15 feet(Illinois law) from the door or windows into that train station building for Metra, to be able to smoke. At least in those few communities with train platform smoking bans, that rule is never enforced on Metra platforms in my experience. A few years back when I took an Amtrak trip to Galesburg, I definitely didn't see any signs that smoking wasn't allowed on that platform, and myself and a few other fellow waiting passengers for the next Amtrak train smoked on the outside of that platform without any issue. And of course, terminal Metra stations in downtown Chicago don't allow smoking on the platform either(i.e. LaSalle Street, Union Station, Ogilvie/Chicago and Northwestern, Metra Electric). I know for the latter at certain platforms it isn't always enforced strictly, but myself I don't chance disobeying that rule. A workaround at the LaSalle Street station, is that you can walk over to the west stairs(to the south side of Congress Parkway, and I've done that too) to smoke. If you're waiting for a South Shore Line train, you can walk to an east exit down a ramp that goes out to Lower Wacker Drive just outside those doors, to smoke. I've even seen South Shore Line train employees do that, as well.

Also keep in mind I've ALWAYS been a respectful smoker, and smoke away from others if I do smoke on any Metra or Amtrak platform. And of course, keep in mind the direction of the wind so my smoke doesn't hit others downwind.

I quit cold turkey too, at age 53.

I was a dedicated smoker - 2 packs a day.

The first week of quitting was made easier because I was in the hospital after having had a myocardial infarction and 2 days later quintuple bypass surgery.

A year later, apparently the medico-official point one can declare being a ex-smoker, my family was still amazed I had managed to quit smoking.

I just made up my mind the day after my MI that I was forever more a dedicated ex-smoker.

Frankly, stopping smoking is the nicest thing I've ever done for myself.

Doctors & nurses told me very, very few people quit smoking after having a heart attack.

March 21, 2018 it will be 13 years since I last smoked a cigarette.

I'm a very VERY light and off and on smoker, but that said, I would quit if my health issues got really bad for myself. Including if I were to ever have a heart attack. That said, I had been thinking I may try to quit sometime in the next few years, and no later than in my early 40s. We'll see what happens down the road. Glad things did work out for you, and that you made the best choice for your personal situation to quit.

 

[TinCan782]

Good information. Are there other CS stops that do not allow smoking on the platform where passengers might take a smoking break?

San Jose, I believe.