I don’t drink alcohol or use tobacco/nicotine in any forms. As to why, I simply don’t enjoy the experience of either. When I was a teenager I was offered and tried a cigarette. I hated the tobacco smoke flavor, it made my lungs hurt, and I didn’t like headrush feeling. For alcohol, I drank a few times as a young adult and even got drunk a couple of times. I didn’t particularly enjoy that mental and physical experience either. Even after that I drank beer a few times socially, but realized I wasn’t doing it because I liked it, but to “fit in” or impress other people.

While still in my early 20’s, I realized that if the only way those people would like me or associate with me was because I would drink, I didn’t need them in my life. I stopped drinking entirely, and I’ll admit at the beginning I did get socially pressured, but when I didn’t relent, no one ever got upset with me nor did I ever lose any friendships because I didn’t want to drink. I made it clear then, as I do today, that I don’t care if anyone else wants to drink, even if that drinking is around me. I have no judgment on them for what they choose to consume (as long as they aren’t hurting others in doing so). I will even buy alcohol for people I know that drink as gifts, because I know it is something they enjoy and thats what gifts are for. I have a decent collection of unopened bourbon bottles that I’ve never even tasted. I can get some uncommon bottles now and then. I’ve never had someone complain about getting a nice bottle of bourbon.

I will say I don’t really like hanging out with smokers in confined spaces, but that has nothing to do with a judgment about their personal choices. I just don’t like my clothing and hair smelling like cigarette smoke after hanging out with them.

GenX BTW.