I wondered if anyone had anything interesting to say on the subject of smoking and flute playing? What does smoking cigarettes do to your lung capacity, etc? Is it the same for pipes and cigars? (No UPs, of course…)
You mean besides raising your risk for lung, colon, bladder, mouth, laryngeal, stomach, breast, and prostate cancer? Among other things, smoking decreases your lung capacity, raises your blood pressure, and slowly destroys your sense of taste. So this “almost doctor” would recommend not doing it at all, though there are some effects which would specifically hinder flute players. And the type of tobaacco makes very little diffference, though chewing tobacco has less risk for lung problems, it has a higher risk for mouth and stomach problems.
Of course that’s right about all the dangers. I quit long ago, and only wish I’d done so earlier. But Ciaran Carson has a few interesting things to say about smoking and flute playing somewhere (fairly early on, I think–no copy handy) in “Last Night’s Fun,” a book that’s well worth your time, even though no one would ever mistake it for sound medical advice (see the chapter on breakfasts as well).
Besides all the bad stuff already mentioned, smoking also reduces airflow rates in the lungs… this and decreased lung capacity specifically don’t go well with playing the flute, or any other activity for that matter - I too wish I had quit sooner, as these factors now limit my playing potential -
Tod
The reason why I decided to quit, was that I discovered I was not able to play my Pratten flute anymore. And I saw in a session a young girl who could play it with no problems.
This was shocking for me: I always thought I was a “reasonable” smoker. Now I know this does not exist.
i tried to quit many times, no good. then i tried to slowly build down my smoking.
i did 7 pulls in a row without taking a breath of fresh air 
after a while i got sick of that and went down to 6.
when i came to 1, it was getting rediculous alltogether, like going to the toilet 10 times every day,
but this was the hardest time, my body was elliminating everything then.
but after that, i never ever felt like picking it up again 
Some flute players I would have liked for Wooden Flute Obsession 3 can no longer play the flute, due to lung/chest problems attributed to smoking. Do you really want to quit playing before you die?
Kevin Krell
Heres another fun fact:
The average smoker “puffs up” a whole tropical tree every three months!
They use the tropical hardwood (wood that could be used to make flutes!)
to dry the tobacoo leaves. 
Jon
As a former smoker of 26 years (up to 3 packs a day, by God!)…
and now 3.5 years clean of that addiction…
I can honestly say my playing is better than ever and my distaste for cigarette smoke extreme.
Cigarettes kill you. Put simply, that’s bad for flute playing.
I used to joke to people who asked: “How can you play the flute and smoke?”
My response: “It’s easy. I smoke with one lung and play with the other.”
Here’s the rub: You won’t believe how many people believed it!
Bottom line: Quit.
Don’t justify smoking just because you don’t think it hurts your flute playing. That’s just dumb thinking.
dm
I have heard that exhaling tobacco smoke through a flute so that the the smoke exits the open finger holes would be in bad taste, socially speaking. I agree. As an ex-smoker for many years, I am thankful to be relieved of the addiction. However, addictive personality types, like myself, need to find a replacement. As I see it, in lieu of a complete addictive cure, I need to find an addiction that is inexpensive, socially acceptable, and not harmful healthwise. I have considered ice water, but somehow, I have to admit that it isn’t working so well with me.
That wood could also be left alone and allowed to grow. Smoking is bad on so many levels, and if affects so many areas of a person’s life and so many lifes around the smoker as well.
I ended up stopping because health insurance was cheaper. Could never pick the habit up again. I miss the taste of a good cigar, but not having to wash my clothing the next morning makes up for it. Around here it is getting harder and harder to smoke. It makes you more and more of an outsider. I don’t even see smoking break areas (too bad, the social aspic of it was nice). I think that if the whole health aspect was so important more people would bike rather than getting into their smoke producing vehicles.
Oh and biking will help your lungs too.
I have wondered if a Pakistan flute would make a good pipe.
Smoking is an evil, horrible, and deadly disease.
And even if you don’t get lung cancer the steroids you wind up on for asthma and emphysema make your bones brittle and make your brain crazy.
It killed my mother.
And eventually, it DOES become a choice between loving to smoke, and loving to play … or breathe, for that matter.
So please, God, let this be the time I quit for good.
It’s rough, ain’t it? I have often wondered why nothing healthy seems to appeal to me. Why can’t I get addicted to eating raw carrots? I hadn’t gotten to the point of considering ice water—at least the carrots would crunch.
chew Nicorette gum.
I did for 2 years while I quit. It was the best way for me.
And your clothes don’t stink
Become addicted to playing the flute/whistle/coolmaphone.
At least that would take care of the oral fixation some ex-smokers complain about…
… Except that becoming addicted to flutes & whistles can cancel out the “inexpensive” criterion. 
I propose a surgeon general’s warning sticker, slapped right on the barrel of all flutes. I’m not sure how we’d fit it onto whistles … engrave it, perhaps? Although I think I recall the Feadog label being rather capacious …
[quote=“Cathy Wilde”]… Except that becoming addicted to flutes & whistles can cancel out the “inexpensive” criterion. :Dquote]
Smoking isn’t cheap. At about $5.00 a pack and pack a day I spend about $150.00 a month and that doesn’t include Dr. and prescription costs for the chronic ear infections and bronchitis caused by smoking.
$150.00 a month could get me one or 2 nice flutes per year.
I qiut 3 times , twice for 5 months and once for 8. Today I have begun another attempt. Smoking makes learning to play very difficult. It is frustrating to continually run out of breath when everything else is going well.
If you don’t smoke , don’t start.
You’re preaching to the choir, my friend.
I’m still trying to quit 20 some-odd years later.
You win this round, Wilde… 