I started smoking cigarettes at the tender age of 12. About the same time, my step-father was heavily into the fat Swishers. I imagined they were god-awful by the smell, but when I finally gave up the cigarettes in 1986 and was looking for something to stick in my mouth after the first 3 weeks of cold-turkey, I grabbed a pack of Swisher tips and started sucking on them. After about a week of that, I couldn't resist and finally put the flame to one. I know, not the best cigar on the market, but cheap and servicable for one who tends to chew the hell out of the ends. I continue to this day with them as my daily crutch, but when I have some time to kill (bowling, golfing, etc), the Swishers only last 10 minutes. That's where the big sticks started. Thompson's at first, but since then CI mainly.
RevSmoke, being an upstanding God-fearing pastor, you would think would be one to try to save our poor souls from this nasty habit, but au contraire'. My teaming with him on our couples bowling league (where we kicked butt...nothing short of miraculous) has given him ample opportunity to help me rapell down this slope.
I am about to give up the Swishers (at least buying anymore) and look forward to a downward spiral face first into the abyss. :dr