The US President is a smoker. He seems to have kept that one quiet. He's slipped in my estimation...

Well actually for me he hasn't slipped, he'd go up in mine if he quit - he has vowed to do so, let's see if we ever see Obama puffing.

Maybe he puffs and smokes but he doesn't inhale like his predecessor Clinton

I hope he doesn't do inhalations when he's got a flu or something, oh my oh my, what will the fuss be then ... might be whatever he's inhaling ... tsk tsk tsk

Why? Does everyone that smokes slip in your estimation?

This is old news, i read that he was a smoker ages ago, and his mother-in-law his moving into the White House to keep an eye on him, and to make sure he doesn`t have a smoke

I thought he was more intelligent...

Abfab, you were a smoker once too weren't you?

The important thing about this sentence is were

I know a good few doctors that smoke. Each to their own.

Here we go again, I didn't start this thread to be yet another clutching-at-straws-trying-to-find-ever-more-ludicrous-reasons-to-keep-on-smoking thread.

But oddly having seen a great deal over media coverage on Obama over the last months, even including a picture in his swimming trunks, but I never saw any mention that he was a smoker. I think his PR machine did a good job keeping this as low a profile as possible...

Agreed. Only point is I don't have problem with people if they want to smoke - it's a free world and it's their choice. Tis all. Doesnt make them any better or worse in my eyes. I know stupid smokers and stupid non-smokers!

Very true! I'd love to get a PR machine one day...

Just an afterthought... isn't your avatar holding a cigarette. Tut-tut!

Yes. It's irony...

I've seen it mentioned quite a few times.
He also mentions it in his first book but he did write that quite a long time ago.

OK but does that mean that your intelligence is greater when you are an ex-smoker? Are there three levels of intelligence:

1. non-smoker - superior intelligence
2. ex-smoker - moderately intelligent
3. smoker - dumb ass who has no clue

I personally don't rate intelligence on whether someone smokes or not. I agree it's a horrible habit that I am currently struggling to break and also wish I had never started but I didn't start because I lacked intelligence, merely because I was curious and found I enjoyed it.

No offence intended, but being curious and trying something that you know will lead to a slow and painful death does not exactly speak wonders for ones intelligence!

What are you stating exactly about the Swiss population?

I'm saying nothing about the Swiss population. You can infer what you want about those that smoke on a worldwide basis.

Absolutely!

I stopped smoking a few years ago but unfortuantely it didn't make me any more intelligent. I'm still a dumb ass who hasn't a clue.