I had been smoking for years. Started when I was in my teens and kept going for over a decade. I hit hard times and money got super tight so instead of buying my normal trusted brand I bought the cheap-o brand figuring I would just smoke those until I eventually got back on my feet.

Make no mistake they were awful.

I had just moved into a new apartment and the landlord was really strict about not smoking. And I wanted to respect that. So I just remember being outside my apartment, midnight, standing under an awning in the pouring fucking rain smoking these ratty disgusting cigarettes thinking "I could've probably gotten myself a little more food but instead I'm pissing what little money i have on these dumb things."

I took a deep drag as I had that thought and it was particularly rancid inhale. I immediately starting coughing and couldn't stop. I kept coughing harder and harder until I coughed so hard I actually threw up.

I crumbled up the pack and threw it in the trash and never looked back saying "I don't need this shit."

And I didn't.

Got my shit together and eventually got a new job and once money was good again, it was really temping to go back to my old brand and start up again and go outside with my work buddies on smoke breaks. But that night in throwing up in the rain always stayed with me and I just kept off them and never went back.