Observing general productivity of nicotine users: I'm surprised they managed to build a spaceship at all.

The engineers of old were very different engineers than today.

Interesting observation. I think it could be argued that the average nicotine user today us a dramatically different kind of person than they were then.

During the time frame that the user you replied to was referencing, nicotine consumption was the norm. Now, with the extensive change in societal perspective that nicotine consumption has undergone, those who still use gravitate towards the uneducated and less successful.

They smoked indoors back then

Sounds like you just don't like nicotine users, and your observation is a little biased.

I've worked with smokers and non-smokers, both unproductive and productive alike.

I would venture to say that a metric like social media use has a higher correlation with lack of productivity, wouldn't you?

Smoking is also a natural Pomodoro technique, you take the necessary breaks for smoking so that keeps you going more.

Now.

Back then you could smoke at your desk.

Which was unfortunate for the non-smokers.

Only now. In the seventies, you’d light one up at your desk and continue powering through your work.

So were the deadlines and incentives. Global thermonuclear war, anyone?

Real engineers smoke a pack of Marlboros a day.

Marlboros? Those are for interns. The real work was done by those smoking unfiltered Lucky Strikes.

Camel Straights... Two Humps!

Because they have to go outside to smoke?

BTW if nicotine were such a powerful mental booster, nicotine patches would be vastly more popular. They provide all the upsides of nicotine without any of the downsides of smoking (harmful byproducts of burning, the smell, the need to go outside, etc).

I still think something else keeps smokers smoking: the taste, the ritual, looking cool, etc.

Do they though? I've wondered this before as a non-smoker.

I assume patches are slow release but smoking provides a bigger hit all at once. Sometimes that's important, both in terms of impact and building tolerance.

Nicotine without smoke is still not a great thing to consume and has it's own negative effects such are arterial hardening leading to increased heart attacks and strokes. While it is far better than smoking, it still known to cause long term health problems. Getting the stimulating effects of nicotine also takes fairly sensitive portion control. Too little and it is not going to stimulate, too much and you will want to barf for the next 45+ minutes.

Psychology of habit plays into this.

The downside of patches is the slow release. Smoking is instantaneous.

uhhh i don't know if you've noticed, but Juuls sure seem pretty popular right now...

I suppose amphetamine was also more accessible then.