Smoke Archives

Breaking Bad in College: When I “Interned” With a Weed Dealer

While my classmates were starting out as interns, I was learning how to run a business through a very different kind of on-the-job training. My college drug dealer gave me an education most people pay good money to business schools to learn.

Aryan Malhotra July 30, 2016

Vice

I Smoke Very Well

Why do I smoke? Quite apart from the addictive nicotine, I really enjoy it. Yes, smoking kills. But so does living.

RayC July 12, 2016

POV

Smog Crisis: Delhi is Not Poisonous, Its People Are

Delhi gears up for winter like heroes in sci-fi films prepare to enter cities that have been struck by epidemics – with masks, but raring to go into battle. The Capital’s terrible air quality is due to a combination of reasons – but at this point, Dilliwalas, did you really need a cracker ban to stop yourselves from worsening it?

Manik Sharma June 29, 2016

Animals

A Dog Experiences War. We Call it Diwali

We are under attack. Almost every minute a bomb goes off. From the window I can see children with guns and soldiers running around yelling code words at each other, “Happy Diwali! Happy Diwali!”

Arré Bench June 22, 2016

POV

Is Juul the Smoker’s Latest Fidget Spinner?

Juul, the aspirational new cigarette substitute that looks like a sleek USB stick, is sweeping urban India. But Juul isn’t revolutionary – it is, at best, all smoke and mirrors. One day, we’ll probably look back on this as a passing fad, just like TikTok videos.

Jackie Thakkar May 13, 2016

Vice

Quit If You Want, But You Will Always Be a Smoker

To quit smoking doesn’t mean taking your lungs off a diet of toxic smoke. In many ways, it feels like ceasing to be who you are.

Ramjaane April 21, 2016

Earth

Toxic Air Killed 1.2 Million Indians in 2017. Why Are We Still Celebrating With Firecrackers?

From inaugurations of events like the IPL to star-crossed lovers in our films staring dreamily into the distance as the sky lights up with fireworks, we’re hostage to the belief that no celebrations are complete until a few rockets have been fired into the night sky.

Oishorjyo March 16, 2016