I knew I smelled, but I didn't know what I smelled like or how strong it was. If I hadn't smoked in a day or so, I could smell other smokers, but only to trigger a craving and nowhere near as strongly as now. Almost all the adults I knew were smokers when I was growing up, so I probably didn't know the absence of the smell for most of my life until I, myself, quit.
I assume my sense of smell was worse as a smoker, but I don't know that for sure. It feels more like it was a filter. This was what I smelled like, so I couldn't tell when others smelled that way. Much like dog-owners can't smell a dog in the house, but as a non dog-owner, I know the previous owners of my house kept their dogs in the basement. I'll be removing the carpet next spring because of it. Oddly, my wife can't smell it, but it's pungent to me.
I assume my sense of smell was worse as a smoker, but I don't know that for sure. It feels more like it was a filter. This was what I smelled like, so I couldn't tell when others smelled that way. Much like dog-owners can't smell a dog in the house, but as a non dog-owner, I know the previous owners of my house kept their dogs in the basement. I'll be removing the carpet next spring because of it. Oddly, my wife can't smell it, but it's pungent to me.