Smoking?

[teejk]

What about those that have suffered from the effects of smoke without ever smoking a single cigarette in their life? People that have died from emphysema and never smoked (except for secondhand) in their life. Those folks don't have the benefit of a filter in the butt, either! You cannot put a price on their and their families' suffering!

Contrary to popular belief (by many smokers), the smoke of those cancer sticks DO hurt other people. Non-selfish smokers will extinguish their flame in the presence of any non-smoker...I've never seen a smoker do that...

I can link to several studies on the "myth" of second hand smoke. I won't bother since you seem to be one of those that would take offense at smoke 300 yards away in a 50 mph wind. I'll end my comments by saying that #1 your comment has me scratching my head about "some smokers putting them out but you have never seen it" (we as a group already have to go outside and I have no problem with that) and #2 we have so many environmental factors that can lead to bad things. TTFN

 

[KubotainNH]

I tried it and didn't like it so never did again. My FIL was a chain smoker, gag. I just can't understand why a teenager today would take it up especially with the cost factor. A pack a day is over $1800 a year.

 

[Ted Summey]

My wife's family on both sides raised tobacco. I worked in it after we were married. The tobacco gum that collected on hands and clothes was like tar or rosin. It can't be good for someone to breathe the smoke from that stuff. Plus the chemicals that were/are used to control weeds, pests and prevent suckers can't produce smoke that is good to breathe. Then there are the ripening agents sprayed on the crop to get it to ripen "on schedule". Now a tremendous amount of tobacco consumed in the US is coming from overseas, who knows what they put on the tobacco "over there." I can't imagine breathing the burning chemicals in and on he tobacco from China!

Tobacco money did a tremendous amount of good for families and communities around here, but my FIL said before he died that if had a choice he wouldn't have raised tobacco. The problem was that was the only cash crop at the time that could help support a family. Now we don't any crop to support our farm families here in the NW Piedmont of North Carolina.

 

[Ted Summey]

From R.J. Reynolds' website R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company | Public Health Information

Making Decisions Regarding Tobacco Use
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company believes that individuals should rely on the conclusions of the U.S. Surgeon General, the Centers for Disease Control and other public health and medical officials when making decisions regarding smoking.
Links to the websites of the Surgeon General and other public health officials are provided below.
The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation
2010 Surgeon General's Report
2006 Surgeon General's Report
2004 Surgeon General's Report
Previous Surgeon General's Reports
The Health Consequences of Using Smokeless Tobacco
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Cancer Institute
American Cancer Society
American Heart Association

Reynolds has 27% of the U.S. market for tobacco.

 

[Mike_Kanzer]

I am a pathologist and for the last 26 years have directly seen the effects of cigarette smoking. I have autopsied many people who have died from lung cancer and cigarette smoking related chronic obstructive lung diseases ( emphysema and chronic bronchitis). Smoking is basically Russian roulette with a gun loaded with probably at least 4 of 6 chambers. Unfortunately, nicotine is highly addictive making smoking highly difficult to quit. Rather than being mad at smokers I sympathize with them and hope they consider trying to quit. Second hand smoking is clearly also a risk factor for lung carcinoma and COPD.

 

[EastTexFrank]

As others have said, smoking is super adictive. My wife had mouth surgery about 7 years ago and quit cold turkey and says she has never wanted one since. I, on the other hand, still smoke 2 - 3 cigars a day. I can quit for 3 - 4 months at a time and it doesn't bother me too much but always drift back to them.

The worst case was my father. He quit on his 70th birthday .... almost. He couldn't give up that one last cigarette a day. That's right, a pack of cigarettes would last him 3 weeks. He just couldn't give up that one cigatette after dinner in the evening.

 

[daveshoot]

I have concluded that complaining about, and at, smokers, actually releases endorphins in the brain.

Once folks have achieved personal perfection, there's naught else to do but persecute those who haven't. Otherwise what good is perfection?

Assuming all are correct weight and cholesterol, non-soda slurpers nor gum-snappers, and drive Prius's. Please carry on.