You Are Smoking and Our Health Suffers »
Posted By GLee 6 months ago in Health & Fitness
This caught my attention, in part, because of a smoker in my family that developed emphazema, further complicated by a heart attack and now lung cancer. My brother has smoked a pack a day for 30 years and now his 'armour' has finally broken down all in one veiled swoop. A month ago we attended a football game and had a bunch of laughs. He is quite the man. A former football All America at the University of Tennessee. One week later he fell very ill and could hardly breath. Please read this very important article to protect others at risk. The unpleasant residual odor of a smoked cigarette is nothing new. Ask anyone who's returned from a party with the scent of stale cigarettes in their hair and clothing. Now, a study has confirmed what many have suspected. Third-hand smoke—the contamination from particles in smoke that linger long after a cigarette has been snuffed out—is more than unpleasant. It's a health threat.
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mntnman4446 months ago
Message from Obama and me to all you smoking nazis who would drive your Hummers to an anti-smoking rally...
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http://media.photobucket.com/image/i%20smoke%20dea...-
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GLee6 months ago
What you do with your life is your business mntnman, just don't force your habits on others is all I/we ask. There are consequences for us all.
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memestryker6 months ago
Smoking--even second hand smoke--can adversely effect a fetus.
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I have asthma, and I've had to curtail where I could go in public for much of my life because of smokers. When public smoking was banned in my state, it was like a new world for me. I could go to a football party at a restaurant and still breathe. I was finally able to get off asthma meds most of the time once the workplaces were smoke free (sometimes a bad bug or some pulluting situation--like open trash burning or a house that has burned down--still sets it off).
Those of us with medical problems really don't have a choice. I'm sorry about smokers' addiction. I know addictions are difficult, if not impossible, for many people to beat. I think smokers should have places designated so they can pursue their addiction, since it's legal, and I hope science provides more solutions to breaking their addiction. -
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Spadecaller6 months ago
My little miracle:
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In 1997, I went to my friend's with my youngest son to watch the Sunday football game. My friend had no rules about smoking in the house. Despite the fact that I never smoked indoors at home, and forgetting the fact that my youngest has asthma, I lit one up. Before I finished the cigarette, my son began to cough. Apologizing, I went outdoors to finish getting my fix. I remember shaking my head in disgust. I was annoyed with myself. I felt like a real schmuck.
That night, I had a dream - actually it was a nightmare. It seemed real. In the dream, my son began to cough and choke from my smoking cigarette. Suddenly he could not breathe. I had to call 911. By the time the ambulance arrived, he had stopped breathing. When I realized he was dead, I woke up.
Realizing that my son was really still alive, I thanked God. On that morning in September of 1997, I threw away a cartoon of cigarettes, bought some gum, and quit. I have not had another cigarette since.
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GLee6 months ago
To you John....... please get well or may you rest with God.
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The beginning of this article was slightly amended. My brother is very ill and has been for a few weeks. On top of everything else, while receiving CPR in a life saving measure, his back was broken. Bless you John and bless those who strive/d to save his life.-
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RRcon6 months ago
God bless your brother John GLee. May God see you and your family thru this trying time. May God grant a speedy recovery. Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to help.
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9critters6 months ago
GLee: I am sorry for what you are going through. I watched my husband's uncle struggle with lung cancer and it was a horrible experience for all of us.
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My thoughts and prayers are with you both.
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RRcon6 months ago
I have never been an obnoxious smoker. I don't smoke in the house, I respect non smokers. But it really drives me crazy how my rights as a smoker have been slowly erroding. Case in point. Just about everywhere, you can't smoke in any restaurant, and a lot of bars. Hell, theres a lot of places your not allowed to smoke on the grounds even though your out in the open. The problem I have, is that if I was a private business owner in lets say Massachusets that opened a bar and tried to make it a bar for smokers only, it would be against the law. If I make a connection at an airport, and have a two hour layover. If I'm in an airport that hasn't got a smoking area, I need to go outside and then go back thru security just to have a cigarette.
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I have no problem with respecting others and not smoking in places that the general public has to go. But I do have rights too, and I want easier access to smoking areas.
I'm never gonna quit, I said that I would for the past 30 years now, but I was recently diagnosed with MS, so I can safely say that I'll be smoking till the day I die, or can't lift it to my mouth anymore. I just want smokers rights too.-
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mntnman4446 months ago
I don't know if it's possible in Mass but there was a restauraunt here that had seperate smoking/non-smoking sections complete with seperate ventilation...but of course we know that is not good enough for the smoking nannies who want to force their will on icky ,second class citizen smokers.When they got their facist nanny law passed no smoking in any restaurant,the restaurant declared itself a private smoking club,you paid a dollar for membership and it worked.
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A few months ago I went to the biggest park in the city,I was standing alone in the middle of a huge field when a guy came up and told me smoking was illegal in the public park that my tax dollars pay for as much as anyone else.
This is pathetic...got news for you smoking nannies...you will never shame anyone out of smoking. -
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lvrofwolves6 months ago
What about all the sport stadiums where you can't even smoke on the grounds anywhere near it, if you go outside the gates, you can't get back in even tho the taxes on cigs are what built those stadiums. Surely they could have made a place for the smokers.
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Eagle_Eye6 months ago
This New Year I am over 10 years cigarette free, best gift I ever gave myself......actually I'm pretty vain, LOL
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I have nothing against smokers, I've been there, but I do feel better since I quit......and I would wish that some day you can give it up without all ready having health issues.....I still luv you though, smoke or not.-
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mntnman4446 months ago
Hi EE
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You know what is going to make me quit?
Not shame,not insulting commercials,not nanny laws.
It is the new "fireproof" cigarettes the facist forces have thrust upon us second class citizens.They are far from fireproof...they go out halfway and drop the cherry on the floor,when you relight them you can taste whatever magic poison they put in them to make them fireproof (not).I have met many smokers who have noticed this and say it will be what makes them quit...a big govt nanny law that forces manufacturers to ruin their product. So I will quit simply because they tast bad. -
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Spadecaller6 months ago
EE:
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Bravo and congratulations on your 10 year anniversary. Nice to see your white feathers, huh?
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codgerpriceComment removed: User banned.
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Beau78906 months ago
Of course cigarette smoke contains harmful pollutants, and my sympathies are with anyone who suffers, or whose friends or family members suffer, from respiratory ailments. And I urge all smokers to be respectful of others while smoking.
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But whenever this topic comes up, I can't help but be reminded of Fran Leibowitz's somment about it. I don't remember the exact words, so I'm paraphrasing here:
You know when you're in an airplane circling the airport waiting to land and you look out the window and see that thick brown haze over the city?
That ain't cigarette smoke.
The point being--there is vastly more pollution in the air all around us, far more harmful to our health than cigarette smoke could ever be, on which anti-smoking fanatics could focus their efforts to eliminate.-
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lvrofwolves6 months ago
I've seen those at the duty free shops in Canada, not attractive at all....I'd just buy a cig case!
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Yes I'm one of the addicted ones, and I think I am respectful of non smokers, at least I really try to be.
I was in Switzerland in 2006, people were smoking in this park, I didn't see any ashtrays, I didn't want to throw the butt on the ground so I carried it in my hand, then pocket for hours and hours until I could find an ashtray. I can't stand people that throw their butts on the ground.
I also think in bars, it should be owners choice, they can put up a sign if it's a smoking bar and people could choose if they want to go in or not, nobody is forced to go in or not. -
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Beau78906 months ago
Having said that, if the U.S. government really wanted to get serious about getting people to quit, it'd follow the lead of some other countries.
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In Ireland, warnings on cigarette packs use large bold type and take up half of the front of each pack. One of them says:
Smoking cigarettes causes impotence.
Imagine trying to pick up women with that sitting next to your ashtray.
In Thailand, they use large pictures depicting some of the more revolting physical effects of smoking on teeth, skin and other body parts. Google "graphic smoking warnings" to see examples. -
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mntnman4446 months ago
That's the problem...we are respectful...the anti-smokers are not.There is much pollution that is invisible and we all breathe that with every breath we take...the suggestion that my cigarette is the problem is ridiculous.
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ELISHEVA16 months ago
I am an ex smoker / addict... PLEASE STOP YOUR WHINING!!!!!!!!!!! You only encourage the cycle with this approach.
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Number One - SMOKING IS LEGAL!! That could be changed by your government. Personally, I think it would be better for all - smokers included, if it was not legal. The kids would not be exposed to advertising, and it would likely be less convenient, desirable and attractive to kids if they were to be sold on the black market making it likely that the some would quit and some would not start.
If the serious anti smokers are serious about this they should get their government to make it illegal. Stop putting it on the addicts - why do you think they are addicted? A drug that is more difficult to drop than heroine. Being 'made wrong' for the addiction is useless and frankly makes is much harder to quit. (That's right, you encourage the smoker to continue with your whining.)
If you really want clean air - lobby the industrial world, get the Kyoto agreement changed to realize a world of zero GHG emissions so that all are actually responsible for our environment. Air pollution has been named and the # 1 cause of lung cancer - as named by the lung association.
Lastly, what about you? Why don't you look at your: alcohol, chocolate, video game, t.v., talking, food, chips, whatever, (and much more,) addiction? Or your bad parenting skills that encourage your child to blame others and not take responsibility???
Good luck, seems YOU have some work to do. When you are perfect, let us know and then we'll listen to you rant. Then again, when you are perfect I am sure you (and I) won't feel the need to rant...
Here's hoping we can focus on what is important, starting with learning how to co=operate.-
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ELISHEVA16 months ago
For sure, respect for others is # 1. I think that is what caused me to rant. I'm sick of people whining and blaming and teaching that and not ever taking any responsibility. THAT is disrespectful.
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So, I was king of saying both: 'It's legal, deal with it,' and the comment about making it illegal was mute. There are many reasons why it cannot be made illegal unconstitutional (a right to smoke etc.,) plus it's impossible because the tobacco companies are so strong, and, as mentioned - the government makes billions off of the smoker. That's what I was getting at. The smoker deserves a little credit 'cause those tax dollars go to the public programs, education, (ironically) health, weapons... whatever. Our taxes would be much higher if cigarette taxes were not funding some of the infrastructure.
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mntnman4446 months ago
And no laws (yet) against obesity which in recent years has been determined to be more dangerous and costly to society than smoking...but I'm sure we will see the Big Mac police in the near future...with all the blind supporters of big govt it's easy,they just hand our rights away as long as they can be comfortable.
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I hear in NYC you can't even order eggs sunny side up any more.
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Harbeas6 months ago
I can't believe the excuses smokers give in defending their habit. Smoking is dangerous to your health as well as everyone who is forced to inhale your smoke. It is a nasty habit that makes your breath and clothes stink and actually looks pretty stupid. The most inane remark by many smokers is it's my life and If I want to kill myself it's my business. Let's look at foolish and selfish remark. Do you have a mother, father, sister, brother? do you have a girlfriend or boy friend? Do you haved a wife or husband and kids? Do you think your death or a long painful struggle to survive is not going to affect them? It is awful to watch a loved one die of cancer. So if you can still say it's my life you are displaying an utter disregard for the people who care about you. Plus it's very possible that you may be the cause of them contracting cancer and you will be watching them suffer. Please do your self and your loved ones a favor and quit.
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dotsie_d6 months ago
I smoke. I don't trip all over the rights oif others. If someone gives me the fisheye for smoking in front of them, I put it out. But dammit, I have rights too, and I try to be respectful of those who don't share in my habit. The funny thing is, I don't cosume alcohol, which causes far more consequences than tobacco, but there seems to be no backlash against that!
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ellsworth-tooheyComment removed: User banned.
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saneman6 months ago
To compare a vehicle being outdoors and a smoker being indoors is ludicrous. Of course a vehicle spews out more pollution than a smoker, and a vehicle with its engine running indoors is also illegal. One cannot drive a vehicle inside a bar, restauant, mall or any public building and leave it running. If someone wants to smoke indoors then invent a helmet which is sealed around the neck region and then you would be able to smoke indoors, and heck, I would even agree to draft and prosecute the patent app for you. Come on smokers, don't spew out crap that you have the right to smoke in public buildings without consequences. Keep the smoke to yourself. You don't have the right to create smoke and allow it to spread to people around you. Its simply common sense. In fact, smoke created by one person is nothing less than a battery on another person.
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RRcon6 months ago
There is so much attention paid to things like smoking as being such a bad thing. They tell everyone that they cause cancer, heart disease. But why is it that they never tell you what the number one killer in the United States is. It kills over 350,000 Americans each year, and it's a dirty little secret. They are called medical mistakes. That encompasses everything from being perscribed the wrong medication, to having a doctor foul up an operation. It's sad that we live in a technologically advanced society, and stand a 7 times greater chance of being killed by some one in the medical profession, than being killed by lung cancer.
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saneman6 months ago
Sadly, many people view doctors as Gods. They spend more time going to see their doctors than doing anything else. Whenever I drive by a medical clinic, I always think it is a mall since there are lots and lots of cars in the parking lots. For the very reasons you have stated, I haven't been to a doctor in about 15 years. I prefer preventitive measures rather than medications.
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9critters6 months ago
I have never smoked but I do have severe reactions when others are smoking around me. I actually have had to go outside when I was in a home where someone else is smoking because I cough so hard I can't catch my breath.
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Recently my daughter had a severe asthma attack complicated by emphasema the day before Thanksgiving. She was rushed to the hospital and put on a ventilator. She was still in the hospital on 12/17 (her 45th birthday) and she had a tracheostomy done on 12/20. She developed pneumonia and was moved to a facility that specialized in her problem on 12/26.
She finally was able to go home on New Year's day but she still has 6-12 months of PT before a full recovery.
My father-in-law smoked for 30 years, stopped smoking for 40 years and died from complication of emphasema. The doctors have told us that they are sure there is a genetic link for this!
The doctors have told my daughter and her daughter all of this and my daughter has told us that she has quit smoking. I HOPE this is true because those 6 weeks of not knowing what was happening were HELL. I also hope my grand-daughter will pay attention.
I am sure that since my daughter smoked during my grand-daughter's entire life this had to have encouraged her to start smoking. I told both them that going through this at 66 was a traumatic experience and I certainly don't want to go through it again at 86!
All of you are correct that it is your own life! However no one lives in a vacumm. Everything you do effects other people. And there is nothing worse than watching your loved one struggling for every breath even when they are assisted with a ventilator, especially knowing that there is no cure for emphasema or asthma.
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