What do you think of smoking ?

[ChristineES]

Smoking? I am very sensitive to cigarette smoke- it makes my eyes burn, my throat burn, my nose burn, etc. If I see someone smoking, I usually go downwind of them. Since it is legal, I certainly can't tell them not to smoke- and believe everyone has been warned by the dangers by now. It is each person's choice. I, personally, would never smoke.

 

[dust1n]

I have no problem with the spiritual or medical consumption of harder substances. I said recreational.

Seems to me to be a very blurry, unstable distinction between two people doing the same thing.

 

[Breathe]

Seems to me to be a very blurry, unstable distinction between two people doing the same thing.

Unfortunately.

 

[dust1n]

Carbon monoxide, methane, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, formic acid, NO & NO2, pyrene, flourine, penantherene... just a handful of the deadly dangers of burning wood into the atmosphere (or into a fireplace). It wouldn't too long ago that FSU did a study on woodsmoke, and found that not only does it find that the free radicals in woodburning persist about 40 times longer than that of cigarette smoke. EPA also suggested that burning a fireplace releases 4200 times cancer-causing hydrocardons than a pack and a half of cigarettes.


Oh, for funsies

Biomass Burning is a problem of long standing. Huge amounts of air pollution are produced worldwide by the annual burning of 3 billion metric tons of biomass such as wood, leaves, trees, grass and trash (Abelson). Biomass burning represents the largest source of air pollution in many rural areas of the developed and developing world. Biomass burning is used create heat, to clear forests, to dispose of leaves, crop stubble, trash and wood. Globally, biomass burning is estimated to produce 40 percent of the carbon dioxide, 32 percent of the carbon monoxide, 20 percent of the particulates, and 50 percent of the highly carcinogenic poly-aromatic hydrocarbons produced by all sources (Levine).

The ill-health effects of biomass burning are well-established. Smoke from biomass burning is particularly dangerous since most of the particulates are smaller than 10 microns in size (PM10) and are easily able to travel deep into the lungs. Numerous studies have noted that increasing levels of PM10 (even if below the US EPA standard of 50 micrograms PM10 per cubic meter of air) can significantly increase levels of respiratory and heart problems (Morris, Schwela) [and are linked with a sudden death rate of approximately 5 percent at that level. ed]. About 95 percent of this burning is set by people, although lightning sometimes ignites fields and forests (Levine).

So really, the 'health concerns' people have about second hand smoke are a joke (unless we are talking about minors, indoors with others, or pregnancy and/or allergens) when you really want to put into perspective what in the air is poisoning you, exactly.

I never take people seriously anymore when they claim to know they eat... we continously find all sorts of air-based toxins in people, even in mother's milk is often contaminated.

[Regarding a hyppthetical list of ingredients in breast milk.]

But read down the label, and the fine print, at least for some women, sounds considerably less appetizing: DDT (the banned but stubbornly persistent pesticide famous for nearly wiping out the bald eagle), PCB's, dioxin, trichloroethylene, perchlorate, mercury, lead, benzene, arsenic. When we nurse our babies, we feed them not only the fats, sugars and proteins that fire their immune systems, metabolisms and cerebral synapses. We also feed them, albeit in minuscule amounts, paint thinners, dry-cleaning fluids, wood preservatives, toilet deodorizers, cosmetic additives, gasoline byproducts, rocket fuel, termite poisons, fungicides and flame retardants.

If, as Cicero said, your face tells the story of your mind, your breast milk tells the decades-old story of your diet, your neighborhood and, increasingly, your household decor. Your old shag-carpet padding? It's there. That cool blue paint in your pantry? There. The chemical cloud your landlord used to kill cockroaches? There. Ditto, the mercury in last week's sushi, the benzene from your gas station, the preservative parabens from your face cream, the chromium from your neighborhood smokestack. One property of breast milk is that its high-fat and -protein content attracts heavy metals and other contaminants. Most of these chemicals are found in microscopic amounts, but if human milk were sold at the local Piggly Wiggly, some stock would exceed federal food-safety levels for DDT residues and PCB's.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/09/magazine/09TOXIC.html

Cup o' sources.
Persistent free radicals in woodsmoke: a... [Free Radic Biol Med. 1989] - PubMed - NCBI

Biomass Burning (wood, leaves, grass, debris, trash)

 

[Marble]

I enjoy to smoke, but I hate it when others smoke.
Reason is that when I smoke I don't mind the smell, but I do when others smoke and I don't.

 

[Vultar]

Until you cite sources, I won't take you seriously.

As for me, I think smoking tobacco is no good. It's a bad habit and it's unhealthy.
But it should be allowed in certain places, sure. Just because some don't like it, doesn't mean no one should have the right. Again, in some places.

Of course no government will admit that the failing of these businesses is any way related to banning smoking in them, however simply looking at what's going on will let you see.

Malls failing - Since smoking was banned in malls, many stores have closed and any new malls are reverting back to the older style of "strip malls" to allow the smokers to smoke between stores. There have even been a few cases where "strip malls" that had been converted to "Inside malls" have now converted back to strip malls.

Restaurants failing - Many smaller restaurants went bankrupt within 6 months of smoking being banned. (including my favouurite three restaurants). The owner of my favourite restaurant indicated it was due to the smoking ban in their case.

Bars failing - A number of bars constructed outside patios at great expense to survive, the ones that didn't went under. When they then changed the rules for the outside patios, a great number of the surviving bars also died. On a brighter note, the liquer stores saw a boom in sales as more people just moved to their own homes to drink.

Theatres failing - Almost every theatre has closed since the smoking ban was introduced. People simply switched to renting so they could still smoke.

I think they should allow for "smokers only" establishments but the govenment will never allow for it as the "smoking" establiments will be too profitable, proving that the smoking ban is hurting the economy.

 

[Carpenter Rabbi]

I've been used as a smoke detector before. My brother and I are very sensitive to the taste/smell of smoke, especially if it has nicotine.

And I personally think smoking is just plain stupid. "Hooray for tar and lung cancer!" No thanks.

 

[Vultar]

Cars and factories pollute far more then cigarette smoke. I think we should ban them...

Here is a test, go to your garage, close all the doors and smoke...
now do the same thing but this time just run the car...

Which one will kill you...

(please don't actually try this as you will die trying)

 

[Kathryn]

Cars and factories pollute far more then cigarette smoke. I think we should ban them...

Here is a test, go to your garage, close all the doors and smoke...
now do the same thing but this time just run the car...

Which one will kill you...

(please don't actually try this as you will die trying)

You really don't understand much about carbon monoxide poisoning, do you?

 

[Vultar]

You really don't understand much about carbon monoxide poisoning, do you?

Of course I understand about carbon monoxide poisoning...

Do you understand that constant exposure to carbon monoxide and other pollutants is what causes lung cancer and that is why non-smokers now get lung cancer more then smokers?

It is an interesting thing about the human body. The more it is exposed to something in small doses, the more it builds up a resistance. So smokers can actually survive the pollutants in the world much better then non smokers. (of course if you smoke too much, you will cause issues as well). But then again, it is proven that if you eat a jar of peanut butter every day for a few years you will also get cancer.

extremes = bad for the body
moderation = good for the body


(and yes, even poison in moderation will build up a tolerance against that poison)

 

[Kathryn]

Of course I understand about carbon monoxide poisoning...

Do you understand that constant exposure to carbon monoxide and other pollutants is what causes lung cancer and that is why non-smokers now get lung cancer more then smokers?

It is an interesting thing about the human body. The more it is exposed to something in small doses, the more it builds up a resistance. So smokers can actually survive the pollutants in the world much better then non smokers. (of course if you smoke too much, you will cause issues as well). But then again, it is proven that if you eat a jar of peanut butter every day for a few years you will also get cancer.

extremes = bad for the body
moderation = good for the body


(and yes, even poison in moderation will build up a tolerance against that poison)

But...but...smokers still get lung cancer much more often than non smokers... pesky little fact....One in seven people who get lung cancer are non smokers. That means 6 out of seven people who get lung cancer ARE smokers.

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/frequently-asked-questions-about-lung-cancer

 

[helpmeplease]

But...but...smokers still get lung cancer much more often than non smokers... pesky little fact....One in seven people who get lung cancer are non smokers. That means 6 out of seven people who get lung cancer ARE smokers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lung Cancer

Yes and is it because they smoke or because they are genetically programmed to be more susceptible to "cancer" just as the non-smokers who contract lung cancer may be just as susceptible?

 

[Kathryn]

Yes and is it because they smoke or because they are genetically programmed to be more susceptible to "cancer" just as the non-smokers who contract lung cancer may be just as susceptible?

What?????

Six out of seven people with lung cancer are smokers. One increases one's chances of getting lung cancer by smoking. What's hard to understand about that?

 

[helpmeplease]

What?????

Six out of seven people with lung cancer are smokers. One increases one's chances of getting lung cancer by smoking. What's hard to understand about that?

Kathryn, really I understand the risks, I avoid smoking around children and anyone who doesn't like it but you mentioned your forbears who lived to old age. I have a similar story, my great grandfather died at 99 and smoked from the time he was 10 until his death. My grandfather smoked from the age of eight until he died at 93, my mother smoked for 50yrs before she gave up and lived to 93. I now take more pills than any of them ever saw, I have no interest in living beyond any usefullness and I'm just about there. My smoking doesn't harm anyone else and is legal so what's the problem. Road traffic and industry provide more carcinogens than smoking for all non smokers and your 6/7 is false.

 

[FearGod]

Kathryn, really I understand the risks, I avoid smoking around children and anyone who doesn't like it but you mentioned your forbears who lived to old age. I have a similar story, my great grandfather died at 99 and smoked from the time he was 10 until his death. My grandfather smoked from the age of eight until he died at 93, my mother smoked for 50yrs before she gave up and lived to 93. I now take more pills than any of them ever saw, I have no interest in living beyond any usefullness and I'm just about there. My smoking doesn't harm anyone else and is legal so what's the problem. Road traffic and industry provide more carcinogens than smoking for all non smokers and your 6/7 is false.

[youtube]dVLtNgAhPRg[/youtube]
Smoking Kills (The Bryan Curtis story) - YouTube

 

[helpmeplease]

Oh why didn't someone tell me:ignore::sleep:

 

[FearGod]

Oh why didn't someone tell me:ignore::sleep:

Dude,we are talking about science now,not religion.
Smoking confirmed to be harmful to your health

[youtube]UZmwIaa_qbk[/youtube]
smoking kills - YouTube

 

[helpmeplease]

Well if I'd known that, I would have rejected my conception, because as opposed to smoking it is guaranteed to kill. Oh wait I'm not a sooky lala. Do you know that I also drive a car and travel in them as a passenger, I'm just an adrenaline junky I guess.

 

[Koldo]

My smoking doesn't harm anyone else and is legal so what's the problem. Road traffic and industry provide more carcinogens than smoking for all non smokers and your 6/7 is false.

It is mostly your problem. It is far more likely you will have lung cancer than nonsmokers.

And for anyone that is interested on other effects, give the following link a read:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_tobacco

 

[helpmeplease]

It is mostly your problem. It is far more likely you will have lung cancer than nonsmokers.

And for anyone that is interested on other effects, give the following link a read:

Health effects of tobacco - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Well it's too late now, so I'll just keep smoking, OK?