The risks of smoking are greatly exaggerated

TheRecord.com ^ | 20 November 2002 | ERIC BOYD

[Blood of Tyrants]

To reach these estimated danger levels, the cigarettes must be smoked simultaneously and completely in a sealed 20-square-foot room with a nine-foot ceiling.

I was in that room at a bar once.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Well, three out of four lousy journalists who can kiss my A$$ would prefer I use Charmin(over using no toilet paper at all).

We should find out who that fourth journalist is. He or she needs to see a physician. Or a psychotherapist. Or both.     =;^)

[SheLion]

The problem with the majority of scientific studies (on smoking and any other currently PC taboo topic) is: the people conducting them start with their findings in mind prior to conducting their research. Once you know what you want to prove...the rest is easy!

Junk Science

[SheLion]

This is a wonderful post. Nice work, SheLion! ;-D

Thanks! Judith Anne!

But no matter how much we bring out about this issue, there are still a certain few that the anti's have brain washed. There is NO convincing them. If you know what I mean.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Breathing onion smoke isn't too much fun either.

[szweig]

And junk science it is. There is way too much of it these days, but tobacco leads the way. BTW, personal anecdotes of your 82-year-old grandfather who is healthy or your 23-year-old uncle who died don't really add anything to the discussion.

Also, I would hope that all smokers start rolling their own or buying out of state or from the I-net. That would let these greedy bastard state legislatures at least be honest with their constituents.

And next time you go by a trial lawyer - blow smoke in her face. Greedy bastards -- class action a**holes!!!

[netmilsmom]

Sorry about your wife. But I've been there and done that with my dad. (Heart attack, bypass surgery, colon cancer within 5 years). You're right, I would prefer to not increase my risk, but everytime my husband tries to quit, he makes us all soooo miserable, I'm out buying cigs at 4.00 a pack. When you are hooked, it's a bite to quit. Better to cut down, continue to cut down and finally give up all together. It's a dirty habit but someone must support all those social programs ;-).

[SheLion]

"The risks of smoking are greatly exaggerated. So are the costs."

Sigh. Tell that to all the folks in my waiting room....

This COST business has been blown so far out of proportion it's time for an oil change, Dr. Luv.

The BIG LIE That Smoking is an Economic Burden To Society

The Congressional Research Service, in the 1998 revision of their study found: Smokers cost the federal government $9 billion in medical care and $10 billion in lost contributions to social security, etc. But they also found they save $40 billion in retirement costs (mostly social security), about $8 billion in nursing home costs (mostly from Medicaid), and they collect $5.6 billion in cigarette taxes. When added up, smokers saved the federal government $34.6 billion dollars yearly.

State governments saved money too. After subtracting net medical costs of $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion from lost contributions from a savings of $4.8 billion in nursing home costs financed through Medicaid and $.6 billion in retirement savings, and $7.6 billion in cigarette taxes, smokers saved the states almost $9.7 billion.

That's a total saving of $44.3 billion.

Since this 1998 report, taxes have skyrocketed on cigarettes in many states and the tobacco settlement was signed. The settlement was for reimbursement of past and future medical expenses, so states have not only been reimbursed, but smokers are paid up to infinity on future medical costs.

Leaving out new taxes and the settlement, smokers have been overpaying the state and federal governments for an average $950 each year I figure. But to be fair, there are about the same number as former smokers as smokers so if there is ever a rebate given, it should be split up between the two groups and average about $475 each, each year.

Now, the state insurance program may feel the effects of smoker’s costs, but either it should be taken out of the excise tax or figured into the tobacco settlement, which supposedly covers it.

Not only that! We HAVE our own health coverage, thank you! No one, not even you, have to pay for US should we ever get sick! And that's a fact.

[SheLion]

NBC had a report Monday night of a non-smoker who got lung-cancer. Never in the entire story did they mention RADON.

RADON is a silent killer. But if a person smokes and is around RADON and gets sick and or dies....guess what they blame the death on. heh!

[metesky]

If they are dead, AP, how were they saved by quitting?

[A Vast RightWing Conspirator]

I am a former 2-pack smoker who quit more than 10 yrs. ago so, I have some sympathy for smokers. Quitting was a personal decision to me - I simply decided that there is more for me to enjoy in a longer, disease-free life. In other words, the pleasure that smoking gave me was not worth the future pain caused by smoke-related diseases and the shorter life.

Anyway, what I want to say is that I accept smokers' right to smoke as much as they want. I also do not want to smell or inhale the by-products of their activities. If you come to think of it, no one wants to smell or inhale other people 'gas', right? So... I'm for smokers' right to enjoy themselves for as long as they do it 'discretely'. After all, no one should deny other people's right to fart as much as they want. In the privacy of their home or in specially-designated public spaces, such as restrooms.

[Cacique]

bump for later read

[SheLion]

I smoked for 10 years. I know what cigarettes can do. I love cigars and I love pipes. But a cigarette is a nasty little instrument used merely to deliver death and disease to its user.

Is ANYTHING we are posting getting through to you at all? Or do you refuse to remove your blinders? Why are you so pig-headed!

You know what: a lot of people can run 10 miles. Most can't. A lot of people can smoke without repercussions.......some can't. It all depends on generics.

[Doctor Stochastic]

That's true. The guys who found the like between smoking and lung cancer were looking to prove a link between automobile exhaust and lung cancer. What they found was that smoking was the main culprit.

[SheLion]

Hyprocrites one and all: they whine about 2nd hand smoke, but are glad to squeeze the tobacco industry cow for all the milk they can get for their special interest crap.

And the “Tobacco Cash Cow” is being paid 100% by smokers who pay cigarette taxes. Not Big Tobacco and NOT the Government. The smokers who pay taxes are paying for all of this control, restrictions and abuse.

But it’s definitely something we never ask for. Big T sold us out.

[A. Pole]

This unreasonable exploitation of the ever-present risks of living infiltrates our schools to indoctrinate trusting and eager minds with the irrational fears of today.

Maybe to turn attention away from the real risks?

[SheLion]

Common, Ditter. I already have you on my list of a anti-smokers. So I know why your here. To diss decent Conservatives who choose to smoke a legal product.

Go ahead. Blow your smoke, Ditter! Get it out of your system and move on!

[metesky]

My father was born September 8, 1907. He smoked from his fifteenth year until his seventy-fifth year, sixty years in all.

At seventy-five he quit because, "The G-- damned things are slowing me down!"

He died in his sleep November, 19, 2002 at 95 years, five weeks.

[SheLion]

I'm going to assume you're too grown up to be offended or impressed by scare stories but unless you've been there, you wouldn't believe how bad it can be.

Honey, at my age, it doesn't make much difference. If you think I am going to give up my coffee and cigarettes now, after enjoying them all the days of my life, well........there is no way!

Been there? I have been there. And I had a team of Doctors that ask me if I smoke, how much I smoke and they all said my smoking did not cause my cancer. And not one of them told me to quit. Cancer is caused by all sorts of things. Not just smoking. I'm a survivor and I smoke!