Who's smoking whom?

[Duke]

From the main page:

Over 1.2 billion people smoke daily, nearly a quarter of the worlds entire population. It is estimated that every cigarette smoked shortens your life span by approx. 14 minutes. The sad part is that nearly 6,000 teens start smoking each and every day. All of this translates to just under 5 million smoking related deaths each year with close to 14,000 people dying every day.

Some facts about smoking:

- Smokers have a death rate three times higher than non-smokers at all ages starting from young adulthood.
- On average, smokers who begin smoking in adolescence and continue to smoke regularly have a 50% chance of dying from tobacco use. Half of these will die in middle age, losing around 20-25 years of normal life expectancy.
- Globally, approximately 48% of men and 12% of women smoke.
- Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined -- and thousands more die from other tobacco-related causes -- such as fires caused by smoking (more than 1,000 deaths/year nationwide) and smokeless tobacco use.

- 60mg of pure nicotine placed on a person's tongue would kill within minutes.

About 5% - 8% of each cigarettes output is smoke, the rest is comprised of invisible gasses such as:

- formaldehyde: used for embalming dead bodies - has a metallic taste
- ammonia: used for cleaning toilets - taste and smell like cat urine
- acetone: used to remove nail varnish
- carbon monoxide - emitted from car exhausts
- arsenic: used to kill rats
- hydrogen
- cyanide: used in gas chambers
- benzene: used as a petrol additive
- methanol
- wood alcohol acetylene: used as fuel in torches
- polonium 210: radioactive element. One study showed that a person who smokes 20 cigarettes a day receives a dose of radiation each year equivalent to about 200 chest x-rays
- lead: highly toxic metal, capable of causing serious damage to the brain, kidneys, nervous system and red blood cells
- vinyl chloride: a manufactured substance used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC)


Still considering taking up the habit, give your head a shake!

With all the above information being widely available everywhere, why is it that people still smoke? Should education on smoking and drug use begin in school?

[Duke]

I'd love to see our school system embrace education on things effecting our youth and think that smoking, drug use, abuse (mental/physical), finances, etc., should all be compulsory topics.

[Samson]

With all the above information being widely available everywhere, why is it that people still smoke? Should education on smoking and drug use begin in school?

Second question answered first: It does begin in school. For years kids take lessons in health, and the theme is continued throughout most of highschool. BUT then we also teach math, and some adults cannot add fractions, ahem......... Duke, what is the sum of 5/6 + 3/5?

So, as you see, public education is not always successful for everyone, but over time, there has been much improvement with declining acceptance of smoking throughout the world EXCEPT in places that have poorly educated populations.

[Merika]

I don't like large plaid shirts. I think they are ugly and they nauseate me. I hope Congress will listen and make everyone quit wearing them....since MY choice should over-ride THEIR choice.

[Star]

fact is that we can't stop kids or anyone from smoking if that's what they choose to do. I started smoking at 12. Seems to be the average age that kids do start to smoke. Kids start smoking because of peer pressure. they want to be "cool". Sad thing is that you don't realize how uncool it is until you're well hooked and an adult.

Krystal smokes. Could I stop her from smoking? NO! she's going to smoke whether I allow it or not. I can't stop her. Could anyone make me stop smoking? NO! I enjoy having my smoke after I eat or first thing in the morning. I think the only way I would quit is if the doctor told me I had to for poor health reasons. Even then it would be hard to quit because I do enjoy it.

The same thing can be said about alcohol or drugs. Let's face it, most people we know smoke a joint here and there. Those same people don't smoke cigarettes though but did you know that smoking 1 joint is like smoking a lot of cigarettes at once? Alcohol is nasty on your liver but people drink anyways.

Fact is that we're all going to do something that's unhealthy to our bodies out of enjoyment. We know these things are not good for us but we do them anyways. If I want to smoke, I'll smoke and nobody can stop me.

[RandomSkater]

My grandpa smoked for 40 years. when he stopped the summer before last he couldn't walk more than 5 ft. without being so winded he had to sit down.
Since then he's gotten alot better though.

[Duke]

Only at your school or in your area Samson because it doesn't happen everywhere as you seem to indicate it does. I'm not entirely sure what math your referring to but all the stats posted are widely publicised. I've even provided some of the links I used in writing the story. BTW, I do suck at math, how nice of you to point it out :oops:

Merika thats just plain silly, you may hate them but it's not affecting your health now is it?

[Samson]

do suck at math, how nice of you to point it out

Actually, I just played the odds, and its not just you.... Frankly, adding fractions is about as useful as knowing how to forge horse shoes.

Merika! Duke is correct! Your hatred of plaid flannel shirts is irrational! Please seek some sort of antipsychotic drug therapy before you do something rash.

Or, you may have been making a sarcastic remark??

The point is, most schools teach anti-smoking messages, and adding fractions, but neither are effective lessons for everyone, who as adults have the right to never do math, smoke, drink, read poetry (yuck) or even, god forbid, vote a straight party ticket! All of this might, in some remote or direct way, endanger others. As INDIVIDUALS we must make good choices.

Government in the US has already tried and failed to prohibit alcohol, for all the same reasons proposed to halt tobacco with predictable failure. People (mostly Merika) must drink, and will stop at no illegality to have their Ice House Longnecks.

[Duke]

I posted this article sheer out of timing; it was not meant to diss any of the members here who smoke. I'm sure that you all must know what you’re doing to yourselves now since this information has been widely available for years.

This article is to help educate people such as da about the dangers of taking up the habit. You also have children who member at this board Merika as I do so I thought you may appreciate the article. BTW, I only attacked your comment because it was groundless to the topic at hand. Sorry if I offended you because that was not my intention.

[darkangelism]

when you posted the topic i had the thought that a few would get annoyed. But i think that an anti smoking, drinking and drugs stance is good for a family forum.

[Duke]

I kind of figured the same da but it was a chance I was willing to take. It wasn't really aimed at anybody here at all, except maybe yourself and the younger members here, not to mention anyone who visits the site.

Billions of people smoke and all of the info in the world isn't likely to change that, however, making the info easy to find for kids may help to curb their thoughts of experimentation. I don't know but it's better to post it and have only a few people read and understand it rather than not post at all.

[Star]

It's a great article to have and hopefully the younger viewers that aren't smokers will read the article and continue being non-smokers.

When I first found out that Krystal smoked, I was so disapointed because, even though I smoke, I've always told my children that smoking is not a good habit to start. I found a book that dealt with helping your child to stop smoking. I read it, did what they suggested and it didn't work. She still smokes.

Kassandra still swears she will never start smoking. she's 13 now and i know she doesn't smoke. I hope she continues to be a non-smoker. That's all I can do.

Kids who smoke don't just come from families who's parents smoke. I have a niece who smokes and her parents never smoked a day in their lives. Others don't smoke and their parents smoked. It's all to do with peer pressure. Kassandra isn't a follower, she's a leader and she's not afraid to say no to anything; whihc is a very good thing. Krystal became somewhat of a follower when she was around 12, 13 and she took up smoking to be cool like the rest of her friends.

There is a no smoking law here in ontario. we can't smoke in any public place anymore; which is fine with me. That doesn't bother me at all. What does bother me is that they're trying to take it a step further by making it law for no smoking at all anywhere, outside included. Our smoking doesn't affect anyone if we're outside. :roll:

[Duke]

On another note, I too smoke sometimes, it's not cigarettes but it is cigars. I have about 6 per year of good Cuban's such as Cohebas or Montecristos. I'm not sure what the stats on that is but I bet smoking one of those bad boys is like smoking 40 cigs or more. It is a bad habit, it is dangerous and I aknowledge it which is why I'll only do it outside and around others who smoke cigars and never around non-smokers.

Anyway, I thought you may just want to know that.