Smoking.. another side to the story.
blogs about smoking seem to be popular these days.So let me add one to that...
We all know how gouverments and the media tries to convince us all about how bad smoking is for our health. And from looking at the comments on these blogs .. We see they are suceeding very well at that.
They reach their conclusions by studies... What is such a study really? For easy calculation lets use easy numbers.. they select "randomly" 2000 people.. 1000 smokers, 1000 non-smokers. Then they look how many of those people get lungcancer for example. Other factors are ignored since this study only focusses on the relation between smoking and lungcancer in this case. If it shows that the smokers have more cases of lungcancer the study will conclude a connection between these 2.
Ofcourse the amount of peope involved in this study is far higher and the conclusion won't be based upon just 1 study.
A key part in such studies is the people they select... how do they select? In many cases they just use existing lists. Anything can be a list... for example.. how about we use the memberlist of cs to do a study about marriages and devorces. I am very sure the results would say happy marriages don't happen according to such a study, and 100% of marriages ends up in devorce. Unless some married people are member of cs.
We can extend our group of people and select everyone that uses blogs and forums on daily basis all over the internet. Would this be a better selection?
Not really because it is very likely that married people who have a family don't have the time (or need) to be active online everyday.
Now back to the smoking.. I've read studies that concluded 2nd hand smoke is more lethal then actual smoking. How does one reach such conclusion? Everyone is 2nd hand smoker... and the toxics in cigarettes would do more damage in mild consumption then in direct contact? Kinda strange if you ask me.
The amount of people that smoke in my country has been declining the last 10 years. The amount of people who have died from lungcancer and other smoking related diseases have gone up. Doesn't make much sense to me if smoking really is the cause of these diseases.
Their are studies available online that show smokers are less likely to develop alzheimer, parkinson and other serious diseases. These studies don't reach the general public because media for some reason ignore them. but feel free to look it up.. I'm sure google will have them for you.
Now don't reach wrong conclusions about my opinion about smoking. I'm not saying smoking is good for your health. But like with all things in life, it won't damage you if you don't overdo it. A glass of red wine a day would be good for your blood or something.. drinking 3 bottles a day will damage you.
Drinking water is considered very healthy... but drink to much water and it can kill you.
I can understand gouverments who want to blame all this on the smokers. We are an easy target and very vissible. Attacking us is far easier then exposing the real problems because then they would be held responsable for dealing with it.
Dealing with it would involve drastic changes in our current economy, our current way of industry and transportation. The entire organisation our society is build on would need to be reinvented, and that simply can't be done. So they need smokers to get away with it.
Comments (53)
The ONE REAL reason smoking will never be Illegal anywhere in the world is because of the large amount of TAXES each and every government make from the sale of Cigarettes.
End of story.....
So those who dont smoke, remember it is the smokers that pay more TAX than you.
Another simple example for that is the constant complaining about deaths cause by accidents. They make so many rules for speed and alcohol use while driving. If they really want to deal with it, the current technology would be more helpfull. If they link our GPS systems to a speed limiter as we have installed in trucks.. speeding wouldn't be possible. If they would force carindustry to place alcohol locks in every car, people wouldn't be able to start the car if they have been drinking. These 2 little steps would prevent more lethal accidents then 1000 rules that they create. It doesn't happen because it would mean no more income from speeding tickets and ofcourse the car industry wouldn't be happy with these changes, since less cars will be wrecked so less new ones will be bought, less cars needed to be built so less people would need to be employed to work at the factories. Less people employed means less income from taxes on that side as well and more expenses since more people would depend on wellfare.
Money makes the world go round and we just need to deal with the harm that comes from it.
So that means that the Government is using the 'smokers' as a 'scapegoat' to take the heat off the real problem.....
But i do like to create my own opinions about all subjects, sure it takes some work and effort instead of "like most" to just follow what media says.
Many here still believe they have independent media in their country because they live in the "free world"
So if we examin that we might also find the conclusion that sporting reduces the chance to get lungcancer, or that standing outside more during parties leads to a higher risk. however that could also be because you are more exposed to the passing traffic and the exhaust gasses it brings. So again.. unconclusive research.
I will smoke untill I die. And since you don't smoke you won't die?
Another fable to bring to the table by saying that smokers cost society much in medical expenses.
Is that really so?
Let's assume smoking is responsable for these deaths and such...
That means smokers die at younger age. Theirfor they don't need to be paid pensions or at least not as long as non-smokers. they don't need any refunds for any other diseases that come with old age. On the other hand they do pay a lot of taxes when buying their cigarettes, taxes you and other non-smokers don't pay.. but you do get the benefits of that money.
I do however agree on your other point... I also hate it when i see smokers trowing away their cigarettebutts just anywhere. Thats not a problem of smoking itself but of trash. I myself won't trow them on the floor not even when walking. Their are many of other ways to dispose of them.
As you know I love walking and I was finding I was getting out of breath. WELL I would hate not being able to walk so believed all the hype about lungs getting better and after so many years it would be like as if I have never smoked.
WRONG
I have been stopped 6 years and was getting breathless again. Tests show I have C.O.P.D and this is just related to my having smoked now on inhaler to keep breathing airways opened, similar to asmha sufferer and have been told this condition worsens through time.
I used to enjoy my cigs, could not go back to smoking now, but mad at lies told to make people quit.
Hope you and your lady are fine and everything goes smoothly for big day
My maiden name if it is translated into English would sound like
Smoker...
Yes Teddy ... I smoke...
End of story....
So those who dont smoke, remember it is the smokers that pay more TAX than you"
Can't believe there is such conclusion!....
That's it!
It wasn't the ciggie that killed him in this instance. It was the inability to log off in case he missed something ,that left him starving.
who was the most unhealthy person in politics at the time.
Her answer to safety relating to Sunbeds was a total ban if posable. I sure dont agree with totalitarian Bans of any sort.
I always wonder where they will stop.
As far as heavy taxing. All that does is give rise to those cheap Cigs that are unregulated in production and sold on street corners, supposedly containing rat poison and droppings, nail clippings and other less desirable ingredients.
and some think thats only said so you wont buy them, and they are no less harmful
I do agree there should be pubs for smokers run by Publicans and worked by bar men who dont mind if there are risk from passive smoking.
If gouverments wants a future for pubs in their country they will have no other choice then to allow smoking again. But even if that doesn't happen its still no waste of space since next step will be banning smoking on the Streets and in parks as is already happening in some places. And you might like that idea... but don't forget once they have finished with the smokers they just might focus on something you like.
I used cold turkey and will. Got the same result.
I think it was Best move I ever made.
But hey if anybody wants to take the risks and live with the line of thinking that it could be harmless then be my guest, Im not gonna try live your life.
"I'm a smoker yes. but I have no problem to spend a day without smokes."
That's the old cliché:
"Giving up is easy I do it every day"
Im off them a good few years and some times I still love the smell of smokes, But I think its a scent or perfume added to them and not the tobacco.
I agree fully. As stated on my first comment on page one.
I have visions of Dublin being the first city like in Demolition Man.. "Happy Happy Joy Joy John Spartan"
You are so right[as always
I have watched a close friend and a parent die so, although not an expert, I am more aware of how harmful it is.
Took me a while to stop ,with hypnotherapy ,but I'm glad I did.