Comments on: Is an occasional cigarette that bad for you? http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/25/is-an-occasional-cigarette-that-bad-for-you/ Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:13:33 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: vertiwal http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/25/is-an-occasional-cigarette-that-bad-for-you/#comment-19023 vertiwal Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:39:32 +0000 http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/?p=1362#comment-19023 Okay, some of the things these people are saying sound a little extreme. I'm not a fan of extremes on anything - I agree that we should keep it out of the hands of kids and such, but banning it? Fast food and the like can harm you quite a lot too, but it's a matter of choice. I'm sure McDonalds gets into people's heads - kids, too - and many would be better off health-wise if it was banned. But people should have the choice. On the other hand, yasmin, I can't agree with a lot of what you're saying either. Particularly comments about things like wages. That's unnecessary, and I'm sure smoking is just as prevalent among low-wage folks (and wouldn't it seem LESS likely they'd be on the internet if they didn't have money?). And your comment about becoming a full-time smoker again so you don't become boring and preachy... Talk about sounding pathetic. Not only that, but you already sound like you're preaching about the opposite side, telling people they should smoke. You really think that's something you should try to make a case for? Yeah, your grandfather was fine, but mine has emphysema and can't walk further than thirty feet in one go. He's only in his sixties, but his capacity to just "enjoy life" as you suggest is pretty well shot. I hope you're not going to tell me that it was caused by something besides smoking, that smoking doesn't harm your lungs. Okay, some of the things these people are saying sound a little extreme. I'm not a fan of extremes on anything – I agree that we should keep it out of the hands of kids and such, but banning it? Fast food and the like can harm you quite a lot too, but it's a matter of choice. I'm sure McDonalds gets into people's heads – kids, too – and many would be better off health-wise if it was banned. But people should have the choice.

On the other hand, yasmin, I can't agree with a lot of what you're saying either. Particularly comments about things like wages. That's unnecessary, and I'm sure smoking is just as prevalent among low-wage folks (and wouldn't it seem LESS likely they'd be on the internet if they didn't have money?). And your comment about becoming a full-time smoker again so you don't become boring and preachy... Talk about sounding pathetic. Not only that, but you already sound like you're preaching about the opposite side, telling people they should smoke. You really think that's something you should try to make a case for? Yeah, your grandfather was fine, but mine has emphysema and can't walk further than thirty feet in one go. He's only in his sixties, but his capacity to just "enjoy life" as you suggest is pretty well shot. I hope you're not going to tell me that it was caused by something besides smoking, that smoking doesn't harm your lungs.

]]> By: yasmin http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/25/is-an-occasional-cigarette-that-bad-for-you/#comment-17777 yasmin Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:04:57 +0000 http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/?p=1362#comment-17777 Christ, it’s laughable how whenever someone posts a reasonable question regarding cigarette smoking it seems everyone turns into a preacher, preaching their narrow minded, ignorant opinions upon everyone else. I'm guessing most of these who feel their of huge merit to our society are earning sub $20,000 P/Y. Do these people not realize you don’t have to be hooked on cigarettes to enjoy the occasional Marlboro? If you live a healthy life (gym, eat well) I can’t see the odd cigarette doing much harm. I use to smoke a 20 pack a day, i now only smoke perhaps once a week when having a few beverages. I’m considering becoming a full-time smoker again as i don’t want to turn into one boring MOFO who preaches to smokers how bad it is blahblah. Another favorite of mine is to smoke as many on Non-Smoking day. Smoke away, enjoy your life. It’s a gamble. But could you really imagine making a BBQ with a cigarette hanging from your mouth? Or whilst waiting at the departure gate at a busy airport having a crafty tab in the disabled toilets? My Great grandfather died at the age of 96, smoked 40 a day. I know this is not typical but there you go. Because someone smokes should not suggest their addicted, using similar logic , someone enjoying a few beers are they a full blown alcoholic? No. As for the individuals posting these questions..on the internet, don't bother ask friends and family or make your own judgment. The majority of posts on this page are nothing short of pathetic. As addictive as heroin? What's that about? I find i can give up cigarettes for long periods without any 'withdrawal' symptoms at all. Regards, Yasmin Christ, it’s laughable how whenever someone posts a reasonable question regarding cigarette smoking it seems everyone turns into a preacher, preaching their narrow minded, ignorant opinions upon everyone else. I'm guessing most of these who feel their of huge merit to our society are earning sub $20,000 P/Y. Do these people not realize you don’t have to be hooked on cigarettes to enjoy the occasional Marlboro? If you live a healthy life (gym, eat well) I can’t see the odd cigarette doing much harm.

I use to smoke a 20 pack a day, i now only smoke perhaps once a week when having a few beverages. I’m considering becoming a full-time smoker again as i don’t want to turn into one boring MOFO who preaches to smokers how bad it is blahblah. Another favorite of mine is to smoke as many on Non-Smoking day.

Smoke away, enjoy your life. It’s a gamble. But could you really imagine making a BBQ with a cigarette hanging from your mouth? Or whilst waiting at the departure gate at a busy airport having a crafty tab in the disabled toilets?

My Great grandfather died at the age of 96, smoked 40 a day. I know this is not typical but there you go.

Because someone smokes should not suggest their addicted, using similar logic , someone enjoying a few beers are they a full blown alcoholic? No. As for the individuals posting these questions..on the internet, don't bother ask friends and family or make your own judgment. The majority of posts on this page are nothing short of pathetic. As addictive as heroin? What's that about? I find i can give up cigarettes for long periods without any 'withdrawal' symptoms at all.
Regards,
Yasmin

]]> By: Dennis http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/25/is-an-occasional-cigarette-that-bad-for-you/#comment-14288 Dennis Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:59:00 +0000 http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/?p=1362#comment-14288 You all need to OPEN your EYES to all the LIES of this SOCIETY,Foods,Booze,Junk Foods,Cause Cancer too,The only Real Issue I have is Why Not BAN THEM TOO ? Ask your DR GUPTA how many people who never smoked in their LIVES Have had BYPASS,And Artery Diesase,I know people Who Have artery Disease that is HERIDITARY..So...Lets Look at That,Of course I know Smoking is No Good for Anyone Im not saying it is,There are way more things on this Planet That Cause disease Like SALMONELLA,LUPUS, and the other 5000 things....Now if you get a MEDICATION from a Doctor you dont know if your ALLERGIC,SO THAT CAN KILL YOU...Now why is it alochol is CONDONED and SMoking Is Not ? Its all about MONEY and Most Politicans are DRUNKS ANYWAY..........SEE YA LATER You all need to OPEN your EYES to all the LIES of this SOCIETY,Foods,Booze,Junk Foods,Cause Cancer too,The only Real Issue I have is Why Not BAN THEM TOO ? Ask your DR GUPTA how many people who never smoked in their LIVES Have had BYPASS,And Artery Diesase,I know people Who Have artery Disease that is HERIDITARY..So...Lets Look at That,Of course I know Smoking is No Good for Anyone Im not saying it is,There are way more things on this Planet That Cause disease Like SALMONELLA,LUPUS, and the other 5000 things....Now if you get a MEDICATION from a Doctor you dont know if your ALLERGIC,SO THAT CAN KILL YOU...Now why is it alochol is CONDONED and SMoking Is Not ? Its all about MONEY and Most Politicans are DRUNKS ANYWAY..........SEE YA LATER

]]> By: Dr. Matt Vernon http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/25/is-an-occasional-cigarette-that-bad-for-you/#comment-14247 Dr. Matt Vernon Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:35:09 +0000 http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/?p=1362#comment-14247 One more thing to Anne - While your comment was undoubtedly well-intentioned, if you look at that article and the leading causes of death you will see you were mistaken as well; though emphysema is a terrible disease and certainly caused by smoking, if you look at the numbers the chances are in fact more likely that smokers will die of a heart attack, stroke, or cancer. My take-home message is the same as yours though - if you are thinking about quitting, DO IT! And if you are not thinking about it, you should be! As a doctor I find it hard to find that fine line between encouraging patients to quit and nagging them (and no one ever responds to nagging), and it's frustrating because it is just such an important issue. One more thing to Anne -
While your comment was undoubtedly well-intentioned, if you look at that article and the leading causes of death you will see you were mistaken as well; though emphysema is a terrible disease and certainly caused by smoking, if you look at the numbers the chances are in fact more likely that smokers will die of a heart attack, stroke, or cancer.

My take-home message is the same as yours though – if you are thinking about quitting, DO IT! And if you are not thinking about it, you should be! As a doctor I find it hard to find that fine line between encouraging patients to quit and nagging them (and no one ever responds to nagging), and it's frustrating because it is just such an important issue.

]]> By: Dr. Matt Vernon http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/25/is-an-occasional-cigarette-that-bad-for-you/#comment-14245 Dr. Matt Vernon Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:27:41 +0000 http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/?p=1362#comment-14245 Dennis - While you are right that alcohol certainly causes its share of problems, dozens of studies have shown that smoking is the number one contributor to preventable deaths in this country. Here's one from Harvard, for example: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2009-releases/smoking-high-blood-pressure-overweight-preventable-causes-death-us.html As I said, there are plenty others if you care to look them up. The truth is smoking led to about 7 times the number of preventable deaths as alcohol (in this study at least). The top three killers in the US are heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Smoking drastically increases the risk of all three. Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer and smoking certainly leads to other cancers as well. So while I agree alcohol is more widespread and is responsible for more deaths and probably more difficult to quantify problems like abuse, property damage, and so forth than most ILLEGAL drugs, it still doesn't come close to smoking when it comes to causing disease and death. Dennis –
While you are right that alcohol certainly causes its share of problems, dozens of studies have shown that smoking is the number one contributor to preventable deaths in this country.

Here's one from Harvard, for example:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2009-releases/smoking-high-blood-pressure-overweight-preventable-causes-death-us.html

As I said, there are plenty others if you care to look them up.

The truth is smoking led to about 7 times the number of preventable deaths as alcohol (in this study at least). The top three killers in the US are heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Smoking drastically increases the risk of all three. Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer and smoking certainly leads to other cancers as well.

So while I agree alcohol is more widespread and is responsible for more deaths and probably more difficult to quantify problems like abuse, property damage, and so forth than most ILLEGAL drugs, it still doesn't come close to smoking when it comes to causing disease and death.

]]> By: Mark L. http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/25/is-an-occasional-cigarette-that-bad-for-you/#comment-14173 Mark L. Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:37:24 +0000 http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/?p=1362#comment-14173 HA HA... Wow Dennis... Way to "REALTED" your point to everyone! Did you smoke pot before writing that? This forum is about smoking... one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. and the world. Yes, there are certainly other dangers in the world... like crossing a busy street, or fishing with rusty fish hooks. Drinking in and of itself does not create health risks until it's an everyday occurence in excess. Having a glass of wine every now and then or enjoying a beer or two during a ball game doesn't harm you... HOWEVER, it takes a minimum of ONE YEAR after complete smoking cessation to heal the damage done to your lungs. Every cigarette lit up takes time off of your life. The risks associated with smoking include, but are not limited to, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, atherogenesis, cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, choronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, not to mention disgusting breath and stained teeth. In moderation, a glass of wine just makes you more fun to be around... sounds like you could use one...although based on your spelling of the word RELATED, perhaps you've already got a head start! HA HA...

Wow Dennis...
Way to "REALTED" your point to everyone! Did you smoke pot before writing that?
This forum is about smoking... one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. and the world.

Yes, there are certainly other dangers in the world... like crossing a busy street, or fishing with rusty fish hooks. Drinking in and of itself does not create health risks until it's an everyday occurence in excess. Having a glass of wine every now and then or enjoying a beer or two during a ball game doesn't harm you...
HOWEVER, it takes a minimum of ONE YEAR after complete smoking cessation to heal the damage done to your lungs. Every cigarette lit up takes time off of your life. The risks associated with smoking include, but are not limited to, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, atherogenesis, cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, choronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, not to mention disgusting breath and stained teeth.
In moderation, a glass of wine just makes you more fun to be around... sounds like you could use one...although based on your spelling of the word RELATED, perhaps you've already got a head start!

]]> By: Dennis http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/25/is-an-occasional-cigarette-that-bad-for-you/#comment-14093 Dennis Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:56:09 +0000 http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/?p=1362#comment-14093 TO ANNE: Health Dangers are DRINKING BOOZE,EATING GARBAGE,STRESS,TAKING ALL THESE POISON DRUGS DOCTORS GIVE YOU,Smoking,And SMOKING POT.......They are all REALTED ANNE I dont want to hear that Booze is not REALTED,But GET THE BOOZE OUT OF THE RESTUARANTS and keep it in the BARS where it belongs,This way the DOCTORS can RAKE IN MILLIONS for LIVE,Kidney TRANSPLANTS................. TO ANNE:

Health Dangers are DRINKING BOOZE,EATING GARBAGE,STRESS,TAKING ALL THESE POISON DRUGS DOCTORS GIVE YOU,Smoking,And SMOKING POT.......They are all REALTED ANNE I dont want to hear that Booze is not REALTED,But GET THE BOOZE OUT OF THE RESTUARANTS and keep it in the BARS where it belongs,This way the DOCTORS can RAKE IN MILLIONS for LIVE,Kidney TRANSPLANTS.................

]]> By: Mark L. http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/25/is-an-occasional-cigarette-that-bad-for-you/#comment-14084 Mark L. Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:02:21 +0000 http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/?p=1362#comment-14084 Dennis, I agree with Anne and Ron on this one. Your statistics on the U.S. mortality rate are way off base. The number one killer in the U.S. has nothing to do with alcohol, It is all cause CARDIOVASCULAR disease. One of the top contributors (if not the top) of cardiovascular disease in the country is smoking. Smoking leads to atherosclerotic plaque buildup which progresses into myocardial infarction (heart attack) and/or stroke. Alcohol can certainly be a deadly drug if someone gets behind the wheel and drives after using it. Tobacco on the other hand, is a deadly drug regardless of where you use it. Not to mention the effects of second hand smoke on those around you while you use it. Dennis,
I agree with Anne and Ron on this one. Your statistics on the U.S. mortality rate are way off base. The number one killer in the U.S. has nothing to do with alcohol, It is all cause CARDIOVASCULAR disease. One of the top contributors (if not the top) of cardiovascular disease in the country is smoking. Smoking leads to atherosclerotic plaque buildup which progresses into myocardial infarction (heart attack) and/or stroke.

Alcohol can certainly be a deadly drug if someone gets behind the wheel and drives after using it. Tobacco on the other hand, is a deadly drug regardless of where you use it. Not to mention the effects of second hand smoke on those around you while you use it.

]]> By: Jason http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/25/is-an-occasional-cigarette-that-bad-for-you/#comment-14022 Jason Sat, 25 Jul 2009 01:07:45 +0000 http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/?p=1362#comment-14022 Recently I was standing in the line at the gas station and a lady was in front of me complaining about the price of cigarettes. (They recently raised the cigarette tax to $1) Anyway they guy at the counter was trying to explain that it will help the states economy and the lady was shocked and said "How? By bankrupting its citizens?" It's amazing how warped peoples minds become when they are addicted to something. Recently I was standing in the line at the gas station and a lady was in front of me complaining about the price of cigarettes. (They recently raised the cigarette tax to $1) Anyway they guy at the counter was trying to explain that it will help the states economy and the lady was shocked and said "How? By bankrupting its citizens?" It's amazing how warped peoples minds become when they are addicted to something.

]]> By: Ron http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/25/is-an-occasional-cigarette-that-bad-for-you/#comment-14013 Ron Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:24:30 +0000 http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/?p=1362#comment-14013 Good comment Anne....I quit 3 years + ago after many attempts...finally just quit "cold turkey" by drinking more water and doing breathing exercises....and, praying....breath in with "Jeeeeeess"....breath out with "suuuus." Repeat an least 10 times several times a day..... should feel real good in 12-18 days...It worked for me.....I continue with the good breathing exercises. Good comment Anne....I quit 3 years + ago after many attempts...finally just quit "cold turkey" by drinking more water and doing breathing exercises....and, praying....breath in with "Jeeeeeess"....breath out with "suuuus." Repeat an least 10 times several times a day..... should feel real good in 12-18 days...It worked for me.....I continue with the good breathing exercises.

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