405 replies to this topic

[James Bay walker]

For every 1 person who smokes a pack a day 1,000 will smoke a pack a month, and not because they are addicted but because it's a social thing.

Hmm, not seeing that as likely (I'm thinking: the ratio's reversed, or those polled were in denial / ashamed of their addiction). Is there a study for any Western culture on this topic?

jbw

[VicHockeyFan]

Hmm, not seeing that as likely (I'm thinking: the ratio's reversed, or those polled were in denial / ashamed of their addiction). Is there a study for any Western culture on this topic?

jbw

http://www.healthedu...ialsmoking.aspx

About 60% of students are non-smokers, reporting never smoking cigarettes.
About 10% of students are smokers- using cigarettes every day or every other day.
This leaves us with about a 1/4 students- 30% who probably do not consider themselves smokers but smoke a couple of times each week or month.
A high percentage of smokers- 85-90%- must smoke every day or they start to go through withdrawal
In contrast- only about 10% to 15% of people who drink alcohol are problem drinkers; which puts nicotine as probably the most addictive drugs.

[Jason-L]

I know many people who are only smokers when they drink, and they only drink every couple weekends. The rest of the time, they can go without cigarettes ... at least until they're around someone else who's a smoker.

[James Bay walker]

I'd have more confidence on a Health Canada webpage:

http://www.hc-sc.gc....12-eng.php#tab3

2012: 73% daily vs 27% occasional

The opposite of 10% daily to 40% occasional, (and certainly nothing like a ratio of 1 daily to 1,000 occasional).

jbw

[concorde]

I still remember when I quit smoking many years ago and most of my friends were also smokers. I watched as one friend got out a smoke and lit it, within 2 minutes all of my other friends lit up. It wasn't that they needed a smoke, they saw one person smoking so it triggered them to lit up as well.

For the record, I smoke cigars which neither I nor my doctor considers smoking

[patrick venton]

what yeara was your doctor born in.

[concorde]

mid 1960's

Cigars are completely natural with no additives, unlike the 599 additives found in cigarettes

http://en.wikipedia....s_in_cigarettes

Second, you don't smoke a pack or two a day. You enjoy one after a fine meal or a with a glass of Port or on special occasions. I smoke maybe 3-4 a month which my doctor says is fine

[James Bay walker]

mid 1960's

Cigars are completely natural with no additives, unlike the 599 additives found in cigarettes

http://en.wikipedia....s_in_cigarettes

Second, you don't smoke a pack or two a day. You enjoy one after a fine meal or a with a glass of Port or on special occasions. I smoke maybe 3-4 a month which my doctor says is fine

There's lots of well done technical studies about cigar hazards being comparable, albeit more mouth hazard oriented, but technical reports can be boring to allude to. (btw while additives are dangerous they're a lesser concern vs the tobacco tar & nicotine levels in one cigar being >>> than one cigarette.) I kinda like this layman oriented summary:

http://healthyliving...-health-risks-1

one hazard of massive nicotine jolts constricting your blood vessels from time to time that may catch the reader's eye:

And for guys, there is a strong link between regular cigar smoking and erectile dysfunction.

jbw

ps. There's 'Indian' (additive free) cigarettes, those hardly lessen the rate cancer is acquired from tobacco tars though. Suggestion: find a sane doctor.

[concorde]

I think the key is moderation, he told me that smoking one cigar a week or two won't have any effect on me.

I equate it to having one alcoholic drink a week, its not going to give you liver disease at that quantity, but have one or two drinks an hour (much like a pack a day smoker duration) then you will have health problems. Think about the indians 200 years ago smoking their pipes, they didn't do it very often.

I am not saying that cigars are healthy, I know that, but is that piece of cheesecake healthy, or putting cream in your coffee instead of milk or how about fast food? Everyone has something they enjoy, just keep it in moderation

[James Bay walker]

Everyone has something they enjoy, just keep it in moderation

Good point. Adding a moderate amount of cancer risk sounds safe.

jbw

[concorde]

So you never touch alcohol ever because if you do you are at risk of liver disease

Of course when you are downtown you wear a respirator to filter out all the harmful vehicle exhaust from your lungs as you are at risk of lung cancer.

You never eat fast food ever because of your risk of heart disease among others

You never buy vegetables from a grocery store as they are covered in chemicals. Even the "organics" from the US and Mexico are doused in chemicals at the border. More cancer there.

You store your food only in glass jars as storing or buying things in plastic has links to cancer

You live in an ultra modern LEED Platinum house with no asbestos, low VOC paints, etc. You never visit or enter older buildings because of these issues, after all these issues do cause cancer.

Yup, you live a perfect 100% healthy life. I'll wave to you as I drive by in my big V8 sedan smoking my cigar enjoying what life has to offer

[James Bay walker]

... I'll wave to you as I drive by in my big V8 sedan smoking my cigar enjoying what life has to offer

That'll work just fine, until it doesn't. Quality and duration of our lives are rarely appreciated until the chickens have come home to roost.

jbw

[Fairbanks]

When I lived in Prince George there were 5 active pulp mills surrounding the city. There were days in the winter that it wasn't safe to go outside. In spite of that, the city decided to ban smoking in bars and restaurants.

Give me a F'n break.

If you are gonna clean someone else's house...just make damned sure that yours is clean first. I will smoke where ever and when ever I bloody well feel like it.
As long as the Gov't is making money on my smokes and gasoline purchases I will do whatever I want, wherever and whenever. Screw the rest of you.

85 million litres of raw sewage flows into the Pacific EVERY SINGLE DAY.

[sebberry]

I will smoke where ever and when ever I bloody well feel like it.

What do you say when restaurant staff asks you to put out your cigarette now?

[James Bay walker]

When I lived in Prince George there were 5 active pulp mills surrounding the city. There were days in the winter that it wasn't safe to go outside. In spite of that, the city decided to ban smoking in bars and restaurants.

Give me a F'n break.

I used to work for AlPulp (Alberni Pulp & Paper) decades ago and know the scent all too well (thankfully that community did not have to put up with five active pulp mills).

There's no logic in bemoaning a city besieged by such outdoor toxins providing a safe refuge for those still above ground and breathing, in the city's bars and restaurants.

jbw

ps. Paying gas taxes does not give you licence to drive on others or community properties that are not roads or parking spaces designed for such use. Similar principles apply to tobacco smoking.

[concorde]

I used to work for AlPulp (Alberni Pulp & Paper) decades ago and know the scent all too well

How dare you pollute your body with damaging chemicals and smoke. Don't you know they cause cancer?

I'll bet you my 3-4 cigars per month do less damage that what you were exposed to

That'll work just fine, until it doesn't. Quality and duration of our lives are rarely appreciated until the chickens have come home to roost.

maybe you should practice what you preach

[James Bay walker]

How dare you pollute your body with damaging chemicals and smoke. Don't you know they cause cancer?

I'll bet you my 3-4 cigars per month do less damage that what you were exposed to

maybe you should practice what you preach

I've been doing so these past decades. Fortunately my stint in Port Alberni's mill lab was merely a summer job to pass the time between 2nd & 3rd year at UVic. The impact of having added perhaps 1/4 cigar's worth of risk from toxin ingestion to my health ought to have faded by now.

jbw

[VicHockeyFan]

Hmmm, the City installed a cigarette disposal cannister somewhere near The Reef today.  But if you have to be 7m away from windows and doors, I'm not sure you can legally bring it that close to dispose of it.

 

STREET VIEW

 

EDIT:  violation!

 

 

 

 

[sebberry]

Presumably you'd put it out before sticking it in there but you're right.  If you want to discourage it around doors then the bin should be further away. 

[VicHockeyFan]

Presumably you'd put it out before sticking it in there but you're right.  If you want to discourage it around doors then the bin should be further away. 

 

That's like saying presumably you'd put it out before throwing it on the sidewalk.  Nobody does that.  That cylinder puts it out when it goes in there, it's designed so that when it drops in, it is deprived of oxygen and it goes out.