Smoking (North: taxation, to eat, health)

[anticloud]

I developed chronic bronchitis as a child due to my siblings smoking cigarettes (and pot) around me 24/7. As an adult, I continue to live with it and will most likely die from it. Second hand smoke is no joke.

[OleTomCat]

Originally Posted by moneill

I am not in South Carolina and just looked up the corridor of shame -- I've been spouting off about rural schools in the south for years. It is a pet peeve of mine.

The States that rank in the lower five academically all suffer from the same problem -- not enough funding in the rural areas to support an adequate school system. It's tough though in an environment where taking money from a richer county, city, state to use someplace else is defined as 'redistribution of wealth.' You wouldn't believe the parents in suburban Atlanta that think it is 'their fault' (their being the parents, administrators, students of the rural schools). What can you do with that kind of mentality.

I don't think younger children get cancer but breathing issues are a problem. It is statistically proven that the rate of asthma is higher in families where there is a smoker...that kind of stuff. Infant lungs are so small -- can you imagine if you were in a car with the smoke stack from the paper factory .....I bet that's what it feels like to a newborn.

It would be great if all parents had common sense and the best interest of their child at heart. It would be great if all parents wanted to keep their chidlren safe...but some just don't know how unless you tell them and some just don't care. It would be great if everyone was appreciative of others...but we know that doesn't happen. There is always someone that says -- I can do what I want when I want and i don't care what anyone else thinks. They are usually the ones that scream the loudest when someone infringes on their rights or privileges though.

Even with the laws you see babies in front seats on peoples' laps...you see kids hanging out of a pick up truck.

I do not believe smokers will even be banished to camps. Did you know our new President smokes?

Most places in cities where smoking has been banned for some time have adapted their facilities to allow for areas for the smokers. Clubs still are huge in municipalities with smoking bans.....people adapt and cope.

Show me the data, my 1/2 sister has asthma, she has moved back in with the folks, dad now a none smoker and Stepmomma still a two to three pack a day smoker. Her asthma is environmental, pine pollen kicks hers off not smoke, so I say hack down all of the pine trees.....

[OleTomCat]

Originally Posted by anticloud

I developed chronic bronchitis as a child due to my siblings smoking cigarettes (and pot) around me 24/7. As an adult, I continue to live with it and will most likely die from it. Second hand smoke is no joke.

How do you know it was due to their smoking?

If this is the case then why hasn't most of Gen X (my Generation) died by now, our parents the baby boomers smoked like chimneys all through our youth. I personally have four parents and six grand parents that all smoked and I am still here today to be a thorn in your side....

[OleTomCat]

Originally Posted by guttata

Second hand smoke, age of exposure and lung cancer risk.

Asomaning K, Miller DP, Liu G, Wain JC, Lynch TJ, Su L, Christiani DC. Department of Environmental Heath (Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program), Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, United States.
BACKGROUND: Exposure to second hand smoke (SHS) has been identified as a risk factor for lung cancer for three decades. It is also known that the lung continues to grow from birth to adulthood, when lung growth stops. We hypothesize that after adjusting for active cigarette smoking, if SHS exposure took place during the period of growth, i.e. in the earlier part of life (0-25 years of age) the risk of lung cancer is greater compared to an exposure occurring after age 25. METHOD: Second hand smoke exposure was self-reported for three different activities (leisure, work and at home) for this study population of 1669 cases and 1263 controls. We created variables that captured location of exposure and timing of first exposure with respect to a study participant's age (0-25, >25 years of age). Multiple logistic regressions were used to study the association between SHS exposure and lung cancer, adjusting for age, gender and active smoking variables. RESULT: For study participants that were exposed to SHS at both activities (work and leisure) and compared to one or no activity, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for lung cancer was 1.30 (1.08-1.57) when exposure occurred between birth and age 25 and 0.66 (0.21-1.57) if exposure occurred after age 25 years. Respective results for non-smokers were 1.29 (0.82-2.02) and 0.87 (0.22-3.38), and current and ex-smokers combined 1.28 (1.04-1.58) and 0.66 (0.15-2.85). CONCLUSION: All individuals exposed to SHS have a higher risk of lung cancer. Furthermore, this study suggests that subjects first exposed before age 25 have a higher lung cancer risk compared to those for whom first exposure occurred after age 25 years.

This sounds all fine and good, but how can they isolate that the increase was just do to SHS, there are way too many other factors in the air that we breath.

I don't smoke; I have had lung issues colds, pneumonia, bronchitis, etc...

Most of these are due to viruses and bacteria, not SHS....

[moneill]

My husband had asthma as a child -- it went away -- he chose to smoke -- he developed breathing problems despite being in great shape. He quit smoking and was able to recover but will always have asthma now.

[moneill]

Your lucky if second hand smoke doesn't bother you. It makes some people very sick.

[Capo]

Originally Posted by OleTomCat

Once again false information, show me this science that you are talking about....

Are you really serious? Are you really suggesting that being exposed to smoke, for the initial 20~ years of your life, will really have no negative health effects on a child?

I'm traveling at the moment, so give me some time on linking to some medical journals, research boards, etc. However, simply google the topic and search through official medical journals, national association of pediatrics, maternity clinics/organizations, etc. etc and you will find a plethora of information.

I highly suggest you speak with some doctors on the topic. Smoking is a proven health hazard which all health industries ask about, screen about, and attempt to cease (health insurance, life insurance, maternity, family practice, pediatricians, etc.). It sounds as though you are asserting Cigarette Company PR materials from the 1960s... all of which has been refuted and addressed by the medical community.

Again, if my understanding of what you are trying to say is incorrect, then I apologize. But if you truly believe that PROLONGED exposure to smoke will have no negative health benefits then I respectfully submit that you are being blind to truth. Not merely that, but I would equally assert that the burden of proof rests on your shoulders in making such a wild claim.

Lastly, some of your comments seem to suggest that you are sensistive to this topic because you believe some people view the smoker, as a person, in some negative light because of the fact they smoke.

Personally speaking, I have no issues with smokers as people. Many people in my family do smoke, including my own mother, and they are some of the best people I know. While all of us have vices in our lives, attempting to assert that smoking regulation should be overlooked because other people have vice X, Y, or Z is, I believe, a red herring argument.

Do I believe that smokers have the right to smoke? Yes. However, I also feel as though that we, as a greater community, must speak for those who cannot speak for themselves (ie - children). They don't have a choice, while young, whether they are exposed to it or not. As such, that is why I believe it is all of our responsibility to encourage each other to be good stewards to our children. This doesn't merely include smoking, but eating, exercise, how we speak, how we act, how we live out our lives, etc.

Thanks for the discussion thus far.

[guttata]

Originally Posted by OleTomCat

This sounds all fine and good, but how can they isolate that the increase was just do to SHS, there are way too many other factors in the air that we breath.

I don't smoke; I have had lung issues colds, pneumonia, bronchitis, etc...

Most of these are due to viruses and bacteria, not SHS....

I did not read the article. Yes, there are environmental factors besides smoking that can cause bronchitis and asthma. That is why they used a control group. I assume the researchers tried to control for the environmental effect.

SHS has been associated with asthma and bronchitis. SHS makes some individuals more susceptible to these diseases. Just like HIV does not cause fungal infections, but it predisposes some HIV patients to develop fungal infection because the immune system is weakened. Of course, you can get fungal infections without having HIV.

But, SHS will not affect everyone - some are probably more immune to it than others. Just like some smokers will never develop lung cancer. Do a search for yourself - it has been published in numerous medical journals.

[Maryjane55us]

[quote]My husband had asthma as a child -- it went away -- he chose to smoke -- he developed breathing problems despite being in great shape. He quit smoking and was able to recover but will always have asthma now.
/QUOTE]

Sorry.. That disease DOESN'T *go away*.. it's there for life.

[Maryjane55us]

Anticloud:

I developed chronic bronchitis as a child due to my siblings smoking cigarettes (and pot) around me 24/7. As an adult, I continue to live with it and will most likely die from it. Second hand smoke is no joke.

My infant sister had bronchitis right after birth and stayed in the hospital for weeks before coming home to two heavy smokers. In her first year of life, she had "croup" and lived under a vaporizing tent several times. She went on to live with these heavy smokers for 20 yrs and is now in her mid 50's and as healthy as most of us.

You can't always blame medical issues on your parents/siblings.