Why do people smoke?

[enola]

Cuz I enjoy it. But....it's getting too expensive now, so I am in the process of trying to quit. Little at a time.
I'm doing it pretty well this time, too. I smoke a half a cig then wait an hour or two then smoke the other half.
Which is a big change from being a 2 packer a day.

[Charles]

My granduncle would agree with you. He worked hard with his whole life to feed his wife and four children. China sank in the food crisis from 1959 till 1961; millions of old people and children died of famine, but his wife and children survived. One of his children told my mother later that he jumped into the cold lake to dig lotus roots in midwinter in order to find out some food at that time. When he came back home, his rubber overshoes had frozen in the feet. His eldest daughter had to cut the overshoes. My granduncle very liked liquor and fat meat. When he was getting old, diseases would increase. His doctor stopped him to drink and eat fat meat. He asked the doctor whether he would live forever if he didn't eat fat meat and drink. The doctor answered, "No." So he said, "I was going to die regardless of eating or not, why didn't I eat?" On the day before his death he wanted chicken soup, his second daughter didn't cook for him and said, "Your doctor asked you to eat less meat." The next day he died, his second daughter carried on terribly and blamed herself didn't meet her father's last wish. My granduncle lived 80+ years old and his wife lived 90+ years old.

Wisława Szymborska-Włodek (2 July 1923 – 1 February 2012) ______ a heavy smoker and died of lung cancer

Deng XiaoPing (1904-1997) ______ a heavy smoker

Gloria Stuart (1910 - 2010) _______ a heavy smoker and died of lung cancer

I'm not going to advertise for tobacco companies, but I believe in free will. As DngrMse said, "In a very few short years...you're going to die."

I guess that proves that smoking and eating fatty foods have nothing to do with longevity.

[Chachma v'Oz]

I'll go with the stats. When they show that the majority experience certain consequences from specific behaviors, I pay attention and I play the odds. The cost of losing the gamble is too high, higher than the reward for winning.

[DngrMse]

Oh, an insincere apology... well, that's an attempt for you, I guess. What happened? Did you get an infraction?

No, it's sincere. I recognize that I crossed a line. Again, I apologize.

[trgfbv]

I forgot. You have a medical background. I have a question.

My family is "immune" to the analgesic effects of opiates and opioids. They do nothing for pain relief. After my surgeries in '07 I found that if I took several times the prescribed dosage I'd get zonked, but nothing less than that had any effect on the pain. I wish someone in my family had mentioned that earlier. I ended up having to take ibuprofen at normal dosages for pain relief, and that wasn't ideal.

Any idea how common that is? I can't find anything definitive on the Internet.

I don't know how common it is but after a foot surgery I had the same experience. Zonked and still in pain but so loaded I didn't much care that I still hurt. And codeine made me nauseated

There are normal over the counter ibuprofen doses and normal RX doses. It's all the same drug and very useful for short term pain relief. Long term GI bleeding is possible. The OTC Dose is 200 mg every 4 hours. The RX dose is twice that.
I have seen it prescribed as 400mg every 4 hrs, 600 mg every 6 hours, or 800 mg every 8hrs.

[Chachma v'Oz]

Thanks. My doctor told me that for my arthritis I could take 400 mg all at once every eight hours if I wanted, but that much makes my ears ring so I settle for one dose of 200 and that's usually sufficient for that purpose. I only use it if I overdid it working in the yard or on a project. If I have surgery again I might boost the dosage.

Are opioids the extent of pain relievers anymore? There's no other effective industrial-strength pain reliever?

[Lulu]

The rheumatogists I've called on say naproxen is the best option for pain esp. anti-inflammatory conditions. Surgeons and GPs tend to over prescribe doses so I'd take their advice w/ a grain of salt because of risk of bleed or GI issues long term.

Most docs won't prescribe opioids much anymore... because of liability.

[Chachma v'Oz]

Ah, naproxen, an NSAID. That's what I was thinking of. They sell that over the counter. I'll check it out. Thanks a lot.

[Judy]

I guess that proves that smoking and eating fatty foods have nothing to do with longevity.

That depends on how do you define the longevity.

[Judy]

If ur going to live to be 100, just like Bertrand Russell said, "My first advice would be to choose your ancestors carefully."







For my 1500th post in discussanything.com

[Chachma v'Oz]

If ur going to live to be 100, just like Bertrand Russell said, "My first advice would be to choose your ancestors carefully."

That's one big reason I'm taking care of myself. My forebears were long-lived. There's no point in pursuing self-destructive behaviors when I see that if I moderate my lifestyle I have another 35 or 40 years of enjoyable retirement ahead of me.

At one time I actually considered smoking again. When I retired I rationalized that, at my age, by the time its effects caught up with me I'd already be at death's door for some other reason anyway. Then I read about Peter Jennings' demise. He had quit smoking the same time I did ('85), then picked it up again while reporting on the 9/11 attacks. He died four years later of lung cancer. That put the kibosh on my favorably entertaining smoking again.

[Judy]

That's one big reason I'm taking care of myself. My forebears were long-lived. There's no point in pursuing self-destructive behaviors when I see that if I moderate my lifestyle I have another 35 or 40 years of enjoyable retirement ahead of me.

At one time I actually considered smoking again. When I retired I rationalized that, at my age, by the time its effects caught up with me I'd already be at death's door for some other reason anyway. Then I read about Peter Jennings' demise. He had quit smoking the same time I did ('85), then picked it up again while reporting on the 9/11 attacks. He died four years later of lung cancer. That put the kibosh on my favorably entertaining smoking again.

So I cannot rule out depression is one of the reasons he had lung cancer. It's an indisputable fact that the bad state of mind can speed up the man's death.

What I want to express is that if a man hadn't abandoned his family when in a crisis and very satisfied with his current living conditions, he would live a happier life than those who pursuit of a so-called healthy lifestyle on purpose. Would he live longer if he feels happier?

I admit that the United States is a beautifu country that has given birth to so many people who lived over 100 years old. And Judy is living in a huge city of a developing country and trying to withstand the kinds of pollution. Are you satisfied?

[Chachma v'Oz]

I don't know that Peter Jennings was depressed. He was a news reporter and a driven man. He explained that the stress and pressure he felt while reporting on the 9/11 attacks led him back to smoking.

I'm sure stress plays a part in general health, but my life is pretty much stress-free. I found that retirement is everything I'd hoped for, and more. I have no reservations about living to 100 or more as long as I can maintain good health, and my chosen path to assure that is a healthy lifestyle and staying fit, physically and mentally.

My wife and I visit Bangkok frequently when we vacation in Thailand and I am very much aware of the pollution there. I'm just glad that it's temporary in our case, not something we have to deal with all our lives.

[Judy]

I have nothing to say when you're such a high profile.

[CCC]

Isn't it amazing the number of people in this country who choose to smoke and have often wondered why they would want do so in the first place? Unlike a few decades ago, it is no secret that smoking is very hazardous to your health. Heart disease, cancer, increased risk of heart attacks and lower immune systems are the most serious consequences. Yet, millions of people voluntarily fill their lungs with carcinogens and pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year in the process.

What is the mindset behind smoking? It is addictive and there are many people trying to quit. Why start smoking and why are there so many who seem oblivious to the effects on their health? What is so attractive about smoking that people will risk destroying their health and cutting their lives short? Don't you want to see your kids grow up?

Some people probably think they would rather sacrifice a few years of their life since the extra time would be no good to them if they can't smoke.

Indeed. It is incredible the insane, self-destructive things humans will do to themselves, particularly something has has zero benefit and only negatives like smoking. You have to convince and fool yourself that smoking is good and cool.

[Chachma v'Oz]

Indeed. It is incredible the insane, self-destructive things humans will do to themselves, particularly something has has zero benefit and only negatives like smoking. You have to convince and fool yourself that smoking is good and cool.

That's exactly it. It's called "hedonistic calculus". I weighed the risk vs the reward and, although there was considerable risk in the practice, there was no benefit whatsoever. It was an easy decision to make once I looked at it objectively.

[Xavier Tremely]

Whenever I decide to quit anything, I just make up my mind & quit. No "cutting back", none of this "I'm going to quit on my birthday!" or other silliness. I just kick it.