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Bajou
Citizen
Username: Bajou
Post Number: 109
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 4:48 pm: | 
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France always was on that list and # 3-10 are heavy smokers and so is # 13, 14, 17 through 20. I have traveled all over and I can tell you that the only difference between them and us (US) is levels of polution and stress (except for Singapore and Hong Kong but I think they counteract with fish oil. |
Pippi
Supporter
Username: Pippi
Post Number: 2147
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 5:39 pm: |
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JGA - "Now that it's less acceptable you see less people smoking in movies and on TV. "
Just watched Good Night and Good Luck. Man, EVERYONE smoked in that film (it was reflective of the times, natch) but MAN did I want to have a coupla cigarettes watching that movie! |
Lizziecat
Citizen
Username: Lizziecat
Post Number: 1183
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 6:01 pm: |
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To help you quit smoking, what you need is a bad scare. For me, it was a case of asthmatic bronchitis in 1979. I realized that it was really no fun to be unable to breathe, and that if I wanted to kill myself, there were quicker ways to do it. I quit cold, and haven't smoked since. |
MichaelaM
Citizen
Username: Mayquene
Post Number: 173
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 8:05 pm: |
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Stuart, my Scrabble dictionary now says "qi" and "za" are words. What fun is that?! |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 4821
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 9:21 pm: |
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Rastro-
I agree with you. ALL of Disney should be smoke free... |
John Caffrey
Citizen
Username: Jerseyjack
Post Number: 209
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 10:33 pm: |
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Cigs and cancer. My father smoked 3 packs of unfiltered luckies from when he was 14 until he died at age 83. "It ain't killed me yet."
When he died, it was from throat cancer. The cancer swelled up in his throat. The physician said he will die in one of two ways. The cancer will probably cause his wind pipe to close and he will suffocate to death.
However, if he is lucky, the stress of less and less oxygen will cause a heart attack. "Heart attacks are the friend of patients with this disease."
He was diagnosed in late August, 1998 and had his larynx removed in September. From then, the cancer progressed and we watched him get weaker until he died on December 25th 1998. The oncologist believed it wasn't from a heart attack.
I write this and also tell this story to people in the hope that it leads someone to stop smoking.
JC
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Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 4822
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 10:35 pm: |
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Rastro-
That's the misconception a lot of people have about smokers. It's not that many of them are 'weak' and just don't want to quit. I know a number of smokers who DO want to quit but find it very difficult. It's because the nicotine is addictive. I'm still glad for the smoking ban though. Hopefully less and less children will start smoking. Seems many smokers start as a result of peer pressure.
One of my friends and his 18 year old daughter were talking about this the other day. She told me up until a month or so ago she was smoking 10-15 cigarettes a day. That she's tried several times to quit. We were talking about this maybe 20 minutes or so.
She said several there are several things that have helped her cute back (she now smoke about 5 or so a day). One being changing the people she hangs out with. I'm pretty sure she said none of the friends she now has smoke. Another change is the smoking ban and the last change in the law where you now have to be 19 years old to buy cigarettes; instead of 18. Since she can no longer legally buy them. What I don't understand is it isn't against the law to smoke them at 1; you just can't buy them.
As much as I don't like cigarette smoke, and I especially cringe when kids are smoking; I don't think it's right if after you've reached the 'legal' to do something, such as smoke, they raise the age, but don't grandfather you in. |
joeltfk
Citizen
Username: Joeltfk
Post Number: 371
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Friday, April 28, 2006 - 12:56 am: |
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Recent News-Record GRAIN OF SALT column on smoking:
http://www.jesttokill.com/grain_smoke.html
Sorry, I'm shamelessly self-promoting, but hey it's local and on-topic.
After this week's on landscaping I'm short on ideas once again if anyone has any suggestions. I'm also in this month's NJ Monthly if anyone wants to know what my Mom is like:
http://www.njmonthly.com/issues/may06/exit.html
Ooops, now I'm way off topic...
Joel |
Bajou
Citizen
Username: Bajou
Post Number: 127
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Friday, April 28, 2006 - 5:04 pm: |
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Hi Joel:
"Critics also consider it a blow to the rights of small business owners, as well as business owners of average or above average heights."
I LAUGHED OUT LOUD!!!!
and I am a smoker |
Glock 17
Citizen
Username: Glock17
Post Number: 754
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Friday, April 28, 2006 - 5:26 pm: |
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John, with all due respect...he smoked unfiltered luckies since he was 14 and managed to make it till 83...this is going to say rude...but I'm gonna' say he had a pretty damn good run
If he had died at 50something it would be a different story |
Bajou
Citizen
Username: Bajou
Post Number: 131
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Friday, April 28, 2006 - 5:35 pm: |
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Hey Glock.... my thoughts exactely..
My mother had a heart attack at 65 and now Alzheimers at 67. Never smoked and always active and skinny.
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Chris Prenovost
Citizen
Username: Chris_prenovost
Post Number: 858
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Friday, April 28, 2006 - 5:53 pm: |
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Truth be told: The tobacco companies have invented a stealth cigarette. So now, we can puff away to our heart's content. And you intrusive liberals can do nothing! You are powerless!! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 13938
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, April 28, 2006 - 11:01 pm: |
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Exceptions to the rule don't disprove the rule. Think back to your statistics class. Smoking increases your chances of various things such as lung cancer. If you smoke, there's no guarantee you'll get lung cancer, and if you don't, there's no guarantee that you won't get it.
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Hoops
Citizen
Username: Hoops
Post Number: 1216
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Friday, April 28, 2006 - 11:20 pm: |
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Glock its not the number, its the way. Those last 6 months must have been a living hell for him and for his family knowing there was nothing they could do to help him.
Now think a bit young man, wouldnt you want your parents around a few years longer and in better health?
When I was in my teens I thought that 40 was really old. Right now I would say 83 is not really that old. |
Scully
Citizen
Username: Scully
Post Number: 381
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 - 1:00 am: |
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Hoops:
You are dead on right. John's father 'lived' to 83, but just
barely. His last 10 years were spent going to the hospital
for the multiple heart attacks and strokes he suffered, one
after another.
And I also agree, 80 is not that old any more. My Aunt has started
slowing down a bit at 92. |
Glock 17
Citizen
Username: Glock17
Post Number: 761
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 - 3:33 am: |
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He was 83, that is old. Both of my grandparents died around that age. It's inevitable whether you smoked or not. |
susan1014
Supporter
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 1528
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 - 10:18 am: |
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Glock, I'm guessing you've never had a close relative die of lung cancer. It is not an "easy" death. Yes, everyone dies; yes, 83 is a full span of life; but lung cancer is not the way that you want to go, whether at 63 or 83. |
John Caffrey
Citizen
Username: Jerseyjack
Post Number: 212
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 - 9:35 pm: |
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Glock & Bajou - yes, my father's behavior was responsible for the cause of his demise. He knew it and I know it.
The point I wish to have smokers consider is that they might also experience such a prolonged and agonizing process of death. In considering such, maybe someone might decide to smoke one less cigartte or even decide to stop smoking.
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CLK
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 2233
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 - 9:49 pm: |
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I just found out today that my favorite aunt has lung cancer. Because she is frail (this is the fifth cancer she's had in her life - all unrelated) they can't do surgery or chemo, only radiation which can't cure her. They can only give her some more time. Her husband died of smoking-related illness (emphysema) a few years ago. Her sister, my other favorite aunt, died two years ago from complications of emphysema.
Every person I've loved who has died too young has been from one of two things.
1) Smoking
2) Alcohol related accident
Every single one. I have lost two aunts and two uncles to smoking-related illness, and my husband has lost two aunts. My parents have both had bypass surgery but keep smoking. (smoking is implicated in more deaths by heart disease than lung cancer.)
I hate cigarettes with a bitter passion. Not smokers - my parents and my sisters all smoke. But I hate the cigarettes that are slowly poisoning them to death, and that have turned them into powerless junkies.
As to the smokefree bars - it is awesome. We went out to St. James Gate last weekend and had a wonderful time - we even sat at the bar for a while. We wouldn't have done this prior to the ban (cigarette smoke makes my eyes red and sometimes swell up - I'm ultra-sensitive to it). So some business might be lost, but ours has been gained, and probably some others too. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7465
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 9:46 am: |
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CLK - so sorry about your aunt.
Glock & Bajou. Nice attitude, albeit rather naive. Incurable cancers are ugly, painful, heart-wrenching, costly, job-threatening and can rip you apart. It's even worse for the patient. Who, by the way, may be on a feeding tube and unable to get out of bed alone but isn't covered for home health care so someone in the family has to second mortgage the house to hire an aide (if they can find someone reliable) or take a (probably unpaid) leave from their job.
Yep - 83 is a good run. And it's a damned shame, IMHO, that a nice long life comes to an end in a slow, painful, humiliating way (probably in adult diapers, BTW) where the younger grandchildren will only remember grandpa like that, if they remember him at all. I had a nice chat with my mom yesterday morning over where she would like to die.
You two are pretty friggin' selfish. I'll give Glock his youth and inexperience. Again, I'm not demonizing smokers or tossing off a casual "hey, you made the choice". If you make the choice, realize what you are risking putting your family through. Don't belittle or dismiss the concerns of others as "none of our business". Many, many people wish that it weren't their business. |
Glock 17
Citizen
Username: Glock17
Post Number: 770
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 1:55 pm: |
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I'm not saying GO OUT AND SMOKE UP, JOHNNYBOY!
l'm not saying its good for you either. Non-smokers get cancers too. No one knows why. |
Bajou
Citizen
Username: Bajou
Post Number: 144
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 3, 2006 - 1:23 pm: |
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Wow greenetree:
I hear you but I think that Glock and I meant something totally different.
At least for my part I meant to say that when somebody gets to see their 80's I consider that lucky. You all jumped on the bandwagon without ever bothering to read my post properly.
Greene: Every illness is hard to bear and it sounds like you had to be a caretaker yourself. Since it seems you have made up your mind that I am a "pretty friggin' selfish" person let me give you a glimps of what it's like on my side of the fence. I made two posts in this thread (none rude or nasty) and one stated that my mother has full-fledged Alzheimers at 67 years old. No feeding tube.. granted, but a mother who every so often accuses you of trying to poison her when you bring her lunch. You said you had a talk with your mom the other day! I'd give my right arm to talk about any topic with my mom. Most of the time my mother thinks I am the hairdresser and yes you are right I don't have to worry about my children seeing her like that, she has long ago forgotten that she has grandchildren and gets very confused and angry when you mention them. So they have neither seen nor talked to their grandmother in two years.
No illness is easy to bear for the afflicted or the family. So don't go calling me selfish if you don't know me and don't judge somebody so quickly because yes I do believe 83 is a great age cause it's sixteen years older then my mother every had a chance to be (consciously)
Enjoy every day like it's your first and appreciate it like it's your last. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7531
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 3, 2006 - 1:55 pm: |
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Bajou,
I rescanned the thread (haven't looked at it for a few days). I think that I was reacting to your agreement with the casually tossed off "it's a good run". I have great difficulty with the attitude some people have displayed that decisions to do certain things do not affect anyone else. (No, I am not intimating that you said this).
I'm not going to get into a pissing match about which illness is worse, who is suffering more, etc. Because there is always someone in a worse spot and there is no family illness harder to bear than your own.
As one of my closest friends said when his father died "you are never old enough to lose your parents."
I am sorry that you are going thru this with your mom. I know how difficult it is.
But I still wouldn't waste my money on Parlaiments. |
Bajou
Citizen
Username: Bajou
Post Number: 146
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 3, 2006 - 2:35 pm: |
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Oh I know about the parliaments. I didn't mean to be harsh and certainly am not interested in comparing what is worse. I will say again "No illness is easy to bear for the afflicted or the family."
You have a very wise close friend and I thanks for your compassion which I am feeling for you too since it is obvious that you are a caretaker.
Bajou
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