Alcohol and cigarettes...

[pixiegirl]

Great grandfather died at 85. He'd been a full-blown alcoholic since he was in the single digits. Autopsy didn't find a thing wrong from drinking- liver or otherwise.

On the otherhand, one of aunt's drank away her pancreas and gets to spend the rest of her life on pain killers and disabled- but she did stop drinking.

You can't make a blanket statement like that. Not everyone's body reacts the same way; there's exceptions to everything.

You can make a blanket statement when the majority of people are more affected by one thing than another. Smoking is bad for you. Some people can smoke for 50 years and have nothing wrong with them when they die of old age. Doesn't make smoking good for you or any less bad for you. It's a general statement that affects the majority.

 

[heavenly was]

What do you consider a moderate smoker or drinker? I smoke about a half pack of cigarettes a week and usually have either a glass of wine with dinner OR a couple of drinks after my kids are asleep. On the weekends I typically indulge more for both.

I don't plan on dying by either since to me I'm a "light" smoker and a moderate drinker. But that's my perception. To my BF's mother who doesn't smoke at all and rarely drinks. We're both alcoholoics because we drink more than once a week.

I'd venture to say that more mothers bury their children due to alcohol than due to cigarettes and the point of the thread was from a parents perspective. If I have a child that's smoking a cigarette the mortality rate is far less than if I have a child that's drinking.

That is a good point pixiegirl.

 

[PsyOps]

What do you consider a moderate smoker or drinker? I smoke about a half pack of cigarettes a week and usually have either a glass of wine with dinner OR a couple of drinks after my kids are asleep. On the weekends I typically indulge more for both.

It was meant more rhetorically since I don’t believe you can smoke moderately. I just don’t see how sucking smoke (and all the carcinogens that come with it) into your lungs can be good for you on any level. Studies are out there stating that moderate levels (1 to 2 drinks a day) of alcohol can actually be good for you. Of course there are studies that counter this leaving up to us to decide which to believe.

I don't plan on dying by either since to me I'm a "light" smoker and a moderate drinker. But that's my perception. To my BF's mother who doesn't smoke at all and rarely drinks. We're both alcoholoics because we drink more than once a week.

I realize my generalizations can only apply to given opinions. It’s not my intent to be critical of peoples’ choices. I just happen to believe, after watching so many of my family suffer the ill-effects, that smoking is much worse than drinking, at least in the long term.

I'd venture to say that more mothers bury their children due to alcohol than due to cigarettes and the point of the thread was from a parents perspective. If I have a child that's smoking a cigarette the mortality rate is far less than if I have a child that's drinking.

I definitely agree to this, but it’s only because of the immediate affects of alcohol at high levels. I don’t think we need to discuss long-term vs. short-term affects of each.

 

[dems4me]

... . I just happen to believe, after watching so many of my family suffer the ill-effects, that smoking is much worse than drinking, at least in the long term...

I thought you said you just only had an aunt or great aunt or something suffering from lung cancer :shrug:

 

[PsyOps]

I thought you said you just only had an aunt or great aunt or something suffering from lung cancer :shrug:

And...???????? I don't think wrote "only".

 

[dems4me]

And...???????? I don't think wrote "only".

You posted that "so many of [your] family members suffer the ill affects of smoking" You'd think you'd cite more than just one family member. I was wondering how many and what ailments :shrug:

 

[PsyOps]

You posted that "so many of [your] family members suffer the ill affects of smoking" You'd think you'd cite more than just one family member. I was wondering how many and what ailments :shrug:

The only reason I cite my aunt is she is given about a week to live. It weigh heavily on my mind since she has been close to me my entire life. In other posts I have cited my dad, who suffers from heart disease, attributed to smoking. He had to have triple bypass, a valve repaired, and heart reconstruction. He has had congestive heart failure (which is also attributed to weak lung health) several times and (even though he's doing fairly well) continues to struggle. My uncle (who smoked for decades) also has heart disease, my grandfather (on my dad's side, who smoked) died from congestive heart failure. My grandfather (on my mom's side, who smoked) died from congrstive heart failure. My dad's best friend and wife both died from lung cancer; they both smoked. My mom and dad have two neighbors with lung cancer one died from it and the other still refuses to quit smoking. You now have my family and friend history, did I pass your test?

 

[dems4me]

The only reason I cite my aunt is she is given about a week to live. It weigh heavily on my mind since she has been close to me my entire life. In other posts I have cited my dad, who suffers from heart disease, attributed to smoking. He had to have triple bypass, a valve repaired, and heart reconstruction. He has had congestive heart failure (which is also attributed to weak lung health) several times and (even though he's doing fairly well) continues to struggle. My uncle (who smoked for decades) also has heart disease, my grandfather (on my dad's side, who smoked) died from congestive heart failure. My grandfather (on my mom's side, who smoked) died from congrstive heart failure. My dad's best friend and wife both died from lung cancer; they both smoked. My mom and dad have two neighbors with lung cancer one died from it and the other still refuses to quit smoking. You now have my family and friend history, did I pass your test?

Sorry to hear that I have a mother dying of emphasema (smoked), grandfather and grandmother die from heart failure or stroke (one smoked one didnt); an aunt, grandmother, and uncle dye from cancer young (all nonsmokers) and a father that had cancer (never smoked). I have a grandfather that has cateracts and a brother with ulcers as well. Also, I have I one coworkers's cousin's mail man's daugher that has lungcancer and two of her friend's cousins have it too and they don't smoke but their dogs pee alot.

Personally I think its due to genetics. :shrug: Some folks can smoke all their lives and lead long lives (into 70s and 80) without any problems from smoking and other's can't :shrug:. Some folks have heart problems and didnt' smoke at all :shrug:. I think its a faulty gene or something. I wish you luck on your family members with this though. I am wondering however, if it was running that rampant in your family (aunt, father, uncle, grandmother and grandfather) and 100% due to ciggerettes why do y'all continue to light up or even start?

 

[kwillia]

I am wondering however, if it was running that rampant in your family (aunt, father, uncle, grandmother and grandfather) and 100% due to ciggerettes why do y'all continue to light up or even start?

I would think it would be along the same reasoning that people use that have close relatives that have had skin cancer but still go to tanning beds and get sunburns while out boating and such on the weekends...:shrug:

 

[vraiblonde]

why do y'all continue to light up or even start?

Everyone dies of something eventually. It's only been recently that mid-70s to late-80s has become considered "premature death".

 

[dems4me]

Everyone dies of something eventually. It's only been recently that mid-70s to late-80s has become considered "premature death".

In my family, that's old..

 

[dems4me]

I would think it would be along the same reasoning that people use that have close relatives that have had skin cancer but still go to tanning beds and get sunburns while out boating and such on the weekends...:shrug:

He's fair skinned and never tans in the slightest other than freckles getting more and more spreading.. he just burns - always has. I swear if he see's a beach on tv he burns . I havn't blistered yet that I recall from the sun this year and have been being pretty careful this year (although not perfect) it's a start

 

[kwillia]

He's fair skinned and never tans in the slightest other than freckles getting more and more spreading.. he just burns - always has. I swear if he see's a beach on tv he burns . I havn't blistered yet that I recall from the sun this year and have been being pretty careful this year (although not perfect) it's a start

My point made...

 

[dems4me]

My point made...

 

[PsyOps]

Sorry to hear that I have a mother dying of emphasema (smoked), grandfather and grandmother die from heart failure or stroke (one smoked one didnt); an aunt, grandmother, and uncle dye from cancer young (all nonsmokers) and a father that had cancer (never smoked). I have a grandfather that has cateracts and a brother with ulcers as well. Also, I have I one coworkers's cousin's mail man's daugher that has lungcancer and two of her friend's cousins have it too and they don't smoke but their dogs pee alot.

Personally I think its due to genetics. :shrug: Some folks can smoke all their lives and lead long lives (into 70s and 80) without any problems from smoking and other's can't :shrug:. Some folks have heart problems and didnt' smoke at all :shrug:. I think its a faulty gene or something. I wish you luck on your family members with this though. I am wondering however, if it was running that rampant in your family (aunt, father, uncle, grandmother and grandfather) and 100% due to ciggerettes why do y'all continue to light up or even start?

I don't mean to imply anything is 100% this or that. And I don't mean to offend those that do smoke. It's my wish that they didn't for their own health and those around them.

I guess my only point is that smoking, with all of its carcinogens, has to have ill-affects on your health. Why some suffer from it more than others, I don't know. All I know is sucking smoke into your lungs can't possibly be good for you.

Thanks for the well wishes.

 

[dems4me]

I don't mean to imply anything is 100% this or that. And I don't mean to offend those that do smoke. It's my wish that they didn't for their own health and those around them.

I guess my only point is that smoking, with all of its carcinogens, has to have ill-affects on your health. Why some suffer from it more than others, I don't know. All I know is sucking smoke into your lungs can't possibly be good for you.

Thanks for the well wishes.

YW. I was thinking for the heart stuff, its genetics. I'm not offended by you and I smoke. I think it would be far more unhealthy for me and others if I didn't smoke... I have really bad emotionally unbalanced kind of withdrawls, I get really mean. But that is upcoming on my list to have done by the end of the year -- I will have given it up. Glad you were smart and not picked up given your predisposition towards heart problems.

 

[Ken King]

I guess my only point is that smoking, with all of its carcinogens, has to have ill-affects on your health. Why some suffer from it more than others, I don't know. All I know is sucking smoke into your lungs can't possibly be good for you.

Thanks for the well wishes.

Hell, every life that has ever been has ended in death so I guess it isn't good for anyone to live. I am sure most if not all know that it is not good for anyone to smoke, so what. It isn't good for anyone to drink alcohol, it isn't good for anyone to eat excessive amounts of junk or fast food, many say it isn't good for anyone to own a firearm, and we hear all the time about how it isn't good for anyone to have unprotected sex (there are too many of these targets on today's list to enter, but feel free to imagine your own). If all these are "evils" why aren't they banded by those who think they are superior and have the right to dictate how others live?

 

[PsyOps]

Hell, every life that has ever been has ended in death so I guess it isn't good for anyone to live. I am sure most if not all know that it is not good for anyone to smoke, so what. It isn't good for anyone to drink alcohol, it isn't good for anyone to eat excessive amounts of junk or fast food, many say it isn't good for anyone to own a firearm, and we hear all the time about how it isn't good for anyone to have unprotected sex (there are too many of these targets on today's list to enter, but feel free to imagine your own). If all these are "evils" why aren't they banded by those who think they are superior and have the right to dictate how others live?

Have you ever stood over your dad in a hospital bed at the age of 70 feeding him? Have you ever seen your dad keel over in pain because of constant heart angina? Then, following his surgery watching him struggle to even walk, when he should be able to play golf? The emotion and physical effects this has on his wife having to help him along in his daily routines? Ever struggled through any of these things? If you have then I doubt you’d be saying “so what”. It’s about more than just the one that is dying. Whole families have to suffer through these things. I know… So what!

And, because you apparently haven't been paying too much attention, I have NEVER said ANYTHING should be banded (banned).

 

[Ken King]

Have you ever stood over your dad in a hospital bed at the age of 70 feeding him? Have you ever seen your dad keel over in pain because of constant heart angina? Then, following his surgery watching him struggle to even walk, when he should be able to play golf? The emotion and physical effects this has on his wife having to help him along in his daily routines? Ever struggled through any of these things? If you have then I doubt you’d be saying “so what”. It’s about more than just the one that is dying. Whole families have to suffer through these things. I know… So what!

And, because you apparently haven't been paying too much attention, I have NEVER said ANYTHING should be banded (banned).

Look Asshat, did I say you said anything, no I didn't, so pull the freaking stick out of your ass. I, like you, can participate in any conversation on here and I will do so. I am tired of being nice to you self-righteous pricks.

As to standing over death beds, yeah, I’ve been there. But you know what else, I’ve been on the scene of many accidents caused by drunk-drivers and have watched that immediate pain and suffering inflicted upon others by uncaring idiotic behavior. Which do you think is worse?

So go ahead, use your bold inflections upon your words as if you are an authority on anything and everything, then read my words again and stick your head back up your ass where you will be doing us all a favor.

 

[PsyOps]

YW. I was thinking for the heart stuff, its genetics. I'm not offended by you and I smoke. I think it would be far more unhealthy for me and others if I didn't smoke... I have really bad emotionally unbalanced kind of withdrawls, I get really mean. But that is upcoming on my list to have done by the end of the year -- I will have given it up. Glad you were smart and not picked up given your predisposition towards heart problems.

I agree that heart disease can be genetic. But I also believe you can avoid these things with a healthy lifestyle. I chose to do everything I can to avoid having bypass surgery (as an example) so I don’t have to drag my family through the turmoil of watching me die or suffer at a young age (and I consider 70 to be young). I know there are no guarantees, but I refuse to take the “we’re going to die from something so I may as well kill myself by abusing my body” position. My kids (and my future grandkids) are too important to me.