I suggest you do a bit of research before you say it “flies in the face of all medical research.” Chronic smoking of cigarettes does lead to a host of health issues, but this is because of the combustion of the tobacco, plus the chemical additives they put into it. Occasional or moderate use of cigarettes would have a corresponding decrease in health risks, compared with heavy usage (abuse, in other words.) In all honesty, Americans’ daily consumption of fast food is probably more injurious to their health than an occasional cigarette.
First, let me say how I agree with you. I agree that we cannot totally eliminate all risks from our lives, and it is misguided to try. Furthermore, I agree that the data on smokeless tobacco and occasional use is inconclusive. And I am not maintaining that smoking is a sin. However it is still irresponsible to encourage such a casual attitude toward smoking in a public forum that is read by teens and other who may be making up their minds for the first time as to whether to try smoking. You asked about research. Well, there are a lot of sources I could cite, but for the best summary, I will simply cite the
Center for Disease Control here. If you have studies that contradict these, then please post them and also explain why you think the ones you cite are more credible than the CDC’s data.
Now let me address why I think the excuse about smokeless tobacco is an irrelevant distraction. The fact is that the vast majority of tobacco use is cigarette smoking. People reading this thread are going to be thinking “cigarette smoking” unless you make it very clear that you are speaking only about these less common alternatives. When you say
Tobacco, like alcohol, is dangerous when chronically abused; but when used in moderation, poses no outstanding risks except in exceptional circumstances.
What did you think of as chronic abuse? The CDC defines a “regular smoker” as opposed to an “occasional smoker” as someone who smokes one or more cigarettes every day. And that is the level at which the data is incontrovertible. Just read through that CDC link above and see what the research says.
So where do all those pack-a-day smokers come from? Do you think they started out saying “I think I’ll become a pack-a-day smoker”? No, they all intended to be occasional smokers. Some of them managed to do that, but most did not, or they were lucky and stopped smoking entirely. You don’t know if you are becoming addicted until you become addicted. It happens gradually, and occasional use turns into regular use.
And to Tyuiop411 who says
all my Grand parents, great grandparents, and great great grandparents all chain smoke (chain smoked in the case of my great great grandparents) and all of them lived (or are living) well past the average lifespan and didn’t die of smoking related causes
I am very happy for your family and their good fortune. But it is scientifically insignificant to form a conclusion about the risks to all people based on anecdotal evidence gathered from people you select. When probabilities are involved, there are always going to be some people who beat the odds. And if you look for them, you will find them. But if you were going to be scientific about it, you would not limit your group to just those relatives of yours. You would take a random sample of people - as large a sample as you can manage. Even limiting yourself to people you know, you most likely have heard of someone who died of lung cancer or smoking-related heart disease. Trust the statistics. They were done with much more care than your casual observations.
I am not saying that people should not take risks. But those who are taking those risks should be as informed as possible about what those risks are. Then they can decide for themselves if they want to take those risks.
But please do not encourage children to start smoking. We have come so far in the last 50 years in reducing smoking, and irresponsible statements about the safety of smoking sends a mixed message to young people just making up their minds.
