Smoking Kills
Prezwoodz
Registered Users Posts: 1,147 Major grins
I took this photo because it shocked me and caused emotions in me.
This message is probably going to be offensive to some. That may or may not be how I am intending it but I don't think I am writing it simply to offend. I have learned much on my travels and there is one thing which seems to be common everywhere. Smoking. I do not do well around Cigarretes, my eyes burn and turn red, my throat hurts, and then i get really sick. Besides that they kill. Everyone knows it and those who dont are ignorant to that fact. Even the smoking companies acknowledgle it right on the cover of the box. They even go as far as saying it "Seriously harms you and those around you." I got a room in Rome in a hostel that had non smoking rooms. You could smoke however in the hallway where the smoke only had one way to leave the hostel, out my window. There were often as many as four people smoking in the small hallway section and within a few days I had started to get very sick. I tried to stay outside as much as possible but there were so many people smoking on the streets I couldn't get away from it no matter what I tried. Going into a cafe was pointless, everyone smoked. A few days later I lost my voice could no longer speak. I would not have minded staying in Rome but I had to leave if I was going to get better. I did not leave Rome with the thought of it being a beautiful city, to me it stank. Most large cities have been the same to me on this trip. I can't go dancing anywhere because you can smoke in all the places (except Wales). It is difficult to find a place to eat for the same reason. I eat mostly on my own with food I buy far away from anyone who smokes. Internet cafe's are strange in that I have not found a single one where smoking was not allowed, why does the internet and smoking go hand in hand? Yes I am having a large problem with this, it has threatened to bring me down from a cheery individual many times.
Any smoking section which is open and in the same room as a non smoking section is idiotic. Its as though resteraunt owners are playing non smokers as fools. Even a smoking section with an open door to a non smoking section is pointless. I have observed it many times that the average smoker has lost all concept of air dynamics. Standing 2 feet from someone and lowering your cigarette while your not sucking on it does not stop the other people around you from getting it in their lungs. Nevermind the other people sitting behind you who moments before could actually taste their food. Standing directly in front of an open door and smoking when you are not allowed to smoke inside is a slap in the face. Thanks for trying...but try harder. Driving in a car with the window down does not eliminate the smoke "look its going outside" is dumb. Please don't consider non smokers as morons. I have made my decision not to be around smokers, most of the time it means I have to get up and leave. Yes you should have the right to smoke where you want and its just not right to take that away from you, I thank you for not sharing the same right with me. I am at the airport now in a round terminal with no where to go. Already going through security I can not leave and so I have to sit in the smoke you have given to me. The only thing which keeps me from throwing something in your face is I don't want to get near your smoke.
There are lots of problems with the world that are very hard to change. You can do your part by smoking in your own home, or try quiting it would be better for both of us. Buy a car at the end of the year with the money you save. The answer to this situation I think is not banning smoking in all public places. I don't understand why I should have to sit inside while everyone smoking gets to enjoy it outside? I think that the tobacco companies themselves are the problems. Imagine if a company came out with something right now that said "This Kills you, your kids, your wife, your husband. Although it may just give your kids breathing problems for the rest of their life. But please use it every single day and make sure to expose others to it. Act like you don't care or that you don't realize it."
When did your hobby become more important to you then your kids?
I have thought a lot about whether I should ever say anything to someone who is smoking in the car or house with their kids. Seeing a person driving down the road with a kid in the car smoking with the windows up makes me angry. Would I say anything to someone who was beating their kids? I think I would rather someone smack their kid around a bit. Its easier to heal from then asthma, cancer, and the many other problems associated with smoking.
Please, if you smoke think of my words and don't just take them as an insult. They are real thoughts from someone who cant stand cigarette smoke. I am not the only one around. There are lots of people around who don't care for it. Watch your cloud of smoke surround someones face. If you have smoked around someone enough that they dont even notice then good for you, you have blackened their lungs the same as you have done to yours. Next time you think about your rights while trying to argue being able to smoke in public places try putting someone elses health in front of your simple wants. Or if able try not smoking even though you are allowed.
If you made it this far then thank you. Please respond with positive or negative. Ive heard a lot of ridiculous things so feel free to think about what you are saying before responding. If it sounds super selfish then maybe it is. Am I being selfish? Perhaps, But I don't think so.
Kelsey.
P.S. I know this board is not a ranting board. I respect many many people here and would love to see everyone and their kids live for a long time. If this message is going to be deleted for being inappropriate then so be it, I respect your decisions.
This message is probably going to be offensive to some. That may or may not be how I am intending it but I don't think I am writing it simply to offend. I have learned much on my travels and there is one thing which seems to be common everywhere. Smoking. I do not do well around Cigarretes, my eyes burn and turn red, my throat hurts, and then i get really sick. Besides that they kill. Everyone knows it and those who dont are ignorant to that fact. Even the smoking companies acknowledgle it right on the cover of the box. They even go as far as saying it "Seriously harms you and those around you." I got a room in Rome in a hostel that had non smoking rooms. You could smoke however in the hallway where the smoke only had one way to leave the hostel, out my window. There were often as many as four people smoking in the small hallway section and within a few days I had started to get very sick. I tried to stay outside as much as possible but there were so many people smoking on the streets I couldn't get away from it no matter what I tried. Going into a cafe was pointless, everyone smoked. A few days later I lost my voice could no longer speak. I would not have minded staying in Rome but I had to leave if I was going to get better. I did not leave Rome with the thought of it being a beautiful city, to me it stank. Most large cities have been the same to me on this trip. I can't go dancing anywhere because you can smoke in all the places (except Wales). It is difficult to find a place to eat for the same reason. I eat mostly on my own with food I buy far away from anyone who smokes. Internet cafe's are strange in that I have not found a single one where smoking was not allowed, why does the internet and smoking go hand in hand? Yes I am having a large problem with this, it has threatened to bring me down from a cheery individual many times.
Any smoking section which is open and in the same room as a non smoking section is idiotic. Its as though resteraunt owners are playing non smokers as fools. Even a smoking section with an open door to a non smoking section is pointless. I have observed it many times that the average smoker has lost all concept of air dynamics. Standing 2 feet from someone and lowering your cigarette while your not sucking on it does not stop the other people around you from getting it in their lungs. Nevermind the other people sitting behind you who moments before could actually taste their food. Standing directly in front of an open door and smoking when you are not allowed to smoke inside is a slap in the face. Thanks for trying...but try harder. Driving in a car with the window down does not eliminate the smoke "look its going outside" is dumb. Please don't consider non smokers as morons. I have made my decision not to be around smokers, most of the time it means I have to get up and leave. Yes you should have the right to smoke where you want and its just not right to take that away from you, I thank you for not sharing the same right with me. I am at the airport now in a round terminal with no where to go. Already going through security I can not leave and so I have to sit in the smoke you have given to me. The only thing which keeps me from throwing something in your face is I don't want to get near your smoke.
There are lots of problems with the world that are very hard to change. You can do your part by smoking in your own home, or try quiting it would be better for both of us. Buy a car at the end of the year with the money you save. The answer to this situation I think is not banning smoking in all public places. I don't understand why I should have to sit inside while everyone smoking gets to enjoy it outside? I think that the tobacco companies themselves are the problems. Imagine if a company came out with something right now that said "This Kills you, your kids, your wife, your husband. Although it may just give your kids breathing problems for the rest of their life. But please use it every single day and make sure to expose others to it. Act like you don't care or that you don't realize it."
When did your hobby become more important to you then your kids?
I have thought a lot about whether I should ever say anything to someone who is smoking in the car or house with their kids. Seeing a person driving down the road with a kid in the car smoking with the windows up makes me angry. Would I say anything to someone who was beating their kids? I think I would rather someone smack their kid around a bit. Its easier to heal from then asthma, cancer, and the many other problems associated with smoking.
Please, if you smoke think of my words and don't just take them as an insult. They are real thoughts from someone who cant stand cigarette smoke. I am not the only one around. There are lots of people around who don't care for it. Watch your cloud of smoke surround someones face. If you have smoked around someone enough that they dont even notice then good for you, you have blackened their lungs the same as you have done to yours. Next time you think about your rights while trying to argue being able to smoke in public places try putting someone elses health in front of your simple wants. Or if able try not smoking even though you are allowed.
If you made it this far then thank you. Please respond with positive or negative. Ive heard a lot of ridiculous things so feel free to think about what you are saying before responding. If it sounds super selfish then maybe it is. Am I being selfish? Perhaps, But I don't think so.
Kelsey.
P.S. I know this board is not a ranting board. I respect many many people here and would love to see everyone and their kids live for a long time. If this message is going to be deleted for being inappropriate then so be it, I respect your decisions.
My Pictures can be seen at http://prezwoodz.smugmug.com
I Live at http://www.alaskamountainforum.com
I Live at http://www.alaskamountainforum.com
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Comments
Kelsey you should never be afraid to stand up for you believe in.
I hear your message loud and clear, the warning on the box's are pretty tame compaired to what you get on cigarette box's here in Australia,
we also have the Graphic Medical Photos as well on each Packet.
I have found, especially where I work, we hardly have any smokers at all, but they all only smoke in the designated area outside the building.
People who smoke know its not good for them, but it is their choice to do it, even if we don't like it, they too have the right to smoke.
Continue to set an example, and don't smoke, that's a great way to make a statement too
.
Skippy (Australia) - Moderator of "HOLY MACRO" and "OTHER COOL SHOTS"
ALBUM http://ozzieskip.smugmug.com/
:skippy Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people just abuse the privilege :dgrin
The day the twins were born, 18 months ago, I decided to brake the cycle of family smokers and I quit.
Until I quit I never realized how much of a disgusting habit it was. In my old apartment building all three of the other doors on my landing always had people hanging out of them smoking. When I smoked I didn't mind, I would join in. Once I quit smoking it stunk and mad me mad that they would stand in front of my door and smoke. After many failed attempts of asking them to smoke someplace else away from my door and my kids, we finally moved.
I don't find your post offensive at all. I've been on both sides and that helps me to see your point better.
Eric
ON a side note your pic isn't working. Only a red x.
It's better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who you're not.
http://photosbyeric.smugmug.com
http://clients1.bay1.vanc.shyper.com/suspended.page/
gives this:
This Account Has Been SuspendedPlease contact the billing/support department as soon as possible.
He's having host troubles - hopefully his stuff will be back online soon.
Ryan
Live life to its fullest you never know whats in your future.
WWW.REVLINEPHOTO.COM
Pakistan was good in these things before Musharraf but now ............ :cry
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Do you drive a car?
Charlie
I have seen this arguement before.it doesn't cut it for me. You can go into the "everything will kill you" theme, but this is a money making scheme by the government and others to promote ill health while reaping the profits....Car manufacturer's install seat belts to help you when you are driving to stay safer.I don;t see cigarette companies supplying anything to keep you safer so as to save lives?
This gets into the realm of Sex, Religion and Politics to me
her: Ya cigarretes could kill me but I could walk across the street right now and get hit by that car and die.
me: Then why don't you?
It seems the arguments I always get from smokers are "Your doing something too. That makes your argument mute." Why does it? Why is the only way to argue this point trying to bring out what someone else is doing instead of pointing out that what is happening while you are smoking is also a good thing. Could it be because there really is no positive side effects to smoking, to you or anyone around you?
I Live at http://www.alaskamountainforum.com
Everyone has their own level of what they deem is an acceptable way to polute the environment, if I did smoke I'd have the courtesy to ensure it didn't affect other people.
You've made the choice that the pollution caused by your car (as have I) is acceptable to you but when you're next sitting at a junction with your engine running there might be an asthmatic child waiting to cross the road who believes the air pollution you're producing is unacceptable.
Unless you can claim to have no detrimental effect on the environment in the course of your daily life I think it would be sensible to have a less harsh view of those that don't match your expectation of what acceptable polution is.
Charlie
I think it's the point of people polluting themselves, not the environment?
Would you say there is a difference between running a car at an intersection and running a car in a sealed garage? I think if you look at a combination of Toxicity and PPM in what you inhale, sitting next to a single smoker in a resturant is considerably worse than the entire city worth of cars outside (at least in California where emissions restrictions on cars are fairly strict).
Cars and Smoking are both significant and well documented public health problems. Over the last 40 years we have made huge strides at reducing the impact of cars on public heath through a variety of regulations and technological fixes and despite the fact that the number of cars on the road has increased dramatically, the air is much cleaner (in California at least; not true in many parts of the world) today than it was in 1967. Smoking has not been as amenable to the technological fix (where would you attach a catalytic converter?) so the only really viable approach to the problem has been to restrict the behavior to where it can do the least harm.
Unless you can claim to have no detrimental effect on the environment in the course of your daily life I think it would be sensible to have a less harsh view of those that don't match your expectation of what acceptable polution is.
Smoking is bad, it kills people, but we all engage in activities that kill people so let's just be a little less judgemental and holier than thou about it.
Charlie
I am finding no one holier than thou?
Again.re read what was first posted..the word pollution is not once mentioned?Actually, you brought that word up first?
I understand where he is coming from, and I also agree that it is his opinion,not enacting a law.just voicing what he feels.its a free world..
However, I will contribute this:
My mother is dying from emphazema. She has been ill for quite a while, but on oxygen since December. At first, her general health improved, she quit coughing and gained a bit of weight. But she is deteriorating rapidly, and I am afraid she will not make Christmas. She is far too far gone to quit smoking at this point, as the likely anxiety would do more harm.
So, we all have choices to make each and every day. Our choices affect us and others around us, whether we acknowledge it or not.
I think that one choice my mother would choose to reverse is the one that will cause her to die before her grandchildren finish school, before she will be a greatgrandmother, before she will have been able to have enjoyed retirement with her husband of 45 years.....
I do drive a car. I choose to carpool as often as possible, to drive energy effecient cars, to grow a large garden and plant plenty of trees, to recycle, to reuse. But at this point I cannot draw a parallel between the overall detrimental affects on the health of an individual and their choice to drive a car. I can, however, point to my mother and suggest that for your sake, and for the sake of those that love you, don't smoke.
respectfully
ann
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Both of my parents were smokers and I grew up around it and thought it was perfectly natural, which is why I started when I was about 13 years old. The thing that gets me is that the media is constantly telling us we are horrible for smoking and we have people look at us when we light up like we are the devil. The Government is now stepping in to restrict the areas where we can smoke and telling us that we shouldn't do it at all. In the meantime there have been a few extremely low risk/high percentage medicines that have been released that my insurance won't even cover....and I have GREAT insurance. The government should be giving this stuff away but instead they are letting the drug companies charge hundreds of dollars for it.
I think it is time the tobacco companies step up and take full responsibility for the lies they have been telling for years upon years. Let Phillip Morris pay for my prescription to stop smoking. God knows I have given them a large portion of my earnings over the years.
For anyone that is interested in quitting, one of the medicines I am referring to is called Chantix. As I mentioned before, both of my parents smoked when I was growing up. This past Christmas my mom went into the hospital and found out she had to have a quadruple bypass and stopped smoking. My dad has never had any intentions of stopping, he had smoked almost three packs a day for as long as I can remember. After my mom got out of the hospital, a friend of my dad's got him a prescription for Chantix and filled it for him. My dad took the medicine, having no intentions of quitting and now he is smoke free and has been for several months! I'm still waiting for my insurance to cover it so I can quit myself.
"Set the Gear Shift for the High Gear of Your Soul"
I ride my bike. I live in my car so I do occasionaly drive. I have no city gas bill. I have no electric bill. I don't have a TV. I have no water bill. I do cleanups locally and I try everything I can for the environment. I was not mentioning pollution in my post. I am not trying to tell all smokers they are bad people. I would just love for those who smoke around others to understand the damage they are doing to them or atleast acknowledge that it is unpleasent for everyone else in the situation. I don't even think banning everyone from smoking in places is the solution.
I did like theinlawjosie's idea however. I think that either the government should step in and help a little more or get the cigarrete companies to help people quit.
I Live at http://www.alaskamountainforum.com
Agree to disagree and move on ......... LETS TALK PICTURES AND PHOTOGRAPHY
... Skippy
.
Skippy (Australia) - Moderator of "HOLY MACRO" and "OTHER COOL SHOTS"
ALBUM http://ozzieskip.smugmug.com/
:skippy Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people just abuse the privilege :dgrin
Charlie
I can't argue with that.
Charlie
Prez,
Smoking is not a hobby. I can tell by your post that you have no understanding of addiction. I'm actually glad for you , it means you've had no alcoholic family members or other friends or family on heroine or crack. Smoking is the same thing. For some people that first cigarette changes their brain chemistry forever.
For example, I had a friend who used to work as a psychologist in a methadone clinic. One of the questions that clients were asked is which would they rather give up herione or cigarettes. Every one answered heroine. Another is that Freud was able to give up coke, but not cigars.
This is really the reason smoking is such an issue. I suspect if it was just a hobby most if not all smokers would quit knowing now how dangerous it is.
Sorry Skippy, I know you wanted this thread to die. I think this thread should be moved. maybe to the big picture ?
Jill
Agreed - the benefits to society MUST outweigh the lobby money from the tobacco company!
Josie - I have a coworker on Chantix and it seems to be working. My mom tried every method available to her over the years. She was truely, truely addicted and none of the methods worked. It is too bad that she was part of the generation without the knowledge of the damage that smoking does or the luxury of the quit smoking aids.
I say to you do whatever you can to use Chantix - after all your insurance doesn't cover your cigarettes right now. Chantix is frightfully expensive but very short term. Perhaps it means giving up a vacation this year, but next year with the money not spent on cigarettes you will be able to go on an even better one.
I know that you do not want to be 64 years old, with 4 teenage grandchildren and a husband that just sold his business, and be tied to an oxygen tube, unable to travel because no one will give you travel insurance. Unable to enjoy what youhave worked hard all your life to achieve. I know that your children do not want that for you.
Josie, we will be here for you - just check the support flowing through the 'feed me' thread.
ann
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On the contrary most of my uncles have been or are alcoholics. We are having a serious problem with it in my family right now. Also my father smokes. I don't like the labeling of addiction. Heroin usually does damage to the person taking it and someone in the room on coke is not infecting everyone else in the room with it.
thebigsky I think that argument is less valid then the previous one. Eat all the food you want and I don't mind because you are not slowly killing all those who happen to be around you while you are gorging yourself. It is a different subject entirely.
Can this thread keep for a little longer Skippy if it stays civil? It is a very insightful one to me.
I Live at http://www.alaskamountainforum.com
Then we'd probably agree that people who make the personal choice to smoke should be allowed to do so in peace providing they do not inflict their air pollution on anyone else.
Charlie
First of all the picture ain't particularly effective (the conversation even less so) due to the comp. You should have gone for a much lower angle on the shot.
I have found an effective way to smoke in peace. I've switched from cigarettes to Cuban cigars. I light one of those babies up and every pesky non-smoker within 30 yards heads for the hills. :ivar
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How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
I suppose I would have to agree on this the problem is how far away you would have to be to do so. If you smoked in an apartment below me I would most likely be effected.
Harryb - Thanks for the photo critique. Actually I was thinking the same thing when i saw it and wished I had moved down a little and took the photo differently.
I Live at http://www.alaskamountainforum.com
Nice one Harry
Charlie
I not having a bar of it. The ONLY outcome of this is great people on this forum ending up hating each other.