Blowing Smoke
Zach and I spent the day visiting my dad at the rehab hospital. On the way out, we passed an elderly gentleman sitting in a wheelchair outside the building entrance. It was a chilly evening, the temperatures somewhere in the 40s, and he was out there in short sleeves, with no jacket or blanket or hat. He had a cigarette between his lips and was extracting every tobacco molecule he could, sucking them in with the force of an industrial vacuum cleaner.
Last night, I met a group of friends for dinner. One of them had cigarette breath when she arrived at the restaurant. Later, as soon as we had finished our meal, she immediately lit up on the sidewalk outside.
These two people are at least 50 years apart in age and probably have absolutely nothing in common except for a tobacco addiction. And in that they have plenty of company: Tonight I learned that 45 million American adults smoke.
That's more people than live in the entire state of California.
According to the American Cancer Society, not only can smoking cause lung cancer—it is also a risk factor for some forms of leukemia and for cancers of the kidney, liver, pancreas, bladder, esophagus, stomach, cervix, nose, throat, mouth, and larynx. Then there's heart disease. Not to mention emphysema, pneumonia, and chronic bronchitis. Nearly twenty percent of all deaths in this country are attributable to smoking.
Smokers who have surgery have a lower survival rate than nonsmokers and have a greater likelihood of complications, according to a 2004 Surgeon General's report.
My dad gave up smoking 43 years ago and is still suffering the long-term effects of his 20-year habit.
I've never smoked, so I can't begin to understand the allure of tobacco or the grip it has over those who have succumbed. But I know that whatever benefits one derives from lighting up are no match for the anguish of illness that so often follows.
The Great American Smokeout is coming up later this month on Thursday, November 15th. If you are a casual, regular, or chain smoker, I hope you'll consider jumping on the bandwagon and making a commitment to quit.
If you need help making the decision or following through, check out the terrific resources offered by the American Cancer Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There are innumerable good reasons to give up smoking. Take your pick.
And then make it happen.
Last night, I met a group of friends for dinner. One of them had cigarette breath when she arrived at the restaurant. Later, as soon as we had finished our meal, she immediately lit up on the sidewalk outside.
These two people are at least 50 years apart in age and probably have absolutely nothing in common except for a tobacco addiction. And in that they have plenty of company: Tonight I learned that 45 million American adults smoke.
That's more people than live in the entire state of California.
According to the American Cancer Society, not only can smoking cause lung cancer—it is also a risk factor for some forms of leukemia and for cancers of the kidney, liver, pancreas, bladder, esophagus, stomach, cervix, nose, throat, mouth, and larynx. Then there's heart disease. Not to mention emphysema, pneumonia, and chronic bronchitis. Nearly twenty percent of all deaths in this country are attributable to smoking.
Smokers who have surgery have a lower survival rate than nonsmokers and have a greater likelihood of complications, according to a 2004 Surgeon General's report.
My dad gave up smoking 43 years ago and is still suffering the long-term effects of his 20-year habit.
I've never smoked, so I can't begin to understand the allure of tobacco or the grip it has over those who have succumbed. But I know that whatever benefits one derives from lighting up are no match for the anguish of illness that so often follows.
The Great American Smokeout is coming up later this month on Thursday, November 15th. If you are a casual, regular, or chain smoker, I hope you'll consider jumping on the bandwagon and making a commitment to quit.
If you need help making the decision or following through, check out the terrific resources offered by the American Cancer Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There are innumerable good reasons to give up smoking. Take your pick.
And then make it happen.
posted by Jody Rosen Knower at 7:36 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home