HEALTH

Smoke Alarm

More than a billion people are still puffing away—can governments help turn the tide?

By Karen Springen | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Feb 7, 2008 | Updated: 11:31  a.m. ET Feb 7, 2008

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  • Posted By: skinnyminny2 @ 02/07/2008 3:37:00 PM

    Except for people who are truly ignorant of the dangers, anyone dumb enough to smoke deserves every bit of health risk that comes along with it. Person smoking for the first time: "Gee, this burns my lungs...and it smells bad, too, and not exactly cheap. Hmmm. Think I'll keep doing it." 15 years later: "That one flight of stairs really wiped me out. Can't seem to get rid of this bronchitis, either--where'd my inhaler go? Whoops, I'm down to my last cigarette!"

    All goverments should be doing is keeping second-hand smoke away from those of us who do not want to be exposed to it and protecting children from advertising. Aside from that, let the idiots smoke away.

    • Posted By: sjbrock80 @ 02/27/2008 3:50:00 PM

      You know, I probably don't like the smell of your perfumes or your butt, but that doesn't mean it should be banned from society.

      You are so sheltered and ignorant to think that you can vote away people that do something you don't like. I don't like drunks or women with smelly lotions and perfumes. Those people are a hazard to my health!!

      You're a closed-minded circus freak.

  • Posted By: phiomalibumalibu @ 02/18/2008 2:21:26 PM

    Also, I used to be a social smoker, then it turned into and addiction. I went to DrBrazil.com and got some really good pills that worked and I quit smoking. Yes!

    • Posted By: sjbrock80 @ 02/27/2008 3:45:51 PM

      DrBrazil.com sent a friend of mine some pills that made him break out into boils and eventually led to the loss his genitals.

  • Posted By: phiomalibumalibu @ 02/17/2008 7:00:27 PM

    Yes I agree with cleanbrake, those older cars do have a lot of asbestos in the brakes, I used to get a headache everytime I changed the brakes. Luckily I donated my old car to AutoGiver.com
    and got a huge tax break.

  • Posted By: cleanbrake @ 02/11/2008 10:41:06 AM

    Look at the wheels of your car... Brake dust, byproduct of stopping, is the only REAL POLLUTION produced by a commuter in stop and go traffic. Why is there no information? After 1/2 century of "AIR QUALITY MGMT",nothing ever mentioned. Asbestos is back, brakes are unsafe without , non-asbestos 400% more likely to fail to stop. Trash the TRIAL ATTORNEYS who pocket the resources to stop (recover) the Heavy Toxic Contaminate. ARE YOU READY FOR A CLEAN BRAKE,

  • Posted By: observer101 @ 02/10/2008 9:50:05 PM

    Governments wont really be in a hurry to dump smoking as we are led to believe...There is just to much money to make from taxing the hell out of it. They are now turning to pharmacuticals for there loot. As soon as the last of the smokers run out, then they can rely on the kickbacks from the med companies that will have THIER meds prescribed to keep the lungers alive for awhile longer. Moneys the heart of it not our health.

  • Posted By: Afendi @ 02/10/2008 8:45:28 AM

    We can't save everyone and those who want to risk their health and put their childrens life in harms way, is really their business. I am an ex-smoker, since I quit smoking 15 years ago my life style as well as my habit had to change. The struggle to fight my addiction from tobacco was hard. The problem I have is I don't want to be exposed to smoke, unfortanuately I am living in a country (Greece) who feels we as non-smokers don't have any rights.. I have to make new friends( mine still smoke) and I hope they we open more places for those of us who don't smoke. I feel only the uneducated people smoke that is why they are targeting new victims.

  • Posted By: OldGamer007 @ 02/08/2008 8:24:24 AM

    More people die each year from heart disease brought on by their diet (or lack of a diet), but is our government going after the fat people? No... As soon as the insurance company figures out how to charge being over weight in a politically correct way, you bet there will be lobbyist in Washington trying to do it. (And yes, I pay for my health insurance)

    Today it is my rights being taking away, tomorrow it will be yours, and who will be there to stand up for you?

  • Posted By: sjbrock80 @ 02/07/2008 3:23:04 PM

    If you don't like smoking, don't do it and leave those who do alone.

  • Posted By: Nimbo @ 02/07/2008 2:15:06 PM

    The loss of life from the cigarette industry is staggering.... yet much good will come out of this by reducing mankind's carbon footprint substantially. Perhaps the nations that are hardest hit can be given tobacco credits for their selfless contribution to the environment. Maybe other nations will join the fight & by 2100 we can reduce earth's population by half, and save the polar bear from certain extinction.

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