[LibFreeOrDie]

And people who don't drink get cirrhosis of the liver...

I doubt that lung cancer suddenly appeared among humans when tobacco-smoking became popular a few centuries ago.

(And who introduced the world to nicotine addiction and tobacco smoke? The indigenous peoples of eastern North America!)

[RobbyS]

On "Nightline" tonight they said that lumg cancer research got less financial support because it is perceived to be caused by behavior. There's a stigma attached to it. So why does AIDS get so much support?

[ccmay]

I doubt that lung cancer suddenly appeared among humans when tobacco-smoking became popular a few centuries ago.

It has always been around, but extremely rare before cigarette smoking became popular. There is one type, called large cell lung cancer, that is the most common in non-smokers. If she died of this, it could be "natural", but if she died of some other type like squamous cell carcinoma, it is almost certainly due to second-hand smoke.

A hundred years ago, when everyone smoked pipes and cigars and usually did not inhale, lung cancer was almost unheard of. If someone developed one of the types other than large cell cancer, doctors would come from miles around to see it.

-ccm