A lady (?) anti-smoker sent me her picture this morning to prove to me how much difference there is when a woman doesn't smoke.
I gotta admit, there's a lot of difference!
Posted on 01/28/2005 1:50:34 PM PST by SheLion
Just how harmful is environmental tobacco smoke?
Not as harmful as the Environmental Protection Agency or those anti-secondhand smoke commercials would have one believe, according to Roger A. Jenkins, Ph.D., consultant to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Chemical Sciences division.
Jenkins presented "Human Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Is What You See What You Get?" at ORNL this week.
"Some people wish I didn't have the findings I have," Jenkins said. "Others say, 'Gee, if this is true, why does the EPA continue to talk about this?' [The research] steps on people's toes, and that's exactly what I want it to do."
Environmental tobacco smoke is a highly diluted mixture of sidestream (70 to 90 percent) and exhaled mainstream (10 to 30 percent) of tobacco smoke.
"'Secondhand' smoke is probably misleading, since most ETS is derived from smoke which is emitted by the smoldering firecone of a cigarette," Jenkins said.
According to Jenkins, the typical smoker inhales 480 milligrams of smoke a day and 32 milligrams of nicotine per day. In a home where smoking is unrestricted, the typical non-smoker will inhale the equivalent of .45 milligrams of smoke particles and .028 milligrams of nicotine.
There are several science-related hurdles to overcome in educating the public about ETS, Jenkins said. The first is getting the public to understand the difference between personal beliefs and science.
"In a society where there are still serious debates about evolution, this can be a real challenge," he said.
The second is avoiding the "means justifying the end syndrome," which Jenkins says involves the distortion of science in the name of preventing youth from smoking.
The third major hurdle is demanding "public policy types" provide perspective for the facts they declare.
"Sure, there are 43 carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) in ETS, but there are also probably about 40 carcinogens in diesel exhaust and wood smoke," Jenkins said.
Indoor air pollution is also caused by many things other than non-tobacco sources, including cleaning, cooking, consumer products like Raid and wood burning.
"As (physician) Paracelsus said in the early 1500's, 'the poison is in the dose,'" Jenkins said. "We still continue to eat lettuce and take showers despite their carcinogens. Life is risky business."
Jenkins is simply remaining true to his profession by bringing forth this politically incorrect information, he says.
"When you start tinkering with science because you want to achieve some political aim, you are no longer a scientist."
Jenkins retired in September from his position as leader of the Environmental Chemistry and Mass Spectrometry Group in the Chemical Sciences Division at ORNL. He has authored or co-authored more than 45 open literature publications in the area of field analytical chemistry and tobacco smoke characterization and human exposure. He is the lead author of "The Chemistry of Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Composition and Measurement," Second Edition.
Jenkins has also acted as an expert witness in several high-profile litigations involving environmental and mainstream tobacco smoke composition and exposure
ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!
OMG! You're so bad! I LOVE it. hehe!
A lady (?) anti-smoker sent me her picture this morning to prove to me how much difference there is when a woman doesn't smoke.
I gotta admit, there's a lot of difference!
You're quite right. I may get him to come around before long, though. :)
Tongue? Oh but wouldn't that make their breath stink? LOL!
Sometimes I hang out with smokers in order to acquire "second-hand coolness."
ROFLMAO!!!
OMG! I had to get a box of tissues. I got tears running down my face from laughing so hard. I better go to the powder room because I might become a danger to my chair. Hahah!
Ewwww! LOL
I haven't developed allergies but I have developed a severe Nicotine deficit.
Hey! What with what we have to put up with, it helps to keep a LOT of humor!!!! Believe me!!!! heh!
Smokers are fun, I have to admit. The anti's are so full of hate, they have forgotten what fun was. Pity.
I don't like you. You need to remove yourself from anyplace I am. Furthermore, you need to refrain from going anywhere I MIGHT go, just in case I decide to. Do I not sound just the slightest bit petulant?
But when it comes to smoking, these same people who are quick to say "it wasn't their time", believe that smoking kills. Weird, huh? Either people have a time to go or they don't.
Plus, I don't know about you, but I thought that Freepers were thoughtful people who, before giving credence to news articles and stories, did their own research and examined for themselves what the truth is...instead of taking on the sheeple mentality and believing what their told just because someone said it or because it appeared in print.
Oh well, guess I was wrong. No worries, I'll still enjoy my cigs though.
The above is part of the reason you suffer on these threads. You made a statement, to wit, "cigarette smoke is obnoxious to non-smokers." Cigarette smoke is certainly NOT obnoxious to ALL non-smokers. You use the same slimy tactic that the anti-smoking lobby uses, claiming something as true that is not. It is obnoxious to you. Stop speaking for me. I don't appreciate it, and I especially don't appreciate it when what you CLAIM does not represent what I think. You're a little weasel who is unashamed to alter facts in pursuit of your agenda. How liberal of you.
Well, sport, I'm 65 and I've been smoking since I was twelve.
I've been working on drilling rigs all my life.
I still run up and down the rig floor stairs several times a day.
Last month I chainsawed my way through ten acres of heavy oak timber clearing an electric power line right of way on my property and cut it all up for firewood.
I still do a full day's work that would exhaust someone half my age.
When do you reckon I'll start carrying that oxygen tank?
I wish. There was an article in Readers Digest by a Doctor some months back about allergies.
I find the same about non-drinkers too. Some of them are so self-righteous about their decision not to drink that they suck the fun out of every social gathering they are a part of. I'm not really talking about those who had to quit due to alcoholism but more about the ones who think they are superior to everybody else. Ditto for most vegetarians, obsessive joggers, etc. When you are so fixated on being "perfect" and pointing out the flaws of others, you become not a very fun person to be around.
I saw on the news once, where a guy shot himself in the head, and drove himself to the hospital. He lived.
Another one had a 6" blade someone stabbed down into the TOP of his head............he lived.
But when it comes to smoking, these same people who are quick to say "it wasn't their time", believe that smoking kills. Weird, huh? Either people have a time to go or they don't.
Oh I know. And the anti's claim that smokers are all going to die horrifying deaths at a very young age. That's a crock of chit.
Plus, I don't know about you, but I thought that Freepers were thoughtful people who, before giving credence to news articles and stories, did their own research and examined for themselves what the truth is...instead of taking on the sheeple mentality and believing what their told just because someone said it or because it appeared in print.
Sometimes, when I am on a Conservative smoking thread, I still can't believe the anti-idiots that come in to trash us. I thought Conservative meant fighting for the rights of all the people. I guess it's so, unless you are a smoker. Well, I learned that over 70% of FReepers smoke, so the vicious anti's are WAY outnumbered when it comes to FR. And Thank God for that. But sometimes, I feel like we fell into the DU HELL.
Oh well, guess I was wrong. No worries, I'll still enjoy my cigs though.
No worries at all. The smokers on our threads are the kindest, funniest and most informed people of all. And we are NOT full of vicious hate like some want you to believe. But we WON'T take the chit from these outnumbered know-it-alls. NEVER!
Exactly. They all think we should live in the land of Perfect. Well, sorry. We do NOT live in the land of Perfect!
And I have often said "I bet THEY have habits that WE would find disgusting." ugh!
That was really interesting. Thank you!
FWIW, I've seen what I would consider "anti-FReeper" sentiments on other threads too. In fact the other day, after seeing overweight people being referred to as "lard asses" about 20 times, I told my hubby I might need to give FR a rest for awhile....because controlling my fingers was causing extreme stress. I just don't see how name-calling and the holier-than-thou attitude facilitates any kind of discussion. OTOH, I'm a nicotine addled addict, so maybe I'm waaayyy off. LOL
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