Posted on 07/30/2011 7:31:27 AM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta
Actor Michael Douglas was photographed smoking on a yacht last week - less than a year after "beating" stage IV throat cancer.
The Oscar winner appears on the new cover of Star Magazine and in photos inside puffing on what appears to be a hand-rolled cigarette July 21.
He looks tanned and relaxed in the exclusive Star photos, leaning on the yacht's railing while traveling with his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones along the Italian Riviera.
"Are you calling about the photos, because we have no comment," a rep for Douglas' spokesman Allen Burry told the Daily News.
The Hollywood icon, 66, was diagnosed with stage IV throat cancer last August and lost 32 pounds undergoing intensive chemotherapy and radiation.
"I feel good. I feel relieved," the actor told NBC "Today" host Matt Lauer in an interview in January, revealing that his treatment was a success.
"The tumor is gone," he told Lauer. "The odds are with the tumor gone and what I know about this particular type of cancer, that I've got it beat."
"It's rare to return to smoking after something like this, but it's an addiction akin to heroin. It's a physical addiction, not just psychological, and very difficult to break," said Dr. Eric Genden, a Mt. Sinai surgeon.
"It's a bad idea. In patients with a history of carcinoma of the throat, smoking represents an exceptionally high risk to developing recurrence and even dying from the disease."
It's possible Douglas was smoking medical marijuana or another substance other than tobacco, but medical marijuana typically is used to treat loss of appetite and nausea while treatment is ongoing.
Most patients quit any type of smoking because it tends to cause a burning sensation on throat tissue damaged by radiation, Genden said.
It's a really bad idea," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
I was born in the 50's and even back then they knew what cigs did. It is one nasty hard habit to quit, I hate to see young people start cause I know what they're in for.
Marijuana vaporizers, devices that heat and vaporize marijuana's active ingredients without burning the plant and producing the undesirable by-products of combustion, already exist.
But, of course you are correct: drug companies would want a piece of the cannabis action.
Smokers don't hate non-smokers. They despise ANTI-smokers.
There actually is a difference. I have never included Ditter in the "ANTI" crowd.
I don't know what has happened to you, but your posts on this thread, and especially this one to me, are so out of character for the Ditter I had come to know and love.
In all the years we have known each other on these threads I have NEVER said smoking was not harmful to the smoker. That you would call me a liar is very painful.
I remember people calling cigarettes 'cancer sticks' back in the 50's, and there was no proof of it. Somehow people just knew it probably wasn't good.
Truly an amazing story...
Another broadbrush comment that can easily be disproven.
Do many non-smokers dislike the smell? Of course. Do all? Absolutely not.
Those type comments are the equivalent of Bambi claiming the rich don't pay enough taxes.
It is amazing, God has been so good a merciful to me and my family. I’d had two CT scans and another scan which I can’t remember what it’s called. Looked like a donut and I had to lay still for about 20 or it might have been 40 minutes. All showed the cancer. Went to church sunday was on my knees at the altar, last thing I said was, Jesus I’m stepping out in faith. If someone comes up here and lays hands on me, I’ll know I’m healed. A woman who I didn’t know, came up and laid hands on me. She said later she was almost knocked backwards. I started to cry and tried to stop crying. I heard with my ears God say to me, your tears are precious to me. I immediately remembered the verse in the old Testament that says, He keeps our tears in a bottle. I burst into tears and couldn’t stop. 3 weeks later I had an MRI, there was nothing on my liver.
I’m glad you’re doing well! That must have been a terrifying experience.
agreed
It was terrible and awesome all at the same time. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy and yet at the same time I’d never want to change it. It brought me closer to God and my understanding of God, appreciation of God, love of God grew. Long story short, I went from being a spiritual child, to becoming a spiritual adult in a matter of about 4 months. I had so much head knowledge about God, it was like a trap door opened up and all that head knowledge just started filling my heart. It was so intense at times, I asked God to slow down...lol But, it was so awesome too. I would read something in the bible I’d read 100’s of times, and suddenly it would come alive. Or the depth of my understanding would increase 10 fold or more. It happened so much I would actually get overwhelmed.
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