Then what's to account for all the apologists on this thread? One third of the population of our country (current and ex-smokers) is at high risk for this terrible disease and for multiple other tobacco-related diseases, including cancers of the mouth, tongue, throat, larynx, esophagus, pancreas, bladder and kidney, and also at risk for coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, gangrene of the legs and stroke.
Let me see if I can help you understand; I may be pi$$ing on a flat rock, but we'll see. Everyone makes choices in life, be they "good" ones or "bad," and those here who you call "apologists" believe that is as it should be. We make our own choices based on our own experiences, and we don't take kindly to others trying to coerce us into living OUR lives the way THEY think is "good." Period.
I come from a long line of long-lived healthy smokers; I'm active and healthy and plan to live a long, full life. Neither my teeth nor my fingers are yellow and I'm less at risk than others I know who don't smoke but live stress-filled lives. In case you're wondering, I detest Big Tobacco--I don't use their products and encourage others to circumvent them as well--but I believe Big Government and Big Anti-Tobacco with their shoddy science and outright lies are far more dangerous to the very fabric of this country than Big Tobacco ever was.
First let me state that I do not smoke. However, you missed my central point completely. Life is full of risks. We all take risks everyday. Sometimes we take these risks unwittingly and sometimes with full knowledge.
Ever smoker I know, is aware that smoking increases his risk of developing some sort of disease. If they decide to smoke armed with knowledge of the risk they take, its their business, not mine, nor yours.
You never responded to my last question. Do doctors live longer or shorter lives, on average, that us other mortals? I think the correct answer is: as a group their life expectancy is shorter. If so, choosing to practice medicine increases the risk to your health. But, thats your business, not mine.
I only smoke a rare cigar.
I know that smoking is harmful. That said, my problem is these public health ninnies(not to be confused with doctors). The big govt left wing elitist statists that want to ban anything remotely harmful. These people don't care about my health. They are control freaks, and need to be stopped.
I enjoy a beer. Alchohol can be harmful. I like a big juicy steak. Pizza. No one forces me to consume that. Then there is the fact that these public health fascists are gun grabbers as well.
I know ALL ABOUT these lobbies. I see where their funding comes from. People like George Soros. The Tides Foundation etc.
They all can go F--- themselves. And they can count on one thing. I will make sure that they waste as much money as possible, when they try their BS in Lansing, since anything these jerks try something, I will alert every contact here that I have to their freedom grabbing, and the price the legislators will pay. After the ciggy tax here, it looks like three legislators may very well be sent back to the private sector here tomorrow....