Some of you might be passionate about it or whatever, or need their fix... or whatever. I know of someone who got cancer because of this passionate habit and half their face is now riddled with it, they've become delirious, and their 2 kids and wife are at home trying to care of this man, who sometimes runs around the house because of his delirium and excrutiating pain. What a disgusting habit. Sorry if I offend you, I just can't believe people subject themselves to this kind of crap. The risks of sky diving and riding a bike and other "dangerous" activities aren't relevant compared to what sort of biological damage these sorts of things do. Those risks are based off probabilities that may or may not occur. This is bad for you plain and simple. Some will get cancer, some won't. Some will die from it, some won't. ALL of them will be in less optimal health.

You, or anyone, obviously can do it if you so want, I won't stop you... but I will let you know what I think about it.

so no skydiver has lived, ended up a quadrapalegic trapped in their own body with family taking care of them? I understand your point, and because this is something close to you, you are more passionate about it. I do not smoke, dip, chew, etc, but like you said, people have their vices and it is their life. If it affects their family that is something they will A) have to live with or B) (in most religions) have to answer for. The other option C) agnostics etc really don't care about a higher power, and usually don't think of the consequences. I do feel it is equivelant to other things like riding a donorcycle at 120mph with no helmet or a bmw at 127mph into a tree at 7am with a bottle of Sam Adams Cherry Wheat in between your legs. Also for the most part these people are mostly hurting themselves. I understand sometimes family has to deal with this, but what about drunk drivers who kill people they don't even know, peoples kids, etc. In the end lets call a spade a spade, their all risky behaviors that may impair your health/future.

Hm, they are risky behaviors I agree, but it's a completely different risk factor. One is simply based off probability, not off of certainty. Riding a bike without a helmet and proper gear is obviously dumb. If you want to be a speed demon take it to the track. There are measures of safety that can be taken to prevent risks in these scenarios. There is no such safety measure to be taken with tobacco.

I'm not by any means a pure or non risky person. I don't mind if someone smokes marijuana occasionally, so it's not like I'm completely against smoking either. Marijuana simply isn't known to be a cancer causing agent, unlike the substances being discussed in this thread. I plan to own a donorcycle one of these days because I have a passion for motorsports, but you bet I'll wear proper gear and a helmet. Sometimes even that's not enough to prevent something terrible from happening, but at least I have some control over where/when to ride. I don't personally know the family/man suffering through this, my parents do, so this situation doesn't make me particularly extra passionate.

Again, to me, risks based off probability and risks based on the inherent nature of something (ie tobacco causing cancer) are fairly different. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

How about all the unprotected sex going on out there in the age of AIDS? Not something we tend to think about much until its too late. EVERYTHING in life has risk!

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God must be a Florida Gator fan because everyday at sunset the sky turns orange and blue!!!

Its great to be a Florida Gator and IM Board Certified!!

even eating those smoked meats can lead to a malignancy lol just enjoy life in moderation

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Semesters 1-4 Basic Sciences- Dominica campus [X]
Semester 5 AICM Miami [x] Step 1 prep []
Diagnostic Medicine bound

I gave up my Skoal addiction for about a week. TALK ABOUT DANGEROUS!! That experience turned out to have dire consequences. People almost died. Seriously.

I had a conversation with a nurse at work recently. It went something like this:
Nurse: You chew a tin a day!!!???!!!
Me: Yup.
Nurse: When you're a doctor what are you going to say to your patients!!!??? Are you going to tell them that, that habit is O.K.???
Me: Nope. I'll tell them not to do it, but then again I'm a hypocrite. At least I'm an honest hypocrite.
Nurse: (scoffs)

I'd also like to let everybody know how badly phEight stressed me out. I had to throw in half a tin to get over what he/she wrote.

My advice to all you haters: Get off your soapbox, chill out, and smoke a cigarette.

P.S. It's really tough to gut Grizzly while wearing a surgical mask. Just thought you all should know that.

P.P.S. Copenhagen sucks.

if i get cancer (i dont smoke but even if it did) it'll probably from all the bbq/grilled chicken i have here
seriously i'm on about at least once every other day right now between nelson's, andrews, the place next to nelsons with the fries, and kathryns(though they havent been grilling lately) its all freakin bbq chicken hahahah

Yeah, and I don’t mind a little cocaine either from time to time. I mean, it’s not a “known” carcinogen so it must be okay!