Smoking


Smoking

Best of the Web: The devious plan of anti-smoking campaigns to control people and stop them from using their brain

Jacob Sullum
Forbes
Thu, 19 Dec 2013 05:17 UTC
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'Smoking is bad because the government sez so'
Several years ago I was talking to an epidemiologist who is skeptical of the idea that smokers pose a mortal threat to people in their vicinity. Although he supported workplace smoking bans, he was frustrated by the willingness of so many anti-tobacco activists and public health officials to overlook or minimize the weakness of the scientific case that secondhand smoke causes fatal illnesses such as lung cancer and heart disease. He wondered when it would be possible to have a calm, rational discussion of the issue, one in which skeptics would not be automatically dismissed as tools of the tobacco industry. I suggested that such a conversation might take place once smoking bans became ubiquitous, at which point the political stakes would be lower. Judging from a recent article in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, headlined "No Clear Link Between Passive Smoking and Lung Cancer," that conversation may have begun.

The article describes a large prospective study that "confirmed a strong association between cigarette smoking and lung cancer but found no link between the disease and secondhand smoke." The study tracked more than 76,000 women, 901 of whom eventually developed lung cancer.

Comment: The reality is, that there are many health advantages to smoking. Makes us wonder why something so beneficial would be demonized so strongly. Read the following articles to learn more:

Let's All Light Up!

5 Health Benefits of Smoking

Nicotine Lessens Symptoms Of Depression In Nonsmokers

Nicotine helps Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Patients

Brain Researchers: Smoking increases intelligence

Read More...
Smoking

Sacramento State to go tobacco-free in 2015

Diana Lambert
The Sacramento Bee
Fri, 13 Dec 2013 07:48 UTC
CSUS
© UnknownCalifornia State University, Sacramento
Sacramento State will be a tobacco-free campus beginning in fall 2015, university officials announced Thursday afternoon.

The university's president, Alexander Gonzalez, approved the ban and directed staff to develop a policy to prohibit all tobacco use, including smoking, tobacco chewing and the use of electronic cigarettes on the university's grounds or in its vehicles.

The president's overarching goal is to "promote health and wellness and a healthful educational environment at Sacramento State," according to a news release.

Smoking is currently allowed at California State University, Sacramento, as long as it isn't within 20 feet of a building, in Hornet Stadium or on major walkways.
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Smoking

Despite containing no tobacco, French court rules e-cigs are part of the tobacco monopoly


Agence France-Presse
Mon, 09 Dec 2013 15:31 UTC
e-cig
© AFP
A French commercial court ruled on Monday that e-cigarettes qualify as tobacco products and should only be sold by registered tobacconists.

The ruling by the court in Toulouse is subject to appeal but could eventually see the distribution of e-cigarettes limited by a state-imposed monopoly on tobacco sales.

The decision comes amid a global boom in sales of e-cigarettes - battery-powered, vapour-releasing tubes that are promoted as a healthier alternative to traditional tobacco products.

The case stems from a complaint made by a local tobacconist against the Esmokeclean e-cigarette shop in the southern town of Plaisance-du-Touch.

The court in nearby Toulouse gave its verdict Monday, ordering Esmokeclean to stop selling and advertising e-cigarettes as it was violating the "state monopoly on the sale of tobacco" - a decision that could set a precedent.

Cigarettes and other tobacco products can only be sold in France at registered outlets and their advertising is banned.
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Smoking

Global fascism: Smoking in public places banned in Perth, Australia


Australian Associated Press
Thu, 28 Nov 2013 21:09 UTC
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© Mayank Ganger/flickr
City of Perth will become the first council in Western Australia to ban smoking in major pedestrian areas when its malls go smoke-free from Sunday. Changes to the local law mean it will be an offence to smoke in Perth's Hay Street Mall, Murray Street Mall and Forrest Place.

Offenders in the first six months of the awareness campaign will be cautioned, and fines will be issued from 1 June next year.

Healthway's chair, Rosanna Capolingua, said on Thursday nine in 10 people in WA were non-smokers and it was important to show young people that being a non-smoker was a community standard.

"We're talking about hundreds of thousands of city workers and visitors per week who will no longer be exposed to harmful secondhand smoke in these areas," she said. "Smokers too will benefit from this move, and most agree it's a good idea because they want encouragement to quit.
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Smoking

Brain Researchers: Smoking increases intelligence

Klaus K
Den Gule Negl
Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:00 UTC
Einstein smoking
Quitting smoking results in a decrease in brain activity, says professor.

Positive effects of nicotine on the brain's performance is now confirmed by the Danish nicotine research at the Panum Institute in Copenhagen. We can now add another piece to the puzzle which clearly shows that smoking increases the intelligence. According to an interview with brain scientist, Professor Albert Gjedde in Ekstra Bladet.

Albert Gjedde, along with two colleagues started with nicotine tests, according to Gjedde clearly shows that if a heavy smoker suddenly stops smoking, then it bears negative consequences on his brain activity.

"The energy metabolism of oxygen in the brain decreases. This means, that one's thinking capacity is also decreased. But if you start smoking again, so does the energy sales at the usual level, "he says. Albert Gjedde explains in the interview that a number of now concluded studies that smoking increases intelligence:
"If you have to explain the concept of intelligence, it is in fact the ability to make sensible choices - to anticipate future challenges. And this is where nicotine can help"
he told the newspaper. Gjedde also refers to the Swedish professor of genetic developmental biology, Klas Kullander, who found that nicotine promotes learning and memory: "Nicotine affects receptors in the memory center. You simply get better at organizing his memory. ", said Gjedde.

Comment: Let's All Light Up!

5 Health Benefits of Smoking

Nicotine Lessens Symptoms Of Depression In Nonsmokers

Nicotine helps Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Patients

Read More...
Smoking

World gone mad: Nashville bar owner shoots country singer Wayne Mills dead... for smoking

David Edwards
Raw Story
Tue, 26 Nov 2013 06:39 UTC
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Jerald Wayne Mills, shot dead for smoking a cigarette
A Nashville bar owner claimed self defense over the weekend after fatally shooting country music singer Jerald Wayne Mills, 44, in connection with an argument over smoking.

Witnesses told WSMV that 44-year-old Chris Michael Ferrell shot Mills at the Pit & Barrel bar at around 5 a.m. Saturday morning following an argument that started when the singer began smoking in a non-smoking area. The suspect and the victim were reportedly friends.

Mills was later pronounced dead after being taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

"We're investigating Chris Ferrell's claims of self-defense," Nashville police spokesperson Kris Mumford told the Tennessean.

Ferrell had a valid permit to carry a handgun, according to WSMV.

In 2010, both the Tennessee state House and Senate overrode Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen's veto on a bill to allow handguns in bars.

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Smoking

UK medical industry launches compulsory anti-smoking and anti-fat indoctrination program in Wales

Julia McWatt
Wales Online
Mon, 25 Nov 2013 11:06 UTC
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Patients in Cardiff or the Vale of Glamorgan who smoke or are obese will be required to attend intervention courses before having non-emergency surgery from the end of this week.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board says its optimising outcomes policy, which was approved by the board in July, is designed to support patients live healthier lifestyles and improve their chances of surviving surgery and recovery times.

Under the scheme, any patient listed for elective surgery who smokes or has a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more will have to be offered, accept and complete smoking cessation or weight management support programmes before being put on the waiting list.

Around 2% of adults in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan are thought to have a BMI of more than 40 and 21% smoke.

The Health Board said a test phase for the policy, run with 10 GP practices in the area, proved a success and paved the way for the approach to be adopted across the region from December 1.

Comment: They're launching an "optimising outcomes policy"? What bland, neutral-sounding newspeak for what is in fact propaganda of the worst kind, especially because it will lead to more disease, not less.

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Vader

Rajasthan, India's largest state with a population of 70 million people, declares that public jobs are no longer available to smokers

Syed Intishab Ali
Times of India
Fri, 08 Nov 2013 07:02 UTC
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Jaipur - If you want a government job in Rajasthan, quit smoking and chewing gutka first. For, the department of personnel has issued a circular to all other departments and district collectors to extract an undertaking from candidates to the effect that they do not smoke or consume gutka while in government service.

In November 2012, state-level coordination committee (SLCC) for tobacco control had recommended that an undertaking should be taken from candidates before giving them government jobs. Such an undertaking would help young smokers to quit the habit in the initial stages itself, which otherwise would result in cancer, the committee felt.

Principal secretary, department of personnel, Sudarshan Sethi said, "Gutka and smoking are very harmful and their consumption is not at all a fashion statement. People should stay away from it."

A copy of the circular, issued on October 4, has been sent to the governor, Rajasthan Public Service Commission, secretary, Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha and registrar, Rajasthan High Court Jaipur/Jodhpur.

The circular was issued on the same day when the model code of conduct for assembly elections came into effect in the state.

Comment: Half of all cancers in males in India are caused by tobacco?LIE!

Lies, Damned Lies & 400,000 Smoking-related Deaths: Cooking the Data in the Fascists' Anti-Smoking Crusade

This move may indeed be a first.

Well, we've only one thing to say to that:

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Smoking

Alberta government further endangers health of Canadians by making its smoking bans even stricter


CBC News
Fri, 08 Nov 2013 06:44 UTC
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Canada joins the rest of the 'civilized world' in taking another step in the direction of devolution
The Alberta government introduced new legislation on Thursday which makes it illegal to smoke in a vehicle where anyone under the age of 18 is present.

The Tobacco Reduction Amendment Act or Bill 33 will also ban the use of waterpipes in public areas like restaurants. If passed, the government plans to give businesses 12 to 18 months to comply with the new legislation.

"We'll proclaim the bill in parts so we can give people an opportunity to transition," Health Minister Fred Horne said.

The government also plans to support Bill 206, a private members bill banning the sale of flavoured tobacco products.

Health experts believe that flavoured tobacco gets young people hooked on smoking. However, it isn't clear if menthol will be included under the ban.

"We're not taking a position at this point on menthol specifically what we're supporting is a bill that would allow us to target any flavoured product," Horne said.

Comment: They claim to be worried about the children, but what they don't understand is that asthma levels have gone up AS A RESULT OF the introduction of smoking bans:

The Scientific Scandal of Antismoking

Read More...
Smoking

SOTT Focus: The myth of smoking during pregnancy being harmful

Anonymous
Sott.net
Wed, 30 Oct 2013 17:51 UTC
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In about 1999 I was asked to analyze the data of pregnant women with respect to smoking for a major health insurance company. They were running a campaign to get pregnant women to stop smoking and they expected to find interesting data to support their case.

I used to teach college courses covering the topic. The text books said that smoking causes underweight premature babies. Because of this babies of smoking mothers are more likely to have birth defects. With alcohol, two drinks a day was considered safe, but with tobacco, there was no safe threshold. I thought this was rather strange. You smoke one cigarette while pregnant and you are more likely to have birth defects? Even for a hard core health fanatic that is difficult to believe.

Here is what was found in the data. Babies of smoking mothers average weight was 3232 grams (7.1 lbs.). Babies of non-smoking mothers averaged 3398 grams (7.5 lbs.). That is about a half pound difference and it is statistically significant. Seven pounds is a good healthy birth weight that does not set off any alarms. Babies are considered underweight if they are less than 2270 grams (5 lbs.). 4.5% of smoking mothers babies were underweight and 3.3% of non-smoking mothers babies were underweight. This difference is not significant. There is no indication here of a health risk from smoking based on weight.
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