cigarettes - the most powerful drug in the world ? ( UPDATED )

[The Mind]

My co-worker has smoked all his life I suppose, 39 years old, has a 4 year old little girl. About a year ago he was diagnosed with tongue cancer. They removed 1/3 of his tongue, and then found it had spread to his neck and lymph nodes. Operation, chemo and radition were applied. Through it all he still smoked. After about 3 months from his last doses of treatment, its back again I guess, he's doing the chemo and radiation again.

He's lost probably 30% of his body weight, half his voice, half his facial movements, his neck looks like a raw burn, 1/3 of his tongue, probably 50% of his body muscle mass, but dammit he still loves to smoke cigarettes

What other drug could be so powerful that a person would willfully kill themselves slowly with them ? With a wife and little girl to live for you'd think he could find the willpower to quit, you know ?

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[bawanajim]

This goes back to another on going thread ,some people don't value life,& some do.
All kinds of people do meth,crack,herion and some even huff paint.They gotta know its going to kill them , they just don't care.

I feel for the little girl she will miss her father.As for his wife she will most likely pick her next mate more carefully.

[NCOutdoors]

What other drug could be so powerful that a person would willfully kill themselves slowly with them ? With a wife and little girl to live for you'd think he could find the willpower to quit, you know ?

Uh, how about alcohol? Don't take this as a defense of tobacco. I just see an enormous amount of hypocrisy in this country about the issue. Granted a moderate consumption of alcohol won't kill you, but it wrecks more families and lives than tobacco does. Think about how many people are killed and mamed every year because of alcohol. How many kids and wives (maybe even some husbands) are abused and beaten every year because of it. Just watch an episode of "Cops" and you'll see that a majority of the calls they make are alcohol related. How many jobs are lost and divorces happen because of it?

With that said, yeah, I find it amazing that someone would keep smoking after having a third of his tongue removed. Sounds like he's toast now though. Might as well enjoy it for as long as he can.

[burniegoeasily]

Yes it is. I know people who have kicked heroin but cant come close to kicking the cancer sticks.

[cameronmclain]

ORIGINAL: NCOutdoors
Uh, how about alcohol? How many kids and wives are abused and beaten every year because of it.

NC; I see your point, but I kindof disagree. I don't think it's "because of" alcohol. I think it's because the person is a piece of trash anyway- the alcohol just makes him do what he really wants to do. I grew up with an alcholic step-father and I wouldn't wish that living hell on any kid or wife. He wasthe nicest guy in the world until he started drinking- then he turned into the devil himself. It took me many years to figure out that deep down he wasn't really a nice guy. He was a piece of crap all the way around, the booze just gave him a little courage!
I see your point though- there are many many kids and wives abused while someone is using alcohol.

As far as cigarettes go- I think they are a very very powerful drug. My grandfather is now suffering the effects of 40 years of smoking. He quit several yrs ago, but has emphysema now and doesn't have much "quality of life". My parents also refuse to quit- even after watching him suffer. I never started (thankfully), so I can't imagine I guess.

I'm not sure why it's so addictive. Is it really the drug, or is it the fact that they're so readily available?

[bruce_smith60]

I stoped smokeing when my dad wrote a letter to me, my wife, sister and her husband. Asked us to stop, because he doesn't want us to go thru what he just found out he had. I did...6 years ago. It's something you have to want to do.
As far as the cancer he has, a lady across the street died form this, she was only 32. She had never smoked, and no one in her family had either.
This is one of those that make no sence as to how or why.
I wish the man well, and will include them in prayer.
He is probably useing the smokeing thing as a measurment of quality of life.......go figure

[gobbler afflicted]

One of my best friends died in december from chewing snuff. he dipped all through school, and a year and a half ago he went to the dentest with a tooth ache. The x-rays showed a tumor in his jaw putting pressure in his tooth. It was cancer. they removed most of his lower jaw and replaced it with bone from his thigh. 6 months later it was back, and this time had spread all over his body. The tumors on his face and neck made him look like the elephant man. He slowly died, and left 3 little girls.

The thing is when he found out he had cancer, he completely quit snuff, but it did no good, he was already dead and just didnt know it.

I really miss my friend, and 34 is way to young to die.

[NCOutdoors]

ORIGINAL: gobbler afflicted

One of my best friends died in december from chewing snuff.Â*Â*Â* he dipped all through school, and a year and a half ago he went to the dentest with a tooth ache.Â*Â*Â* The x-rays showed a tumor in his jaw putting pressure in his tooth.Â*Â* It was cancer.Â*Â* they removed most of his lower jaw and replaced it with bone from his thigh.Â*Â*Â* 6 months later it was back, and this time had spread all over his body.Â* The tumors on his face and neck made him look like the elephant man.Â*Â* He slowly died, and left 3 little girls.Â*Â*Â*Â*

The thing is when he found out he had cancer, he completely quit snuff, but it did no good, he was already dead and just didnt know it.

I really miss my friend, and 34 is way to young to die.

I feel for the little girls and his friends like you. Sorry you had to go through that.

NC;Â* I see your point, but I kindof disagree.Â* I don't think it's "because of" alcohol.Â* I think it's because the person is a piece of trash anyway- the alcohol just makes him do what he really wants to do.Â* I grew up with an alcholic step-father and I wouldn't wish that living hell on any kid or wife.Â* He wasÂ*the nicest guy in the world until he started drinking- then he turned into the devil himself.Â* It took me many years to figure out that deep down he wasn't really a nice guy.Â* He was a piece of crap all the way around, the booze just gave him a little courage!Â*Â*
I see your point though- there are many many kids and wives abused while someone is using alcohol.

I agree with most of that. But you say that your step father was the nicest guy until he started drinking. The problems are caused by the alcohol. I understand they have other problems too and might also be a crappy person but it's the alcohol that makes a crappy person do some of the crappy things they do.

[DougMD]

Alcohol makes people hung over, tired and grumpy a lot. So yes, it does have an effect on family relations even during those periods when the person is sober.

[cameronmclain]

but it's the alcohol that makes a crappy person do some of the crappy things they do.

I think if a person is a crappy person, they'll do crappy things- alcohol or not. I understand your point though- and can halfway agree.
But I was saying that I think the person has to have problems to start with. I just THOUGHT he was a nice guy, he really wasn't. I've learned from experience that people use the alcohol as a crutch. "Well if he didn't drink he would be a good man!" No- if he didn't drink he would still be a piece of ****. He was a piece of **** to begin with. And he'll always be a piece of ****. Even if he stops drinking.

But I think it's 50/50 now that you point it out. There probably are some good men who turn into bastards when they start drinking- I just haven't met any yet. (I'm not being condescending or sarcastic!) But I'm sure I will meet some- I'm still young!

Alcoholprobably isthe cause for some people. One example would be if a guy stops drinking andtotally turns his life around. Then he's a nice guy. I guess then I could blame it on the alcohol.