Am I Smoking Too Much?

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warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,700
16,209
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
It's the genes. How well the body handles the different poisons we insist on shoveling in. I strongly suggest smokers and others look to family histories so as to get a read on the genes, what killed who. I'm adopted so, I can't do that.

Based on my 2 packs a day from age twelve until I added chewing tobacco a few years later (barns and flight lines) then pipes when I hit university I think I'm fairly safe at 72 from lung cancer. I had a precancer screening a few months ago and have very clear lungs. I bet my natural family line was fairly sturdy with regard to cancer. My adopted family is rife with cancers.

Now, heart disease? That's another subject entirely. I'm pretty certain my heavy smoking and chewing was a contributor to the failure of my immune system. Being a dedicated carnivore was a major contribution I sure.

Many doctors and others in the medical research field are sold on the idea that we all carry cancer around in our bodies. It's when we unbalance our immune system that cancers manifest themselves. So ... bad diet (However the government defines that at this moment.), tobacco, too much sun, the death of a loved one, car wreck, or any number of factors can cause the system to stress into failure.

Check your family histories, access the risk or flip a coin. Then, get a little risky and start with the nicotine if it pleases you. Maybe jack up the life insurance for the spouse and the children's education. Smoking is a selfish decision but, shouldn't hurt to consider your kids. I did, she'll collect a tidy little sum along with everything else she inherits.
 

d750

Lurker
Aug 20, 2019
25
24
Some forms of cancer do show genetic predisposition. Others do not. Theories regarding what triggers transformation from normal cell to dysplasia to malignancy vary according to cancer type and exposure to carcinogens, viruses and many other factors. Squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth, throat and esophagus are primarily related to tobacco and alcohol abuse. Genetics do not come into play significantly except when they are associated with other specific and usually rare types of genetic based illness. There may be a genetic component to susceptibility to head and neck cancers with alcohol abuse but not tobacco.

My point is, a clear family history is not necessarily an indication of low or lower risk than the general population for head and neck cancers among smokers. The risk with pipe smokers is less than with cigarette smokers but it is still significantly higher than non-smokers. And as mentioned before, the risk is generally dose dependent.

The more you smoke the higher the risk.

Again, I'm not beating anyone up for smoking however much they want. We all take risks that affect our health and safety. The risks I take may seem crazy to you and the risks you take may seem crazy to me. I'm just saying that we all need to understand the risk, behave accordingly and accept the bad outcomes like big boys and girls if they occur.

And Warren, you are not safe from lung cancer just because you don't have it yet. Again, the risk is dose dependent. The fact that you haven't got it yet only indicates that you haven't hit the critical dose not that you are immune from it. Hopefully you will not hit your critical dose ever, but the more and longer you smoke the closer you are to it.

Sadly, even quitting does not reduce your risk of lung cancer to the level of non-smokers. One of my colleagues quit smoking in his 40's but died of lung cancer in his early 70's. Not common, but not rare either.

Weigh risk accurately. Respond accordingly.
 
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UncleRasta

Lifer
Sep 26, 2019
2,229
35,565
Monterey, CA
I try to limit to 1 a day...

5323157662e6d9ade0413fc8a1bac0b0.jpg
So you couldn't find a manly pipe and picked up this lady pipe item? (Tongue firmly in cheek btw.)
 
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UncleRasta

Lifer
Sep 26, 2019
2,229
35,565
Monterey, CA
Currently, I tend to smoke a 15 to 20-minute bowl in the morning, same again late evening, and about a 30-minute smoke somewhere between the two. Tend to add another bowl or two per day on weekends or days off. I think that it would be twice as much if I could smoke indoors.
 

Worknman

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 23, 2019
968
2,819
In my honest opinion yes, 12 bowls a day is too much, at least it would be for me. I believe you should do things in moderation but I certainly don't hold judgment against anyone that likes to indulge.
 

Cowboy444

Lurker
Oct 11, 2019
1
0
It cleans HealthPro 250 very well - in our apartment it is similar. IQAir is a professional technology company from Switzerland. Among the shortcomings are the price and dimensions. In addition to smoke and smell, it perfectly copes with dust and allergens. Air Purifiers for Cigarette Smoke
 
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