Dear Azure,
Your remarks about the changes to the article about the smoker who started the fire in the plane are thoughtful. I hope you won't mind if instead of discussing the article any more, I pick up on the smoking issue that the article raised.
Just yesterday I asked my physician if I have "chronic bronchitis." Chronic bronchitis is an irritation or infection in the bronchial tubes that never really goes away. My former physician once said I had mild chronic bronchitis and medium asthma. This current doctor has been my physician now for a couple of years, so he knows the patterns of my health. I think he is a more knowledgeable doctor than the previous one.
He asked if I had ever smoked. I replied "never." He said "then there is almost no chance that you have chronic bronchitis". "Less than a 1% chance", is what he actually said. So once again I was very glad that I've never smoked, because now that I've reached this age I would have much more trouble with my health than I do.
Young people can sustain damaging habits like smoking without even feeling the damage being done. They don't yet know what weaknesses there are in their own bodies. Just as I didn't know I would have asthma when I decided not to waste my money on cigarettes, back when I was 17. It takes time for health issues to appear, and when you are older and less strong due to age is the worst time to have to carry damage that was done when you were young and didn't even feel it happening. I recently read that the company that makes Marlboro cigarettes is moving into China now, in a big way. This is because you are a large market of smokers. The use of cigarettes is dropping off rapidly in North America, as people are coming to understand the problems involved. Cigarette companies are suffering, and are looking for new customers.
Marlbor0o used to advertise their cigarettes with pictures of a big, handsome cowboy sitting on a horse and lighting up a cigarette. He was known as "The Marlboro Man". That very actor in the ad died of lung cancer because of being a smoker. Before he died he said he was sorry he had advertised cigarettes and warned people not to smoke and chance getting cancer, like him.
Even for people who don't smoke, the problems to health from second-hand smoke are now recognized to be very great. In fact, so great that no one is allowed to smoke in public buildings, bars and restaurants here in Canada any more. It is being considered that children will not be given into the custody of a smoker in the family, if there is a divorce. In addition to this, a law is being seriously considered against people who smoke inside their cars while there are children in the car. These would be charged by the police. That's how bad second hand smoke is considered to be for the future health of young children.
I wish none of you would smoke. If you do smoke, I wish you would begin to try to stop. Why give your money to the cigarette companies, and reap the results of damage to your precious lungs that you will discover in the future, when you can least put up with it? What a reward to get, for spending all your good and hard-earned money on cigarettes!
Add up what it costs the average smoker for cigarettes in a year. Then think of all the nice things you could do with that money if you don't burn it up in smoke.
Best wishes to you all,
your Canadian friend, Mary
