World health experts predict 1 billion smoking deaths.

[cookiepuss]

Am I the only one who doesn't have a problem with this? Am I the only one who thinks one billion less people would make the world a better place?


WHO foresees 1 billion smoking deaths
BANGKOK, July 3 (UPI) -- World health experts predicted in Thailand Monday 1 billion people will die of tobacco-related illnesses this century unless governments act to curb smoking.

"Tobacco is a defective product. It kills half of its customers," said Douglas Bettcher, head of the World Health Organization's Tobacco Free Initiative. "It kills 5.4 million people per year and half of those deaths are in developing countries. That's like one jumbo jet going down every hour."

With smoking rates increasing in many developing countries, the annual death toll would rise to 8.3 million within the next 20 years, Bettcher said at the start of an international conference in Bangkok.

However, he said if governments raise taxes, ban advertising and made more public areas tobacco-free, smoking rates could be cut in half by 2050, the Pakistan Daily Times reported.

"It's a completely preventable epidemic," Bettcher said. "If we do that, by 2050 we can save 200 million lives."



look I stopped smoking years ago. And although I suppose I could succumb to second hand smoke I really don't feel the risk of health problems because of it is anyworse than the fumes I breathe in traffic from all the cars/trucks or just general air polution...(which also causes lung cancer by the way). Even if I'm one of the 1 billion people to die I really don't have a problem with it. one way or another someday I'm going to die and most lilkely I'll get sick first, whether it be cancer or something else. besides that there are plenty of folks who smoke like chimneys and somehow they manage to live past everyones expectations. So in my opinion it's really not a definite thing that you'll die from it. likely, yes. definite, no. I just think there are massive amounts of propaganda on both sides of this debate and I'm not buying into any of it anymore.

the world is getting a tad over populated. So let people smoke. I mean really. this is as fucking pointless as the war on drugs.

[TurdBerglar]

Am I the only one who doesn't have a problem with this? Am I the only one who thinks one billion less people would make the world a better place?


no

i think many many many people need to die or atleast stop breeding

[Schmeltz]

Will one billion less people make the world a better place? Debatable.

Will one billion less smokers make the world a better place? Undoubtedly!

[Otis Driftwood]

I don't see anybody try to ban capitalism even though scientists have proven it to be lowering life expectancy, especially for males.

[Pootytang]

Will one billion less smokers make the world a better place? Undoubtedly!

Depends on what they are smoking.

[QueenAdrock]

Well in about 50 years China and India are going to house 1/3 of the world's population and the fight for resources will be so intense that a large chunk of the world's population will die out. That's how stuff works. Overpopulation, fight for resources, people die off, enough resources for those remaining...until they overpopulate again and the cycle continues! Hurray!

[Otis Driftwood]

Yeah, but I MUST hold out that long 'cause by then I'll get the answer to the worlds loooooongest cliffhanger, namely who killed Kennedy. I think they're gonna spoil it in about 45 years. :D

[milleson]

I bought two packs of cloves on the way home.

Should I just take a number, or is there a line forming somewhere?

[Jitters]

Well in about 50 years China and India are going to house 1/3 of the world's population and the fight for resources will be so intense that a large chunk of the world's population will die out.

Maybe Marlboro should let the Marlboro Man take a horse ride to those countries...

[hpdrifter]

I don't want to live super long (see thread about grandmothers). I say enjoy the time we have here and make the most of it. I mean, I think its important to look after yourself but that does not mean buying into a bunch of scare tactics.

[Frank Black]

only makes me more stubborn.

[Randetica]

all smokers deserve to die!

except the hot ones

and i kinda have sympathy for the ugly smokers since they are ugly so i say let them live!

all smokers deserve to live!

but they should leave me alone with their headache and cancer supporting smoke cause definitely not all but quite a few non smokers probably deserve to live

[DandyFop]

I think a lot of people feel this way until they are faced with a loved one who is dying of lung cancer.

I'm not saying that loved one isn't inherently stupid for putting themselves in that situation but it still sucks to see someone you love in pain (for the record, I haven't known anyone who's suffered from this but I imagine my sister is well on her way).

It's easy to say "yeah sure one billion less people sounds sweet!" but what if that's like 20 of your friends all gone at once, nahmean?

[Adam]

Ugh, I feel I should reply to this but this will be my 2nd rant in as many posts...

My dad regretted smoking all his life the moment he was diagnosed with his first brain tumor, then lung cancer, then a 2nd brain tumor, then death (in April this year). It ain't nice to see someone slowly die and although we are over populated, like Dandyfop said, you change your tune when you know of a loved one who is.

At points, I was so upset I wanted the cancer myself instead of him. My dad was the strongest person I know but when you have to change his soiled clothes and bed sheets cus he cannot move himself, you realise more people need help to stop smoking and not start as my dad became the weakest person I know. He wasn't a heavy smoker - a couple per day, when he started (early 60s)) the risks wasn't widely known and they was just theories.

Anyway, the point is the after effects of such said person dying is often the hardest part. Like her lost love and life companion, me actually being pissed off at my dad because he did smoke, the lack of calls from people who used to be round after they passed away. And then for those with no feelings, there is monetary side of things; like my mum not being able to afford the house anymore, the half in the wage coming in, the lack of the 2nd pair of hands, the time lost by people having time off work due to stress illnesses, having to go to hospital. I don't get paid sickness and I am still trying to catch up with all the wage I lost over that time (although I've lost my job now anyway). The extra heating expense, because even at 34 degrees C my dad was still cold. All that extra petrol driving to and from hospital - picking up drugs, picking up relatives. And probably lots of other costs I can't think of right now.

So in other words there is more than a billion consequences if a billion smokers die that effect the non smokers to and I'd be willing to bet that something like this will effect every1 on this board at some point.

/rant :)