Do You Smoke?

[Kooperman]

February 1, 2004

Report on Smoking Is Broken Down by Ethnicity

By REUTERS

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 — American Indians and Alaska natives are more likely to smoke than any other group in the United States, with 40 percent of adults defined as smokers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week.

People of Chinese descent were the least likely to smoke, with just 12 percent reporting that they had smoked a cigarette in the past month, said the agency survey, which was released on Thursday.

The survey of 74,000 youths ages 12 to 17 and 133,000 adults is the agency's first detailed statistical breakdown by ethnicity of who smokes and who does not, said a spokesman, Joel London.

"This gives us a good snapshot of some information that we and other tobacco control communities have been looking for," Mr. London said in a telephone interview.

Among adults, 25 percent of blacks said they were smokers, compared with nearly 26 percent of whites and 26.5 percent of the population overall. Among youths, 16 percent of whites and 7 percent of blacks said they smoked, compared with 13.8 percent overall.

"That's a good thing," Mr. London said. In the past, blacks in the United States have been much more likely than whites to smoke.

He said perhaps antismoking messages that had been aimed at blacks could now be aimed at Native Americans and other groups.

The report, noted that smoking "remains the foremost preventable cause of death in the United States."

Each year about 440,000 persons die from illnesses attributed to smoking, the report said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/01/national...print&position=

[Kooperman]

I smoked for about 14 years, but I quit in 1987.....3 years after my father died at 63 from a smoking-related illness, emphysema. He literally smothered to death over a period of years.

[Ken]

I've never even thought about it.

The idea, and the visuals I get from other people, make me genuinely want to vomit.

[spraymonkey]

Somebody make me stop!Please!how'd you do it Koop?

[Shawn]

Good question Spraymonkey, I've tried and failed to quit.

[Kooperman]

Cold Turkey.....gave away my last half-pack of Kool Longs and quit. I've only cheated once since...that was in 1990 when an employer and I were working at night redecorating a store ( with a cooler of beer). I bummed a couple Kools off him then and got pissed the next day at my stupidity. Haven't faltered since.

[method77]

I'm 26 and I've been smoking for 11 years

[DudeAsInCool]

Currently going back and forth between Marlboro Light 100s and Nicorette. I was one of those kids in the Superbowl add under 15 who stood up. Time to quit again soon... At least, I'ver never taken steroids--the President would be proud :)

[spraymonkey]

I'm 26 and I've been smoking for 11 years

Quit now! it only gets harder :(

[rainbowdemon]

I was one of the kids that stood up too. Been smoking for about 30 years. Marlboro Reds mostly.

[method77]

Quit now! it only gets harder :(

to tell you the truth, I don't want too

[vipp]

I smoked for way more years that I care to admit. I quit a couple years ago. Quitting was rather easy with the mindset that smoking WILL kill us, sooner or later. Oh yes, it will.

I hope I don't sound like a "preaching former smoker". I'm just stating facts.

Anyhoo, if it wasn't bad for you, I'd sure still be smoking! I did enjoy it.

[Shawn]

Anyhoo, if it wasn't bad for you, I'd sure still be smoking! I did enjoy it.

I can appreciate that.

My whole family smokes.

If anyone ever tells me that smoking is harmful, I have always remind themed them that smoking has never killed a member of my family. It's always lung cancer or emphysema.

As I get a little older though, and have small children, it seems less funny all the time. I only want to quit for health reasons.

[MxRob]

Fortunately I quit cold turkey myself when I was 20. I had a half a pack left that I kept in my truck and told myself that if I ever had the urge that I would smoke those, regardless of how stale they were.

Two years later I threw the pack away and haven't gone back since. I do enjoy a good cigar or fatty occasionally but I dont inhale. *coughs*

[Umma]

best way to quit is to smoke roll ups and keep your baccy in an old lavender soap tin... that'll fix ya...

...unless you start to like the lavender soap hit. :bigsmile:

[Shawn]

heh

I had my last smoke over 6 weeks ago. Doing okay. :good job:

The patch was a friend, I used it for the first two weeks just to break the gestures habits, then stopped dead.

[Umma]

good on ya :good job:

[HolyLiaison]

My grandpa has been smoking for 60 some odd years. He turned 80 about 3 weeks ago and he's still ticking.

If I live to his age I'll be more than happy. ;)

[Potato]

Shawn: That's great to hear. :good job: (I feel cheesy now, giving you a thumbs up)

[jipper]

eventho now you are considered uncool..

[ASUmusicMAN]

having family members die because of it when I was young, and working in the hospital have inspired my smoke free lifestyle

[Cerebral_Assassin]

I will be 42 in October, I started smoking Camel non-filters at the age of 10.

I now smoke Marlboro's and have no desire to quit whatsoever,

People say to me all the time, "man, you need to quit before you die of lung cancer", I tell them that if I go out that way it's because God planned it for me. God has a plan for all of us, he has already made the decision as to how we are going out of this world the day we are born. It was very hard watching my Grandfather die of lung cancer, but the whole thing about it was knowing that he had never smoked a cigarette, pipe or a cigar in his whole 68 years. I figure if lung cancer got him and he lived clean then my chances are about the same as his were. If folks look at me as being "uncool" because I smoke then so be it. They either like me for who and what I am or don't like me at all. Can't have the cake and eat it too.

[jipper]

word to CA, for teh smoking community

[cjules13]

I quit smoking Newports after about 10 yrs.

Patch everyday for about 2-3 weeks and stopped cold. Still smoke occasionally at the bar - drinking and smoking just go too well together. But not more than a couple bummed smokes a month.

[moonglow]

:( I smoke way too much, quit a couple of times but am smoking again :(