Lung Cancer: Why do so many people seem to think lung cancer is the only risk of smoking

Why do so many people seem to think lung cancer is the only risk of smoking?
A lot of smokers seem to think that as long as they don't have lung cancer, they are beating their smoking habit. To me, that's like 20th on the list of reasons why I wouldn't smoke. Anyone ever notice this?
Cancer - 6 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
My mother is this way. She's smoked since she was 13years old and now she's 54, I think it's a way of denial. Trying to give a reason to not quit smoking when really they should.
2 :
People who smoke have a very high addiction to the cigarettes and are in denial to the grave benefits to their health. I hope you are not thinking of starting to smoke. You will regret it and be a slave to the nicotine for a long, long time.
3 :
Because generally speaking, it is. And some people are weaker than others and they won't know it until you see them die off. But I know of an old gent in a retirement home (finally got him off the farm) who is still smoking at 98.(He used to insulate houses with asbestos.) His buddies were all smokers too and the longest they lasted was mid70's This old guy has just got good genes and smoking did not bother him. And still has a sharp mind. Us younger folks are more frail and fragile.
4 :
I want you to notice this then decide your self,you can keep smoking if you still think what you wrote. According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer continues to be the biggest cancer killer of both men and women in the United States, with over 80% of cases attributable to cigarette smoking. Lung cancer causes 1 out of every 3 cancer deaths in men (31%), and about 1 in 4 cancer deaths among women (27%). Risk factors for lung cancer depend on several things: * the age when smoking began * how long you smoked * the amount you smoked * how deeply you inhaled If you are a former smoker, the chances you'll contract lung cancer may be higher than that of someone who has never smoked, but by quitting, you've done the best thing possible to improve your odds. Statistics tell us that the risk of developing lung cancer for current smokers is 10% to 15%. As a former smoker, your risk drops more with every smoke free year you complete. Take a look at After the Last Cigarette to get a view into how your body begins to heal when you quit smoking. While none of us can know what the future will bring, it's important not to let worry destroy the quality of life we have today. If you've recently quit smoking and you're concerned about what the years of smoking have done to your lungs, consider this: by quitting, you've lowered your risk of getting a wide variety of smoking-related illnesses, including lung cancer. With every smoke free day you complete, you're helping your body to recover and halt further damage. For many people, smoke free days turn into years of robust health and improved longevity.
5 :
Yup. My husband's Aunt is this way. She had a Brain Tumor, but her lungs are as black as coal. The doctor actually told her that her Brain looks better than her Lungs on a Good Day. She was forced to quit while spending a week in the hospital, while they tried to clear out her lungs. But she still smokes 4 packs a day. Know what she told us? "Just throw my ciggarettes into my Coffin with me, because were I am going, I won't need any matches." Pretty sick, huh?
6 :
I'm not sure they actually believe that. If someone smokes, they obviously know the risks they're taking. I think that since lung cancer is the first thing to pop into a person's mind when they think about the long-term effects of smoking, they believe that as long as they don't have lung cancer, they are fine. Since it is most common to hear about and well known, smokers might only worry about it and ignore their other, greater risks. check out this video on youtube.com, it includes some other long term effects of smoking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuh2w2sFRMI

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Sunday, January 4, 2009

Why do so many people seem to think lung cancer is the only risk of smoking