*eyeroll*

[conuly]

It's one thing if it bothers you, or irritates your asthma, or you don't like the smell. But it most definitely does not cause any health issues, unless you are the one smoking the cigarette.

Am I wrong to read that sentence as "asthma isn't a health issue"? Because if I am, I'll apologise for thinking her a moronic twit.

Comments

[stagemanager.livejournal.com]

Well, it speaks first of irritating asthma (which assumes you already have said asthma). Then it goes on to claim "it" (passive cigarette smoke?) doesn't cause any health issues.

So, yeah, you're incorrect in reading it as causing asthma.

But this twaddle that secondhand smoke is harmless? Moronic doesn't even begin. Where was this precious scumnugget?

[stagemanager.livejournal.com]

And, dammit, there goes my untarnished record for reading comprehension.

Should be:

Yes, you're incorrect in reading (or inferring) that asthma isn't a health issue.

[conuly]

Ah, the irony.

I'm not sure I agree with your previous (corrected!) comment anyway. Must think on this.

[rho]

I disagree. Second hand smoke can definitely be the cause of an asthma attack, and I'd definitely say that having an asthma attac is a health issue. It's like saying "sure, giving you multiple cuts with a razor blade may irritate your haemophilia, but it won't cause any health issues" or "eating peanuts might irritate your nut allergy but it won't cause any health issues". "Health issues" is a fiarly wide, umbrella term which covers not only the underlying conditions, but also things like symptoms and triggers. I think that anyone who has a long terms illness of any sort knows to try to avoid any triggers which cause the symptoms to flare up. Anything which causes a flair-up of symptoms, in any way, is the cause of health issues, imo.

[leora.livejournal.com]

It's not twaddle - it's statistics.

Second hand smoke is dangerous to people who have health problems that make them unusually sensitive to it, such as asthma or an allergy. However, in most cases, it is not dangerous. It is possible that intense, constant exposure can cause health issues, but people use this information to try to make smoking illegal in various places, when casual exposure to second hand smoke has not been shown to have any harmful effects to people who do not have specific related health problems. And we do not make numerous other substances that cause health problems for a small group of people illegal - such as perfume. I have often had sneezing fits or difficulty breathing from other people's perfumes. I'm not sure what aspect in particular triggers problems for me - it's not the smell and it's not all perfumes. But some of them cause me difficulty breathing, and this isn't a terribly unusual problem. Yet perfume is legal. Similarly, it is legal to eat peanut butter sandwiches in public, although that would cause problems for someone I know who is very sensitive and can be irritated by someone even opening a jar of peanut butter near her. We also allow people to walk dogs and cats in public. Smoking falls into the same group - it'll cause serious problems for a small group of people, some varying range of problerms for some people, and have very little effect on most people.

[stagemanager.livejournal.com]

I stand corrected, then.

And I want to generally apologize for my comment up there. Upon re-reading, it sounds very condescending, and I certainly didn't mean it in such a manner.

[leora.livejournal.com]

It's a touchy issue, since for so long people insisted that smoking didn't have any negative health effects - and that is incredibly wrong. Smoking is very bad for the smoker. I generally figure that a person of normal health in the US can best increase their life expectancy by doing the following three things: always wearing their seat belt when in a moving vehicle, not smoking, not being sedentary/getting regular moderate exercise.I do recognize that smoking itself is incredibly dangerous. I've just seen too many people freak out over other people's smoking in annoying and unjustifiable ways.

[sparkofcreation.livejournal.com]

Actually I had a friend in high school who had lung cancer at the age of 13 or so and the doctors were fairly certain it was because her mother chain-smoked.

[lakidaa.livejournal.com]

I can't go anywhere near my dad's room because it makes my nose seal shut.

And I can only barely stand to ride with him in the car for the same reason.

Smoke gives me headaches OF DOOM and makes my nose hurt.

[fjorab-teke.livejournal.com]

Hypersensitivity resulting in headaches and sore throat and sinuses isn't a health issue, either...apparently. I guess it simply "bothers" me.

[stagemanager.livejournal.com]

Well, it speaks first of irritating asthma (which assumes you already have said asthma). Then it goes on to claim "it" (passive cigarette smoke?) doesn't cause any health issues.

So, yeah, you're incorrect in reading it as causing asthma.

But this twaddle that secondhand smoke is harmless? Moronic doesn't even begin. Where was this precious scumnugget?

[stagemanager.livejournal.com]

And, dammit, there goes my untarnished record for reading comprehension.

Should be:

Yes, you're incorrect in reading (or inferring) that asthma isn't a health issue.

[conuly]

Ah, the irony.

I'm not sure I agree with your previous (corrected!) comment anyway. Must think on this.

[rho]

I disagree. Second hand smoke can definitely be the cause of an asthma attack, and I'd definitely say that having an asthma attac is a health issue. It's like saying "sure, giving you multiple cuts with a razor blade may irritate your haemophilia, but it won't cause any health issues" or "eating peanuts might irritate your nut allergy but it won't cause any health issues". "Health issues" is a fiarly wide, umbrella term which covers not only the underlying conditions, but also things like symptoms and triggers. I think that anyone who has a long terms illness of any sort knows to try to avoid any triggers which cause the symptoms to flare up. Anything which causes a flair-up of symptoms, in any way, is the cause of health issues, imo.

[leora.livejournal.com]

It's not twaddle - it's statistics.

Second hand smoke is dangerous to people who have health problems that make them unusually sensitive to it, such as asthma or an allergy. However, in most cases, it is not dangerous. It is possible that intense, constant exposure can cause health issues, but people use this information to try to make smoking illegal in various places, when casual exposure to second hand smoke has not been shown to have any harmful effects to people who do not have specific related health problems. And we do not make numerous other substances that cause health problems for a small group of people illegal - such as perfume. I have often had sneezing fits or difficulty breathing from other people's perfumes. I'm not sure what aspect in particular triggers problems for me - it's not the smell and it's not all perfumes. But some of them cause me difficulty breathing, and this isn't a terribly unusual problem. Yet perfume is legal. Similarly, it is legal to eat peanut butter sandwiches in public, although that would cause problems for someone I know who is very sensitive and can be irritated by someone even opening a jar of peanut butter near her. We also allow people to walk dogs and cats in public. Smoking falls into the same group - it'll cause serious problems for a small group of people, some varying range of problerms for some people, and have very little effect on most people.

[stagemanager.livejournal.com]

I stand corrected, then.

And I want to generally apologize for my comment up there. Upon re-reading, it sounds very condescending, and I certainly didn't mean it in such a manner.

[leora.livejournal.com]

It's a touchy issue, since for so long people insisted that smoking didn't have any negative health effects - and that is incredibly wrong. Smoking is very bad for the smoker. I generally figure that a person of normal health in the US can best increase their life expectancy by doing the following three things: always wearing their seat belt when in a moving vehicle, not smoking, not being sedentary/getting regular moderate exercise.I do recognize that smoking itself is incredibly dangerous. I've just seen too many people freak out over other people's smoking in annoying and unjustifiable ways.

[sparkofcreation.livejournal.com]

Actually I had a friend in high school who had lung cancer at the age of 13 or so and the doctors were fairly certain it was because her mother chain-smoked.

[lakidaa.livejournal.com]

I can't go anywhere near my dad's room because it makes my nose seal shut.

And I can only barely stand to ride with him in the car for the same reason.

Smoke gives me headaches OF DOOM and makes my nose hurt.

[fjorab-teke.livejournal.com]

Hypersensitivity resulting in headaches and sore throat and sinuses isn't a health issue, either...apparently. I guess it simply "bothers" me.