Joel Hendon

The U.N. W.H.O. Estimates One Billion Deaths From Tobacco By 2100


Posted: Friday, February 08, 2008

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http://hebronics.org/index.html

A United Nations report issued on February 7, 2008 by the World Health Organization warns that unless world governments act decisively there may be as many as one billion tobacco related deaths in this century. That is a lot. A sad testimony to our intelligence and willpower.

Whereas tobacco usage in the United States has dropped somewhat over the past couple of decades, it is still far too high. But the worst part is that the developing countries tobacco consumption is growing fast. The tobacco industry is now concentrating on those countries as their sales in many other counties drop.

I have no confidence in the United Nations and their ability to earn their keep. They are impotent, extremely expensive and prejudiced against the United States. And this warning is a small effort which could have been done by any medical association for probably one percent of what it cost in various countries tax dollars. But, I am willing to give credit where credit is due. This is a valuable and needed report and should be heeded by all nations who have any concern for their citizens. There are certainly ramifications which need to be addressed but this killer should be destroyed. The WHO gave a six measures recommendation for reducing the tobacco consumption:

1. Increase taxes on tobacco products to 75% of the package price. They say this will reduce consumption as well as furnish funds with which to counter the industry's sales tactics.

2. Monitor tobacco usage and prevention policies.

3. Protecting non-smokers by increasing smoking bans.

4. Offering help to those who want to quit.

5. Warning about the hazards of tobacco.

6. Enforcing bans on promotions, marketing and sponsorship.

I have no right to criticize anyone who smokes cigarettes. I smoked them for approximately 45 years. Never a chain smoker or even considered a heavy smoker. But unlike Bill Clinton, I did inhale the smoke for all those years. I had cardiovascular problems at age 60 (1990) and stopped smoking upon the doctor's warning at that time. But according to him, the tobacco was probably responsible for my three angioplasty procedures and a bypass surgery. So without being critical, I just say "QUIT"!

Tobacco should be outlawed. I realize that many earn their livelihood from raising tobacco, processing, turning it into the various products and sales. But the point is, they can find other work and if need be, simply be poor and die penniless as many of us do. They got in the wrong business. Governments could save money by spending money in helping to re-train them in some other field. The farmers could change over to other crops as did many southern farmers when the boll weevil put them out of competition in cotton production. (See my article entitled: "A ballad and a monument to the cotton boll weevil")

We do not hesitate to punish people who rob for a living, and rightly so. Why then do we tolerate production of products which may take one billion lives by 2100.

Few people really realize what all cigarette smoke does. We all have heard of the dangers of heart troubles, emphysema and other lung problems but few realize just how damaging they are to the epithelium of one's paranasal sinuses. These cells are mucus producers whose purpose is that of protecting the nasal passages by lubrication, capturing and expelling waste products such as dust and airborne pollutants. Cigarette smoke consists of minute particles of ash and tobacco tars which constantly irritate those cells and can greatly increase instances of sinusitis and the severity of those instances. I discussed that with a medical doctor once and he said he was unsure if smoking was instrumental in the start of chronic sinusitis, but he was positive that it worsened it.

I didn't know what a sinus was when I began smoking at age 15. But beginning about 10 years later I learned a lot about them. I developed sinus drainage (otherwise known as postnasal drip) which cause me to coughand this grew worse as the years went by. I would wake in the mornings so clogged up, nasal cavities as well as throat and chest, that I could hardly get my breath. Cough and hark for about thirty minutes before I could function normally. I also began to get infections of the sinus cavities perhaps three or four times a year, which required antibiotics to clear up. And by the time I stopped smoking at age 60, I doubted that my congestive problems would get much better. But they did so albeit slowly. I still have some sinus drainage, but usually only that of being somewhat of a nuisance rather than a severe problem. I don't recall the last time I had an infection of the sinuses that required treatment.

So, the moral of this story is just stop smoking, feel better, regain the good taste of foods, stop paying out doctors fees for sinusitis, and stop interrupting your conversations with others with a whooping cough spell. Talk your mate into also stopping and then buy a new family car with the cigarette money savings. I didn't get to do that because my wife never smoked. You can do it. I never took another draw on a cigarette after the doctor told me to quit. 18 years smoke free environment.
Author Biography: Joel Hendon was born near Gadsden Alabama. He attended public schools in Cherokee County, Alabama and after serving a tour of duty in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, attended Jacksonville State University, majoring in Business Administration. He became a Christian in 1948, and although he followed secular work as a career and retired from Allied Signal Aerospace, he is an avid student of the Holy Bible and related works as well as biblical history. He has an extensive website of conservative religious and political articles.http://hebronics.org/index.html

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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)
» left by susan thom
from nj 3 years 355 days ago.
hi joel, ironically, i am in a process of quitting, even though that, i realize is an excuse, however, for me, to have dropped a pack a day from 2 packs every day is a big deal, i'm on day 5. i will be quitting whenever it happens, but it is a goal, and i've got a good start, i think. i quit drinking 15 years ago next month, and never took another sip, no mouthwash, foods cooked in wine, nothing that rminds me of alcohol, but smoking has proven harder for me to do. i will, though. thanks for a very informative and user friendly:) article, best regards, sue thom
» left by 3 years 355 days ago.
Hi Sue and thanks for reading my rticle. As I said, I cannot criticize anyone. I smoked 45 years exposing my family to second hand smoke and would be so sorry if one of them came down with something I caused. So far, none of us have suffered from it except for my cardiovascular problems. And I know that there are some points of stress that makes it even more difficult to stop. But I believe the only way is to just say, "o.k., that's it. No more!" and mean it. Get yourself some artifically sweetened hard candies to keep in your mouth. Just keeping your mouth busy helps, or it did for me. Have a nice day.
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