OFF: smoking etc.

Sprawl sprawl at STARPOWER.NET
Sat Feb 19 10:27:00 EST 2000


Friends,
IT was a joke!
RJ

-----Original Message-----
From: K Henderson <henderson.120 at OSU.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list BOC-L <BOC-L at LISTSERV.SPC.EDU>
Date: Friday, February 18, 2000 4:13 PM
Subject: Re: OFF: smoking etc.


>John missed the obvious with...
>
>>Cholesterol and saturated fats, in excess, can certainly be deleterious to
>>one's health (unless the idea of atherosclerosis and its complications is
>>appealing to someone), but the difference between these and smoking is
>>twofold.  Firstly, the body requires fat in the diet, although usually not
>>in the kinds of quantities the typical american eats.  This is why north
>>america has such a high rate of circulatory disease.  Nicotine is not
needed
>>by the body for survival.  Secondly, fats are not addictive (there is no
>>withdrawal effect).  Nicotine withdrawal, however, produces intense
>>psychological craving and definite physical withdrawal symptoms.
>
>Ummmmm...the main difference is that eating fats and cholesterol doesn't
>affect others' health, as smoking does.  (Hence, the push for some
>regulation in public and the reason the 'libertarian' position doesn't
>necessarily fly.)  The only real similarity is that both affect all of our
>finances, by increasing insurance rates via increased medical costs and the
>related reduction in worker productivity due to poor health.
>
>And I believe there is behavioral addiction to eating certain foods and/or
>amounts of foods...and that works both ways, i.e., overeating and
>undereating.  Not the same as nicotine addiction, but certainly can be
powerful.
>
>Keith H. (FAA and caffeine addict)
>



More information about the boc-l mailing list