Christy Turlington has early-stage emphysema
December 2, 2000 7:37 PM Subscribe
Christy Turlington has early-stage emphysema Another good reason not to smoke cigarettes. Discussion?
What's to discuss? Smoking is bad, mmmkay...
I've never touched one myself, the smell sickens me, but I feel bad knowing some dear friends do it. They can do whatever they want with their lives, but deep down I know they're not going to be here as long as they could, while they smoke a pack or two a day.
posted by mathowie at 9:32 PM on December 2, 2000
I've never touched one myself, the smell sickens me, but I feel bad knowing some dear friends do it. They can do whatever they want with their lives, but deep down I know they're not going to be here as long as they could, while they smoke a pack or two a day.
posted by mathowie at 9:32 PM on December 2, 2000
Most of the people who talk about the dangers of smoking tend to concentrate on the chances of getting lung cancer. In fact, only a small minority of smokers get cancer.
But nearly all of them get some degree of emphysema, and it's an ugly thing to suffer from. It's the big unspoken secret about smoking; it's nearly an invisible disease.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 9:46 PM on December 2, 2000
But nearly all of them get some degree of emphysema, and it's an ugly thing to suffer from. It's the big unspoken secret about smoking; it's nearly an invisible disease.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 9:46 PM on December 2, 2000
That is so sad! Theres only one thing to say, people who smoke should stop. All it does is cause damage and what is the point in hurting yourself?
posted by FAB4GIRL at 10:36 PM on December 2, 2000
posted by FAB4GIRL at 10:36 PM on December 2, 2000
May I humbly propose a day without weblogs in tribute to all of the models - super or otherwise - that we have lost and will lose in the future to this horrible, horrible disease.
posted by frenetic at 1:33 AM on December 3, 2000
posted by frenetic at 1:33 AM on December 3, 2000
I tried to quit twice, and I failed. Once I was off for 6 months, and I still went back on.
I made the effort - I took the patch Hell, I took some counselling. I still failed. Maybe some people find it easy to quit - I sure as hell don't.
I'd love to quit, and I'm trying again starting Jan 1st. I have motivation (she's commented in this very thread!!), and I think motivation makes the difference.
No offence Matt but "Smoking is bad, mmmkay... ", doesn't help me much - how about "How can I help my friends to stop", would be a better way to tackle this problem.
What I feel we smokers need is support, not
"it's dangerous, so stop it". That doesn't work for an addict - any addict, whether it's smoking, drinking, or narcotics abuse.
Just my thoughts.
posted by tomcosgrave at 4:45 AM on December 3, 2000
I made the effort - I took the patch Hell, I took some counselling. I still failed. Maybe some people find it easy to quit - I sure as hell don't.
I'd love to quit, and I'm trying again starting Jan 1st. I have motivation (she's commented in this very thread!!), and I think motivation makes the difference.
No offence Matt but "Smoking is bad, mmmkay... ", doesn't help me much - how about "How can I help my friends to stop", would be a better way to tackle this problem.
What I feel we smokers need is support, not
"it's dangerous, so stop it". That doesn't work for an addict - any addict, whether it's smoking, drinking, or narcotics abuse.
Just my thoughts.
posted by tomcosgrave at 4:45 AM on December 3, 2000
Would these people help as far as support goes? Maybe there's a meeting near you.
posted by darukaru at 8:09 AM on December 3, 2000
posted by darukaru at 8:09 AM on December 3, 2000
hackworth: Congratulations
tomcosgrave: Good luck!
posted by pnevares at 10:43 AM on December 3, 2000
tomcosgrave: Good luck!
posted by pnevares at 10:43 AM on December 3, 2000
Darukaru...cool! Didn't think there was an NA..didn't see one for Ireland, but I'll take a good luck anyway. Thanks for the heads up.
Pnevares - thanks! :-)
posted by tomcosgrave at 4:05 PM on December 3, 2000
Pnevares - thanks! :-)
posted by tomcosgrave at 4:05 PM on December 3, 2000
Has anyone seen the anti-smoking commercial that features Christy Turlington talking about his fathers death? One of the most memorable anti-smoking commercials I've ever seen. (Unfortunately not touching enough, because I still smoke two packs a week -- smoking is amazingly tough to stop cold turkey though...)
It sure beats those wannabe gen-X truth commercials, anyway.
posted by littleyellowdifferent at 6:03 PM on December 3, 2000
It sure beats those wannabe gen-X truth commercials, anyway.
posted by littleyellowdifferent at 6:03 PM on December 3, 2000
I read somewhere (or maybe just saw it on a documentry) that smoking actually causes skin damage. Obviously that isn't of huge concern to most people but you would think that models might take that into consideration.
Unless it's completely untrue. In which case I'm reeeally sorry.
posted by davidgentle at 6:27 PM on December 3, 2000
Unless it's completely untrue. In which case I'm reeeally sorry.
posted by davidgentle at 6:27 PM on December 3, 2000
You know, with all the shit they throw in cigarettes, I wouldn't be surprised if smokers grew an extra arm and bitch tits.
posted by solistrato at 7:08 PM on December 3, 2000
posted by solistrato at 7:08 PM on December 3, 2000
I'm still trying to work out why they put cancer into cigarettes these days. They never used to.
posted by lagado at 8:24 PM on December 3, 2000
posted by lagado at 8:24 PM on December 3, 2000
I will respect the MeFi admonition against self-linking, but if anyone wants to head to my site, the main index page has a cheery seasonal picture that shows how normal smoking used to be. It's the sort of image that was commonplace in '44, and looks absolutely EVIL today.
If we hadn't had a child, I'd still be pounding back a dozen Kents a day. I always thought I'd miss them when I quit. I don't.
posted by lileks at 11:00 PM on December 3, 2000
If we hadn't had a child, I'd still be pounding back a dozen Kents a day. I always thought I'd miss them when I quit. I don't.
posted by lileks at 11:00 PM on December 3, 2000
To all who wrote, my thanks. To those who still smoke, my sympathy - it is a nasty addiction to overcome. I quit 12 years ago (cold turkey), my husband quit with me, and started again 2 months later. 2 of my aunts, smokers, died of various cancers and one is very ill, on oxygen and still
smoking. I was stunned by this item because "Turly" has always been one of my favorite models. God help us all.
posted by Lynsey at 11:12 PM on December 3, 2000
smoking. I was stunned by this item because "Turly" has always been one of my favorite models. God help us all.
posted by Lynsey at 11:12 PM on December 3, 2000
Hi, James -- love the picture. I see your Santa and raise you Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble.
posted by rcade at 11:38 PM on December 3, 2000
posted by rcade at 11:38 PM on December 3, 2000
Speaking as a smoker, with no real desire to quit... will many of you people get off your high horse... PLEASE? I also suppose that none of you drink, eat red meat or kill bugs, and lead karmically (sp?) perfect lives.
The worse kind of smoker is an exsmoker, always congratulating themsleves on quitting... well, I have this to say to you people:
Quitters never win, and winners never quit
posted by tj at 11:43 AM on December 4, 2000
The worse kind of smoker is an exsmoker, always congratulating themsleves on quitting... well, I have this to say to you people:
Quitters never win, and winners never quit
posted by tj at 11:43 AM on December 4, 2000
For those readers who really *don't* want to kill themselves (that'd be everyone but TJ, I guess :-), let me tell you this: Zyban just is your friend.
They originally were testing it as an anti-depressant, as I hear the story, and they discovered that, Damn!, these people were just quitting smoking, for no apparent reason.
The refiled with the FDA, retested, and discovered they had the miracle pill: you quit smoking, you weren't depressed... and it turns out to be an appetite suppressant, too, so you don't blimp out.
What a deal.
A friend's wife, who had smoked for like 25 or 30 years; tried and failed about 6 different things including hypnosis to quit; got on Zyban, quit in 6 months, hasn't touched a cigarette in like 2 years now.
posted by baylink at 12:44 PM on December 4, 2000
They originally were testing it as an anti-depressant, as I hear the story, and they discovered that, Damn!, these people were just quitting smoking, for no apparent reason.
The refiled with the FDA, retested, and discovered they had the miracle pill: you quit smoking, you weren't depressed... and it turns out to be an appetite suppressant, too, so you don't blimp out.
What a deal.
A friend's wife, who had smoked for like 25 or 30 years; tried and failed about 6 different things including hypnosis to quit; got on Zyban, quit in 6 months, hasn't touched a cigarette in like 2 years now.
posted by baylink at 12:44 PM on December 4, 2000
Quitters never win, and winners never quit
Yeah, if the game is who can get emphysema the fastest!
will many of you people get off your high horse... PLEASE? I also suppose that none of you drink, eat red meat or kill bugs, and lead karmically (sp?) perfect lives.
While I haven't participated in the smoker-bashing yet, I have to respond here. Personally, I find smoking pretty disgusting, but I could care less if you choose to do it. After all, a lot of people would find the foods I like to eat (and would never give up) to be pretty disgusting.
However, smoking is a unique vice in that it directly affects other people when you smoke around them. Even outdoors, believe it or not, your smoke can cause all kinds of pain and suffering if inflicted on the right lucky individual. So I'm asking smokers to be conscientious about where you smoke. I understand it's a pain to have to go outside at all, but smoking right at the doorway doesn't do me much more good if I have to walk through your poison to get in or out of the building.
Thanks for listening! :)
posted by daveadams at 1:36 PM on December 4, 2000
Yeah, if the game is who can get emphysema the fastest!
will many of you people get off your high horse... PLEASE? I also suppose that none of you drink, eat red meat or kill bugs, and lead karmically (sp?) perfect lives.
While I haven't participated in the smoker-bashing yet, I have to respond here. Personally, I find smoking pretty disgusting, but I could care less if you choose to do it. After all, a lot of people would find the foods I like to eat (and would never give up) to be pretty disgusting.
However, smoking is a unique vice in that it directly affects other people when you smoke around them. Even outdoors, believe it or not, your smoke can cause all kinds of pain and suffering if inflicted on the right lucky individual. So I'm asking smokers to be conscientious about where you smoke. I understand it's a pain to have to go outside at all, but smoking right at the doorway doesn't do me much more good if I have to walk through your poison to get in or out of the building.
Thanks for listening! :)
posted by daveadams at 1:36 PM on December 4, 2000
Zyban is great, but it is NOT a miracle pill, I know people who have tried and were smoking again after a month.
It takes different things for different people, remember-- it's *mainly* a psychologial addiction... The nicotine cravings die after a few days or weeks (or so I have been told MANY times).
As a side note, my previous rant came right after being lectured by a coworker-- so I was a little cranky (but honest about the exsmoker's 'I'm great you suck attitude')
posted by tj at 1:42 PM on December 4, 2000
It takes different things for different people, remember-- it's *mainly* a psychologial addiction... The nicotine cravings die after a few days or weeks (or so I have been told MANY times).
As a side note, my previous rant came right after being lectured by a coworker-- so I was a little cranky (but honest about the exsmoker's 'I'm great you suck attitude')
posted by tj at 1:42 PM on December 4, 2000
daveadams:
I am a courteous smoker. I use the smoking lounge at work (well away from other parts of the office), don't smoke in restaurants that even have smoking sections (getting rarer and rarer), and don't throw my butts out the window when driving.
I agree that many smokers are rude and think the world is their ashtray, but people like me do exist.
posted by tj at 1:45 PM on December 4, 2000
I am a courteous smoker. I use the smoking lounge at work (well away from other parts of the office), don't smoke in restaurants that even have smoking sections (getting rarer and rarer), and don't throw my butts out the window when driving.
I agree that many smokers are rude and think the world is their ashtray, but people like me do exist.
posted by tj at 1:45 PM on December 4, 2000
I agree that many smokers are rude and think the world is their ashtray, but people like me do exist.
Thanks, tj, of course I know this, but unfortunately, it's the courteous smokers that I don't see. :)
posted by daveadams at 2:35 PM on December 4, 2000
Thanks, tj, of course I know this, but unfortunately, it's the courteous smokers that I don't see. :)
posted by daveadams at 2:35 PM on December 4, 2000
In the mid-nineties, I took the anti-depressant Wellbutrin (what is now called Zyban) for four years. It performed moderately well for my depression, but did have the side-effect of reducing my smoking by half, at least. Completely unintentional. In those days, two and two weren't put together, but have been since.
I do, however, disagree with the previous comment that it's an appetite supressant that prevents the weight gain usually associated with smoking cessation. I gained 45 pounds (one third of my body weight) within the first four months of beginning the drug, and lost 35 of it within three months after stopping.
posted by netbros at 7:03 PM on December 4, 2000
I do, however, disagree with the previous comment that it's an appetite supressant that prevents the weight gain usually associated with smoking cessation. I gained 45 pounds (one third of my body weight) within the first four months of beginning the drug, and lost 35 of it within three months after stopping.
posted by netbros at 7:03 PM on December 4, 2000
Looks like my words have already come back to haunt me... I am in position where I must quit smoking to save another family member's life (organ donation-- No, not a lung). To those I was snarky with, I apologize
posted by tj at 12:03 PM on December 7, 2000
posted by tj at 12:03 PM on December 7, 2000
« Older McSweeneys.com | Turmoil for black voters in Florida on Election... Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
I have a friend who went on the patch this fall, finally -- it's been over a month now, and she just started having the "cleaning junk out of your lungs" phase. She was thinking, "Wow, I guess I maybe didn't fuck up my body that much" until last week.
She, and too many other people, tend to take the cost of smoking, assuming they believe in it, as incremental and proportionate to how much you smoke ... in other words, counting the cost of every single cigarette as a micropayment of part of the end of your life. Unfortunately, that's based on statistical averages. It's more about a chance to become really, really fucked up and die at a young age.
posted by dhartung at 9:28 PM on December 2, 2000