Doctors giving you a hard time about smoking

02-20-2009, 06:15 PM

As a GP, I have reviewed the evidence. It seems that the natural cut-off for ill effects vs lung and heart diseases is at about 1 cigar a day. Above that and you are accumulating risk. At or below that then you won't be increasing your risk in any great statistical fashion. The exception to that is larynx (a part of the throat) cancer (even many of the other head and neck cancers obey the 1/day rule). For some reason, any cigar smoking does increase your risk.

The assumptions are: you don't inhale. Other precautions I would include would be don't swallow your saliva while smoking (the researchers theorize that swallowing contaminated saliva may lead to this unavoidable risk, I find this precaution easy to follow, because frequent mouth rinsing does seem to improve the flavour of even the best tastiest cigars). Another modifier to the risk profile is whether you have ever been a smoker before; this may be because of previous accumulated risks "re-awakening" or may have to do with the whole inhaling thing again.

So, make no mistake, we are increasing our risks by using tobacco products. However, the amount of risk and the risk-to-benefit ratio that comes with choosing to do things you enjoy are probably leaning in your favour to have an enjoyable life. Someone on this board will die because of their cigar habit, but its not likely to be you (statistically

)

That all said, if I had surgery, I would hold off on the cigars for the time being. Something about tobacco does tend to slow the healing process. The last thing I want is poor healing after a surgery. Thus, in that circumstance I would lean to the side of caution. Once the surgery is completely behind me, then I would breathe a sigh of relief and then promptly inhale a stogie of relief.

Cheers

Cyanide

Cigargal · 02-20-2009, 06:26 PM

I had a nurse at the doctor's office go off on me once about smoking cigars but my doctor said in moderation it was okay...That was when I smoked one a week. Now I smoke three per week. When I had surgery last fall they didn't even asked me if I smoked. After surgery it was a month before I even felt like smoking a cigar.

I figure that something is going to kill me someday...it might as well be something that I enjoy and has brought me pleasure in my life. I drink moderately and smoke moderately, but on the other hand, I do not skydive, bungie jump, deep sea dive, climb mountains, spelunk, surf, or live in Kansas so I think I have evened out the odds.

02-20-2009, 06:27 PM

Tell them you smoke cigars once a week, but smoke hash everyday. I bet they change their opinion on cigar smoking.

Scottw · 02-21-2009, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darrell

Tell them you smoke cigars once a week, but smoke hash everyday. I bet they change their opinion on cigar smoking.

My doctor knows about my hefty consumption of both as hasn't bugged me yet.

RGD. · 02-20-2009, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyanide

As a GP . . . Cyanide

:

Sorry - Now that is funny right there.

Ron

02-20-2009, 06:15 PM	#1
Cyanide Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Doctors giving you a hard time about smoking As a GP, I have reviewed the evidence. It seems that the natural cut-off for ill effects vs lung and heart diseases is at about 1 cigar a day. Above that and you are accumulating risk. At or below that then you won't be increasing your risk in any great statistical fashion. The exception to that is larynx (a part of the throat) cancer (even many of the other head and neck cancers obey the 1/day rule). For some reason, any cigar smoking does increase your risk. The assumptions are: you don't inhale. Other precautions I would include would be don't swallow your saliva while smoking (the researchers theorize that swallowing contaminated saliva may lead to this unavoidable risk, I find this precaution easy to follow, because frequent mouth rinsing does seem to improve the flavour of even the best tastiest cigars). Another modifier to the risk profile is whether you have ever been a smoker before; this may be because of previous accumulated risks "re-awakening" or may have to do with the whole inhaling thing again. So, make no mistake, we are increasing our risks by using tobacco products. However, the amount of risk and the risk-to-benefit ratio that comes with choosing to do things you enjoy are probably leaning in your favour to have an enjoyable life. Someone on this board will die because of their cigar habit, but its not likely to be you (statistically ) That all said, if I had surgery, I would hold off on the cigars for the time being. Something about tobacco does tend to slow the healing process. The last thing I want is poor healing after a surgery. Thus, in that circumstance I would lean to the side of caution. Once the surgery is completely behind me, then I would breathe a sigh of relief and then promptly inhale a stogie of relief. Cheers Cyanide

02-20-2009, 06:26 PM	#2
Cigargal Waiting for SoCal XI Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,472 Trading: (25)	Re: Doctors giving you a hard time about smoking I had a nurse at the doctor's office go off on me once about smoking cigars but my doctor said in moderation it was okay...That was when I smoked one a week. Now I smoke three per week. When I had surgery last fall they didn't even asked me if I smoked. After surgery it was a month before I even felt like smoking a cigar. I figure that something is going to kill me someday...it might as well be something that I enjoy and has brought me pleasure in my life. I drink moderately and smoke moderately, but on the other hand, I do not skydive, bungie jump, deep sea dive, climb mountains, spelunk, surf, or live in Kansas so I think I have evened out the odds.

02-20-2009, 06:27 PM	#3
Darrell Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Doctors giving you a hard time about smoking Tell them you smoke cigars once a week, but smoke hash everyday. I bet they change their opinion on cigar smoking.