Why scholarly and intelligent specialists smoke?
• Jon Krueger It’s very simple: in almost all cases, they started smoking — and became addicted to nicotine — before they were scholarly. Almost all smokers start before age 18. Which is why the industry’s framing of the issue as “adult choice” is of course misleading and deceptive. Essentially no one becomes a smoker as a result of an adult informed choice. And after becoming addicted, choice is not what it’s all about; almost by definition, to become chemically dependent is to lose some element of choice. Submit rapid responsePublished 17 August 2000 Re: Smoking or health??!! • James S Smeltzer, Consultant, Maternal Fetal Medicine Wellstar Health System, Marietta GA USA Indeed, it is smoking or health, smoking or taste, smoking or a sense of smell, smoking or fitness, smoking or fresh air. If we, as health practitioners, continue to promote and reinforce the positive imagery related to smoking cessation, and the consistent expectation that our patients will quit when they are ready
