Smoking

chofetzchaim (what a name!)

so un-cool!

it’s not guaranteed that smoking hurts anyone. if you’re meant to die, you’ll die anyway, right? so what does smoking have to do with anything?

It is guaranteeed that smoking damages your lungs, however the age at which the smoker will feel its effects, and what effects they will experience is variable. The example you cited of your aunt and uncle is a random situation. Because one smoker lived longer than their health-conscious partner, means nothing in the big picture. There have been numerous large-scale controlled studies comparing the health effects of smokers and non-smokers and the results are clearly obvious that smoking is harmful!

With regard to the “you will die when you are meant to”, I am no rabbi but I do think it plays into responsibility. Do you want to be responsible as the cause of your own death, or would you prefer The One Above arrange it as He sees fit. At the same time, perhaps fulfilling the mitzvah of “Unishmartem meod linafshoseichem” will give the merits for a longer and healthier life than pre-ordained.

nothing at all

Moish, if you are underage, as you said, and you smoke even occasionally, you are not only damaging your health, you are rbeaking the law, as well. I am not telling you what to do, mind you, but your attitude is so typical of teenagers who think they are immortal and impervious to any harm. I knew another Moish once upon a time. He was my boyfriend and he broke up with me because he had begun to smoke again after quitting, and I nagged him about it (I admit to being a pain in the neck on the subject). As I said, we broke up, he continued to smoke sporadically over the next almost 20 years, then finally gave it up. Unfortunately it was too late. He was at work one day, didn’t feel so well and took the train home. He never made it there, because he had a massive fatal coronary on the train and was dead before he hit the floor. This was a real and probably preventable tragedy for his wife and sons. For those who beleive bashert is bashert (and I usually am one of them), I also feel that the choices we make in life, determine what is bashert for us. Maybe there is a Lady Or the Tiger scenario, and depending on which door we pick, our path in life alters. We know that teshuvah, tefila, and tzedaka maavirin es roa hagezaira. I am sure that other things we do, also have an impact.

you’re kidding, right? i had a feeling someone would say something like that. you know exactly what i meant. and by the way, there’s not much peer pressure at least with my guys. everyone does his own thing and no one comments. but everyone tried it the first time around.

and if you’re gonna go by that mitzvah you gotta drop every unhealthy thing you ever ingest in your life. including soda and fried food. how many people are willing to do that? not many.

and realistically speaking, how many people keep all the mitzvos anyway? i know i don’t. everyone has a few that are extra hard. (or more than just a few)

Give me a break? Didn’t he used to post here? What happened to him anyway?

ha that’s a great name. if it wasn’t taken i might switch… really i don’t know – i don’t think i’ve seen him on here and i’ve been here a couple of weeks.

and if you’re gonna go by that mitzvah you gotta drop every unhealthy thing you ever ingest in your life. including soda and fried food. how many people are willing to do that? not many.

You have a good argument there moish. If you look at trends, however, public awareness with regard to the ill effects of smoking have been very well published in the previous years. Presently, obesity is the hot topic being tackled and you’l be seeing it publicized more and more. Just think about the proposed soda tax, laws requiring fast food restaurants to list the nutritional values (or lack thereof), etc.

and realistically speaking, how many people keep all the mitzvos anyway? i know i don’t. everyone has a few that are extra hard. (or more than just a few)

True, but you stil have to make an effort, can’t completely ignore it 🙂

I’ve had this discussion many times over, minus the religious aspect, with non-Jewish kids. It’s hard for kids to think long-term and really give it a serious thought when we’re talking about the dangers 20-30 years down the line.

why is it me against everyone else on here? i never said smoking is GOOD. it’s just not the end of the world. there are more important things people should be worrying about. like acting with decency even to people they don’t approve of. and MY GOD – watching what you say about others. i may not be mr. relig. but at least i’m a decent person.

moish- that chip on ur shoulder is beginning to show.

We’re just arguing a point. read thru this thread and you’ll see there are plenty of members that have expressed the same opinion as you did. Everyone takes everyone’s statements apart and boils them in sizzling oil. So what? chilax, don’t take it so personally. WE DON’T KNOW YOU

nice fix, moderator. sorry about that.

areivimzehlazeh – i know and i don’t care. i just wanted to say that it’s not exactly a ticket to lung cancer. and for sure not a light smoker. anything can happen but come on – where’s you emuna? (ha ME telling you guys about emuna? see we all get a chance!)

Wow moish….

but my point is that a little bit of smoking is not harmful. bad comparison.

oh i UNDERSTOOD it. i’m just in shock that someone called me that. and you of all people.

what’s with the “moishele” anyway?

you’re crazy. NO ONE calls me moishele (except for my mom once in a blue moon and i ignore it) i’m moish (or if my father’s REALLY mad he might call me “moshe”) but what’s a “moishele?” stupid name.

moish01: ha!! i know you should!!!

moish01: you could find charles R. darwin in his zoo thread!!!

moish01: should send people here for therapy & you were asking about charles R. darwin earlier, he’s in his zoo thread!!!!

moish i am also a teen and i “used to smoke” and all i want to tellyou is that even smoking one cigarette ocasionally (which is usually one two cigs a day or every other day) is not very good for your health and yes everyone is different some will get yene machloh after a few years of smoking and some get it after 20 while some dont get at all and yes smoking on purim is terrible since all you need is 1 cig to get the nicotine in your body which takes 3 weeks to get out in which you will probably smoke another in that time, and it is fine if you smoke just on purim (i know someone that does that personnaly) but 99 percent of the jewish people will smoke another cig even after purim and then will get addicted.and smoking is one of the worst thins in the world since its legal for a baby to smoke (im not talking about buying) so people think it ok.just a fact,”smoking is the BIGGEST KILLER there is.more than heroin or any drug so moish dont say one cig isnt bad.im sorry it isnt bad if its just that one but usually its another and another

ames, that’s the great debate of consensual crime. Who cares if I want to kill myself? It’s my problem.

~a~

ames, I very much disagree with your seatbelt comment.

If C’V that person gets into an accident, they can fly through the windshield and injury bystanders, and/or other drivers. Also, if there are other passengers in the car, this person can fly all over the inside of the car and injure the others. Wearing a seatbelt benefits everyone involved, not just yourself.