Thoughts from a smoker

To evaluate if employees with asthma, chronic bronchitis or emphysema can be characterized as a population of patients with a high prevalence of psychological distress and/or depressed mood. Above all, we wanted to examine the influence of smoking status on the relationship between chronic disease and psychological distress/depressed mood. Methods: A postal survey was conducted among 12,103 employees participating in the Maastricht Cohort Study. Results: Smoking employees, who reported having asthma, chronic bronchitis or emphysema were more likely to report suffering from depressed mood compared to smokers with no long-lasting disease (prevalence rate, PR: 29.3 and 9.0%, respectively; OR for depressed mood = 4.04; 95% CI: 2.56–6.39) and when compared to smoking employees with a history of heart disease, hypertension or myocardial infarction (PR: 18.1%; OR: 1.99; 95% CI: 1.07–3.68), or rheumatoid arthritis (PR: 20.1%; OR: 1.73; 95% CI: 0.96–3.11). Conclusion: These findings provide health care professionals with additional evidence regarding the importance for including the assessment of psychological distress and depressed mood in the routine evaluation of the patient with asthma, chronic bronchitis or emphysema, especially with regard to smoking cessation.

Well said Jeff.

Because smokers do not consider others, they are quite happy to make you retain the foul stench of stale tobacco. Good riddance to that now we have the smoking ban!

Quote "In this past week I have noted how many soap dodgers there are, and the amount of people that need to go to a pharmacy and purchase some deodorant, and a number of people need to revise their diet, quickly"

Yes, I've noticed that in pubs as well and it just demonstrates to you smokers how bad the product of your habit smells if it can cover up the smell of these atrocities.

Also thanks to the person calling himself "not all smokers are selfish" If all smokers, and indeed people in general had the same attitude as you, the world would be a much better place.

Smoke On

What a cnob head you are!

Where in anyone's post did it say that passive smoking increases blood pressure (although there is evidence to say that it certainly increases the risk).
The reference, I believe, to this condition was supposed to make a parallel between circumstances and influences that can effect (not cause) peoples health. If you had read the post properly you would have seen that, you bloody moron!

Its a good job you can type, otherwise people here wouldn't know that you are an idiot!

I had high blood pressure on and off for 7 years of my life while I was living at my parental home. This was from the ages of 17 to 24. I also suffered from very bad (to having bleeding sores) eczema and asthma. The time in which I was not suffering from high blood pressure or asthma I was at university (19-21) these conditions resumed with me moving back home. My parents gave up smoking just after I turned 25. I am still living at home; we still live in the same area, eat the same food, and have the same pet dog. I suffer from none of the above conditions anymore, other than asthma when I visit my grandmother who still smokes or a little dry eczema in the winter. I wonder what could have been the cause?

Well the Health Fascists are up and about.

Prove with personal reference that "Passive Smoking" uniquely causes raised blood pressure above and beyond all other environmental causes. Otherwise keep your quackery out of this forum. Shut the quack up!

Health Fascists lie!

Anon,

Give it up.
As you see, when presented with a non insulting response, you get no reply.

Its lucky you havent been abused already!

Nobody died from passive smoking, and those that say they have are pilloried and ridiculed, as the question is always "Name me someone who has died because of Passive Smoking?"

Well, these people are living in a dream world! I cant name anyone that has died from high blood pressure, but I believe high blood pressure can increase the chances of heart attack and stroke!

It has ONLY ever been said that smoking, passive or not, can increase the RISK of contracting various illnesses. Just as high blood pressure increases the risks of contracting (funnilly enough) the same illnesses.

Why should a smoker be able to increase a non-smokers risks without their consent?
Or is both high blood pressure and smoking a made up lie?

Death by secondhand smoke: when inhaled death usually takes around seven days and will be as a result of symptoms like internal bleeding, blood poisoning or even meningitis.

Initial symptoms after inhalation might include mild fever, malaise, fatigue, coughing and, occasionally a feeling of pressure on the chest. Sometime later patients frequently succumb to a condition manifested by red, swollen, painful (inflamed) ears, with severe hearing loss and dizziness. There is decreased appetite and facial swelling. In the acute form the symptoms (fever, malaise, fatigue, weight loss, anemia) are all directly related to the presence of an active infection that runs its course within a few weeks.

Death from secondhand smoking is very rare and generally presents itself as a severe skin infection or a major pulmonary condition. Some psychological distress often accompanies the case. Areas where secondhand smoking has been found to have taken place often require urgent decontamination.

At last, a voice with a bit of common sense!

Isn't that all we all ask for? That we consider others?

Virtual Christmas Card to you mate!

I am a smoker and totally agree with the ban. its my habit and my killer fumes, why should other suffer because of my addiction? I'm the first to complain if a a person smokes near me, I have my own fumes to deal with and will not inhale others second hand smoke! its not your right when it kill people and causes illness. all smokers stop being selfish and just move well away from others when smoking, and smoke outside. its healthy for us smokers to smoke outside anyway.

Well at least you are free to post the same thing across multiple posts. Well done!