Smoking, Lung Cancer Still Killing People Together

African-American Men Particularly Vulnerable

Insight News is carrying a very important report about lung cancer and smoking. "Cigarette smoking and lung cancer: A deadly mix especially for African-American males" relays statistic after statistic that suggests continuing to smoke is not smart, or, perhaps as Amy McDougal's father asks in the show "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Why don't you just drink poison?"

Some of the data that is included in the report is the fact that 1 in 2 lifetime smokers will die of lung cancer. Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death. About 1 out of every 5 deaths or around 438,000 people die each year.

Other major statistics show that men are ten times as likely to develop lung cancer if they smoke. African-American men are more likely than any other ethnic or racial group to die of lung cancer if they smoke. Also, if people quit they have a chance to repair some of the damage.

I'm sure you often see articles like this and it is easy to dismiss them because most of us, especially in our early years, feel immune to bad luck, especially poor health. I know that is how I felt but, I became a statistic.

I was a heavy smoker. I began smoking during the Vietnam War and carried the habit into a career that was of a Type-A nature. I often would have two cigarettes burning in the ashtray while I smoked one. People have the mistaken belief that smoking "relaxes" you. It doesn't. Smoking raises your blood pressure as I sadly found out.

May 29, 1988, I had a headache while laying on the sofa and when I got up my leg was "floppy." I didn't know it at the time but I had suffered a TIA or transient ischemic attack. This is a small stroke, but it easily could have killed me because I had a "dissection" which completely shut off my carotid artery. Most of the time people die but my left took over. In the emergency room my blood pressure was recorded as 240/120.

Of course I quit smoking and have never had one since. Interestingly, I know many people who have suffered similar fates and have not quit smoking.

There is no reason to berate you to quit smoking. People know it is bad for them. They simply pick immediate gratification over long-term health.