So how many cigars can one smoke and still be reletively healthy, or should I say not really risk health? I have heard one stick a day shouldn't have any effect but I still wonder though, I always get paranoid when Habitually smoke anywhere from 3-8 sticks a day/night. Any long time smokers have any experiences?
Health Risks/Stories
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I would be careful of smoking that many cigars although statistics show that smoking two or three Churchill sized cigars a day need not increase throat/mouth cancer risks by a significant amount. I have also made mention many times through the years on "another web site" and once or twice here how so many of the old cigar smoking mavens and cigar smoking musicians have been famous for smoking many cigars a day.
One need to keep in mind the old adage "one man's meat is another man's poison." Your own tolerance can vary widely from the rest of the population. Indeed, many American celebrities and businesspeople, both men and women, took to the "cigar boom" of the early to mid-90's like kids with a new toy, and like any group of kids with a new toy, they eventually gave it up and in some cases, even "broke it." Such is the culture of certain people, and of course, they are not true cigar smokers. Many of them suffered health problems because of the "faddist" and therefore many times excessive nature of their involvement.
One might also wish to take into account that ethnic background may have something to do with tolerance for a certain amount of cigars. Many of the celebrities and highly paid business types who suffered from excess cigar smoking were of the Caucasian persuasion. This may or may not have anything to do with it, but it's a fact to consider.
One of the most noteworthy cigar smoking horror stories is David Letterman, who admitted to Larry King and probably elsewhere that whenever he becomes interested in something, he wishes he could utilize it in moderation, but always becomes obsessive. He admits this is what happened to him with cigars, and states that he was smoking as many as 20 cigars a day. At that number of cigars a day it is no longer a relaxing, pleasurable, mind and perhaps even in some ways body enhancing experience, but a destructive habit. Letterman paid big time and doesn't smoke cigars anymore.
Carl Weathers is another example of someone who took to cigars like a fish to water and had to be counseled by a veteran and true cigar smoker, Arnold Schwarzenegger to take it easy. Governor Arnold recounted how when Weathers discovered cigars he had dozens of boxes shipped in to the movie set day after day and Arnold had to tell him to take it easy. It's for enjoyment, meditation and relaxation, but don't make it a HABIT!!! If you find yourself habitually smoking cigars, you are cutting into the delicate mind-body balance that can take responsible moderate use of anything into the realm of the habitual and therefore, self-destructive.
One need to keep in mind the old adage "one man's meat is another man's poison." Your own tolerance can vary widely from the rest of the population. Indeed, many American celebrities and businesspeople, both men and women, took to the "cigar boom" of the early to mid-90's like kids with a new toy, and like any group of kids with a new toy, they eventually gave it up and in some cases, even "broke it." Such is the culture of certain people, and of course, they are not true cigar smokers. Many of them suffered health problems because of the "faddist" and therefore many times excessive nature of their involvement.
One might also wish to take into account that ethnic background may have something to do with tolerance for a certain amount of cigars. Many of the celebrities and highly paid business types who suffered from excess cigar smoking were of the Caucasian persuasion. This may or may not have anything to do with it, but it's a fact to consider.
One of the most noteworthy cigar smoking horror stories is David Letterman, who admitted to Larry King and probably elsewhere that whenever he becomes interested in something, he wishes he could utilize it in moderation, but always becomes obsessive. He admits this is what happened to him with cigars, and states that he was smoking as many as 20 cigars a day. At that number of cigars a day it is no longer a relaxing, pleasurable, mind and perhaps even in some ways body enhancing experience, but a destructive habit. Letterman paid big time and doesn't smoke cigars anymore.
Carl Weathers is another example of someone who took to cigars like a fish to water and had to be counseled by a veteran and true cigar smoker, Arnold Schwarzenegger to take it easy. Governor Arnold recounted how when Weathers discovered cigars he had dozens of boxes shipped in to the movie set day after day and Arnold had to tell him to take it easy. It's for enjoyment, meditation and relaxation, but don't make it a HABIT!!! If you find yourself habitually smoking cigars, you are cutting into the delicate mind-body balance that can take responsible moderate use of anything into the realm of the habitual and therefore, self-destructive.
I tend to do one a day on a normal, during a coffee break at work or with a beer after. On the weekends though, I find myself lighting one after the other, so probably about four...I love it and tend to smoke the better stuff then as well. I suppose resisting the temptation to enjoy a cigar can have positive benefits besides health. It could even make the next one I light up that much better.... :wink:
Thanks for your info Bloof, always appreciated!
Thanks for your info Bloof, always appreciated!
There's no question that when an otherwise right thinking, law abiding, properly behaving adult makes a definitive decision to include certain items which are not necessary for human existence as food and water are into their life style, then one has to examine such decisions.
One has to examine such decisions based on one's tendency to get involved with interests. An interest doesn't have to be something you put into your body, it could be an interest in trains, coins, stamps, any hobby or professional pursuit whatsoever. When the inclusion of such interests in one's life becomes habitual, behavior altering in a negative sense, and detrimental to one's well being and the atmosphere they create around themselves, then it has gone too far. Such interests do not have to be abandoned, but examined to see if they can be controlled as pleasurable pursuits, or if they are professional interests, how not to have these pursuits affect one's life negatively.
Obsession with hobbies or professional pursuits can damage one's life in many ways, and also one's health. You need not ever have smoked or drank anything to have health problems. Nonetheless, the inclusion of "substances" by an otherwise right thinking adult in a life style must not mean obsession. If the "substance," interest or pursuit can be included in the life style and kept to a level where interest, affects such as flavor, etc. is always high and negative affects are minimal or non-existent, then so much the better. The person's life is well balanced and need not change.
For those of you Bible readers like me, remember that Jesus did not abstain from certain things himself, and recommended MODERATION rather than abstinence. He said that He came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Therefore, handle yourself in a responsible and righteous fashion, and there are certain pleasures in life you may grant yourself when the time is right.
Such as, a fhine, fhine, ptttttttttttttemium cigahhhhhhh . . .
One has to examine such decisions based on one's tendency to get involved with interests. An interest doesn't have to be something you put into your body, it could be an interest in trains, coins, stamps, any hobby or professional pursuit whatsoever. When the inclusion of such interests in one's life becomes habitual, behavior altering in a negative sense, and detrimental to one's well being and the atmosphere they create around themselves, then it has gone too far. Such interests do not have to be abandoned, but examined to see if they can be controlled as pleasurable pursuits, or if they are professional interests, how not to have these pursuits affect one's life negatively.
Obsession with hobbies or professional pursuits can damage one's life in many ways, and also one's health. You need not ever have smoked or drank anything to have health problems. Nonetheless, the inclusion of "substances" by an otherwise right thinking adult in a life style must not mean obsession. If the "substance," interest or pursuit can be included in the life style and kept to a level where interest, affects such as flavor, etc. is always high and negative affects are minimal or non-existent, then so much the better. The person's life is well balanced and need not change.
For those of you Bible readers like me, remember that Jesus did not abstain from certain things himself, and recommended MODERATION rather than abstinence. He said that He came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Therefore, handle yourself in a responsible and righteous fashion, and there are certain pleasures in life you may grant yourself when the time is right.
Such as, a fhine, fhine, ptttttttttttttemium cigahhhhhhh . . .
Risk vs. reward
My take on the tobacco/health issue is this: life is full of risks. It's all about what kinds of risks your willing to take based upon your values and priorities. And Bloof is totally right - the risks aren't the same for everyone. We've all heard of guys living to be over a hundred while smoking several sticks a day. On the other hand, I've heard of people who just started with one a week and got the big "C" within a year. You never know.
Tobacco use is considered "high risk" behavior. I don't know what the precise numbers are; but whenever I see a statistic about increased health risks for certain behavior, it's usually well under what I would consider "high" risk. For example, if the risk of an individual getting cancer (these are carcinogens, after all) starts at .5% (just throwing a number out, not sure what the actual statistic is), then it can be expected that 1 out of every 200 people will come down with the disease. Now if smoking increases that risk by 50% (a ridiculous number I'm pulling out of thick air), then the risk becomes .75%, or one out of about every 133 people.
It's not quite the Russian Roulette that the big brother anti-second-hand smoke lobby would have us all believe. I think that extreme kind of fear-based philosophy robs people of the joy of being the creatures we are in the environment we're born in. It ignores the fact that we are part of a chaotic system that is, by it's very nature, full of risk. I don't think that risk should be shied away from. It only builds a false sense of security in a dynamic world. But I digress.
In the grand scheme of things, cancer is very scary. Sometimes I think about it. But in my mind, the risk is relatively small. That doesn't mean it won't happen to me; but I'm not going to freak out about it. I'm going to enjoy my life, and where I believe I'm taking a reasonable risk, perhaps I'll monitor my health more closely. All that being said, if you eat right, get plenty of exercise, and avoid high risk behavior, you will eventually die with the rest of us smoking, parachuting, alligator wrestling, red meat eating biker types. I haven't seen a statistic that defies death, yet.
Courage and moderation.
My take on the tobacco/health issue is this: life is full of risks. It's all about what kinds of risks your willing to take based upon your values and priorities. And Bloof is totally right - the risks aren't the same for everyone. We've all heard of guys living to be over a hundred while smoking several sticks a day. On the other hand, I've heard of people who just started with one a week and got the big "C" within a year. You never know.
Tobacco use is considered "high risk" behavior. I don't know what the precise numbers are; but whenever I see a statistic about increased health risks for certain behavior, it's usually well under what I would consider "high" risk. For example, if the risk of an individual getting cancer (these are carcinogens, after all) starts at .5% (just throwing a number out, not sure what the actual statistic is), then it can be expected that 1 out of every 200 people will come down with the disease. Now if smoking increases that risk by 50% (a ridiculous number I'm pulling out of thick air), then the risk becomes .75%, or one out of about every 133 people.
It's not quite the Russian Roulette that the big brother anti-second-hand smoke lobby would have us all believe. I think that extreme kind of fear-based philosophy robs people of the joy of being the creatures we are in the environment we're born in. It ignores the fact that we are part of a chaotic system that is, by it's very nature, full of risk. I don't think that risk should be shied away from. It only builds a false sense of security in a dynamic world. But I digress.
In the grand scheme of things, cancer is very scary. Sometimes I think about it. But in my mind, the risk is relatively small. That doesn't mean it won't happen to me; but I'm not going to freak out about it. I'm going to enjoy my life, and where I believe I'm taking a reasonable risk, perhaps I'll monitor my health more closely. All that being said, if you eat right, get plenty of exercise, and avoid high risk behavior, you will eventually die with the rest of us smoking, parachuting, alligator wrestling, red meat eating biker types. I haven't seen a statistic that defies death, yet.
Courage and moderation.
Having been a cigarette smoker for over 25 years, I certainly fit into the high risk catagory. My Moms mom lived to be 93 and was a smoker all her life. My Dads dad was a cigar smoker all his life and lived to be 92. That doesn't mean I will have the same luck. Fortunately, I quit smoking about 1 1/2 years ago. Started cigars about 6 months ago and smoke 1 a week generally. Occasionally 2 a week and when I vacation, maybe a few more. I really enjoy a good cigar and am rationalizing the fact that its less detrimental than cigarette smoking.
I "DO" tend to agree that for addictive personalities...you have to be careful. I try not to have one unless I can spare an hour to relax...that is when they taste the best! I smoked one the other day and rushed it....it wasn't worth the time.......
I "DO" tend to agree that for addictive personalities...you have to be careful. I try not to have one unless I can spare an hour to relax...that is when they taste the best! I smoked one the other day and rushed it....it wasn't worth the time.......
It's no rationalization. Cigarette smoking IS damaging to MOST persons' health but cigar smoking has to be done to HUGE excess and even then is not nearly as damaging on the order of cigarettes. People who want to smoke cigars should do so with conviction. Your health will definitely get worse if you take every puff with a tinge of guilt or misgiving. If you can't do that, your mental health alone will suffer, and the rest is down hill. Phuk peepul, and smoke your cigars. Just don't become like David Letterman, lighting one cigar with the next.
Bloofington said:
Don't get me wrong....by rationalizing, I mean cigar smoking is not as safe as drinking a glass of orage juice.
but much safer than cigarettes. I have no qualms whatsoever about liting up a nice cigar.
This is my personal physician. Great guy. (Just gave me a few genuine cuban connoseurs). He's got some good reading here.
http://www.cigargroup.com/faq/health/