Originally posted by: nomadh
I know. I don't smoke. Barely know anybody who does but after all this heavy handed propoganda around it makes me feel sorry for smokers.... and truth. Both are taking a beating. People now are afraid they will get cancer if they have to walk past a smoker every few days. I wonder if there is any proof yet that anyone has ever died of secondhand smoke.
It is my understanding that most of the 'anti smoking' party's second hand smoke fodder is based upon a questionable EPA study.
overview
The well known congressional rebuttal to the EPA's study can be found here:
Link It is a dry read, but suffice it to say, it does well to point out the slipshod use of the scientific method as applied to the EPA study.
If I read and understand it correctly, the congressional findings determine that the true level of the carcinogetic material found in the urine of non-smokers living with smokers compared to the smokers themselves is about one half of 1 percent. .005 of the level of carcinogenic material. This would only be significant if you were already pre-disposed to lung cancer through family genetics, i'd imagine.
Penn and Teller's BullSh1t! did a rather fun episode on this study too. They had someone else do the math when comparing non smokers who are and aren't regularly exposed to 'ETS' (environmental tobacco smoke), but what it boils down to is that for non smokers not in contact with second hand smoke: 10 in 1,000,000 die from lung cancer, for non smokers that are in contact with second hand smoke (ie spouse of a smoker): 12.5 in 1,000,000 die from lung cancer. Not statisticly significant. unles you are one of those extra 2.5 i suppose. Regardless, with a number that small, there is no real way that you can discount other environmental factors affecting the difference. ie. molds, plastic fumes, air born lead paint particals, automobile emissions, and everything else that is floating around our heavily industrial society.
Yes. I smoke. In spite of, and maybe even DUE to, the socially approved bias against us (Dare I say, predjudice? Discrimination?); I firmly believe that smokers in general are a tougher breed. When the big one comes, we will have a learned advantage against our non smoking counterparts. When the nuclear winter (that's nucular, mr bush) comes, our years of training in standing outside for 15 - 20 minutes, 5 or 6 times a day, in freezing temperatures, will hold us in good steed.
edit: I damn well signed up for my free hat though. If anyone tumbles to the hats source when I'm smokin one out back at work, they will learn that the TRUTH is on my side.