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  • Smoking, more prevelant in which states??

    Posted by on April 18, 2008 at 7:05 pm

    I find it interesting as we have traveled to the west from Ohio that the economy
    and the standard of living has alot to do with the percentages. The automotive industry has taken a big hit here in Ohio, I’ll bet we are high in the numbers of smokers. Certain areas here are depressed, low income is prevelant, the job industry is industrial for the most part. While in Arizona last visit I had a hard time finding groups of smokers whether around the pool or dinner or in Sedona which has a big ban on anything thats not envoirmentally safe…we have less sun here in the winter, easy to motivate when you have sunny days, stress issues for the job seekers keeps many people in the habit, whether I am wrong or I am right, where you live defineately plays a part into why people choose to do what the do!!!!! Interesting enough the smokers of Cleveland paid for Jacobs Field Baseball stadium, and the Browns new stadium,,,and they have removed any smoking areas from both…so if you are a smoker here you have bought alot of real estate. Ironic isn’t it!
    I am not a smoker, but was years ago, Gene is 67 and remembers when they were.25 a pack….as we have come full circle on the smoking issue those who are trying to quit I am glad for you, and for those who are still trying, good luck!! Ginger

    Jeff F replied 16 years, 9 months ago 6 Members · 13 Replies
  • 13 Replies
  • jeff-f's avatar

    jeff-f

    Member
    April 19, 2008 at 7:52 pm

    Thanks Ginger. It’s morning and I feel a lot better of course. Que Sera Sera as the old saying goes. :)


    BC diagnosed 01/2007
    Cystoscopes and Miomyacin in 2007
    R/C ilial conduit 04/27/2008
  • 's avatar

    Guest
    April 19, 2008 at 5:06 pm

    Jeff,
    We went for a get away as well before Genes surgery, he was stage 3 T-2, we had 6 weeks to think about it so we filled our time best we could. We are married 42 years, he is 67 I am 62, we love the beach, our bodies are still holding there own so bathing suits are not a problem. (YET) I have alot of compassion for you and your spouse as we were there all last summer, I was walking around in a daze mostly and Gene was in shock I guess . The diagnosis came on July 3rd, we hoped for a polyp or something, so it is a shock, Gene has the outside bag, he is 7 months past surgery, he is working full time for now, he is retired but has a small job that its peak time is April and May, so he will go back to 3 days in June. The waiting is horrible, but let me tell you, it will be over soon and you will be glad, Focus on recovery, 4 months after we went to Vegas, trial trip with the new bag, it was great, no problems, Gene broke down several times as family visit alot before surgery, that was hard and now I wish we had a more positive attitude without the worry, but the unknown is scary, so don’t be scared, be prepared, and you’ll be fine,,Gene will talk to you if you have any questions,,we spoke to Zack when first diagnosed and he was so kind, he made us feel alot better.
    I am not surprised about Del Mar, no smoking outside, on the beach. The rules vary over the country , my point is when in Arizona you can pick out the Ohioians, the New Yorkers, and so on….
    You’ll do great, we have all been there,,,Ginger Beane

  • jeff-f's avatar

    jeff-f

    Member
    April 19, 2008 at 5:19 am

    We just spent 3 days at Del Mar last weekend, a seaside village in So Cal. It was our 43rd Anniversary. You cannot smoke anywhere in Del Mar, including the beaches, the sidewalks, public buildings, et cet. I think you can smoke in your car, but wasn’t sure. This was a getaway before my pre-op appointment which was on Thursday. So I am scheduled for the 30th of April. I went 64 years without any health problems and here I am with Stage 2 Invasive BC. My scans show no other involvement, including an MRI done on April 5th. Of course, we don’t know, do we, until they go in? Taking it a day at a time is a real challenge, I hope I can get better at it.

    Jeff Finley


    BC diagnosed 01/2007
    Cystoscopes and Miomyacin in 2007
    R/C ilial conduit 04/27/2008
  • julie's avatar

    julie

    Member
    April 19, 2008 at 5:14 am

    We lived in our Motorhome from 1996 to 2007 and travelled around the US. So my observations are that when smoking is banned in eating establishments and then bars the incidence of smoking goes down. When a state allows smoking in public places then you will find smokers. Several years ago I saw a report on the percentage of people who smoke. In my home state it was 22% and only 2 or 3 communities banned smoking at that time.

    In states where tobacco is a crop there is less restriction on smoking and chewing tobacco. Just informally I see less people hanging around outside smoking than I used to.

    We were smokers and I had quit several times once for 4 years. My husband, son and myself quit smoking the week my Mother-in -law died of lung cancer. So Dick had been smoke free for 13 years when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. The effects of the toxins in tobacco smoke have a long term effect. My husband also grew up in a home where his Mother was a chain smoker.
    I would say to people who want to quit—keep trying. Each time you quit you learn more about what works for you in terms of stopping. Julie


    Volunteer Coordinator
    ABLSC
  • 's avatar

    Guest
    April 19, 2008 at 12:48 am

    Clara, I have to admit I love the smell of a good cigar, and some pipe tobacco as well….although I smoke neither,,,my brother lites a cigar up occasionally when we are in vegas,,,ahhhhh!!! THEN i HAVE TO WAIT TIL OUR NEXT TRIP TO SMELL IT AGAIN!
    Ginger

  • clara's avatar

    clara

    Member
    April 19, 2008 at 12:41 am

    I can remember going to work in Winston-Salem and actually smelling the tobacco some days from the plants.

    Also, I grew up working in tobacco for my uncles….my Dad smoked heavy until he was diagnosed with emphysema which got him 10 yrs. after he quit smoking. Thankfully, I never picked the habit up but lived with second hand smoke growing up and also Bob smoked until about 16 years ago.

    Many of the farmers in our area that depended on tobacco for a living are now into growing grapes and making wine. The grape vines are certainly prettier than those tobacco stawks.

    There are really a lot more restrictions on smoking now than there used to be. I read in the newspaper that the employees of Baptist Hospital have to go off the premises to smoke now.

    Clara


    Caretaker of husband, Bob.
    Stage IV
    Diagnosed Jan, 2007
  • 's avatar

    Guest
    April 18, 2008 at 9:24 pm

    Karen,

    WOW,, here in Cleveland the ban is for all restaurants bars etc. You can be sure it affected the flats, the local bar seen downtown as well as the ones around the baseball stadium and the browns stadium. Somehow they have all survived but I bet they have some occurrences.. If you smoke you won’t be hired by the Cleveland Clinic, discimination I say is all over that one…I was in Detroit this week, ssmoking is allowed all over there.. but I still see less of it still going on. You will conquer it when you are ready, its your choice afterall. each state has there own set of rules, but I still save your envoirnment plays a big part in whether you
    use alchol or smoking to get thru your daily routine..if you drive past a Ford complex you see all the hourly workers lined up on a bench puffing away, then the local bars are filled with the ones who want to stop for a beer or 12. So there ya go!!!! I AM NOT CONDEMING IT, JUST SAYING HOW PREVELANT IT IS HERE IN AUTOMOTIVE COUNTRY..
    3 YEARS AGO AT THE HOSPICE CENTER MY DAD DIED IN i HAD A WEAK MOMENT, MANY WEAK MOMENTS I quit a long time ago but had a few that 5 five days, a lady who’s mother was dieing of lung disease came outside and said to me you should go look at my mom, and you would put down that cigarette, I said well if you want to look at my dad he quit many years ago and its not saving him now, he got every complication you can get after open heart surgery and hes is dieing as well because of a staff infection he got in the hospital. But thanks for the advice!!! Ginger

  • tate's avatar

    tate

    Member
    April 18, 2008 at 9:03 pm

    Momof4 and all, I to am in NC, andI have a friend that works in one of our clinics that suffers with b/c. She told me that one of the drug reps told her that the BCG is sold to NC more then any other states.

  • momof4's avatar

    momof4

    Member
    April 18, 2008 at 8:46 pm

    I think that smoking must be very prevalent here in NC. The Carolina’s are home to many of the tobacco Giants. You can still smoke everywhere. Restaurants etc…At Wake Forest Baptist Hospital R J Reynolds was a huge contributor via the Bowman Gray Fund. Ironic (or maybe guilt) that one of the largest Tobacco Companies was an underwriter for one of the biggest Hospitals/Cancer Centers in the area. There are statues and plaques all over the hospital honoring R J Reynolds! I am still a smoker (I can here the boos and groans so don’t email or post anything, I know the risks and I am living and caring for on a daily basis someone who knows first hand what the effects of smoking are I will quit, but now is not the time, I never smoke inside , and my children don’t even know) Anyway, I think that smokers are everywhere, but it is coming less and less acceptable everywhere as well.

    Karen


    Caregiver for my Wonderful Husband Angelo, who has Metastatic Bladder Cancer.

    Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

  • 's avatar

    Guest
    April 18, 2008 at 8:05 pm

    Yes Joe , I agree, Hollywood is full of, well, Britney Spears people, drugs drugs drugs,,,money money money, and the little guy, maybe the trucker just wants to feed his family and have a pack of smokes..it isn’t quite fair,,,my thing about standard of living is about the ones on welfare,,not the average low income, but thats a whole different story..I wasn’t implying that the more you make makes a better person, just that the economy has alot to do with it..being in Marketing I find peoples attitudes here not so happy in the winter months, as opposed to the west and south where the sun gives you energy and maybe a smile on your face…we tend to have crabby people here in the winter….Ginger

  • 's avatar

    Guest
    April 18, 2008 at 7:50 pm

    I remember .35 a pack and .29 a gallon and in the 70’s that even-odd # on your license plate on days to get gas. The tankers were lined up out in the Delaware Bay to get in and they wouldn’t them in a bunch of BS. And vices people have it is more the person then where they live look at all the filthy rich loonies in Hollywood abusing themselves lol. Joe ;)

  • 's avatar

    Guest
    April 18, 2008 at 7:24 pm

    Yes and gas is what now,,,, well they are making fools of us on the gas issue, Gene says stop sending food to other countries and have the truckers stay home and bunker down for one week and give them there own medicine…while driving to Detroit this week we were surrounded by trucks caring produce and whatever, what it must be costing them to tranport and then us paying the fee at the store, it all sucks,,,and the truckers may be smoking,, and why not,there stress has to be unimagineable, high stress job for sure!!!I feel for this guys in the trucking business, they are a powerful bunch,!Ginger

  • 's avatar

    Guest
    April 18, 2008 at 7:20 pm

    how old am I?…i remember when gasoline was l5Cents a gallon………… :P

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