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Smoking around the world

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Re: Smoking around the world

#21

Post by InclinedPlane »

dfee wrote: post #12
tjr225 wrote: post #5

Isn't it incredible how much the smoking culture of America has shifted over time? If only the forces who put the anti-smoking effort into motion could come together and work towards making renewable energy, alternative commuting methods, or universal healthcare acceptable ideas in this country. I used to smoke a pack a day and I'm glad I don't anymore.

Over the weekend a friend of mine pointed out that while nicotine use has dropped, cannabis use has heavily increased. As if, the rise on tobacco prices has driven folks to alternative drugs. I wonder (and if someone on HN knows how, please share) if you were to track use and abuse of pills, stimulants (including things like 5 hour energy), cannabis and other forms of what’s becoming not-so-recreational drug usage —…

I'd like to see the statistics on that. Marijuana used to be illegal, so a lot of use was hidden.

Also, 5 hour energy is just caffeine and I highly doubt that caffeine usage in the US has changed significantly (from ubiquitous) over the past few decades.

Re: Smoking around the world

#23

Post by c3534l »

Why on Earth did they shade the percent of men smoking darker than the women? That means in countries where about the same proportion of women as men smoke, which is most countries, the female map is colored as having a higher percentage than men because they made the key identical minus 10%. This makes me irrationally angry.

Re: Smoking around the world

#24

Post by dghughes »

The worst part is lung diseases often take decades to appear. People who quit smoking after doing it for a few decades may be hit with COPD late in life just when they can least afford it. Compounding other health problems they may already have.

COPD: "Long-term exposure to lung irritants that damage the lungs and the airways usually is the cause of COPD." - nhlbi.nih.gov

I worry about the vaping trend I think there is going to be a massive amount of people diagnosed with COPD in 30 or 40 years.

Re: Smoking around the world

#26

Post by in_cahoots »

dyarosla wrote: post #13
mc32 wrote: post #7

What's odd about this is that women in "richer" countries smoke more on average than women in developing nations, but conversely, when it comes to men, men in developing nations smoke more on average than men in developed countries...

This could be explained by women in developing nations simply having the least amount of money out of all of these groups and not be able to afford it- otherwise I could imagine women in developing nations would also smoke more than women in developed nations.

There might also be more of a social stigma against women smoking. In the West smoking amongst women was portrayed as dangerous and sexy, while for men it was just part of a hard day’s work. That sort of marketing would translate better for men than for women in more traditional cultures.

Re: Smoking around the world

#27

Post by mixmastamyk »

One of the few things I despised about traveling in Europe was people smoking inside like it was the 70's. Almost lost it over a couple puffing away in the dairy section of the super market, managed to keep my mouth shut.

Shame because I otherwise loved my time there.

Re: Smoking around the world

#28

Post by ahansen »

jageen wrote: post #25

In India they show vary serious warning message with photo on each cigarette box , but I did not see the same think in Japan (I am not sure about other countries)

There are massive warnings on the packs in New Zealand. I believe they can't use any branding at all on the packs in Australia.

Re: Smoking around the world

#29

Post by nubbins »

c3534l wrote: post #23

Why on Earth did they shade the percent of men smoking darker than the women? That means in countries where about the same proportion of women as men smoke, which is most countries, the female map is colored as having a higher percentage than men because they made the key identical minus 10%. This makes me irrationally angry.

I was trying to figure out why countries had more women smoking than men which I’ve never observed anywhere, with regards to smoking or really any dangerous habit.

Re: Smoking around the world

#30

Post by JunkDNA »

zavi wrote: post #18
anewone wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Smoking is scary on an individual level, not to mention expensive. Those other causes you mentioned aren't interesting if you don't personally need them. It's harder to get someone to make a short term sacrifice for other people's long term gains.

A better analogy would be a potential campaign to reduce obesity. If US could pull off a public fat shaming campaign as successful and the one around tobacco it would be a huge benefit to individual people's quality of life as well as economy as a whole.

I would argue this is already underway. There is a concerted campaign against fast food and sugary drinks. There are all sorts of programs to encourage people to exercise. Big corporations have annual “health screenings” where they fat shame you if your BMI is a point over and you drink alcohol once a week.

The problem is that obesity is a complex problem. Not everyone who is overweight is a lazy person who eats Doritos on the couch wile watching daytime tv and wondering why they’re so overweight.

Smoking was easy: with extremely rare exception, smokers get lung cancer. Period. Smoking is one of the very few personal behaviors that basically guarantees you will get cancer. It also has the side benefit of annoying the living daylights out of people who don’t smoke which creates social pressure against it. It was pretty much a slam dunk.

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