Johnny, I didn't mean to imply you're a liar - I've just never seen or heard of anything like you've described before, and thought maybe you were kidding me. That's one of the most disgusting things I've ever heard!
GUEST says the scientific 'evidence' in the article I posted is probably funded or slanted by the tobacco industry. Well, for all I know s/he's right! The article posted claims that the scientific 'evidence' against smoking is mere speculation guised as "truth" ... nothing more than a deceiving propaganda machine paid by pharmaceutical and public money to promote frauds, fears, and puritanical rhetoric dressed up in white coats. Well, that makes LOT of sense to me too.
Consequently, I don't know what to believe about so-called "scientific evidence"! So it feels wisest to trust my own experiences and observations first - because that doesn't require a leap of faith. IT's the only 'evidence' I KNOW, without a doubt, to be true.
It's also true that at today's prices, smoking only 6-12 cigarettes/day costs me about $1000/year, $900 of which goes straight to the gov't and the anti-smoking lobby. THAT's the fact that gives me this most godawful pain right in the heart - (or rather, the wallet). It's a MOST excellent reason to quit!
And like McGrath says, there's other things to smoke anyway (not that I'd ever want to ... although I've heard that morning glory seeds and mugwort make quite the interesting combo! ;-)
So when I do quit, I'll start a thread about it. I'm sure I'll get all kinds of kindly support here! JUst PLEASE don't sing me any anti-smoking-let's-all-hate-those-stupid-smoker songs! All that does is give me a powerful urge to light up and blow it all away.