re: How should we define light or intermittent smoking? Does it matter?

S, my bodyguards smoke menthols

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I smoke like five packs a year. I can't imagine my risk for cancer is much higher than a non smoker.

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You may be right. I recall the Surgeon General's report about 10 years ago in which it was determined, after the studies came in from smoking banned States expecting reductions in lung disease, that second hand smoke / "light smoking" had been grossly overrated. This is a powder keg topic much like hand guns, though. Personally, I'm not sure I trust either side... too much money and political platform in the balance both ways. I also recall this Forbes article below.., took a minute but just found it:

LINK

I'm not a smoker, never have been but having grown up when it was not prohibited anywhere, there were no "smoking sections".... going to department stores,indoor sporting events, all restaurants, really anywhere at all that it was common to have the person or table next to you is smoking, I never noticed then and no big deal now. I think this, "ewww, I caught a wiff of something that smells like cigarettes, ohhh myyyy gawwwwwd, I think I'm going to faint...eewww" is a bunch of media brainwashed wussy bullsh!t.

Great contribution to this thread. Thanks

True

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You're eventually going to die. Just live while you can.

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While this is true, spending the last 6 months- 2 years of your life dying from cancer is one shitty way to go out. I watched two family members die that way and it blows my mind that anyone would even risk going through that. All for what, the "pleasure" of smoking?

So dramatic

I feel like cigars aren't bad for you

Lmao weird site

There are two medical facts I’ll point out and leave it for you to determine their relevance:

1. Any male above the age 65 who has smoked 100 cigarettes lifetime should undergo screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms.

2. Smokers have a much higher likelihood of dying from head and neck cancers than never smokers. It is true that the incidence of head and neck cancers is higher in smokers just like in lung cancer so it is not surprising that the death rate is higher. Non smokers tend to get HPV related head and neck cancers. When taking smokers and never smokers with HPV related head and neck cancers, never smokers do way better from a survival standpoint than people who have some history of “light smoking” who do better than heavy smokers.

Both cancer and non cancer related morbidity and mortality occur from tobacco abuse. I’d stay away from even a few a year. Once a cancer gene is turned on (or off if cancer preventing), quitting the habit will be too late. We never know what pushes someone over the edge.

How much higher incidence?