Obama's smoking issue

[Neil D]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President-elect Barack Obama failed to give a straight answer when asked on a U.S. talkshow on Sunday whether he had managed to quit smoking.

In a country where cigarettes are responsible for one in five deaths and smoking costs tens of billions of dollars in health care, Obama has been under pressure to set an example by giving up his reported two-decade-old habit.

Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press" program, interviewer Tom Brokaw told Obama he had ducked answering the question during an interview last month with ABC's Barbara Walters.

Noting that the White House was a no-smoking zone, Brokaw asked Obama, "Have you stopped smoking?"

"I have," Obama replied, smiling broadly. "What I said was that there are times where I have fallen off the wagon."

"Wait a minute," Brokaw interjected, "that means you haven't stopped."

"Fair enough," Obama said. "What I would say is that I have done a terrific job under the circumstances of making myself much healthier. You will not see any violations of these rules in the White House."

Obama was often observed on the presidential campaign trail chewing Nicorette gum, which helps ease the craving for nicotine. He has tried several times to quit.

The 47-year-old president-elect, who takes office on January 20, works out daily at the gym and sometimes plays basketball. His doctor said in May he was in excellent health, often jogged 3 miles a day and was fit to serve as U.S. president.

Website www.cigaraficionado.com says Gerald Ford, who served from 1974-77, was the last U.S. president to use tobacco on a regular basis. The White House no-smoking rule was imposed by former First Lady Hillary Clinton, now Obama's nominee for secretary of state.

[Dr. Shane]

This is one reason some Adventists didn't vote for him. Ellen White talks about supporting men of temperance and some view smokers as not having temperance. I don't share that opinion myself. Smoking is very difficult to give up. I do think that the fact we haven't seen pictures of Obama smoking is a good thing but evidence of an Obama-friendly press.

[Kountzer]

Relatively speaking there are so few adventists, I doubt if Prez elect and his campaign staff really cared if they voted for him or not. As someone else said, I hope he quits for his own sake.

DB

[aldona]

This is one reason some Adventists didn't vote for him. Ellen White talks about supporting men of temperance and some view smokers as not having temperance. I don't share that opinion myself. Smoking is very difficult to give up. I do think that the fact we haven't seen pictures of Obama smoking is a good thing but evidence of an Obama-friendly press.

Smoking is more difficult than heroin to give up, for some people. The fact that he is trying shows that he is at least heading in the right direction.

It is also well known to those familiar with human psychology, that when giving up any bad habit (smoking, alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc) there will be an average of 5-6 unsuccessful attempts and relapses before the individual finally breaks the habit. I always remind my patients of this when they are trying to quit smoking, and it encourages them not to give up when they "fall off the wagon."

I have been around long enough and have been around enough different people to stop judging people's moral character by whether or not they smoke/drink.

Back in 1930's Germany, large numbers of German Adventists voted with great enthusiasm for a political candidate who did not smoke or drink alcohol, and was a vegetarian.

His name was Adolf Hitler.

aldona

[Jeannieb43]

Originally Posted By: Shane

This is one reason some Adventists didn't vote for him.

What a shallow basis for casting a vote! And to think, some of those very Adventists probably harbored some private sins themselves.

Originally Posted By: aldona

Smoking is more difficult than heroin to give up, for some people. The fact that he is trying shows that he is at least heading in the right direction.

I have been around long enough and have been around enough different people to stop judging people's moral character by whether or not they smoke/drink.

aldona

I agree. Some of the finest people I know are smokers. They are prisoners of that nicotine and can't break it off. It doesn't mean their intentions are bad at this point; it merely means that their bodies are hooked.

The interview above with President-elect Obama shows me that he's on track for quitting the cigarettes. Sometimes it takes months. I think that in itself has very little to do with his fitness as president. [FDR used to smoke, with a long cigarette holder. Obama's situation here and now is quite similar to the economic problems faced by FDR. -- which of course is irrelevant, but the thought just occurred to me about their similarities.]

[Woody]

Like Shane mentioned above ... Ellen White made some statements about temperance that would indicate that our leaders in politics should not be smokers.

[Tom Wetmore]

Originally Posted By: Shane

This is one reason some Adventists didn't vote for him...

What a shallow basis for casting a vote!...

And I suspect that many who may have voiced this as the reason were just using this as an excuse to avoid expressing some other more absurd or less politically correct idea for not voting for him.

[Dr. Shane]

I certainly will not second-guess those that claim to follow the Spirit of Prophecy when casting their vote. While I may disagree with their decision, I certainly respect them for it and will not question their honor and integrity.

[olger]

I don't want a nervous president.

[Tom Wetmore]

Lucky for you, the nervous candidate lost.

As for Obama, he is often described as cool, calm and collected, a real steady hand at the helm.

[Woody]

Oh MY. It is getting thick in here ...

[olger]

People drink to cover pain, and they smoke because they are nervous.

[Woody]

I suspect that Obama is more nervous than ever now with the Axelrod revelations that he DID speak to the Governor about who he wanted as Senator to replace him.

Puff Puff Puff Puff

[Taylor]

Ya but there is nothing criminal in talking. One can have aspirations and wishes without being criminal.

[Taylor]

Lucky for you, the nervous candidate lost.

As for Obama, he is often described as cool, calm and collected, a real steady hand at the helm.

That is true, he is often cool, calm, and collected which the american people appreciate.

Some may say he smokes because he is nervous. Well many smokers smoke out of habit, because they began in H.S. since it was the "cool thing to do", having nothing to do with nervousness. On the other hand, who wouldn't be nervous about the economy etc. So if he is nervous I could completely understand. I don't think they will dig up enough dirt on Obama to get him disqualified for office. But EVERYONE has dirt, just some kinds of dirt have more consequences than others. No one is perfect.

[Taylor]

Originally Posted By: Shane

This is one reason some Adventists didn't vote for him. Ellen White talks about supporting men of temperance and some view smokers as not having temperance. I don't share that opinion myself. Smoking is very difficult to give up. I do think that the fact we haven't seen pictures of Obama smoking is a good thing but evidence of an Obama-friendly press.

Smoking is more difficult than heroin to give up, for some people. The fact that he is trying shows that he is at least heading in the right direction.

It is also well known to those familiar with human psychology, that when giving up any bad habit (smoking, alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc) there will be an average of 5-6 unsuccessful attempts and relapses before the individual finally breaks the habit. I always remind my patients of this when they are trying to quit smoking, and it encourages them not to give up when they "fall off the wagon."

I have been around long enough and have been around enough different people to stop judging people's moral character by whether or not they smoke/drink.

Back in 1930's Germany, large numbers of German Adventists voted with great enthusiasm for a political candidate who did not smoke or drink alcohol, and was a vegetarian.

His name was Adolf Hitler.

aldona

Exactly Aldona. I have heard that before that he was a vegetarian. I don't know if that is true or not but wow, I would rather have a smoking president who has some morals than a vegetarian non-smoking non-drinking Hitler!

[Rodney Willard]

My gret aunt Frances Willard shortly after being elected to the Arizona Senate was asked to introduce a resolution prohibiting smoking cigars in

the legislative chambers. (She had been very active in the WCTU as the head of the Arizona chapter.) She refused and as a consequence had a recall effort mounted against her. Her rational was "that they would congregate just outside the door to smoke and besides it would not improve their dispositions."

[Rodney Willard]

My great aunt Frances Willard shortly after being elected to the Arizona Senate was asked to introduce a resolution prohibiting smoking cigars in

the legislative chambers. (She had been very active in the WCTU as the head of the Arizona chapter.) She refused and as a consequence had a recall effort mounted against her. Her rational was "that they would congregate just outside the door to smoke and besides it would not improve their dispositions."

[FreeThinker]

People drink to cover pain, and they smoke because they are nervous.

Wow, isn't that an insightful statment.

http://www.wisegeek.com/why-do-people-smoke.htm

"Most people who smoke do so because they can't stop. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that makes people feel energized and alert. Smokers get a rush after a cigarette, and giving up produces withdrawal symptoms that include difficulty sleeping and cravings."

http://www.stop-smoking-updates.com/quit...eople-smoke.htm

http://smokingsides.com/docs/whysmoke.html

Now, in my search of "why people smoke", I saw no where that it said, "because they are nervous".

After having been a board certified Respiratory Therapist for 15 years, and being an ex smoker of 10 years, I would say you might be out of touch with reality.

People smoke for lots of reasons. However, not ever, not even once, in all my years of dealing directly with smokers (one of the major sources of business for my profession) have I ever encourntered someone who said, "oh, I'm nervous, and that's why I smoke".

Nothing wrong with statements like "I smoke more when I'm nervous", or "when I get nervous, I really want/need a smoke", but your implication that "nervousness" is the root cause of smoking is just a failure to fully understand the many and varied facts of smoking addiction.

I wish people all the help in the world when dealing with nicotine addiction. And part of that help is when others have a better understanding of why people smoke. When we understand someone else's problems, we can be more empathetic, and thus, more likely to be helpful, versus hurtful.

[Taylor]

The same thing could be said without what appears to be sarcasm. People are entitlted to their personal experiences and beliefs and it is true that people tend to smoke more when they are nervous but it is also true that not all smokers are nervous people.

[olger]

Have you ever taken a Taylor-Johnson test, Taylor? Perhaps it is named after you . It has a category that measures nervousness against composure and many studies regarding smoking have been buttressed by TJTA test results. John Gray, Laura Schlessinger, Minerth Meyer, John Regier etc.. are all aware of it.

It is an undeniable fact that nervousness and smoking are linked. Sure, people may "try it" out of curiosity or peer pressure, but they stay with it because of the way it temporarily calms the nervousness within.

Of course, once people are hooked on nicotene the desire for it will manifest itself in nervous craving -- such is the nature of addictions.

Warm regards,

oG

[Neil D]

By that logic, Olger, don't eat pickles....

Because, back in the 1900s, everyone who died, ate pickles...

It didn't matter if they were sweet or dill or other....all who ate them died...

[Taylor]

Have you ever taken a Taylor-Johnson test, Taylor? Perhaps it is named after you . It has a category that measures nervousness against composure and many studies regarding smoking have been buttressed by TJTA test results. John Gray, Laura Schlessinger, Minerth Meyer, John Regier etc.. are all aware of it.

It is an undeniable fact that nervousness and smoking are linked. Sure, people may "try it" out of curiosity or peer pressure, but they stay with it because of the way it temporarily calms the nervousness within.

Of course, once people are hooked on nicotene the desire for it will manifest itself in nervous craving -- such is the nature of addictions.

Warm regards,

oG

I have no doubt that there is a connection with many people. I just know some nervous people who don't smoke and others who aren't nervous who do smoke...so I am sure it is always true. But no the Taylor-Johnson test was not named after me. But I do know about it.

[Dr. Shane]

By that logic, Olger, don't eat pickles....

Because, back in the 1900s, everyone who died, ate pickles...

[Woody]

Quote:

"Meat was plentifully served, and then a delicate, nervous girl called for pickles. A bottle of chow-chow, fiery with mustard and pungent with spices, was handed her, from which she helped herself freely." CD 242.

Those who are nervous eat pickles and chow-chow. The reason they are nervous is that they have pickles and chow-chow.