The Tobacco Bill and other possible addictions and medications!!! (reedited)

[Denise28]

This was my response to a previous blog posted about the bill:

BILL READS: For over a decade, leaders of both parties have fought to prevent tobacco companies from marketing their products to children and provide the public with the information they need to understand what a dangerous habit this is," said Obama, who has struggled for years to kick his own nicotine habit.

THEY SHOULD REALIZE TOO THAT IT IS MUCH MORE THAN HABIT, IT IS AN ADDICTION, FROM WHAT I CAN SEE, THE WORST ADDICTION OUT THERE!!!

BILL READS: Smokers, particularly the younger crowd, will find they can no longer buy cigarettes sweetened by candy flavors or any herb or spices such as strawberry, grape, orange, clove, cinnamon or vanilla.

I'VE BEEN THINKING FOR YEARS THAT THEY SHOULD DO AWAY WITH THOSE CANDY CIGARETTES OR ANYTHING RELATED TO THAT!!!

BILL READS: Cigarettes advertised as "light" or "mild," giving the impression that they aren't as harmful to health, will no longer be found on store shelves.

I AM A LITTLE CONFUSED ON THIS ONE, DOES THIS MEAN THAT THEY WON'T BE SELLING LIGHT OR ULTRA LIGHT CIGARETTES ANYMORE SUCH AS MARLBORO LIGHTS OR MARLBORO ULTRA LIGHTS OR ADVERTISEMENT ISSUE?

AS FAR AS NRT'S GO, IT HAS WORKED FOR SOME PEOPLE AND IF IT HELPED EVEN ONE PERSON KICK THE HABIT AND ADDICTION, TO ME IT IS WORTH IT TO KEEP SELLING THEM.

THE METHOD ONE USES TO QUIT IS NOT THE ONLY THING INVOLVED. IT IS 2/3 PSYCHOLOGICAL (BREAKING ALL AND ANY ASSOCIATION WE EVER HAD WITH SMOKING) AND THAT TAKES A LOT OF TIME.

TO ME IT IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST BEING ABLE TO KICK THE ADDICTION COLD TURKEY. I SAY USE WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO, TO BREAK THIS ADDICTION AND HABIT WHETHER IT BE NRT, CHANTIX, ZYBAN, LASER OR WHATEVER ELSE!! IT IS NOT EASY BUT IT'S BEEN DONE BY MANY!!!

IF SOMEONE RELAPSES, IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF THE METHOD THEY USED, IT IS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WORK THE PROCESS. THEY DID NOT PUT IN THE TIME AND EFFORT IT DESERVES TO KICK THIS HORRIBLE ADDICTION AND WE ALL KNOW, IT SURE ISN'T EASY!!!

ONE LAST THING, YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE WITH ME, I AM JUST MERELY STATING MY OPINION! COMING FROM SOMEONE THAT HAS USED EVERY METHOD OUT THERE TO QUIT WITH EXCEPT ZYBAN AND HYPNOSIS!!!

I THINK THEY SHOULD BAN IT (TOBACCO) ALTOGETHER BUT WE WILL NEVER SEE THAT HAPPEN PROBABLY!

USING AN EXAMPLE: THERE HAS BEEN CONTINOUS EFFORTS ON GETTING RID OF PAINKILLERS JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE ADDICTING AND SOME PEOPLE ABUSE THEM!!! REMEMBER, YEARS AGO YOU USED TO BE ABLE TO BUY THEM LEGALLY WITHOUT A DR.'S PRESCRIPTION (I WATCHED SHOWS ON IT, THAT'S HOW I KNOW).

NOW, IN TODAY'S WORLD, YOU CAN GO TO A DR., BE IN LEGITIMATE PAIN AND THEY STILL WON'T GIVE YOU A PRESCRIPTION! THAT HAPPENED TO ME 2 YEARS AGO WHEN I WENT TO THE ER AND HAD A SPRAINED ANKLE. LUCKILY, MY DR. GAVE ME A PRESCRIPTION.

I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY COULD TRY TO DO AWAY WITH ONE ADDICTION SUCH AS PAINKILLERS BECAUSE "SOME" PEOPLE WILL ABUSE IT BUT YET KEEP SELLING THESE TOBACCO PRODUCTS WHICH IS A MUCH WORSE ADDICTION, I THINK ANYWAY. TOBACCO PRODUCTS DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR YOU EXCEPT CAUSE MANY DIFFERENT ILLNESSES AND KEEP YOU ADDICTED!!!

THEN, FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN LEGITIMATE PAIN, WELL NOW THEY ARE LEFT TO JUST DEAL WITH IT, BECAUSE TOO MANY PEOPLE ABUSED IT? AND TOO MANY DR.'S ARE AFRAID TO PRESCRIBE IT NOW, YET THERE ARE USES IT, SOME PEOPLE REALLY DO NEED IT FOR PAIN.

WHAT ABOUT ALCOHOL? WHAT DOES ALCOHOL REALLY DO FOR PEOPLE? WE LIKE TO DRINK ON SOCIAL OCCASIONS BUT THEN THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ABUSE THAT TOO AND BECOME ADDICTED.

WHAT ABOUT ANTIBIOTICS? I HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS EVEN HARD TO GET A PRESCRIPTION FOR THAT NOW? BEING A MULTI-TIME PARENT, I KNOW THIS IS TRUE TOO. EX: MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER WAS SICK AND I WAS UNABLE TO GET A PRESCRIPTION FOR ANTIBIOTICS. SHE NEVER HAD AN EAR INFECTION, 10 DAYS LATER I HAD TO TAKE HER TO THE ER BECAUSE SHE WAS SCREAMING THAT HER EAR HURT. I TOOK HER AND TOO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE SHOCKED TO HEAR ABOUT HOW THIS WAS HER VERY FIRST EAR INFECTION SINCE HER EAR HAD BEEN SO BADLY DAMAGED. THEY WERE AFRAID TO GIVE IT TO HER YET SHE HAD A NEED FOR IT. NOW, SHE HAS A SPEECH PROBLEM

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE? I JUST DON'T GET IT!!!

[carole_]

HA! Carlie, I love your last line, you crack me up!

[carlie]

Oh, I just COULDN'T pass THIS one up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's start with antibiotics...you can get a script for that if you need it...NEED it !!! Our society has taken SO many antibiotics in the last few decades, it has gotten to the point they don't work on alot of people - we've become immune !!! So what happens when we get an infection of some sort, and end up in the hospital...??....98% of the antibiotices they would normally give us, don't work - - we've taken too many !!!! But, like anything else, that can be taken too far. What the heck is wrong with a pediatrician who can't see a child has an ear infection...and NEEDS an antibiotic ?? What happened to your daughter should never happen to ANY child !!!
Alcohol - at least it is put at an age to be legal, where one would think you have the ability to make correct choices !!! Moving on....
Pain Killers....another thing in our society that is abused and overused !! I am in "legitimate" pain...my doctor will NOT give a script fot pain pills...he will, however, refer you to a "Pain Management Clinic"...I won't go into how long and involved THAT is !! But it actually is meant to deal with the CAUSE of the pain; and I can't argue with that !!! I just want a pain pill every now and then, ya know ????

You are young enough, my dear, that you actually may SEE tobacco products being banned !!! First it was bars and resturaunts - then cities - now states !!! And this bill that went through Congress last week, puts nicotine under the control of the FDA - it will be declared a DRUG - - and ADDICTIVE DRUG !!!! This is really good news.
Funny - on the midst of this Bill being talked about last week, there's a Rep. from Indiana...said if you dry off a peice of lettuce, roll it up and light it, and smoke it, it would be the same as smoking a cigarette.....it's NOT the nicotine that hurts you - it's the smoke !!!! (How do people that stupid get elected, anyway ???)

[Denise28]

So I found out they will still be selling the lights or ultra lights BUT the advertisement will be changed. I am glad that they aren't going to take those off the shelves especially for people like my husband. Until his time comes and he's ready to quit then I can feel comfortable knowing that he can still smoke the ultra lights and not have to smoke a stronger one.

[jeff-m]

I just read your blog here, and the comments. I have been on narcotic pain medication, smoked cigs, addicted to alcohol and food. Yes, food...and if anyone thinks food is not addictive, just go to the mall and sit and watch all the people walk by. A large percentage of them will be showing the affects of their food addiction. When it comes to medications, antibiotics are only ineffctive if you take them for minor stuff that your body will take care of by itself. Keeping yourself healty and your immune system properly nourished is the best defense againt infection. The narcotic medication is very effective in controlling pain, it's just a matter of finding the right form and dosage and them making sure that you are being properly monitored by your medical professional. If it were not for the narcotic pain medication, I would most likely still be in a wheel chair. My back pain from spinal stenosis was so excruciating that I could not walk or lay down in the bed. I literally had to sleep sitting up in a chair. I use the medication for 7 months in which time I was able to receive physical therapy and stenghten my muscles to the point that I could get out of the wheel chair. I was in the wheel chair for 2 month, on a walker for 3 month, used a cain for 2 month and am now walking on my own, unassisted, for the past month and a half. Getting off the narcotic pain medication was a tough 3 weeks but my doctor monitured by progress very closely and provided me with all of the information and encouragement I needed. The narcotic pain medication did it's job but there came a point in time when it was no longer needed. I still have not had the recommended back surgery. It the blog and comments there are comments about "light" cigs. For many people, this is a helpful way of stepping down. However if you will look at a package of "Lite" or "Ultralite" cigs, they now have a disclaimer on them that says the word "lite" ect. refers to taste and wil not help you quit smoking. It you are a person who is prone to addiction, then you must take control and make certaiin that you avoid additictive substances and behavoirs, and if needed, such as food, you must simply learn self control. Go to my page and resd the blog titled "I am a loser. It may help you understand addiction and what it takes to overcome it. What ever your addiction, drugs, alcohol, cigs, food, sex, ect. you need to learn all that you can about it and get the help you need with it and them do something about it. Simple, but true. And I might suggest that making anything illegal simply creates a blackmarket for it, because there is someone who is going to want it regardless of it's legality. Case in point...prohibition in the 30's and illegal drugs in todays world. Im not saying some things should not be illegal, but we need to use common sence as to their effect on life and safety. I wish our government would adopt such an attitude.