Life’s Like This — There is probably no greater health risk to people across the world then the complications that can arise from smoking. There has been vast research on the subject of smoking and its related complications; complications that have been widely known for decades. Campaigns to encourage people to stop smoking are part of our daily life. Numerous organizations devote their time and resources to stop this world-wide epidemic. In the United States, smokers are confronted with strong warning labels on each pack of cigarettes they buy informing them of the health risks associated with smoking. Yet with all the knowledge about the dangers of smoking, people still take on this deadly habit.
Fortunately, I never developed a smoking habit. My brother and father were not so lucky. My brother died of lung cancer in 2001 and my father developed severe emphysema that had him doubling over in coughing spasms and that left him blue in the face. As for myself, as a teenager in the Army, I had packages of cigarettes included with my C-Rations when I was out in the field. That was probably my first time to smoke a cigarette and I quickly found out it wasn’t for me. The smoke gave me headaches and severe cases of nausea. When I got older, I became more and more convinced that smoking was an extremely bad and deadly habit to acquire. My experiences in healthcare gave me ample opportunities to see first-hand the health toll it took on its victims. I remember during a session in my medical training being shown a healthy lung and one ravaged with the effects of lung cancer. It was an image I don’t think I will ever forget. While I am not a smoker, I can only imagine how difficult it must be to break the addiction of smoking.
Life's Like This 