Smoking and sight loss

"The link between smoking and the UK's leading cause of sight loss is as strong as the link between smoking and lung cancer.

Smoking causes harm to the tissues of the eye. Research has confirmed the harmful effects of smoking on eyesight, particularly in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) - one of the UK's leading causes of sight loss - and cataracts. "

http://www.rnib.org.uk/eyehealth/lookingafteryoureyes/Pages/smoking.aspx

Passive smoking 'kills 600,000' worldwide

"The first global study into the effects of passive smoking has found it causes 600,000 deaths every year.

One-third of those killed are children, often exposed to smoke at home, the World Health Organization (WHO) found."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11844169

Big Tobacco: Saving Lives is "Expropriation"

" Philip Morris is currently taking action against Uruguay’s proposed anti-smoking laws under the investor-state disputes mechanism of the trade agreement between Uruguay and Switzerland. Uruguay is proposing to introduce new measures requiring 80 percent of cigarette packaging to carry graphic warnings against smoking. The company argues such measures effectively expropriate their investments. Under the investor-state disputes mechanism a World Bank panel will decide if Uruguay must pay Philip Morris for this ‘expropriation’.


So let me get this straight. Philip Morris - and all the other tobacco companies - make hefty profits by selling highly addictive substances to people that the company knows will probably give them cancer and/or a host of other life-threatening and painful diseases. Their deaths will cause huge losses not just personally, but economically - to their families, and to the state.

And yet, thanks to this wonderful "investor-state disputes mechanism", an unelected World Bank panel made up of people whose interests are probably aligned with big business rather than individuals in developing countries, "will decide if Uruguay must pay Philip Morris for this ‘expropriation’.""

http://opendotdotdot.blogspot.com/2010/12/big-tobacco-saving-lives-is.html

Smoking ban at Cardiff and Vale hospital entrances

"Smoking will be banned outside hospital entrances in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan from the start of May. 

Patients and staff will only be allowed to smoke in certain areas until a complete ban takes effect in November.

The University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, and Llandough, near Penarth, are among sites affected by the ban."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-12878029

Buddhist teachings on Tobacco and other Drugs

Natalia Shantiway has published two texts on Facebook:

Tobacco and Predictions about the Dangers of Drugs

There is more on this topic on the Dudjom on Smoking website.

Dudjom Rinpoche's Teaching on Tobacco (Polish)

"„Tytoń, przewodnik ślepców podążających fałszywą ścieżką, u której kresu jest przepaść”

Kyabjé Jigdral Yeshe Dorje (Duddjom Rinpoche)

Wprowadzenie: Ngala Rig'dzin Dorje

Moi rdzenni lamowie, Ngak'chang Rinpoche i Khandro Déchen, prosili mnie, abym sprawił, że tekst ten stanie się dostępny dla tak wielu ludzi, jak to tylko możliwe. Poszukiwali tego tekstu od kilku lat, a mi dopisało szczęście i byłem w stanie go dla nich zdobyć - po długich poszukiwaniach. Poprosili mnie również o to, bym tekst wprowadził wykorzystując moją podstawową wiedzę o tym, w jaki sposób myślą ludzie z Zachodu. "

http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:BOo-ihfrnG4J:www.geocities.com/gelug_polska/text/palenie_tytoniu.doc+mar-med+myal-wa&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=uk&client=firefox-a

http://www.geocities.com/gelug_polska/text/palenie_tytoniu.doc.

Dudjom on Smoking

"I would like to mention that I first encountered Dudjom's comments delivered orally, in 1968, and at that time it was with reference to narcotics, i.e., the plant which grew from the breast of the demoness was marijuana; thus, the admonition was with reference to smoking marijuana. In time, that admonition was extended to any sort of smoking, and this is clearly evident herein.

The context in which I heard about this may be interesting to some of you. I was being interviewed by the F.B.I. in connection with immigration matters impacting the Tibetans, and at one point, I was asked, "Well, what is the position of Nyingmapa lamas on smoking marijuana?" I answered, "Oh, everybody is dead set against drugs, but everybody is afraid to come out and say so because they feel it would alienate the people they're trying to reach.""

http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2007/12/dudjom-on-smoking.html

See also


http://dudjom-on-smoking.org/index_eng.php

Smoking bans 'cut heart attacks'

"Earlier this month it was announced that heart attack rates fell by about 10% in England in the year after the ban on smoking in public places was introduced in July 2007 - which is more than originally anticipated.

But the latest work, based on the results of numerous different studies collectively involving millions of people, indicated that smoking bans have reduced heart attack rates by as much as 26% per year."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8267523.stm

Pregnant smoking 'psychosis link'

"Mothers who smoke during pregnancy put their children at greater risk of psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations, a study suggests.

A UK survey of 12-year-olds found those whose mothers had smoked were 20% more likely to suffer such problems. "

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8283723.stm

Sign outside the strange town of Zion, Illinois, ca. 1915

"TOBACCO

The use of tobacco in any form is a dirty, filthy, disgusting, degrading habit. No gentleman will use tobacco in this city.

You have no more right to pollute with tobacco smoke, the atmosphere which clean people have to breathe, than you have to spit in the water they drink.

CUT IT OUT YOU FOOL before you reap smoker's cancer paralysis, or one of the many other diseases caused by the use of the filthy, nasty, stinking stuff!

Get Zion literature at the administration building 3 blocks north.

W. G. Voliva"

http://pixdaus.com/single.php?id=34219

http://gloone.se/post/132594104/sign-outside-the-strange-town-of-zion-illinois


http://www.forensicgenealogy.info/contest_121_results.html


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion,_Illinois


http://ismaels.wordpress.com/2008/03/

Unintended consequences of the smoking ban

"More pubs are serving food than a year ago, says John Porter, food editor of trade newspaper The Publican, as they try and offer more than a "pint and fag". And that's good news for trained chefs.



"The general view of the chef trade is that offers are better than this time last year, although there was some upward pressure already as pubs geared up for the ban. "



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7483057.stm

Ashes to ashes: Smoking ban one year on

"Chaos was predicted when the smoking ban was first introduced on 1 July last year. But apart from a drop in nicotine-addicted regulars down the pub, it seems there was smoke without fire in the majority of workplaces. Louise Druce looks at the law a year on."



http://www.hrzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=185514&d=1063

Heart attacks down in wake of smoking ban

"Across the nation as a whole there was a 12.5% fall in the number of patients admitted to hospital with a heart attack between October and December last year, compared to the same period in 2006, before the ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces was introduced in Wales."


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/06/30/heart-attacks-down-in-wake-of-smoking-ban-91466-21171023/

Ban has key role to play in cutting illness

“Not only do these policies achieve their aim of protecting the health of non-smokers by decreasing exposure to second-hand smoke, they also have many effects on smoking behaviour, which compound the expected health benefits.”

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/06/30/ban-has-key-role-to-play-in-cutting-illness-91466-21171115/

Where in the world are the most enthusiastic smokers?

"THE Greeks are the heaviest smokers in the world, getting through over 3,000 cigarettes per person in 2007, according to ERC, a market-research company. European countries occupy 18 of the 20 top slots. A combination of public bans, hefty taxes and health warnings has led to a decline in most rich countries, but the Japanese and Spanish are finding it hard to kick the habit. Cubans smoke less than Americans, perhaps preferring cigars instead."

http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11333122&fsrc=RSS

Global anti-smoking drive 'making history'

"In short, the world has begun to reclaim clean air as the social norm. For too long, the tobacco industry has spent billions to normalise, market, and glamorise a behaviour that is now recognised as a tragic drug addiction"

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/global-anti-smoking-drive-making-history-$1075648.htm