Question of the Day: Are Cigarette Filters Carcinogenic?
I “quit” smoking a few months ago, but today I bummed a cigarette off a woman down the hall. Recent car-related stress has me craving nicotine again, I’m afraid.
The borrowed death-stick was a Marlboro Light 100 — one of those all-white cigarettes that I hate. I lit it up when I got home for lunch, and my concentration on keeping it out of the high winds long enough to get it burning kept me from realizing that I was actually setting fire to the filter tip instead of the tobacco. I inhaled a good-sized lung-full of filter smoke, coughed furiously, and cursed at myself for being a moron.
So, have I heightened my already-increased risk of cancer?
As a side note, I think being a smoker is like being an alcoholic. You may quit, but you’re still a smoker; that craving will always exist. Addiction is addiction, I suppose, whatever name you give it.
dude, life is carcinogenic.
Comment by Jen — December 16, 2004 @ 11:11 am
Too true. If you listened to every cancer or health warning that made the news, you’d end up living in a cave someplace in the desert Southwest, drinking spring water and eating grubs and roots.
Some of my favorite carcinogens:
* Trans-fatty acids (margarine, chips, and lots more)
* Power lines
* TVs and CRT-type computer monitors
* Cell phones
And that’s just the ones I can think of off the top of my head!
Comment by Adam M. — December 16, 2004 @ 11:32 am
you shouldn’t live in the desert southwest. too much sun. skin cancer, you know.
if you listened to every health warning on the news, you’d move to canada. a good idea for more reasons than that.
Comment by Jen — December 16, 2004 @ 3:39 pm
No, see, that’s why you’d live in the cave — no sunlight! I’d only venture out to gather roots and grubs, and even then I’d be swathed in protective clothing and wearing a wide-brimmed hat. No sunblock for me — too many scary chemicals!
As for Canada, I have issues with any government that’s still so cozy with the British monarchy.
Comment by Adam M. — December 17, 2004 @ 6:32 pm