SKEWED STATISTICS: The following statistics are very easy to find.
I just read that 1 IN 2 PEOPLE DIE FROM SMOKING, PREMATURELY.
Um, now, I'm no math wizard, but isn't it true that 1 in 2 of all people die prematurely, depending on how you define prematurely? It seems like the scope of premature deaths varies depending on the statistic being presented.
The average life expectancy is 76 for men and women, black or white. If a premature death is considered to be anything prior to 76 years, half of all people die prematurely, if it's 10 years, all the premature statistics change. This simple technique is called skewing.
I also read that 1 in 4 people die from cancer (25%), 1 in 5 people (20%) of those people die from lung cancer (or 5% of all deaths are from lung cancer). 4 in 5 people(80%) who die from lung cancer smoke. Follow me so far?.
Now again, I'm no math wizard, but doesn't that mean that mean that 25% of 20% of 80% of the people die from smoking...or 4% of people all die from smoking. And if you're like the guru's that blame all deaths on smoking, 5% of the people die from passive smoke and smoking.
They also say radon gas causes 1% of all deaths in the form of lung cancer.
Have you ever even heard that statistic before. You won't, because its not fashionable. I got it from the American Cancer Society stats. The numbers don't add up right for passive smoke. Not at all.
These diversionary tactics are very usefully to those who seem to thrive off of hating smokers, but shouldn't the ordinary person be more concerned about what 95% of the people are dying from? I do know, I have the stats...and you should too?
Heart disease and diabetes are the 2 top killers, and obesity is associated with both of them the in same skewed manner as tobacco (um) abuse. So, now...what's the government going to do, put higher taxes on food...disallow eating in buildings, blame adolescent obesity on children watching adults over-indulge (passive eating). Are fat people going to be eating outside with the smokers in Florida? LOL.
I think societies bigots who 3 decades ago called black people niggers,and 4 decades ago segregated them in buses and schools...have passed on their hatred to the next generations using the same type of labeling techniques they used. That is to say, they hate anybody that's not like them, stupid and ignorant.
I've said my piece...so there...pltpltplt!