Obama should keep using nicotine if he wants to (and keep it on the QT)

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

I am going for the un-rec record with this one, but...

He doesn't smoke all that much and at this point nicotine is probably a net job-performance positive. (Versus kicking in office.)

If you have never smoked or never tried to quit... cutting off nicotine often makes you feel fuzzy or stupid. Smoking makes some people a teensy bit sharper, though of course different brains react differently. (Nobody should ever start smoking! The cognitive effect is no more a justification for starting smoking than is wanting to be model-thin, but we are talking about someone who is already hooked.)

It is fairly easy to get past the physical craving. And fairly quickly you find that not smoking actually makes you less nervous, more patient.

But it is not so easy to get past the feeling that if only you had a cigarette you'd be able to figure out a vexing problem.

Since the presidency requires both sharpness and subjective confidence in ones sharpness it's like Lloyd Bridges in AIRPLANE: "I picked the wrong 8 years to quit smoking."

So Mister President, skip the cigs but if the Nicorette or patches or lozenges make you feel more up to the difficulties of the job then go for it.

But of course keep it on the QT because it's not good, role model-wise.

[SheilaT]

1. As a life long non smoker

I'm under the impression that using a patch or the nicotine gum is a very good way to get off cigarettes. And, speaking as a life long non smoker I don't think any less of anyone who makes use of such things. I know I have no clue how hard it is to kick the habit, but it strikes me that anything that helps is a good thing to use.

[wroberts189]

3. Neither give you the rush ..not even the nicotrols. Which I think are the best.

It is a rough addiction... ...my view..if you never start please do not.

[DrDan]

5. EXACTLY the reason why he is setting a bad example

[wroberts189]

8. Perhaps... but he is not exactly doing photo ops...

Hell he has been so hush hush on it I thought he had quit... that is what he said he promised his wife if he won.

[DrDan]

11. I agree - but that is true with regard to most smokers - even the boner does not smoke on-camera as

far as I know

[dionysus]

16. he doesnt smoke in public so who really gives a fuck?

:shrug:

[DrDan]

17. I do . . as do a lot of others

if you don't . . . that's is certainly fine . . . who gives a . . .

[dionysus]

18. people like you are why some people see liberals as a joke.

[DrDan]

19. oh give me a break . . .

[dionysus]

22. FDR chained cigs and martinis, i guess that would give you a stroke, eh?

[DrDan]

23. so who is defending that?

[dionysus]

25. the fact the US is swirling around the toilet bowl and you care about obama's smoking in private as

"setting a bad example" is hillarious.

[DrDan]

30. i'm done with you - ridiculous

why am i not allowed an opinion about htis. Who asked you to sit in judgement.

YOU are exactly why libs are given a bad name - you cannot STAND anyone with a difference of opinion.

[Alexander]

26. Bill Clinton smoked cigars. Will someone please think of the children?!

Carter drank Scotch. Every Democratic president in your lifetime has had some kind of vice.

I guess you want every president to be a Mormon?

[DrDan]

31. where did I ever say that? Why make up crap?

done

[Alexander]

32. You care about his private vice. That says it all.

If there's any logic to your argument at all, and I suspect there isn't, that means you also have a gripe with every other president's private vices.

Or maybe you *only* care about Obama's smoking, for some reason. Hmm...

"done"

Yes, you are done. You crashed and burned in this thread. Nice job.

[Robeysays]

42. fdr died of a stroke.

The president's attending cardiologist, Dr. Howard Bruenn, diagnosed a massive cerebral hemorrhage (stroke).

that's what happens when you chain smoke and drink martini's all day.


also i smoke and it doesn't bother me when any leader smokes. but that's just me. :shrug:

[Robeysays]

41. you know FDR died of a stroke right?

The president's attending cardiologist, Dr. Howard Bruenn, diagnosed a massive cerebral hemorrhage (stroke).

[Alexander]

20. Poutrage, party of 1, your table is ready.

Would you like some cheese with your whine?

[DrDan]

21. he asked - I responded . . . period

[Alexander]

24. Nobody seems to care except you. Get over it.

I don't remember you being this self-righteous when Bush smoked and drank through his 8 years.

[DrDan]

27. who defending anything of the sort? Who said that would have been a good model?

[Alexander]

29. Nobody defended it. But nobody really cared either.

Of all the terrible things Bush did to this country, smoking and drinking are not very high on that list.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

4. Nicotine replacement is flawed but good

It is like methadone for heroin addicts... not ideal but way better than the alternative.

If you are addicted to cigarettes and can switch to being addicted to gum you eliminate the carbon monoxide and cancer-causing tar and lung inflammation. No perfect, but better.

And your nicotine intake inevitably goes down a lot. (cigs are incredibly efficient nicotine deliverers.) So it is much easier to quit gum or patches or lozenges when you decide to do that.

Making nicotine replacement over-the-counter was a great public health move, IMO.

[safeinOhio]

12. As someone, pretty much, in the same boat, I

feel for the guy. After over 40 years of smoking, I haven't had one in 5 months. I chew the gum and am managing well on it. I have cut down from the 4mg gum to using 1/2 of a 2mg piece. I wish they would come out a 1 mg gum. I would also like to see the price come down on the gum, encouraging more people to switch and not fail. I wish him and every other smoker the best of luck. I don't think anyone bitching about an attempt to stop is very productive.

[ericgtr]

38. After smoking for over 25 years I quit using the gum

and I never thought I would be able to, so it's possible. Now I use the Listerine breath spray as a way to keep the cravings away, I don't know why but it works. In May it will be my one year anniversary.

[wroberts189]

2. knr.. if he ever is so tense he needs one... spark it up. Damn pubs make me want to. nt

[CBR]

6. Honestly, I don't care if he smokes. nt

[flpoljunkie]

7. I do. Smoking will kill you. It's really hard to quit, but I hope he can do it for his own health.

[DrDan]

36. as well as for the health of those that see him as a role-model

[flpoljunkie]

46. Excellent point.

[JVS]

9. He can do what he wants, but I hope his health insurer jacks his rates through the roof

[DrDan]

37. I wonder what message his doctor gave him about his smoking

I doubt it was the condoning of this horrible habit as found here in this thread

[impik]

10. Why do anyone here even care? Most people here are counting the days until he's gone in 2012

[peace13]

13. Obama seems to be a pretty calm guy even though he gets some nicotine.

I say, let the man determine if he smokes or not. It's his life. If he stops it will be for his girls and wife and is quite frankly none of our business.

[DrDan]

35. i think this where you are not correct

of course he should quit because of his family.

but - whether he likes it or not - he is THE public official that folks watch. And hence his vices are not private - they are public. His quitting would have done a world of good regarding nicotine use in the country. By not quitting, he is condoning it's use. And it cannot be denied - it can make the habit acceptable with those that see him as a model.

[peace13]

39. I hear you but we never heard speeches about coke or alcohol with *.....

and I find those vices much more dangerous to the safety of our country. Obama talks a lot about exercise, healthy eating and education and models his own life by these. I don't see a stampede to the gym or the health food store so I think we should lay off of the cigarette comments with Obama. It just isn't a real threat to the American people.

[Jennicut]

14. It just makes him more human. He deals with an everyday addiction.

Tons of people have addictions to smoking. I myself drink too much caffeine. I have been feeding that addiction since pulling all nighters in college.

[Hatchling]

15. Hell, yes!

As a life long smoker I know it is hell to get off the nicotine. I started chewing nicotine gum Aug 22nd of last year. I am going on two weeks of no gum now. I would NOT want anyone who is having nicotine withdrawal near fancy red buttons or fancy red phones nor would I want them to engage in diplomatic relations (except maybe the Repubs. They could use some Withdrawal Nastiness.)

I don't want to smoke, I am tired of spending the money on gum; but I am also short tempered, foggy-brained and exhausted. Stupid, mean and useless is not what I want in a President, thank you very much!

[rug]

28. Nic O Tine! Nic O Tine!

[Bluenorthwest]

33. I ardently unrecommend patches for anyone in authority

I used the patches a few years ago, and had to stop them due to incredibly realistic and yet mundane dreams. Not nightmares. Mundane events from life, hyper real. Later in the day, no real sense of what was a dream or what really happened. Not a good thing at all.
I'd rather he smoked. Lozenges I don't know how that works, but the patch? I'd personally not do that when I had any form of responsibility. Better to go 'cold turkey' if that is what it is about.
Of course, the 'QT' is hypocrisy. What he does he should simply do, and be the role model that he is, not the one he wants to pretend to be.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

34. I agree about patches... at least take them off well before bed-time!

The dream thing really is intense.

Gum and lozenges are different. They probably do not work as well as the patch for quitting nicotine altogether but work much better as a ongoing replacement for smoking, which seems to be how the president is using them.

[LiberalFighter]

40. Should get Republicans hooked on nicotine. Like maybe 10,000 grams a day?

[harkadog]

43. He should be open about his smoking.

It is not healthy to be sneaking around and hiding something you enjoy particularly when there are constantly cameras around any President. He should just blow some smoke at the next camera he sees. Screw the intolerant PC police. Next they will be saying he shouldn't go to fast food places because he is a "role model". BS.

[jenmito]

44. He could probably quit much more easily by using a combination of

the patch and the EZ Quit fake cigarette. It worked for my husband.

[Prof Lester]

45. Cold Turkey here

..20 years ago. Best thing I ever did. Now when I see some poor bastard sucking on a cig I feel sick just looking at him.. it makes my lungs hurt and then I can smell that smell.. ooh ooh that smell! Disgusting. I get mad as hell when I see movies where the cig pimps have paid the whores.. er.. actors to suck on a cig to push their product. Disgusting. Most people don't smoke anymore. Where's the justification for having whores.. er.. actors smoking on the big screen? None. Just the damn greed of the nico-pimps. Same reason they spray more nicotine on the tobacco.. so people get hooked more. Disgusting.

All that being said, it is up to the individual, ain't it? Yeah, of course it is. If Bam wants to smoke.. his business. If he wants to quit.. good on him.. but that's his business too. It ain't like he's shooting heroin in the shithouse up at the WH there. When I was a kid EVERYBODY smoked. I mean, everybody. Except for the odd "weirdo". Now that situation is reversed. Good.

When I was in college, thirty five years ago, the prof.. head of the psych department no less.. used to smoke at the podium while giving his lectures. No shit. Everywhere you looked back then was cigarette butts and overflowing ashtrays. Everywhere! Folks used to smoke in movie theatres. Folks used to smoke in the food store. Butts all over the floor! Folks used to smoke in the doctor's office!

Quitting was absolutely the best thing I ever did for myself. It takes a couple years to really get the benefits but by then the craving is gone and you get most of your lungs back.