I can honestly tell you that european cigarettes are indeed worth the effort to avoid excessive taxation. Yes, they’re bad for you. But that’s not the point. The point is that the federal and state governments are low on tax revenue. So everything you do they will want to tax. Especially so-called “sin taxes.” They love these! Why? Because we’re hooked!
I worked in Iraq for the US military for over three years. And there we had access to dozens of european cigarette brands. Including the marlboros made in Switzerland. The main difference is that the full flavor brands tend to be slightly weaker than the so-called light varieties. But otherwise I’d say “hell yes they’re worth buying!”
If cigarette taxation was fair to smokers, then why are smokers not given automatic access to free health care for the medical issues that result from the nasty habit? It was initially argued that this alienated group should pay for their excessive health care costs via high taxes on cigarettes. Well where is my health care then jerks? Why do smokers even have to pay for cessation products? This is another very good question to ask of government officials.
This article is meant to oppose “penal taxes.” Or taxes imposed to punish a group for their habits. Something that is totally unconstitutional and amounts to fraud. I mean hey it’s a bad habit. And even if a local government taxes them, where does the money go? It should go towards smokers’ health insurance. We pay for it, so why aren’t we getting it?
Mesothelioma (mez-uh-thee-lee-O-muh) is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by a prolonged exposure to asbestos. Early diagnosis of mesothelioma cancer increases the amount of effective treatments. Unfortunately, due to the way it forms, the cancer may not manifest until anywhere between 20 to 50 years after an asbestos exposure, which often limits the types of treatments available. Asbestos is a kind of fiber present in a lot of the insulating and building substances which are naked to the human eye.
Smoking Cigarettes
Cigarette smoking is an unhealthy habit, which most Americans would like to break, but unfortunately find it hard due to the addicting substances cigarettes are made with. There are various warnings and advertisings encouraging individuals to quit. The nicotine and tar, as well as many other chemicals found in cigarettes, negatively affects the lungs. Cigarette smoking decreases lung function and may even lead to cancer of the lungs, esophagus, tongue, mouth.
Does Smoking Cigarettes Cause Mesothelioma?
Cigarettes do not cause mesothelioma as the cancer is almost always caused by an asbestos exposure. There is a well known-link between asbestos and lung cancer as well as cigarettes and lung cancer. Often if you have develop lung cancer, have smoked, and also had an asbestos exposure, your doctor will probably tell you both were contributing factors. Both smoking cigarettes and mesothelioma decrease the functioning of the lungs. Although smoking cigarettes does not cause mesothelioma it does have a multiplying affect on the risk of getting cancer from asbestos. This effect is similar to the mixing of sleeping pills and alcohol-meaning they are both potentially deadly combinations.
Asbestos in Cigarettes
Mesothelioma is not caused by directly smoking cigarettes unless asbestos was used in the manufacturing of the cigarette. This was reportedly the case with Kent cigarettes. Many people who developed mesothelioma were current smokers or had smoked. This lead researchers to question the correlation. What they found was that in the 1950s the P. Lorillard Company was using deadly crocidolite fibers in its Kent brand of cigarettes. Crocidolite fiber is known to cause cancer more effectively than any other asbestos type. The United States Government declared that if a pack of Kent brand cigarettes were smoked a day between 1952 and 1966 then that individual may be exposed to as much as 131 million crocidolite structures in a single year. The Kent cigarettes used asbestos in the cigarette filters because of its strong resistance to heat. The paper would burn slower making the cigarette last longer, often used in their advertising. Asbestos were also used in loose leaf tobacco in pipe smoking for the same reason.
Why Smoking Cigarettes and Mesothelioma Do Not Mix
Individuals who smoke cigarettes may have a decrease in their lung function. If that individual also has an asbestos-related disease—such as mesothelioma—their lung function is further decreased. Simply put, smoking further complicates and often accelerates the devastating effect of mesothelioma. Smoking cigarettes also may increase the risk of getting mesothelioma from an asbestos exposure.
If you have had an asbestos exposure or have already been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma, this may just be the excuse you’ve been looking for. You’ve known for a while that is was time to quit, this could be that proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.
About the Author:
Asbestos.Net is focused on bringing an easy to use and extremely informative website to those searching for information on asbestos and the associated diseases this deadly fiber causes, including lung cancer and mesothelioma. With our informative videos and accurate, oncologist reviewed articles, we trust you will find this to be a true resource.
