4 ms·

Not that I'm suggesting that you smoke - because I most certainly am not - but I'm wondering what sort of illusions one might hold about how painless their deat

by jawngee 16y ago

Not that I'm suggesting that you smoke - because I most certainly am not - but I'm wondering what sort of illusions one might hold about how painless their death might be if they did not smoke? If you look at the top 20 types of deaths in the United States, nearly all of them are painful. The only certainty is that by smoking you are almost insured of it - supposing a stroke or aneurysm doesn't take you out. I'm honestly not trolling, I've always felt it curious when people tell me that smoking results in a painful death, leaving me wondering how they think they are going to be going out of this world. Natural causes? Not likely.

jbellis 16y ago
Well, it's a mixed bag. Top causes of death in the US, 2009: Heart disease: 631,636. From what I have read, heart attacks are painful but usually over with quickly. Living with a pacemaker or heart surgery can suck but I'd definitely take that over lung cancer. Cancer: 559,888. Notably, includes other smoking-related cancers (esophageal, pancreatic, etc) besides just lung. Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 137,119. Again, over with quickly if it kills you. It's when it doesn't kill you and leaves you half-paralyzed that it sucks. Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 124,583. "80% to. 90% of all patients with chronic lower respiratory disease have a history of smoking." Accidents (unintentional injuries): 121,599. No idea how this generalizes. Probably "not as bad as cancer," overall. Diabetes: 72,449. Unusually non-painful, for something that kills you, although some of the side effects are a bitch (e.g., going blind). Insulin shots or IVs to try to control blood sugar levels are also fairly non-painful as medical intervention goes. Alzheimer's disease: 72,432. I'd take lung cancer, if I had to pick.
Psyonic 16y ago
What's more natural of a cause than a heart attack or cancer? Aren't they essentially assured given enough time?

by jawngee 16y ago

jbellis 16y ago

Well, it's a mixed bag. Top causes of death in the US, 2009: Heart disease: 631,636. From what I have read, heart attacks are painful but usually over with quickly. Living with a pacemaker or heart surgery can suck but I'd definitely take that over lung cancer. Cancer: 559,888. Notably, includes other smoking-related cancers (esophageal, pancreatic, etc) besides just lung. Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 137,119. Again, over with quickly if it kills you. It's when it doesn't kill you and leaves you half-paralyzed that it sucks. Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 124,583. "80% to. 90% of all patients with chronic lower respiratory disease have a history of smoking." Accidents (unintentional injuries): 121,599. No idea how this generalizes. Probably "not as bad as cancer," overall. Diabetes: 72,449. Unusually non-painful, for something that kills you, although some of the side effects are a bitch (e.g., going blind). Insulin shots or IVs to try to control blood sugar levels are also fairly non-painful as medical intervention goes. Alzheimer's disease: 72,432. I'd take lung cancer, if I had to pick.

Psyonic 16y ago

What's more natural of a cause than a heart attack or cancer? Aren't they essentially assured given enough time?