3 ms·

Why aren’t we looking into the merits of a daily or weekly cigarette? At a certain point it really looks like it’s just poison and wet should knock it off.

nradov 5y ago
While smoking is harmful overall and I certainly wouldn't advise anyone to smoke, the nicotine it delivers does have some merits. So there is some nuance to the issue. https://peterattiamd.com/ama23/ https://peterattiamd.com/ama23/ The dose makes the poison. For some poisons there is a minimum threshold dose below which there is no detectible harm. For others that threshold is zero.
- tharne 5y ago
  > The dose makes the poison Exactly. The concept of dose-dependency is one of those things that earlier generations had an intuitive understanding of, but something we have an increasingly fragile grip on in the modern era.
  - P_I_Staker 5y ago
    I don't think anyone is having trouble understanding dose-dependency. There's just a separate question regarding whether some substances should have no acceptable dose, and when we should make that distinction. Things like nicotine are thought to be pretty much not worth consuming in any situation. Things like lead have no "allowable dose". Maybe alcohol should be treated similarly to cigs. This is a totally defensible position, that's worth discussing.
- P_I_Staker 5y ago
  Probably not going to get a chance to RTFA, but yeah, I know there's some stuff. I think it was looking like nicotine could be helpful in regulating some mood problems and similar stuff. Kinda like ADHD meds or anti-depressants. There may be some stress relieving effects, although I wouldn't be surprised if there's more stress in the long term (from constantly managing withdrawl) Anyway, we're at the point with nicotine where virtually no one is willing to entertain the idea of recommending people consume "just a little". Maybe we should be that way with alcohol, too.

nradov 5y ago

While smoking is harmful overall and I certainly wouldn't advise anyone to smoke, the nicotine it delivers does have some merits. So there is some nuance to the issue. https://peterattiamd.com/ama23/ https://peterattiamd.com/ama23/ The dose makes the poison. For some poisons there is a minimum threshold dose below which there is no detectible harm. For others that threshold is zero.

tharne 5y ago
> The dose makes the poison Exactly. The concept of dose-dependency is one of those things that earlier generations had an intuitive understanding of, but something we have an increasingly fragile grip on in the modern era.
- P_I_Staker 5y ago
  I don't think anyone is having trouble understanding dose-dependency. There's just a separate question regarding whether some substances should have no acceptable dose, and when we should make that distinction. Things like nicotine are thought to be pretty much not worth consuming in any situation. Things like lead have no "allowable dose". Maybe alcohol should be treated similarly to cigs. This is a totally defensible position, that's worth discussing.
P_I_Staker 5y ago
Probably not going to get a chance to RTFA, but yeah, I know there's some stuff. I think it was looking like nicotine could be helpful in regulating some mood problems and similar stuff. Kinda like ADHD meds or anti-depressants. There may be some stress relieving effects, although I wouldn't be surprised if there's more stress in the long term (from constantly managing withdrawl) Anyway, we're at the point with nicotine where virtually no one is willing to entertain the idea of recommending people consume "just a little". Maybe we should be that way with alcohol, too.