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Is common sense really that common?



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By: BY DR. MARK KESTNER
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Do you talk to strangers any more? Compared to a decade or so ago, many of us are hesitant to speak to or even acknowledge people that we don’t know. I tend to speak to people I encounter, at least with a hello and a smile.

That is how I became involved in conversation with two young ladies recently. One was sitting outside a grocery, apparently on her break. My guess is that she is around 18 years old. When I spoke to her as I passed she returned my smile and greeting. As I went by, she was lighting a cigarette.

I continued into the store, but my thoughts were with the young lady and her cigarette. Knowing what I know about the devastating effects of cigarette smoking, it disturbs me to see young smokers.

They all start innocently enough. Their friends or relatives smoke, and they want to fit in. At first it seems harmless enough, except for the break-in period of fighting back the cough. After a while you get used to the smell on your clothes the next day. The used butts are easy enough to deal with, just throw them out the window.

It’s easy to spot young smokers that are just beginning; they are the ones still practicing how to hold their fingers just right. To the novice, these postures take a little time to develop. Sucking on a cigarette and looking cool takes a little practice, too.

The young lady outside the store was not inexperienced. Yet, she didn’t have the look of a veteran smoker either. As I walked through the store, I wondered if she would pay any attention to me if I encouraged her to stop now while it is easy. She may or may not, but she certainly wouldn’t if I never took the time to speak to her.

As I exited the store, she was still there. She smiled at me again as I walked by. I smiled and paused, “Do you mind if I talk to you about something?” She grinned and replied, “You’re going to tell me I shouldn’t be smoking.”

“I know you have your reasons for smoking, but some day you are going to want to have a child and you will not want to be smoking then. It will never be easier to stop than right now. It’s really up to you, but I wanted to just stop and encourage you to think about it.”

She said she knew it was bad for her and that she had thought about quitting; that it was just a habit. She reasoned that if she were pregnant it might be easier to stop because she would be doing it for the baby.

At this point, a coworker walked up and overheard our conversation. She also smiled broadly. “Boy you really won’t like me.” as she took a long draw on her lit cigarette, “I’m seven months pregnant. My baby is probably going to come out smelling like an ashtray,”

I really had no idea how to respond, other than to nod. I turned back to the first girl, “Well, thanks for letting me encourage you to stop now. You’ll make the right decision for yourself; you seem like a bright young lady.” She smiled and said “Thanks for talking to me.”

As I left, my impression was that the first girl genuinely was glad that I took a moment to speak to her. It seemed that the second girl was uhm… clueless. Common sense would indicate to most folks that smoking while pregnant carries far greater risk to your child than “smelling like an ashtray”.

Every mother-to-be has concerns about what they should or shouldn’t eat, drink, smoke, consume or otherwise ingest. The short answer is always, “If in doubt, leave it out.” Unless your doctor can tell you with confidence that a drug or questionable product is safe, your baby is better off without it.

Next week I’ll tell you why some people feel so tired all the time. Until then, encourage someone you care about to put those cigarettes down… for good.

Dr Mark Kestner
mkestner@DrKestner.com
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Member Opinions:
By: KeptMan on 7/25/07
doc, just about everything today can kill you. cancer doesn't always come from smoking, doesn't always come from tobacco. next thing you're going to tell us is to put down the beer, put down the joint, put down the keys to the car, quit having sex, quit breathing. all those things can be bad for you.
live life by being true to yourself and who you are and what you want.

By: swabaa on 7/26/07
It's true, just about anything one does can carry a risk of killing you. I think what the doc is saying to to perhaps use "common sense" to lower your risks. Certainly smoking will raise one's risk of getting cancer...is the trade off of enjoying a smoke and becoming addicted worth the risk? A personal choice everyone must make. Driving while eating raises your risks too. Some folks use common sense not to eat while driving thus lowering their risk. It doesn't hurt to encourage those we love to live a lifestyle that promotes good habits based on common sense and educated decisions - perahps the reward is being able to enjoy life to the fullest a lot longer!


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