another death

[JuliaD]

Dana Reeve has died, age 44

story

[Paulie Mississippi]

Such a tragic tale. Her and Christopher seemingly had it all, now both are dead and far too young.

And with Kirby Puckett dying yesteday, also at 44... ironic and sad...

[marlene]

....heartbreaking.

[aggiesjc]

Shocking and so sad...

[SugarBabi7]

So tragic and sad. My sympathies go out to the families of both.

Sugar

[smittie]

As I was driving home from work last night around 1 AM a public service commercial came on the radio. It was about lung cancer and the fact that 60% of those who are diagnosed have never smoked or quit many years ago. I thought of Dana Reeve and wondered how she was doing in her struggle with the disease.

I was totally shocked to read the headlines this morning and learn that she has passed. How ironic that she was in my thoughts last night. It just gave me chills. My heart breaks for their son.

[darlene]

She was a courageous beacon and sought to cheer up others throughout her ordeal. She always said she had a great model for that--Christopher. She will be long remembered for her bravery and the triumph of her spirit over the disease. Such a sparkling soul.

--Darlene

[kazumi]

She was too young to die. This is so sad news.

Kazumi

[Leff'tHome]

I think the 60% statistic is incorrect. It only addresses the people who have not smoked recently, although I'm not certain how "recently" is defined. I'm personally aware of many who have been diaganosed with lung cancer and have not smoked but also many, many, many more who have. There's even a campaign to help save the non-smokers who work in restaurants and bars from the effects of secondary smoke.

How sad for her 13 year old son! Both his parents were such role models -- I'm certain he'll miss them both terribly.

[Tom]

90% of lung cancers in males is due to smoking.

80% of lung cancers in females is due to smoking.

The odds of a non-smoker getting lung cancer is about 1-1000. The odds of a moderate to heavy smoker getting lung cancer is 1-6 to 1-10.

Lung cancer is considered epidemiologicaly rare in non-smokers.

If everyone stopped smoking, lung cancer would almost completely fade from public consciousness.

Also breast, colorectal, mouth and many other forms of cancer are related to smoking.

I believe people should have the right to smoke.

It has to be the single dumbest decision any human being can possibly make.

[sterling]

I had a good friend who died of lung cancer 20 years ago. He never smoked a day in his life. I also saw a statistic recently that of all the people who don't smoke and get lung cancer, 80% of them are females. All of this is so tragic.

Phil

[Tony Cartmill]

It seems the people who don't smoke, but still get lung cancer spend time in smokey places, like Dana (nightclub singer) and Andy Kaufman (stand-up comic).

[Paulie Mississippi]

Smoking is one of those hot button issues. Smokers rail against the infringement of their rights when they are not allowed to smoke in public. Non smokers push for more and more smoke free areas. Who is right and who is wrong when it comes to consenting adults participating in a legal activity?

The best resolution would be for the government to ban smoking. Period. End of story.

Most smokers are law abiding citizens. If the government made it illegal and offered treatment to help them stop, giving a grace period after which you would be locked away without cigarettes...

Of course that is a pipe dream because for as bad as smoking is, it is one of the biggest revenue generators that federal and local governments have. They heap tax upon tax upon tax on the backs of the smokers; theoretically in an effort to convince them to stop. But the fact is that if tomorrow every man, woman and child (yes, underage smoking happens too) who smoked were to toss their cigarettes in the trash and say no more... the government would be seriously handicapped.

Cigarette taxes are so weaved into the budgets of the states that there is no telling what services would be lost due to the drying up of millions upon millions of tax dollars!

(OK, I'm not stupid, I know they wouldn't stop any services; they'd just find something else to tax... like the internet ...)

Oh, and one more thing; once the government starts taxing... it is loathe to stop; just ask telephone customers who are still paying for the Spanish-American War ...

[Peachie]

Here in Florida no smoking allowed in any restaurant or bar that serves food or any mall, etc. Was in a bar a while back that had "smoke eaters" hooked up to their ceiling fans instead of blades and they work really good! You could not tell there were people smoking in there and it seemed to make people want to smoke less. I know I make me think twice.