dave@cylixd.UUCP (Dave Kirby) (11/06/85)
In article <517@ttidcb.UUCP> speaker@ttidcb.UUCP (Kenneth Speaker) writes: >... I suggested that a lung which had been removed from a >patient by dried (run air to expand and dry it) and then displayed in >a case in the waiting room. I was told that would be beyond the bounds >of good taste... Spencer Gifts and other similar specialty shops offer a "lung ashtray," which is a plain ashtray with a clear hollow plastic model of a lung suspended over it to catch the smoke and cloud up. A very graphic deterrent to smokers (at least, to those who think). These should be required in any doctor's or hospital's waiting room. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dave Kirby ( ...!ihnp4!akgub!cylixd!dave) (The views expressed herein are the exclusive property of Dave Kirby. Any person, living or dead, found with the same or similar opinions will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of law.)
bch@mcnc.UUCP (Byron C. Howes) (11/09/85)
In article <447@cylixd.UUCP> dave@cylixd.UUCP (Dave Kirby) writes: > >Spencer Gifts and other similar specialty shops offer a "lung ashtray," >which is a plain ashtray with a clear hollow plastic model of a lung >suspended over it to catch the smoke and cloud up. A very graphic >deterrent to smokers (at least, to those who think). These should be >required in any doctor's or hospital's waiting room. No. These only make people who are already non-smokers feel smug. When I was a smoker they actually served to remeind me of how much I wanted a cigarette. Perhaps, as dave suggests, I was a non-thinking smoker. Still, the objective is to make all smokers quit, isn't it, whether they are non-thinking or thinking. Then, again, maybe it isn't. -- Byron C. Howes ...!{decvax,akgua}!mcnc!ecsvax!bch
dave@cylixd.UUCP (Dave Kirby) (11/13/85)
[DAVE] Spencer Gifts and other specialty shops offer a "lung ashtray," which is a plain ashtray with a clear hollow plastic model of a lung suspended over it to catch the smoke and cloud up. A very graphic deterrent to smokers (at least, to those who think). These should be required in any doctor's or hospital's waiting room. [BYRON] No. These only make people who are already non-smokers feel smug. When I was a smoker they actually served to remeind me of how much I wanted a cigarette. Perhaps, as dave suggests, I was a non-thinking smoker. Still, the objective is to make all smokers quit, isn't it, whether they are non-thinking or thinking. [DAVE] Thanks for a very interesting insight. If a lung ashtray only served to remind you of how much you wanted a cigarette, obviously my suggestion is not going to work as a deterrent. My implication that "thinking smokers" would be deterred is also disproven by your observations, since obviously you were thinking at the time you were reminded of how bad you wanted a cigarette. Apparently the desire for a cigarette is not a logically based desire, and attempts to deal with it logically (i.e., "convince you it is harmful and you will quit") will not work. But this raises the question, What IS the best way to deal with it? Or is there ANYTHING a non-smoker can do to influence a smoker to quit; perhaps it must be the smoker's decision, and there is no way to influence it from the outside? ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dave Kirby ( ...!ihnp4!akgub!cylixd!dave) (The views expressed herein are the exclusive property of Dave Kirby. Any person, living or dead, found with the same or similar opinions will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of law.)
doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) (11/18/85)
> Or is there ANYTHING a non-smoker can do to influence a smoker > to quit; perhaps it must be the smoker's decision, and there is no way > to influence it from the outside? Bingo! If someone who smokes quits, it will be at a time of his choosing and for his own reasons. When someone assails them with the "Smoking is bad for you because..." tirade, they think, "Boy, this person thinks I'm so stupid that I don't know all of this. If he thinks I'm going to pay any attention to such an arrogant and holier-than-thou jerk, he's got another think coming." In other words, all that will happen if you spout off about the perils of smoking is that you will totally discredit yourself in the eyes of the person that you're supposedly trying to help. (I say "supposedly", because there really are a lot of arrogant and holier-than-thou jerks out there who don't really want to help at all; they just want to denigrate smokers so that they'll feel superior). Okay, so what *can* you do? First, examine your own motives. Honestly. If you feel superior to those who smoke, then kindly keep your mouth shut (most ex-smokers fall into this category). Your conceited braying is obvious to almost everyone, and smokers in particular find it down- right funny that you think that you're better than they are. If you don't like the idea that maybe smokers are actually *enjoying* doing something that you personally would never ever do, then you too are requested to keep your notions to yourself and your kind. If you don't like being exposed to smoke, you might try the almost always ignored route of simply asking the smokers that you deal with to be considerate of you. Insist that restaurants have a non-smoking section, since you can hardly be expected to ask every stranger at every nearby table to be considerate. (It probably wouldn't work, anyway). If you're concerned about smoking as a "public health menace", then concentrate on *prevention*. A lot has already been done in this area, especially on television where ads have been banned and most characters don't smoke. If you are concerned about the health of someone special to you, then you have a difficult time ahead. Your best bet is to *never* bring up the subject of smoking; that person already knows damn well about the hazards. Instead, make sure that the "someone special" knows that they *are* special to you, and that their health is something that you care very deeply about. But this must be communicated subtly, in a *caring* tone, not in a *lecturing* tone. It will take a long time; maybe months, maybe years. But eventually they will decide *on their own* that they should give up the habit because it endangers something that *you* care about. -- Doug Pardee -- CalComp -- {hardy,savax,seismo,decvax,ihnp4}!terak!doug
bch@mcnc.UUCP (Byron C. Howes) (11/20/85)
In article <884@terak.UUCP> doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) writes: >If you're concerned about smoking as a "public health menace", then >concentrate on *prevention*. A lot has already been done in this area, >especially on television where ads have been banned and most characters >don't smoke. I agree wholeheartedly. The "reminder" factor is one of the biggest obstacles to those trying to quit as well. This goes for both positive and negative reminders. When you are trying to quit, you really want to forget that there are such things as cigarettes and tobacco. >If you are concerned about the health of someone special to you, then >you have a difficult time ahead. Your best bet is to *never* bring up >the subject of smoking; that person already knows damn well about the >hazards. Instead, make sure that the "someone special" knows that >they *are* special to you, and that their health is something that you >care very deeply about. But this must be communicated subtly, in a >*caring* tone, not in a *lecturing* tone. It will take a long time; >maybe months, maybe years. But eventually they will decide *on their >own* that they should give up the habit because it endangers something >that *you* care about. I was about to followup in the same line, but Doug's posting says it much more clearly than I ever could. It is the people that you are close to, who care about you -- that you love -- who have the most impact on your ability or inability to stop smoking. -- Byron C. Howes ...!{decvax,akgua}!mcnc!ecsvax!bch