Despite all the downsides as a result of excessive use. Is there any good in smoking tobbacco on occasion?

Question

I don't want any bias, or anti-tobacco slander, just the cold hard facts. I know there is some benefit to nicotine, just not sure of the exact facts, it is in tomatoes and eggplants of all things. They are all a part of the same plant family. The negative of course being is having junk lodged in one's lungs, but can be avoided with the gum.

Answer 1

Other than the fact that the bad totally outweighs any good that smoking could have.

I truly see the only "good" thing that people could get out of smoking tobacco is looking cool in front of others and for enjoyment. But risking your health and your well being for something like that is ridiculous, but some people don't see the bad, even if they know about it, till they actually get what they knew all along.

Answer 2

I'm not here as one of these nuts who are either all for or all against smoking.  Nicotine is a natural nitrogenous substance made by some plants as a defence mechanism against herbivores, so by its very nature its a toxin.  However, it does have several effects which make it pleasurable to smoke:

It relaxes you - don't know whether this is due to the fact that smoking makes you breathe in regular, deep lung fulls or due to the nicotine?

Smoking tobacco represses the digestive system - so if you smoke you don't feel as hungry and keeps weight down, that's why 60's models were encouraged to smoke

It acts as an anti depressant - which is one of the reasons its so hard to quit!

Hope these have helped.  In the long run nicotine addiction isn't going to do you any favours, either as a smoke or gum.  I'm a smoker but I'm also a Biology lecturer so i know what I'm talking about.

Answer 3

Advantages of smoking:

A small study showed a decreased risk of Parkinson's.

http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abs...

This is a lay article:

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNew...

Disadvantages of smoking:

Multiple pages long.

Taking up smoking to prevent Parkinson's is moot. You'll either die from lung cancer or severe obstructive lung disease and have a miserable time up to your last moments. This includes "occasional" use, such as "I smoke only a couple of cigs a day" or "only on social occasions" or "only when I drink"

Answer 4

NEVER!!!!! ...sorry but its true

Answer 5

There is no benefit to smoking, even occasionally.

Answer 6

No. None at all.

Answer 7

Frankly, the only benefit to society that smoking has is increased tax revenue, but that's about it.  But even then, one might argue that the costs to society in treating the sequelae of Cigarette Smoking, per se, may counteract any tax revenue that the sale of cigarettes generates.