Every once in a while I read something or become engaged in a conversation where someone is going out of their way to explain that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer to which I must reply, “Yes, what is your point,” It’s the equivalent of saying “if I hadn’t stepped in front of the bus, I probably wouldn’t have gotten hit.” A statement made even more absurd by someone saying “Gee you probably shouldn’t have stepped in front of that there bus”.

When first diagnosed with lung cancer, an outsider’s initial reaction reads,  “Are you or were you a smoker?” The question is basically an accusation of stepping in front of the proverbial bus, and many times might be better said if the statement was just plain and simple; “You smoked, it’s your own fault.” the real thought behind it is “I don’t smoke so I don’t have to worry about it.” Tell one of these inquiring minds that you never smoked a day in your life, that it might be from asbestos, power lines or some unapproved food additives and watch the change in their facial expression. Any other reason other then smoking sends people face to face with reality and who really wants that. The possibility that lung cancer, the top killer in the cancer family, isn’t always caused from smoking means that you, Mr. “I never smoked a day in my life so I’m safe” might not be as immune as you would like to imagine.

So let’s use that thought process for a moment and try to approach the issue from a different point of view. If you accept the fact that the cases of reported cancer continue to rise, that everyone in the free world has been aware for the past 25 years that smoking is a major cause of cancer then maybe there is more than just smoking as a leading instigator at play. Maybe all the things we choose to pollute our bodies with are part of the problem. Maybe our quest for excess has helped to open us up to a breeding ground for cancer cells. Maybe the same things that are destroying the ozone layer, melting the polar caps and defiling the rain forest are the cause of some of our problem.

Let me plant a seed of doubt into your brain in hopes that it will eventually grow into this thought: There are a lot of bad things out there that are having harsh effects on our bodies including our own eating habits and lets not forget our best friend stress. Stress; can’t live long with it, can’t seem to live without it. Stress, another great way to wreak havoc on your body, impacting every aspect of a functioning human.

All these things are enough to make your head spin like Linda Blair in the “Exorcist”.

So much of our time and efforts can be wasted scratching our heads and wondering why I stepped in front of the bus, instead of focusing on a way to keep one from coming into contact with that bus. Maybe it’s my fault that I smoked and contracted lung cancer, does that even matter now? Not to me. Get over it and focus on finding a cure and other ways to prevent people from becoming as unfortunate as me, my family and others in my exact situation.

Let’s spend your energy, time and money trying to cure it and not looking for new ways to prove the same fact over and over again. So therefore, I leave you all with this;

Smoking is bad, I think we get it.