By Jim Newell

Notice that the title of this article says that smoking is voluntary, if you are a smoker and have tried any number of times to quit, you probably think that smoking is anything but voluntary. But let’s admit to the truth, you do choose each and every time you light up, you could just as well choose not to.

I have a good friend who is and has been a heavy smoker for the 20 years I have known him. About 10 years ago he had a heart attack at age 45, which resulted in a quadruple bypass. When I visited my friend at the hospital, he was scared half to death, he said that his doctors told him he would need to make some lifestyle changes, one of which was to quit smoking. He swore that he was at that point, done with tobacco forever…well that lasted 2 weeks, he had made a choice. This is a guy who was and still is in fairly good physical condition, his job is physically demanding, he is active in some sports, not overweight. So his major risk factor is most likely smoking, and he has chosen to still smoke. He is about 5 years younger than me and, sadly I fully expect that I will attend his funeral. So you see it really is a choice, not always a wise one, but still a choice. Continue reading Smoking – One of the Most Destructive, VOLUNTARY Things You Can Do to Your Health!