Death of Innocence- A Poem

I lie in here, beside the whitewashed wall,
My hair is gone, my head is bald,
The room is sterile and it's very cold,
Wish you were here, Dad, I need someone to hold.

I can't breathe, I'm on a machine,
It goes whirr and click, it's such a din,
I've got lung cancer, it's all black inside,
When Mom says smoking causes cancer, Dad, I think she lied.

I never lit up, even when you did,
I just sat next to you, a small little kid,
You huffed and puffed through your life, Dad,
And Mom always looked so very sad.

My friends asked me to smoke, but I never did,
Because Mom told me from young: smoking is stupid,
It soots up your lungs and blackens your teeth,
So when I see a smoker, Dad, I anger and seethe.

You smoked two packs a day but you're still healthy and strong,
I hate smokers, Dad, but I never thought you wrong,
I love you, Dad, I always sat next to you,
And I know that you always loved me too.

The room here is cold, I see you through the glass,
And I think back to long ago, Dad, of times past,
Of the memories, I recall as much as I can,
There's always been a cigarette, Dad, stuck inside your hand.

I remember the fun things, Dad, all the times we had,
But as I look at you from here, you look so very sad,
You're not smoking, Dad, no cigarette I can see on you,
Maybe it's just the hospital, and this is the ICU.

My breathing becomes labored, I don't think I'll live,
Well, I tried my best, I gave all I had to give,
But one thing, Dad, I cannot comprehend,
I'm not a smoker, so why is my life about to end?

Author Unknown

Ever hear of Epigenetics?

We know that genes and DNA are the reason for the way we look and even behave. Our genes are codes given to us at conception which determine all our physical characteristics, see and unseen. But, how is it that all our cells in every tissue contain the same DNA, even thought they look and function differently? Epigenetics is the answer. Epigenetics is responsible for cellular differentiation, gene expression, and what determines the appearance and function of a tissue. Epigenetics is also involved in tissue repair.

Can epigenetics be responsible diseases and cancer? Yes, such as when tissue repair is progressive or toxins are accumulated. Smoking can "turn off" longevity genes and "turn on" harmful genes, not just in the smoker, but in their offspring. This is another reason that smoking during pregnancy is such a bad idea.

The PBS program Nova conducted an interview with Dr. Jean-Pierre Issa, who does a much better job at explaining the mechanism of epigenetics and its relation to disease. DEEP stuff!

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/epigenetic-therapy.html

Press Release

A bold move by CVS. Will others follow their lead?

American Lung Association Commends CVS Caremark's Bold Public Health Move to End Sales of Tobacco Products

How healthy lungs work and function

Clinically Proven

Nicotine addiction is a business. Big tobacco and e-cigarette distributors are literally counting on people to get hooked and become lifetime consumers of nicotine products. There is evidence that tobacco is linked to numerous diseases, such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), type II diabetes, and others. However, e-cigarettes are not yet associated with these effects.

E-cigarettes are so new, there is no evidence it causes any harm. But, it took fifty years for the surgeon general report to include definitive proof that tobacco causes many diseases. E-cigarette users are taking a great risk by participating in the unofficial clinical study of the effects of e-cigarettes.