At Job #2, I work with many people (young and old - American and foreign - gay and straight) addicted to nicotine.
Granted, job #2 is a restaurant and bar and although smoking is banned in public venues statewide, they run outdoors to light up if only for a few quick puffs - which is expensive at nearly $5.00 a pack here. I received a link to this study from the University of North Carolina from a friend. This is scary.
37% of lesbians smoke 18% of straight women smoke.Here's a sample and link to the story:
33% of gay men smoke 24% of straight men smoke.
Men and women who are gay or lesbian are more likely than their heterosexual counterparts to smoke, according to findings from a review study carried out by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.The rest is HERE.
The findings, published in the August issue of the journal, Tobacco Control, show that as many as 37 percent of homosexual women and 33 percent of homosexual men smoke. That compares to national smoking rates of 18 percent for women and 24 percent for men in the 2006 National Health Interview Survey.
The authors reviewed findings from 42 studies of the prevalence of tobacco use among sexual minorities in the U.S. published between 1987 and May 2007. The findings suggest smoking is a significant health inequality for sexual minorities.
At job #2 I work with a veritable United Nations of cultures. Jordan, Mexico, Russia, Romania, Spain, Ukraine, and others, but it seems that the tobacco companies, while losing money in the US are raking in the bucks in Eastern Europe and Asia.
I work with two beautiful Jordanians and four beautiful Russians addicted to cigarettes. I was shocked when they first lit up in my presence and told them so. They are amazed by my story of quitting cigarettes 24 years ago, and ask questions repeatedly about how it happened, but convinced they could never pull it off.
Ah, addiction. If they want to quit they must do this on their own. I don't hound or chastise them as it's painfully clear that they are well aware of nicotine's hold on them. It's all how you look at it.
I have grown to love these people for so many reasons, not the least is having the balls to visit, work in, and experience an alien culture (sometimes alien even to me!) and thrive in it while learning more about us then we seem to know of ourselves. Very insightful people, and very observant.
In any event I will print out this study and keep it in my bag just in case anyone wants to know more than only my story.
I'll have more on these developing friendships in the future. Maybe even some photos, I hope.
And so it goes.
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I've tended to notice more smokers among my gay friends. I am not sure that I am happy to read that there is now statistical proof of my suspicions. More than a report, smokers need to watch someone they love die from lung cancer.
ReplyDeleteI sense it is right; gay people smoke more; it does not bode well for us.
ReplyDeleteI am convinced that if I had not stopped my one pack a day smoking habit on July 10, 1967 I would not be here today. My Father never did stop smoking. He died August 22, 2000 from lung cancer. I literally watched him suffocate to death as he lay on his hospital bed. He had oxygen tubes up his nose and was hallucinating as a result of the pain killers. I have pictures of him on his hospital bed as he was dying. If any of your friends at Job #2 would like to see them, please let me know. The pictures of this man dying from lung cancer aren't pretty but they are effective in bringing to attention the deadly results of a lifetime of smoking.
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