Cigarettes and Cupcakes

If we walk into a smoker’s house we would probably be disgusted by the smell and environment. However, if we walk into a junk food fanatics house we’d struggle to not gorge ourselves. Most people will come down harshly on the smoker and just ignore the hostess hoarder. My problem with this hypocritical scenario is that we cannot demonize one health hazard and then sensitize another.

Recently the AMA declared obesity a disease. I don’t know if we can truly call obesity a disease, when in all reality it is a response. Obesity is a response to eating foods that your body doesn’t react very well with. Obesity is also a response to over eating, and eating the wrong things at the wrong times. We could also refer to obesity as a symptom; a symptom of food and body abuse. Calling obesity a disease takes away the burden of responsibility to the afflicted. I still think that we should call obesity what it is, a symptom due to a negative response.

stepping down now

Now think of a smoker that you know. Any side effects that he or she may suffer are due to a self infliction; symptom due to a negative response. When both matters are broken down we can see that the end result is the same. My question to you, America, is why will you terrorize a smoker and ignore the obese? We either need to reduce the strain we place on smokers, or pick up our intensity on the obese [perhaps we could find some middle ground?]

And let’s not forget the facts of the matter. Obesity has just as many negative side effects as smoking.

Both smoking and obesity cause serious heart diseases. Plaque buildup, narrowing of the vessels, increased blood pressure and arteriosclerosis are all side effects of both. For women both smoking and obesity can cause reproductive issues like infertility and menstrual complications. They both also increase the risk of a plethora of cancers. Smoking and obesity can drastically increase ones risk for respiratory diseases as well. [1][2]

No doubt that most of the people who read this blog [all 7 of you] understand that smoking and obesity are serious issues. And perhaps you all grasp that we shouldn’t pity one and terrorize another. That just means that this post is for your friends, and for your friends friends. Do me a solid and share this with everyone so we can get some serious issues covered.