|
|
|
|
Cause of Death |
How to Prevent These Deaths |
1998 Deaths |
|
AIDS |
condoms, education, research |
13,426 |
| Alzheimers | medical research | 22,725 |
| Auto Accidents | seatbelts, airbags, highway safety, training | 42,191 |
| Bike Accidents | reflectors, lights, helmets and training | 142 |
| Breast Cancer | mammography and medical research | 42,068 |
| Diabetes | medical research | 64,751 |
| Drowning | life jackets, swimming lessons, supervision | 4,406 |
| Drug Reactions | read the labels, consult your pharmacist | 276 |
| Falls | awareness, safety harnesses and helmets | 12,595 |
| Fires & Burns | alarms, extinguishers, education and planning | 3,362 |
| Gun Accidents | deprive children of access and hunter training | 866 |
| Hepatitis | vaccine (A&B) and clean needles & testing (C) | 4,796 |
| Illegal Drugs | motivation, education and support | 16,926 |
| Leukemia | research, exercise, diet, and no tobacco | 20,324 |
| Lightening | stay indoors and wear rubber shoes | 10 |
| Liver Disease | sound diet, max. 2 oz. of alcohol, research | 25,192 |
| Meningitis | vaccinations | 768 |
| Murder | police, courts, prisons, awareness | 18,272 |
| Pedestrians | reflective clothes, sidewalks and crosswalks | 5,412 |
| Poisoning | secure cleaning fluids, poisons and pills | 10,801 |
| Prostate Cancer | testing, exercise, diet, research | 32,203 |
| Snake Bites | awareness, boots, vaccines | 8 |
| Suffocation | think, anticipate and alter ventilation | 4,585 |
|
Suicide
|
counseling, mental health and love | 30,575 |
| Syphilis | abstinence, condoms, education | 45 |
| Ulcers | avoid tobacco, alcohol and caffeine | 4,695 |
|
TOTAL OF ALL OF THE ABOVE |
381,420 | |
TOBACCO |
TOTAL 1998 TOBACCO DEATHS |
418,690 |
|
||
Why Wear Seatbelts?
Today there are nearly 50,000,000 smokers in the United States, which is nearly 20% of our entire population. If 20% of the 42,191 who died in 1998 automobile accidents were smokers, your chances of dying from smoking are 50 times greater than being killed in a car accident. With those kind of odds, why even wear a seatbelt? With 220,000 middle aged smokers dying this year, each an average of 22.5 years early, wouldn't it make more sense to sell the seatbelts and the airbags and use the money for a down payment on a coffin. Seriously! Have you ever been coffin shopping? It's a real eye opener - so many colors and lots of styles. Save your family the hassle! Plan and pay for your own early funeral now.
Last fall I corresponded with a 46 year old with small cell lung cancer and little time remaining. We had something in common. She mentioned that she always bought her cigarettes by the pack because she always believed that tomorrow she would finally quit. I did the same thing. We rolled the same dice. Her luck ran out. We both quit smoking. Sadly, the word "quit" was defined differently.
Glance at the list above. Why not stay off the list altogether and die of natural causes at a ripe old age? Why accept a 50% chance of losing 5,000 sunrises? Is gradually smoking yourself to death committing suicide? After your dirty nicotine delivery device kills you should your family consider your passing murder or an accidental death?
You may want to attempt to explain it your family now. It might make a needless death, and their coming belief that you loved one chemical more than them, easier to accept once you're gone. Is this simply more scare tactics or asking you to examine reality? Each and each and every day smoking claims 13,698 lives somewhere on earth. Which cigarette in which pack will contain the irritant that gives birth to that first cancerous cell, to the first diseased cell, or that pulls the death's trigger in producing a massive stroke or heart attack?
If you'll read Joel's Library one time from cover to cover, I can't promise that you will quit but I can promise that you'll at last know how. Knowledge is power. Turn on the lights!
Breathe deep, hug hard, live long!
John R. Polito
Nicotine Cessation Educator
Last Updated on April 1, 2005 by John R. Polito