Ex-smoker Obama still sneaks occasional puff

[fresca]

Reports said at his peak he smoked five cigarettes a day. To me, that's not an addicted smoker. And the word he used in the Rose Garden was "habit." I have far more than a habit and five cigarettes used to get me through breakfast coffee. I needed another 25 during work hours.

Okay, so there are news reports out now that say Obama is "95% cured" of smoking.

So, does that mean he used to smoke 100 cigs x day and is now down to 5? Or that he was smoking 5, and is now down to 1/20th of a cig x day? What is that? One puff?

:::Math is hard:::

 

[OutWest]

Okay, so there are news reports out now that say Obama is "95% cured" of smoking.

So, does that mean he used to smoke 100 cigs x day and is now down to 5? Or that he was smoking 5, and is now down to 1/20th of a cig x day? What is that? One puff?

:::Math is hard:::

I saw that too and couldnt help but shake my head. It's right up there with "being kinda pregnant" and "using ...... occassionally". Either you smoke or you dont, period. With his speech during signing about how tobacco companies are inundating children with ads and how he started smoking as a kid, comes across to me as he's trying to lay blame on the tobacco companies for his poor judgement when he starting smoking.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Okay, so there are news reports out now that say Obama is "95% cured" of smoking.

Such an idiotic statement. Is an alcoholic who only has one drink a day 95% cured? Of course not. Same deal with nicotine or any other addictive drug. If you're still taking it, you're still addicted. That's why all of us who switched from traditional cigarettes to vaporing nicotine liquid are still addicted just like we were before. We just use a different delivery method now.

 

[pam]

Okay, so there are news reports out now that say Obama is "95% cured" of smoking.

So, does that mean he used to smoke 100 cigs x day and is now down to 5? Or that he was smoking 5, and is now down to 1/20th of a cig x day? What is that? One puff?

:::Math is hard:::

I agree that "cured" was a poor choice of words. He should have just said he has cut back by about 95%. As for the math...maybe he smoked 100 cigs a month before and now he smokes 5 cigs a month or 100 cigs a week down to 5 cigs a week.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I'm guessing he was reefing around 100 a week and cut back to about 5 a week. I've done that before. I was a secret smoker for a long time, just like Obama. Thing is, once you're down to one or two a day, it's better to just pull the rip cord and stop. Otherwise you're in constant withdrawal mode.

 

[BigJimW]

Okay, so there are news reports out now that say Obama is "95% cured" of smoking.

So, does that mean he used to smoke 100 cigs x day and is now down to 5? Or that he was smoking 5, and is now down to 1/20th of a cig x day? What is that? One puff?

:::Math is hard:::

Claiming that one is 95% "cured" of smoking is like a woman saying she is only 95% pregnant. You're either pregnant or your not. You're either a smoker, or you're not. There is no in between.

He'll still sneak his presidential butts compliments of the Secret Service and like all American presidents before him, keep his little vice from entering the public conversation again (unless caught like President "Dress Stain" Clinton, or President "Lets boink Maralyn Monroe" Kennedy)

 

[Surf Monkey]

Or President "fabricate a war" Bush?

So the guy is a secret smoker. Lots of people are secret smokers. If it turns out he's funding insurgents by trading guns for drugs, banging Senate pages or ordering demonstrably innocent people to be tortured, let me know. Until then, it's a non-issue except insofar as the term "95% cured" is clearly bull****.

 

[BigJimW]

Or President "fabricate a war" Bush?

So the guy is a secret smoker. Lots of people are secret smokers. If it turns out he's funding insurgents by trading guns for drugs, banging Senate pages or ordering demonstrably innocent people to be tortured, let me know. Until then, it's a non-issue except insofar as the term "95% cured" is clearly bull****.

I personally don't care if the President smokes his head off. But it seems strange that for a President who signed into law a bill that the rest of us will have to eat, he can fess up to his addiction and stop the claims that he's "95% cured" and either go back to full blown smoking, or quit cold turkey. It just shows weakness in a man who signed into a law a bill that will make it tougher for all smokers in the country. The president should lead by example.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I personally don't care if the President smokes his head off. But it seems strange that for a President who signed into law a bill that the rest of us will have to eat, he can fess up to his addiction and stop the claims that he's "95% cured" and either go back to full blown smoking, or quit cold turkey. It just shows weakness in a man who signed into a law a bill that will make it tougher for all smokers in the country. The president should lead by example.

I don't begrudge anyone their addictive behavior. As we all know, addiction isn't a rational thing. It drives us all to act in various ways. If Obama's nicotine addiction takes the form of him having a few smokes each week, and he feels that he can't kick the habit, that's fine. That's how his chemistry works. I really don't see how it has any impact on his ability to lead or his character as a person. If we're going to start holding each other to those sorts of standards we might as well start joining all the anti-smoking groups and talk about how tobacco is flavored so kids will buy it.

 

[BigJimW]

Found this picture interesting.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Why? Because it's such a bad Photoshop?

 

[BigJimW]

No, because it's a picture of Obama with a cigarette in his mouth?

Remember, he smokes.

 

[Surf Monkey]

No, because it's a picture of Obama with a cigarette in his mouth?

Remember, he smokes.

I know. But that's not a picture of him smoking. It's a Photochop. Believe me. I work in Photoshop all day. I'm a commercial artist. I know a chop when I see one.

There are legitimate pictures of Obama smoking on the Web. Some are even from as recently as the '08 campaign. But there's not a single legitimate one from since he became president. At least, not one I've seen. And if there were, the photographer would be getting rich right now.

 

[Kate51]

Uhhhh, your "victim" SIGNED THE DA%$ BILL into law.

EXACTLY right!
Poor BO-Bo, knows which side his bread is buttered on!

 

[harmony gardens]

I personally don't care if the President smokes his head off. But it seems strange that for a President who signed into law a bill that the rest of us will have to eat, he can fess up to his addiction and stop the claims that he's "95% cured" and either go back to full blown smoking, or quit cold turkey. It just shows weakness in a man who signed into a law a bill that will make it tougher for all smokers in the country. The president should lead by example.

He did fess up to his addiction. He said he's trying to quit, and said how hard it is. He's leading by example in that way.

I think we could criticize Obama for not making a stronger statement on behalf of safer alternatives, though. He brought nothing to the discussion on behalf of those struggling with thier current addiction, and signed the bill as passed. I'm as mad about that as you are, Jim!

 

[Surf Monkey]

I think we could criticize Obama for not making a stronger statement on behalf of safer alternatives, though. He brought nothing to the discussion on behalf of those struggling with thier current addiction, and signed the bill as passed.

That I completely agree with. I continue to believe that the bill would have been signed by any sitting president, simply because there's too much political pressure behind it to do otherwise. But I do think he could have said a word or two about lower risk alternatives. After all, there are provisions in the bill that seem to allow for these, and it would have been fully appropriate for him to point them out. I'm not particularly surprised he didn't, but it would have been nice.

 

[denec]

That I completely agree with. I continue to believe that the bill would have been signed by any sitting president, simply because there's too much political pressure behind it to do otherwise. But I do think he could have said a word or two about lower risk alternatives. After all, there are provisions in the bill that seem to allow for these, and it would have been fully appropriate for him to point them out. I'm not particularly surprised he didn't, but it would have been nice.

your still going on about that


if Ron paul was president he would not have signed it..and neither would have Bush..


in fact we need more people in this congress to be like Ron Paul...to get this country back like it use to be..the good ole days of United States of America

 

[ladybug]

The minute you say anything against obama surfmonkey will be right their defending him!

 

[Surf Monkey]

The minute you say anything against obama surfmonkey will be right their defending him!

That's not true, but thanks for being a busy-body about it!

 

[ladybug]

Hi SurfMonkey! I must admit I like your spirit!