Obama Told Quit Smoking; Doubles Risk of Death //
Increases Risk of Lung Cancer Death by About 1000%
President Barack Obama's doctors reportedly told him to quit smoking, probably warning him that smoking doubles his risk of dying during the next ten years, while increasing his chances of dying from lung cancer by about 1000%, says Prof. John Banzhaf, Executive Director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).
Banzhaf is a former mathematician whose calculations that a Vice President Palin would have about a 40% change of taking over for a President McCain were widely cited.
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/09/03/Old-smoking-habit-hurts-McCain-prof-says/UPI-98011220468650/
According to generally accepted tables showing the risk of death from various diseases, smoking increases the risk of a male of Obama's age dying from lung cancer in 10 years by about 1000%, a remarkable number considering that the risk can be totally eliminated by taking a single step towards a healthier life.
Indeed, notes Prof. Banzhaf, the simple factor of being a smoker doubles the risk that a 48-year-old man will die during the next ten years.
However, there are rumors that the President chain-smoked during the break in the health care reform summit, a clear indication that he is experiencing difficulty in keeping the promise he made to his wife Michelle to quit.
Largely because of his smoking, the President's chances of dying during the next ten year are more than 4 times higher than his wife's, even though they are about the same age. ASH wishes President Obama success in quitting, and hopes these statistics might also encourage others to stop smoking.
PROFESSOR JOHN F. BANZHAF III
Professor of Public Interest Law at GWU,
FAMRI Dr. William Cahan Distinguished Professor,
FELLOW, World Technology Network, and
Executive Director and Chief Counsel
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
America’s First Antismoking Organization
2013 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006, USA
(202) 659-4310 // (703) 527-8418
http://ash.org/
