Nightlight, i take your point on the analogy you gave regarding me with my binge smoke! And that was the reason I started this thread. I was referring to the cigarettes of TODAY, the junk laden ones with possibly no real benefits at all. So let's keep to what cigarettes I am talking about when I mention these negatives.

Also, correction. I never once suggested to my cousin to quit smoking, she made that move on her own. Due to finance, plus the fact she felt it might help her health (her move, her right). If anything, i said to her that if she felt smokes helped her get through the day, I didn't see much wrong with smoking moderately, especially to avoid things like antidepressants and many other things that could be far worse. Again though, she smokes the crap ones of today, so it would not have been bad at all of me to encourage her to quit due to the toxins they contain.....even you admit they are junk...so if I had warned her, I hardly see I'd have committed some crime as you suggested on your post that I would have been doing.

Her reaction during withdrawal was terrible yes, but what does that show? The fact is, she can't get through one day without a smoke. I don't know if I'd like to be in a state where if I was without my smokes, I'd go through hell ... how is that normal?

To compare someone giving up smoking, to having a tube pulled out on someone needing oxygen is the most is hardly worth even commenting on. We need oxygen and food to survive.

Addictions do exist, go down to some drug clinics and take a look at the victims of addiction there, drug abuse. Alcoholism, cocaine/heroine addiction. They are real, and families have been destroyed by it. Ever seen a drug addict? the results of heroine addiction?

Also, mercury toxicity. There are some who get mercury out and get far worse, withdrawal and detox are not pleasant. Would you suggest that really it's cruel to take mercury out of them, they need it? Or could it be the toxins coming out and sometimes one has to go through pain as toxins make their way out of the system Often people are further exposed when toxins erupt and circulate.

Now would you feel that the cigarettes of today with all their chemicals might produce a similar reaction if they are discontinued?.....

The cigarettes you smoke, I gather contain some benefits. You clearly feel they've helped you. I would like to know again, if you don't mind sharing, how many you smoke a day? And sorry to ask again, I'd need to re-read the posts, but what kind do you smoke?

Now for someone like me that had such a horrible reaction to the binge smoke I did (yes admittedly junk cigarettes), the idea of even risking smoking again, naturally causes me fear. once bitten twice shy. I have an uncle that smokes, cousins that smoke, I never tell them to stop. It concerns me however, that the cigarettes they smoke are chemically laden and the fact they are not moderate in their smoking.

Now don't you think that is a valid concern? Woudl you smoke the ones of today, the junk ones? Say if you did not have access to the ones you have? What is the alternative if there were no old style organic ones? would you turn to the junk?