Haze Or Smoking Cigarettes

[richard10365]

I saw there are quite a lot of post about the haze in Thailand. Not wanting to read them all, I have just one question.

What is worse on a person's health, smoking cigarettes or breathing the haze? Why is one worse than the other?

Are there any health care professionals out there who care to comment on this? I'm sure others who are not a health care professionals have opinions on this as well.

[Crow Boy]

I saw there are quite a lot of post about the haze in Thailand. Not wanting to read them all, I have just one question.

What is worse on a person's health, smoking cigarettes or breathing the haze? Why is one worse than the other?

Are there any health care professionals out there who care to comment on this? I'm sure others who are not a health care professionals have opinions on this as well.

Breathing in the dust/smoke haze is a short term issue but smoking cigarettes is long term. The body can cope with the dust but tobacco and the applied chemicals are carcinogenic and much more dangerous.

I am finding it amusing but bemusing at the same time the number of people who I KNOW smoke asking about where they can buy a face mask? These same people will argue they are filtering the air through a cigarette to remove the dust particles - amazing how otherwise sane people can do this to them self but each to their own.

[Bananaman]

I saw there are quite a lot of post about the haze in Thailand. Not wanting to read them all, I have just one question.

What is worse on a person's health, smoking cigarettes or breathing the haze? Why is one worse than the other?

Are there any health care professionals out there who care to comment on this? I'm sure others who are not a health care professionals have opinions on this as well.

Breathing in the dust/smoke haze is a short term issue but smoking cigarettes is long term. The body can cope with the dust but tobacco and the applied chemicals are carcinogenic and much more dangerous.

I am finding it amusing but bemusing at the same time the number of people who I KNOW smoke asking about where they can buy a face mask? These same people will argue they are filtering the air through a cigarette to remove the dust particles - amazing how otherwise sane people can do this to them self but each to their own.

Any scientific evidence to back up this statement? How is the short-term/long-term thing relevant? Folk are being admitted to the hospitals with respiratory problems after what would seem to be only a short period of exposure to such high levels. I have zero scientific knowledge but the difference to me would seem to be that the average smoker is probably breathing tobacco smoke for a combined period of less than a couple of hours a day while right now we're all breathing this muck for 24 hours a day....much more dangerous in my book.

[Foggy Bottom]

The haze is with us 11 months of the year to one degree or another (Mid Nov - mid-Dec is the only truly clear skies ion Chiangmai)

Smoking is an optional activity which when rolled up to a continuous time period lasts between 20 minutes to an hour and a half a day depending how many you smoke,

When the haze is present, it is 24x7 and there is no escape, even indoors, nor when you are asleep

The sub-10-microns included in the air are just as carcinogenic as cigarette smoke, perhaps more so due to the addition of all the benzene emissions.

As for the sub-20-microns - just think of all the dog and rat sh1t dried, crushed by cars, and lifted into the air by their tyres and slip stream as they pass over it.

In a western country I'd agree smoking was the more dangerous.

Here, I'm not so sure

Gaz

[Crow Boy]

I saw there are quite a lot of post about the haze in Thailand. Not wanting to read them all, I have just one question.

What is worse on a person's health, smoking cigarettes or breathing the haze? Why is one worse than the other?

Are there any health care professionals out there who care to comment on this? I'm sure others who are not a health care professionals have opinions on this as well.

Breathing in the dust/smoke haze is a short term issue but smoking cigarettes is long term. The body can cope with the dust but tobacco and the applied chemicals are carcinogenic and much more dangerous.

I am finding it amusing but bemusing at the same time the number of people who I KNOW smoke asking about where they can buy a face mask? These same people will argue they are filtering the air through a cigarette to remove the dust particles - amazing how otherwise sane people can do this to them self but each to their own.

Any scientific evidence to back up this statement? How is the short-term/long-term thing relevant? Folk are being admitted to the hospitals with respiratory problems after what would seem to be only a short period of exposure to such high levels. I have zero scientific knowledge but the difference to me would seem to be that the average smoker is probably breathing tobacco smoke for a combined period of less than a couple of hours a day while right now we're all breathing this muck for 24 hours a day....much more dangerous in my book.

Ok so the person smoking only breathing in smoke for couple of hours a day - over what period of time? Months or years? Yes the CURRENT dust and smoke is a serious problem but they are not breathing it for the next 40 years or until they get smoking related cancer.

You cannot seriously believe that smoking is not bad for you?

[Bananaman]

I saw there are quite a lot of post about the haze in Thailand. Not wanting to read them all, I have just one question.

What is worse on a person's health, smoking cigarettes or breathing the haze? Why is one worse than the other?

Are there any health care professionals out there who care to comment on this? I'm sure others who are not a health care professionals have opinions on this as well.

Breathing in the dust/smoke haze is a short term issue but smoking cigarettes is long term. The body can cope with the dust but tobacco and the applied chemicals are carcinogenic and much more dangerous.

I am finding it amusing but bemusing at the same time the number of people who I KNOW smoke asking about where they can buy a face mask? These same people will argue they are filtering the air through a cigarette to remove the dust particles - amazing how otherwise sane people can do this to them self but each to their own.

Any scientific evidence to back up this statement? How is the short-term/long-term thing relevant? Folk are being admitted to the hospitals with respiratory problems after what would seem to be only a short period of exposure to such high levels. I have zero scientific knowledge but the difference to me would seem to be that the average smoker is probably breathing tobacco smoke for a combined period of less than a couple of hours a day while right now we're all breathing this muck for 24 hours a day....much more dangerous in my book.

Ok so the person smoking only breathing in smoke for couple of hours a day - over what period of time? Months or years? Yes the CURRENT dust and smoke is a serious problem but they are not breathing it for the next 40 years or until they get smoking related cancer.

You cannot seriously believe that smoking is not bad for you?

Dude, you must've got me wrong, I'm one of the most hardline anti smokers around and having watched several members of my own family die from lung cancer, I am well aware of its dangers. Again I add that I have no scientific knowledge so wouldn't like to try to answer the OP's question with any degree of certainty. What I do know is that it even after smoking for long periods, you can reduce your risks of illness dramatically from the moment you give up, (see URL below) however from what I've read (see 2nd URL), once these PM10 particles get into the deep layers of your lungs, they're stuck there for good with the possibility of causing short or long term health problems. Right now with the PM10 levels at record highs, I wouldn't like to even guess whether short term exposure is safe or not harmful in comparison with an equal amount of exposure to tobacco smoke.

(http://www1.tobaccocme.com/PageReq?id=3325:4040)

(http://www.euro.who.int/document/e88700.pdf)

[p1p]

Bit like asking is it worse to get hit by a truck or a train, I suppose. Both can injure or kill you. Trouble is, smokers choose to die their long, painful, nasty death. The rest of us have no choice...

[Ta22]

A agree with p1p That is a get killed by truck or train question ..

But let look closer .

Human are known for it adpotation power -

while is not the best choice to adpote ( i know i spell wrong but i hope you get the words )

to a hazy or smokey enviroment - or body do react to it ..

the coughing and tearing of the eyes is all way the body adjust and reject or balance out the good and bad ..

YES i would enjoy clear air and fresh air - but if i don't get it ..

my choice is open -

if you know a cup Herbal tea make you sick when you drink it , would you go drink it ?

or if you can't take cheese or milk would you go eat it ?

same apply here for the HAze , if you know the haze react badly for you . then try to aviod it .

and if you want be in it .. i am sure least a handichift over your month or a eye proection wear will help ..

simple thing like eye drop help alot .

Good luck -

the air is too dry . that why all this haze is moving fast and all over . it would be better once it rain .

or the SOngkran festival is known to bring down the weather as much as 1-2 degree and will bring for RAIN .

[richard10365]

Just to add, I got this from the US Embassy this evening when I got home.

Medical professionals also note that cloth masks or bandannas are generally ineffective in reducing smoke inhalation. In order for a mask to work, it must filter fine particles. More functional masks are available at pharmacies, such as the N95 respirator mask available for about 50-55 baht per mask. One size does not fit all. Please choose a correct fit and follow all instructions to ensure proper effectiveness. The recommended maximum use time for most respirators is 7-8 hours.

I just got back from Phayao but I took the long way back. I went to Chiang Rai first, then about 25km north of the city, I took a left and came down to Chiang Mai from above. The haze is everywhere.

I'm not sure what is better, smoking or the haze, but I don't think I'll lose any sleep over either of them.