The Power of Nicotine Addiction

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My sister-in-law, Bella(not her real name)is a retired public health and visiting nurse. She has practiced her profession for more than 25 years here in US and knows the health hazard of cigarettes. In her nursing career as a public health nurse, she had visited several patients in their homes who are dying of lung cancer due to smoking. But she can not quit smoking or may be just can not stop the habit. Her husband, Ben (not his real name) had tried every incentive to help her quit smoking. Ben even enrolled her to a smoking cessation clinic offered by his employer in the mid 1990's. Bella quit for six weeks after the clinic, but went back to smoking. She has tried quitting twice, but the power of nicotine addiction is just too hard to break. Ben tried to bribe her, a vacation to Aruba, Spain and Cancun, bought her a grand piano, but she is still smoking today. Ben tried to nag her, but it does not work and so he finally give up. As a result of smoking, she acts much much older than her chronological age. She is only 70 but is physically weaker than our 87 year old aunt in the Philippines. So based on statistics, she will be lucky, if she survives until she reached 80 years old. Ben on the other hand do not smoke. Bella needs a wheel chair when they travel to the Philippines annually during their snow bird sojourn. Ben told me that Bella is happy when she smokes, so he stopped nagging her to quit. Ben just made it sure, that he does not breath second hand smoke, by not allowing Bella to smoke inside their house. Bella started smoking in the mid 1980's while she was in nursing school. She told Ben, she will not quit smoking even if she gets emphysema or lung cancer.

The "Power of Nicotine" addiction is indeed hard to fight. It overpowers and clouds the reasoning of an intelligent women who knows the hazard of cigarette smoking. If Bella dies of lung cancer, will Ben have the right to sue the tobacco companies for selling a hazardous and dangerous product? Any lawyers reading this article?

Do you know of a relative or friend addicted to cigarettes? Did your friend or relative survive beyond 80 years or older?