Okay Anon, I'll bite. While analogies are a limited means of communicating allow me to try one.

You go to your doctor because you notice that your temperature is slowly rising. You also notice that your feet and hands feel particularly cold on occasion. This is sufficiently mysterious that your doctor brings in a dozen specialists to help him diagnose the problem.

Eight of the specialists say their best theory is that your two packs a day cigarette habit is causing metabolic changes impairing your ability to regulate your core temperature normally; furthermore this is causing changes in your circulation, which explains the cold extremities. They also believe that if you do not find a way to stabilize or reverse the trend you will suffer a wide range of negative side effects. Three agree that you are suffering metabolic changes, but discount cigarettes as the cause of your problems, although they agree it is an unhealthy habit. The last doctor, whose research lab is heavily subsidized by Philip Morris, says your problem is not one that anyone can do anything about and is certainly unconnected to your smoking. He suggests you move to the beach.

So, based on the consensus of opinions he has obtained your doctor advises you to cut back on the smoking. You've been smoking for forty years and are heavily addicted to nicotine. You know that kicking the habit will be difficult and painful. And besides, you like to smoke.

Do you make the attempt to reduce your smoking habit or do you move to the beach?

Posted by: Chris White on January 19, 2009 9:11 AM