X2
May 10, 2010, 8:59pm
16
This is something that I have a big problem with. All statistics show that smoking is way way way more harmful than alcohol. The amount of people that die from heart disease, cancer, diabetes , and other ailments related to smoking. From the interwebs regarding which is more harmul:
Smoking. It is much more addictive than alcohol and sucks you in to consuming more as you get into the habit. This leads to higher levels of damage to your health. Alcohol is more controllable as long you stay on the right side of the consumption line, and in small amounts some alcohols actually have health benefits.
Given the above, the average smoker has a much higher chance of eventually falling ill because of his habit than the average drinker. Smoking illnesses have more widespread affects in the body, affecting lungs and cardiovascular functions, as well as greatly increasinng the risk of cancer. Drinking diseases can affect liver and brain functions. Chronic alcohol abuse can affect the the metabolism and digestive functions, causing malnutrion and some other resultant side-effects.
About 3.5% of cancer deaths are related to excess drinking. About 20% of cancer deaths are related to smoking.Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholic_b…
http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/news/ne…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effe…
Not only does smoking affect the smoker but second hand smoke is a terrible thing as well and affects those around you. When I was young, my Dad smoked indiscriminantly around the house and I breathed in that stuff for sure. He eventually passed on from stomach cancer, as well as 3 of his sisters who also had cancer, and one of my cousins as well. Smoking is terrible. I really don’t understand why people in our culture/ religion don’t talk about it more and make it a bigger issue.
I understand what you are saying, however, sugar and saturated fat probably kill even more people, we can not declare that as haram.
There is the concept in islam of healthy and recommended stuff, i forget the term, which these fall into as to what is recommended and what is not, and it has less to do with specific items but concepts