# Why do they try and scare smokers to give up instead of trying to help them? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 31, 2014, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-try-and-scare-smokers-to-give-up-instead-of-trying-to-help-them/680234 "2014-01-31T21:39:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-try-and-scare-smokers-to-give-up-instead-of-trying-to-help-them/680234/41 "2014-02-03T18:31:27Z")
> [@j666](#): > > You sure? Thinks it’s the same material used in patches and gum? I couldn’t track it down, myself. (You’re a ringer, right? You work there.) > > I repeat, I am very much in favor of e-cigarettes without perfumes. In fact, I am now in favor of them becoming FDA regulated products, primarily to regulate the quality of the nicotine, but also because I don’t know that any perfumes are GRAS for inhalation. > > I hope not. I am retired, don’t work for anybody, and never worked for South Beach. Their [website](http://www.southbeachsmoke.com/e-cigarette-cartridges/) says it’s made in the USA. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-try-and-scare-smokers-to-give-up-instead-of-trying-to-help-them/680234/42 "2014-02-03T18:39:56Z")
> [@j666](#): > > My theory has always been that people who CAN stop cold turkey are less addicted some how. The recent Neanderthal DNA study may support this; people who can quite cold turkey may lack the Neanderthal tobacco addiction allele. You have a link to that study? When it was discovered all I heard was that the Neanderthal DNA was all “junk” DNA that had no real purpose/effect. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-try-and-scare-smokers-to-give-up-instead-of-trying-to-help-them/680234/43 "2014-02-03T18:46:07Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Saving money. Oh! So much money! This was how my mom quit. My dad, who had an iron willpower, quit in one day after the surgeon general’s report came out in the 60s. My mom struggled. She finally did it by putting the money she would have spent in a jar each week. Seeing the money accumulate was strong motivation. After a few months she was off cigarettes and bought herself a lovely painting for our living room, which, 40 years later, she still has. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-try-and-scare-smokers-to-give-up-instead-of-trying-to-help-them/680234/44 "2014-02-03T20:36:38Z")
I don’t get anyone going on about how annoying the smells are. If they are dangerous, that’s one thing. But your annoyance should have nothing to do with what should or should not be allowed. You even bring up perfume, yet there is almost never a rule against how much you can use, except in very specific circumstances. Trying to stop e-cigs because they are annoying makes it seem like the only reason cigarette smoke is being banned is because people are annoyed. Is that really the message we want to send? ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-try-and-scare-smokers-to-give-up-instead-of-trying-to-help-them/680234/45 "2014-02-03T23:31:17Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > You have a link to that study? When it was discovered all I heard was that the Neanderthal DNA was all “junk” DNA that had no real purpose/effect. Not really, just popular news articles, which, yeah, really means nothing because science reporting can be so bad. Still, [here’s one from the Examiner.](http://www.examiner.com/article/research-shows-humans-and-neanderthals-almost-missed-out-on-mating) But this article in [nature.com](http://www.nature.com/news/modern-human-genomes-reveal-our-inner-neanderthal-1.14615) does indicate there are expressed alleles. ---
**Author:** ![oliviamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@oliviamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliviamia)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-try-and-scare-smokers-to-give-up-instead-of-trying-to-help-them/680234/46 "2014-10-14T19:47:11Z")
I personally think the big cigarette companies are behind it. Until they have bought up all the competition they are trying to trow a wrench in the whole thing ( they don’t care about what they doing to people! ) It’s all about money of course ! ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-try-and-scare-smokers-to-give-up-instead-of-trying-to-help-them/680234/47 "2014-10-15T06:01:31Z")
> [@j666](#): > > The recent Neanderthal DNA study may support this; What? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-try-and-scare-smokers-to-give-up-instead-of-trying-to-help-them/680234/48 "2014-10-15T07:42:49Z")
You can only help someone who is willing to be helped. You can try to scare _anyone._ Not saying it’s right, but that’s got to be part of the equation. ---
**Author:** ![oliviamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@oliviamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliviamia)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-try-and-scare-smokers-to-give-up-instead-of-trying-to-help-them/680234/49 "2014-10-15T19:06:29Z")
Scare tactics work! After seeing pictures of oral cancer it scared the crap out of me and was a big influence for quitting. It might still kill me after 40 of smoking ! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-try-and-scare-smokers-to-give-up-instead-of-trying-to-help-them/680234/50 "2014-10-15T20:41:17Z")
**oliviamia** , please stop bumping old threads and find some stuff to post about other than e-cigarettes. However good your motives are, it’s repetitive and against the rules. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-try-and-scare-smokers-to-give-up-instead-of-trying-to-help-them/680234.md?page=2)