Two people (for example, identical twins) can have the same genetic makeup yet be very different. Scientists are discovering that these differences are partially attributable to “epigenetic” changes that don’t physically alter a person’s DNA but change how the DNA is activated (or not). As these changes occur in sex cells, they are also propagated to a person’s posterity.

As people go through life, they acquire more and more of these changes, and it varies from person to person depending on lifestyle factors such as diet, smoking, environmental exposures, etc. This may explain why one identical twin gets a heritable form of cancer while the other does not, even though they have exactly the same DNA (and no mutations have occurred).

One key realization is that the way we choose to live can not only impact us negatively (or positively), but it can have a real impact on our posterity.

What's the biggest reason?

Here is a thought for the smokers transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.

Epigenetic inheritance is the transmission to offspring of parental phenotypic responses to environmental challenges-even when the young do not experience the challenges themselves. Genetic inheritance is not altered, gene expression is. Organismic pathways for such transmission exist.

One example being maternal stress during the latter half of a daughter's gestation may affect not only the daughter's but also grand-offspring's physical growth.

This is a relatively young field of study, but studies have been done that show some effects of smoking on this process.

Cannot be conclusively proven. It is hypothesized that tobacco is the leading cause. I happen to believe this is true. But that's just little-old me...

However, people that smoke, knowing the risk, accept this risk and hence accept responsibility for this risk. Salvation is found through knowledge, which is provided through education. Salvation cannot be reached through the controlling of a population.

"I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion."

Thomas Jefferson

Most smokers started when they were teenagers. Peer pressure overrules knowing the risk when you're a teenager.

It's a darn shame when someone so young has to take on such responsibility huh?

You take away the responsibility of a teen, they will start behaving irresponsibly.

Besides, it's illegal for young teens to smoke, yes? So in theory, that should never be an issue when following the (laws for your own good" line of logic...

It wasn't illegal when I was a teenager and started smoking. I never heard about the risks then either. It wasn't illegal when my Dad was a teenager and started smoking.

When I was a kid, I could walk in any store and buy cigs. When I had surgery, when I was 17 (1977), you could smoke in your hospital room. You could ask for a smoking or non-smoking room. I could smoke at work too.

That warning that's printed on all packs has always been there - making smokers aware and accepting the risks that come with it.

No?

http://warninglabel.org/

• The Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-92) required that the warning "Caution: Cigarette Smoking May Be Hazardous to Your Health" be placed in small print on one of the side panels of each cigarette package. The act prohibited additional labeling requirements at the federal, state, or local levels.

• In June 1967 the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued its first report to Congress recommending that the warning label be changed to "Warning: Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous to Health and May Cause Death from Cancer and Other Diseases."

• In 1969 Congress passed the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act (Public Law 91-222), which prohibited cigarette advertising on television and radio and required that each cigarette package contain the label "Warning: The Surgeon General Has Determined That Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous to Your Health."

• In 1981 the FTC issued a report to Congress that concluded health warning labels had little effect on public knowledge and attitudes about smoking. As a result of this report, Congress enacted the Comprehensive Smoking Education Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-474), which required four specific health warnings on all cigarette packages and advertisements:

• SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, and May Complicate Pregnancy.

• SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health.

• SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Smoking by Pregnant Women May Result in Fetal Injury, Premature Birth, and Low Birth Weight.

• SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide.

Having to provide info on the chemicals used in cigarettes i agree with. All the other stuff is kidna silly and follows a very dangerous way of thinking.

I didn't read that little print when I was a teenager.

What's the biggest reason?

I didn't read that little print when I was a teenager.

A righteous God smiting thier heathen @sses for violating the sanctity of the temple that is thier body....or maybe the are just lucky! Who cares? Everyday there is something else that causes cancer...if we were really that concerned we would live in plastic bubbles...(too bad the pcb's in the plastic cause cancer too)

But it was still your responsibility, and therefore any negative affects of your actions are at no one's fault but your own...

Kinda like me with drinking, raised my cholesterol. I knew it was bad, but did it anyway. Therefore it is my fault if i die of a heart attack at the age of 55 or so...