Write a Comment
3 Comments
While I fully understand the health implications of smoking - both with or without having HIV, I have always found that most of the programs, adverts and susstation aids are always geared to those who want to quit. For me, I enjoy smoking. I definitely don't enjoy how shitty I feel after a cigarette but I am having problems WANTING to quit. Its my fiddle stick! And no, carrots and toothpicks aren't working. I like exhailing smoke, and no, the vaporizer isn't doing it for me. How to want to quit?
Why exactly was it important to note that Brian is a gay man? Is it to make him more relatable for what the CDC feels is the majority of the population of which it is trying to address? From my perspective, sexual preference is irrelevant in this case- if you are HIV positive, you should not smoke due to health concerns and the potential complications which may develop. Sexuality is not a factor here.
David G Ostrow
Longitudinal studies of both HIV-infected and uninfected MSM BOTH smoke cigarettes at approximately two times the rate of age and SES matched general population male samples. The observation at the end of this abstract that HIV+ men have high rates of cigarette use has nothing to do with HIV status and is more likely due to differing community norms and attitudes. Anecdotal reports of deaths among HIV+ cigarette users are not backed-up by epidem data & shouldn't be basis of public health policy
August 6, 2014 • Chicago