[Avodah] Is Smoking Mutar?

[Micha Berger]

In calculating the added risk caused by smoking a cigarette one must
take into account the fact that it's addictive. Thus the risk of one
cigarette is not only that of the cigarette itself. By smoking, one
continues and enhances the addiction. Future cigerettes and their risk
become more probable. and that too is part of the life expectancy risk
associated with the current decision. No one would be smoking their
3,000th cigarette if they didn't try their first. Or if they would have
stopped after their 2,000th.

It's not just about cumulative effect; it's that the decisions beimg
made aren't independent.

I don't know if halkhah recognized such second order effects.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha


PS: I'm leaving for vacation. (This is typed on a blackberry while
already on the road.) If you see delays in Avodah moderationg between
now and Thus (ve'ad bochlal) that could be why.

-- 
Micha Berger             Feeling grateful  to or appreciative of  someone
micha at aishdas.org        or something in your life actually attracts more
http://www.aishdas.org   of the things that you appreciate and value into
Fax: (270) 514-1507      your life.         - Christiane Northrup, M.D.