Ulcers and Smoking

Ulcers
And Smoking
Site Under Construction

           Smokers have a disproportionate rate of gastric and duodenal ulcers. They are more likely to be fatal than among nonsmokers. See Smoking and Ulcers, 10 Family Practice News (16) 20 (15 Aug 1980).
In medicine, reasons for this are known. "It is a well-known fact that when any bodily secretion is lessened in quantity from any cause, it becomes more concentrated. Smokers know that when they smoke, the secretions of the mouth are lessened. Concentrated saliva does not cause symptoms because it is not irritating. But the gastric juice, or stomach secretions, contain not only a powerful flesh digestant, pepsin, but muriatic acid as well. When one smokes, the stomach secretions become lessened in quantity, whereas the digestive substances contained in them become greatly concentrated in strength . . . That this excessive concentration of muriatic acid and the strong digestive, pepsin, may become extremely dangerous as a cause of ulcer is now recognized by prominent stomach specialists." See Frank L. Wood, M.D., What You Should Know About Tobacco (Wichita, KS: The Wichita Publishing Co, 1944), p 72. See also his entire chapter on the subject, pp 104-109.
"What clinical proof have we that smoking causes or aggravates ulcer of the stomach? In 1929, Gray found that smoking was an important factor in this disease." Wood, supra, p 105, citing Gray, "Tobacco Smoking and Gastric Symptoms," 3 Annals of Internal Medicine 267-277 (Sep 1929); and Dr. Russel S. Boles, "Observations on the Prevention and Management of Peptic Ulcer," 121 J Am Med Ass'n (#9) 640-646 (27 Feb 1943). (P 646 says links between brain disturbances and ulcers have long been known, back to ancient times).
Boles found that "Tobacco is recognized as a cause of hyperacidity." And, additionally, "tobacco . . . is of major importance in the prevention of healing and in the recurrence of the lesion."
"According to Sir Berkeley Moynihan, an internationally known surgeon of England, tobacco smoking is a large factor in producing ulcer of the stomach. Nicotine produces an excessive amount of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, and this excess not only is a factor in the causation of ulcers, but also keeps them from healing once they are formed. Smoking also conduces to ulceration of the duodenum. Many of the large clinics of the world refuse to treat these gastric and duodenal ulcers unless the patient will refrain from smoking." See Daniel H. Kress, M.D., The Cigarette As A Physician Sees It (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Pub Ass'n, 1931), p 26.
           Smokers supposedly smoke to avoid stress, e.g., ulcers. On the contrary, smoking leads to it! Sadly, it's another example of smoking's link to addiction and resultant poor judgment.

          Smoking leads to alcoholism, drug abuse, mental disorder. All of these impair judgement.
          Cigarettes contain toxic chemicals. Deaths are "natural and probable consequences." Pursuant to standard lawbook definitions, nonsmokers' involuntary foreseeable deaths constitute murder. The high number of deaths is a "holocaust" according to the Royal Society of Physicians' 1971 criteria, and is part of the total genocide problem.
         Michigan Governor John Engler and staff have been supportive of action to enforce Michigan's 1909 cigarette ban law, issuing five pertinent memoranda.
Exec Order 1992-3
Law Support Letter # 1
Anti-Cigarette Smuggling Finding
Law Support Letter # 2
Governor's Overview

Related Medical Data Web Sites

Cigarettes' Toxic Chemicals
Medical Statistics
Prevent Crime
Prevent Heart Disease
Prevent SIDS
Smoker Addiction
Smoker Brain Damage
Smoker Mental Disorder

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Copyright © 1999 Leroy J. Pletten

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