CIGARS ARE SOCIAL, SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE GOOD, SO CIGARS ARE GOOD

Los Angeles, August 4, 2010 – Ask any experienced cigar smoker and they'll tell you how cigars relax them, especially in the company of friends and fellow smokers. That' s healthy.

So says a Brigham Young University study released in the July issue of PLoS Medicine, which demonstrated that people who have many good social relationships will most often live longer and happier lives than people who are lonely.

Summarized here, the study used meta-analysis techniques to review 148 existing studies on the issue, covering 308,849 people who were each studied for more than seven years.

Said BYU professor Timothy Smith, one of the lead researchers, “We take relationships for granted as humans. We’re like fish that don't notice the water. That constant interaction is not only beneficial psychologically, but directly to our physical health.”

The reverse is also true: the study found that a lack of social interaction can be as unhealthy as smoking, drinking and/or obesity. In some circumstances, good social relationships can improve a person's survivability rate as much as 50%.

Comment: Yet another reason why cigar smoking, so often a social activity in lounges, on the golf course, or over the backyard grill with friends, is a positive activity and cannot be lumped with cigarettes or other forms of mostly individual smoking.
~ Rich Perelman

< Prev		Next >