smoking

Cody, you seem to know so much more about this drug than me. I'm so pleased you could give all that information!

MLGPRO, yeah you're right, it probably does make you happy and stress free now. The question is, is that happiness worth it, when you're possibly doing a massive amount of damage to your lungs? Yes, you can run a mile at the minute-will you be so happy when you're struggling to walk a few yards?

Smoking will be causing a build up of crap in your lungs. With CF, the way the CFTR fault works is the chloride channels that usually open and close to thin down mucous in the lungs are blocked. That's why we have to do airway clearance and physio and stuff, as our lungs aren't performing as they should. I really cannot imagine how your lungs would cope to get rid of smoke and everything it leaves behind.

I'm gonna stop now, before I sound like I'm preaching (if I don't already!)

I hope you can take some of what we've said, and use that in deciding if smoking is really a good idea or not.

Gem

Dude, stop smoking pot. If you have CF and smoke, you're going to get yourself into a world of trouble. It'll be a rude, rude wakeup call. And you'll realize how far from worth it smoking is/was.

Yeah, smoking a joint is fun. Been there done that etc. That was before I was diagnosed with CF. That was before I realized, though I was as healthy as a "normal" kid -- I was the fastest of my friends, ran 10 miles a day with cross country ... you get the point. As soon as you hit your first major snag like I did, you're not going to know exactly how crappy of a choice smoking is if you have CF.

I really can't explain everything I feel about what a poor choice it is to smoke, regardless of anything you might read about a "Health Scale " (which, for CFers, is totally and absolutely nonapplicable). If you need to get high, try baking. I actually like that more, and with the increase to your appetite and the relaxation of your esophagus/other coughing mechanisms, it might actually help bring up more mucus, helping to clear your lungs out.

There are tons and tons of CFers who would give anything to be as healthy as you. Smoking is an insult to anyone with this disease, and if you have any respect for the CF community, stop. You are afforded more opportunities right now than most people with CF are offered in their entire lifetimes. Do you want to risk having complications? Missing out on having real fun? Missing out on something like college? Having to be a slave of health care?

I suggest you count your blessings and hold them dear, rather than spitting on everything you've been given.