Does anyone believe this?

[Postman]

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/6730784.htm

Smoking Cited in Iraq Pneumonia Cases
MATT KELLEY
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Most of the soldiers in and around Iraq with unexplained, severe pneumonia had taken up smoking shortly before falling ill, military medical authorities said Tuesday.

[AWD]

1. I'm wondering...

...how happy RJ Reynolds is about this.

But besides that....BULLLLLLLLLLLLLSHIT!!!!!!!!!

[dfong63]

8. don't dismiss it so quickly

it's not about blaming the soldiers, or blaming their smoking habit, it's about finding a cofactor or potentiator for the ailment, whatever it really is. it seems plausible to me that when someone just begins smoking, the body's physiological responses to tobacco may be stronger than in habitual smokers. those stronger responses could leave the body more vulnerable to some other pathogen. we all know that over time the body builds up a "tolerance" to nicotine so you have to smoke more to get the same buzz. maybe the "tolerance" also defends the body against whatever causes this pneumonia-like disease. if that's the case, then someone who just started smoking would have the worst of both worlds.

[bahrbearian]

2. so What do the second hand smokers get ?

Gulf war syndrome..

[eyesroll]

3. Um...sure, if smoking somehow decreases your tolerance to

depleted uranium.

[Noordam]

4. depleted uranium. is more my guess than

Camels :)

[patdem]

5. 'shortly before falling ill'...cause none of them smoked at home?

Why the 'taking up smoking shortly before falling ill'? I have been smoking for more years than I care to declare...never had pneumonia in my life....why....would they suddely take up smoking?

Well, because...their illness can now be blamed on THEM and on NO OTHER reason?

[Ilsa]

6. "...allergies and parasitic infections..."

"One of the most significant findings is that 10 of the sickened troops had high levels of white blood cells called eosinophils. Those immune system cells are associated with a wide range of conditions, including allergies and parasitic infections.

Levels of eosinophils in the 10 soldiers ranged from three times to 11 times higher than normal, DeFraites said."

My brother who was there in PGW I said he believed you could pick up a parasitic infection there. He smoked like a chimney, but never got a lung infection.

A woman who used to work with my husband wasin Saudi Arabia and picked a "Guld War Syndrome" parasite that causes her to have immune system problems and chronic fatigue.

[Insider]

7. and the coneheads are from france

new-smokers-pneumonia...