Would you feel comfortable with a doctor who you knew was a smoker?

1. 87

   mistyhorizon2003posted 12 years ago

   Would you feel comfortable with a doctor who you knew was a smoker?
   
   It wouldn't worry me, but some people I suspect would have less faith in a doctor who they knew had such a dangerous habit/addiction. If you know your doctor already does has it put you off having him as your doctor?

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2. 68

   BEAUTYBABEposted 12 years ago

   There are two views to this question.
   The first is that if a person is a heavy smoker i.e. your doctor they normally have a very offensive smell about their breath.From the experiences I have had around doctors and there have been a lot, they have either not smoked at all or smoked very little as I could not detect it on their breath.
   
   If I did detect this odour and it was offensive and they had a nasty smoker's cough to go with it, if this was a GP, yes I would feel very uncomfortable being  in their presence. Some people who are prone to asthma and other types of respiratory problems, such as myself, would be at risk being under the care of a doctor who smoked.
   
   The other view is that the doctors themselves know the risk more than the patients they are treating and it is a very bad example to their patients. For example a patient might be wanting to give up smoking, and the doctor they are being treated by is a smoker. This would definitely not be sending that patient the right message.They would be saying it is fine to smoke, go ahead. We all know I hope, that this is far from the truth.
   
   Therefore, if someone is trying to give up, stay away from a doctor that is a smoker, it certainly won't help. On the other hand, if they smoked heavily and had a nasty breath and cough, this could be an excellent incentive to give up smoking.
   because it can also lead to cancer, and no one wants to live like that. do they.
   
   Beautybabe.

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3. 52

   EBBYSIBIposted 12 years ago

   Never.But he has defenitly good experience regarding the difficulties of the smoking and such doctors can easily recognize your problems of smoking.If the doctor is addicted for smoking then u will get a better result.

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4. 61

   Compliance Doctorposted 12 years ago

   I suppose, I would treat this no different than any other thing in life being that I keep my focus on the objective here, disembarking upon the thought of any judgmental form of opinion.  Very frankly, the physician is no different than any other human.  Most humans have a vice, to not have a vice would be almost angelic and it would be inhumane to make a judgement on this doctors credibility all because the poor man like to have a cig from time to time. 
   
   Remember, most countries do not have the negative opinion regarding smoking like the US.  Matter of fact, in Europe, smoking is a form of social gesture and is looked up to versus our looking down to the thought of lighting up in general public.  We have done to smoking just like we have done to the topic of sex in this country.  We demoralize it to the point it becomes a bad subject, opening it up to excessive use by many to the point of unhealthy.  Oppression never reaps a healthy approach to anything in life, it deteriorates at being in moderation for all activities in life if you are scorned every time you bring the subject matter up.  Eventually, people will stop brining it up if you don't allow for open communication for all.
   
   This is my feeling and overall take on the doctor having a cigarette and his patient knowing about it, it's really none of our business.

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5. 61

   Ruby211posted 12 years ago

   If he or she was a great doctor I wouldn't mind. I myself do not smoke nor do I like the smell of what most people smoke, but I am in no possition to judge why someone smokes. After seeing some of the things doctors have to see I can't really say I blame some of them for smoking. I think smoking doesn't make a person less of a person. If I had to choose between a great doctor who smoked or a mediocre doctor who didn't then honestly I'd choose the smoker.

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6. 59

   KristaJevonsposted 12 years ago

   Nope. I would not want my doctor to be fat either. They should be setting the example. How can you tell someone to stop smoking if you can't or won't yourself?  I also won't have my hair cut by someone whose hair looks worse than mine (pretty hard to do anyway!). You could apply this to everything.... Would you eat the food of a chef who never ate his own food? Would you hire a math tutor who failed math? A ski instructor who only rides a snowboard?
      All this would mean nothing, or course, if the doctor truly believes smoking is not bad for you and has some type of evidence to back it up....

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7. 92

   Zakmoonbeamposted 12 years ago

   As long as the Doc was competent, what does it matter if he or she was too fat or thin or a smoker. 
   
   He or she could be any of those things and still be a good person and a damn good doctor.
   
   Here in Sweden many choose to use Snus instead of smoking, it's like chewing tobacco that you stuff into your lip instead of chewing.  I personally find it a repulsive habit, that may well be as dangerous as smoking, but I can tell you from personal experience that when I ruptured a disc in my lower back, the fact that the doctor's mouth was stuffed with it and here teeth were black and brown stained did not matter one bit to me, only that he she could help me.
   
   Great question by the way!

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8. 60

   Dubuquedogtrainerposted 12 years ago

   Smoking is an addiction. Doctors are human. I am addicted to diet soda and have been a registered nurse for decades. Although smoking and diet soda consumption are not healthy, it is not that we don't know any better - we're simply human. Years ago I used to have to take shift change report in smoke-filled "report rooms," where I had difficulty breathing and concentrating. Patients and staff alike used to smoke in hospitals. It's only been in recent years that smoking has been banned in healthcare facilities. As long as the physician is good at what he does and treats me right I don't care if s/he smokes.

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9. 70

   Silver Poetposted 12 years ago

   I once knew someone who worked nights and drove home in heavy traffic who explained that he thought he would live longer by smoking to stay awake than he would if he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed. It was certainly something to consider. If the doctor uses the stimulant in the cigarettes to be a hard worker, I can't say that I blame him for his educated choice. He knows the risks. It's up to him. Smoking does ward off some diseases although it causes many more than it prevents.  Nicotine is being studied for its beneficial effects on things like Parkinsons and schizophrenia, although they are supposedly trying to create a more harmless pill form of it.

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10. 61

    carol3sanposted 11 years ago

    It wouldn't worry me either as long he or she doesn't smoke in front of me...and I can't imagine any doctor who is worth an ounce of salt ever doing such a thing.  Some people start unfavorable habits when they are very young, like teenagers.  Given the understanding that I have of how nicotine traps the body into addiction, I'm personally very sympathetic and feel great compassion for all those souls who find themselves battling the habit of cigarette smoking as well as other addictions.

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