Smoker who has 10 cigars a day celebrates his 100th birthday

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

...or, one of England's few living badasses.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2305005/Smoker-who-has-10-cigars-a-day-celebrates-his-100th-birthday.html

Smoker who has 10 cigars a day celebrates his 100th birthday
By Rupert Neate
Last updated: 11:46 AM BST 17/07/2008
A smoker who has 10 cigars day and enjoys a whisky with his morning tea has celebrated his 100th birthday.

Jack Priestly claims he has suffered no serious health problems related to his tobacco and alcohol habit.

Mr Priestly, a widower and former baker, began smoking cigarettes when he was nine and claims to have smoked every day since.

He changed to cigars in 1966 after he said he was told they were "healthier" and celebrated his century last Saturday.

The grandfather from Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, who also has six great-grandchildren, said: "I've been operated on from toe to head but I've still got a good set of lungs. There's nothing wrong with them.

"I love my cigars. I wouldn't be without them. I don't care about the brand - a cigar is a cigar. But I'm not a fan of the small ones. The bigger, the better.

"My doctor wasn't a fan of pipes. He advised me to smoke cigars instead. And who am I to ignore doctor's orders?"

Since his first puff in 1917 he has smoked 153,000 cigars and 715,400 cigarettes and drunk a shot of whisky in his morning cup of tea every day since the age of 24. He has not suffered any serious health problems related to smoking or drinking.

His mother-in-law got him hooked on whisky, which he drinks without fail as soon as he gets up, before he has even had breakfast.

"She said the best thing for a woman is for her to drink whisky before she does anything, every day," he said. "I don't feel my age. I've still the mind of a young man. But if I had the company of a good woman, I'm sure I'd feel 40 years younger in a flash."

[LadySmith]

See what can happen when you simply don't listen to all the doomsayers who say things are bad for you? 

[Dntsycnt]

Keep your eye on the msm for the new "Whiskey and Cigars" fad diet.

[taurusowner]

I wonder what kind of cigars.  They should have included that in the article 

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Keep your eye on the msm for the new "Whiskey and Cigars" fad diet.

That'll be the day...

[Balog]

I wonder what kind of cigars.  They should have included that in the article 

"I love my cigars. I wouldn't be without them. I don't care about the brand - a cigar is a cigar. But I'm not a fan of the small ones. The bigger, the better.

[French G.]

"If I had quit cigars when my doctor told me to I wouldn't have been around to go to his funeral." -George Burns

[Ex-MA Hole]

I read a study somewhere that Cigars under normal smoking conditions (one or two a day) do not have any significant health risks.

In order to have an increased chance of getting cancer/ other health related problems, you need to smoke somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 a day in order to have and significant increase in your chances of having health related issues.

This article aside, that is!

Mark
Cigar smoker.

[MechAg94]

It is "increased chances" only.  There is no guarantee you will get it and no guarantee you won't. 

My grandfather was in his 80's when he died.  That was back in the early 90's.  He had been smoking since he was 10.  He was diagnosed with emphazema in 1955 and told he had 5 years to live.  He moved to Arizona, kept smoking, and lived quite a bit longer.  He never did trust doctors after that.  Of course, he had cancer and 2 or 3 other ailments when he finally died. 

[Monkeyleg]

Cigars aren't as bad as cigarettes. And I'm way ahead of this guy. I figure I've smoked a bit over a million cigarettes in the last 41 years (will be giving up smoking in a few weeks, though).

The George Burns quote reminded me of a quip by Groucho Marx that got him kicked off TV.

He had a show (was it "Who Do You Trust?"), and was asking a contestant general introductory questions. He asked how many kids the guy had, and the guy said eight or some such, to which Groucho expressed surprise. The guy then said that he loved his wife.

Groucho said, "I love my cigar, too, but I take it out of my mouth once in awhile."

bada-bing

[Tallpine]

I pass on the cigars, but the uisge bheatha every morning sounds like a good idea

[vaskidmark]

I would rather end up dying of something, than be like all the health nuts who are in the hospitals kicking the bucket from too much good health.

I don't recall who said that, but I always thought they had a good point.

stay safe.

skidmark.

[stevelyn]

I read a study somewhere that Cigars under normal smoking conditions (one or two a day) do not have any significant health risks.

In order to have an increased chance of getting cancer/ other health related problems, you need to smoke somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 a day in order to have and significant increase in your chances of having health related issues.

This article aside, that is!

Mark
Cigar smoker.

You also have to remember that cigar makers don't do the things to their products that Big tobacco did to cigarettes.

Cigar tobaccos are basically aged and unaltered. Big Tobacco pumped chemicals and manipulated the genetics of tobaccos destined for cigarette manufacturing.

[French G.]

I wonder what kind of cigars.  They should have included that in the article  rolleyes

I know he said he didn't care about brand but that looks like a Cohiba he is burning down.

I'm working on a case of Monte Cristos, wish the Cuba ban would die so I could get more easily.

[zahc]

It blows my mind that we do quadrillions of dollars of trade of cheap widgets from communist China, but we can't buy cigars from Cuba?

[AmbulanceDriver]

I enjoy the occasional cigar, and have to admit to having a Cubano sitting in my humidor that a friend gave me.   That being said, I've heard that the Cuban cigar quality has gone down DRASTICALLY over the last 10 years or so.  Purely hearsay, mind you, but that's from the cigar shop I frequent.

[Ex-MA Hole]

It's because they are competition.

[wmenorr67]

Do a search on the web.  There a few places that sell cigars made from Cuban leaves that got out of Cuba before the embargo.

[RevDisk]

Do a search on the web.  There a few places that sell cigars made from Cuban leaves that got out of Cuba before the embargo.

Pinars.  Pre-embargo Cuban tobacco  They ain't bad.   

I smoked the real thing whenever I was deployed.   Half the fun is them being illegal state side.

[longeyes]

Like Bill Clinton he didn't inhale.

[Waitone]

There is plenty of money stashed and ready to go to Cuba to fix tobacco production.  Quality has deteriorated over the years but it can be fixed/  Many of the families run out of Cuba are waiting to return.  Fear not; Cuban cigars will return.

[LAK]

What can I say; the man has good taste.

[wmenorr67]

Do a search on the web.  There a few places that sell cigars made from Cuban leaves that got out of Cuba before the embargo.

Pinars.  Pre-embargo Cuban tobacco  They ain't bad.   

I smoked the real thing whenever I was deployed.   Half the fun is them being illegal state side.

You want the truth of the matter, read the actual law.  It is actually illegal for Americans to even purchase Cubans when overseas.  A few months ago there was a big uproar in regards to Schrazenager(sp) buying a cuban while on a trip to Canada.

[RevDisk]

Do a search on the web.  There a few places that sell cigars made from Cuban leaves that got out of Cuba before the embargo.

Pinars.  Pre-embargo Cuban tobacco  They ain't bad.   

I smoked the real thing whenever I was deployed.   Half the fun is them being illegal state side.

You want the truth of the matter, read the actual law.  It is actually illegal for Americans to even purchase Cubans when overseas.  A few months ago there was a big uproar in regards to Schrazenager(sp) buying a cuban while on a trip to Canada.

At the time we had access to crew served weaponry.  'Confiscating' cigars from heavily armed irrate soldiers is typically unhealthy 

[wmenorr67]

Do a search on the web.  There a few places that sell cigars made from Cuban leaves that got out of Cuba before the embargo.

Pinars.  Pre-embargo Cuban tobacco  They ain't bad.   

I smoked the real thing whenever I was deployed.   Half the fun is them being illegal state side.

You want the truth of the matter, read the actual law.  It is actually illegal for Americans to even purchase Cubans when overseas.  A few months ago there was a big uproar in regards to Schrazenager(sp) buying a cuban while on a trip to Canada.

At the time we had access to crew served weaponry.  'Confiscating' cigars from heavily armed irrate soldiers is typically unhealthy 

Not saying it would have been wise to try and doing something about it.  Just pointing out the law.

I have been known to have a few on hand myself.