Half jokingly and half seriously, physicians who are experts in caring
for people with HD have referred to HD as "one of the smoking diseases." Certainly a very large portion of people with HD
smoke cigarettes. People with HD often view it as "one of the last pleasures I have left." Smoking becomes symbolic of independence.
Smokers and their caregivers are faced with a number of problems. Some folks
with HD have an altered sense of hot and cold. Their fingers are often burned lighting cigarettes or smoking them down to
the butt.
Impaired judgement can make them unaware of the danger of burns to
clothing, ashtray fires, or lighting the cigarettes of friends who are themselves unsafe
smokers.
The movement disorder makes it unsafe to use and dispose of matches and lighters.
Impulse control problems may drive them to take another person's lit cigarette right out of his mouth.
