If breath = spirit, then do tobacco products mess up our spirit and consciousness?

[Husseinisdoingfine]

 

In Leo's video on shamanic, or holotropic breathing, he said that breath and spirit came from the same root in many languages.

I was doing deep thinking, and I had this question. Smoking creates irreversible damage and scar tissue in the alveoli. The alveoli is where breathing happens in the lungs. The various chemicals and tar in cigarettes clog up the cilia cells, the alveoli can't handle this and will literally pop like a balloon, or burst open, leading to irreversible damage. This is what creates the scar tissue, which is why smokers have such a hard time breathing.

If breath and spirit are one in the same, and cigarettes destroy the ability to breath, then do tobacco/nicotine products literally destroy one's ability to be spiritual or even lower your consciousness? Or does it not lower consciousness, but it takes a low consciousness person to want to smoke in the first place. If that's the case, then how do you explain Alan Watts being a lifetime smoker?

[Something Funny]

51 minutes ago, Husseinisdoingfine said:

If breath and spirit are one in the same

I don't think you should take it that literally.

[Husseinisdoingfine]

This definitely belongs more in the spirituality sub-forum. 

BTW, I don't smoke. Though I used to, heavily, and I still have cravings.

[Schizophonia]

1 hour ago, Husseinisdoingfine said:

If that's the case, then how do you explain Alan Watts being a lifetime smoker?

Tobacco contains a stimulant close to a racetam (nicotine) and even antidepressant compounds (MAOIs)