I have been a cigarette smoker for very nearly 40 years. I'm not particularly proud of that, but I started the habit at a time in my life where it was perfectly acceptable, if not completely legal for a teen to smoke. Of course, at that time in American History, it was perfectly acceptable to smoke, inhale, chew, snort, or shoot up a lot of noxious and unhealthy substances. My parents even moved our small family from a large, rapidly urbanizing city to a small, rural, cultural slum in a failed attempt to keep the kids from the scourge of DRUGS...
I say "failed", but it really wasn't that bad. In my new neck of the woods, it was just as fashionable and cool to chew tobacco as it was to smoke it. Some people tried experimenting with a lot of other stuff, but in my case, nothing quite met the need as much as good 'ol "cancer sticks". This was also long before the tobacco companies confessed to manipulating recipes to improve nicotine delivery and/or taste. Also long before judicial review of their health claims and advertising practices. It was just mainly one of the few slightly rebellious things a teenager could do to look cool, yet not be sent to a military academy for finishing school back in the 70's. If I had any regrets about anything I've done in life, this would probably be the biggest. Both of my parents smoked, and it negatively affected their health over the years. My own health has begun to be affected, and though I've taken steps to slow down some of the effects, smoking is still the devil I know. I rationalize that I don't smoke all that much, that I do try to get some exercise and eat properly most days, but at the same time, I understand the full ramifications. I also fully believe (knowing full well) that "I can stop anytime I want to". Its mainly that I just don't want to, and I really do believe that my smoking is as much psychologically necessary as it is physically addictive.
In spite of the artificially created price increases brought on by extreme taxation of every cigarette made, I continue to supply the craving as much as any alcoholic or crackhead. As of this year though, I may just give it up after all, but not for health or economic reasons. The state of Florida, in its malevolent authority, jumped on the bandwagon of nanny states to outlaw the sale of any but FSC cigarettes. What are they? FSC is the ugly acronym for "Fire Standards Compliant". These cigarettes are designed to extinguish themselves automatically, usually just before you take a drag from it. Touted as a safer product, insofar as they can help eliminate a cause of fires being unintentionally started by those who leave them unattended in an ashtray, they are anything but safe. It is really a backhanded way to get us hopeless addicts to stop smoking cigarettes. You'd think our do good legislators would have other moral fires to put out, but its actually cool these days to gamble and consume alcohol, since prohibition really didn't work too well. Well, no one has ever consumed a carton of cigarettes in one day, then driven the wrong way down an interstate until they killed a lot of innocent individuals. Driving and texting on your cell phone is not a problem, either. In fact, car dealers are now promoting useful devices to surf the internet while driving! http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2010/1/1/smokers_not_on_board_with_new_cigarette_law.html Of course, an easy solution would be to obtain foreign cigarettes, of just turn to chewing tobacco, snuff or cigars. It really is about the limitation of otherwise legal vices. So when "the government" forces bars and liquor stores to water down their products, or use bottles that deliberately leak (rather than completely prohibit), some people might wake up and take notice. Sure, this is sour grapes on my part, but the bigger issue is: if the government can dictate how to produce a cigarette, regardless of their propaganda, its just the beginning.
There was a time, not long ago, when folks from the east moved to the west because of the freedom. Maybe that needs to be reevaluated.
Smoke 'em if you got 'em, but they can kiss my ash!!!!
Jon
