I have always hated cigarettes. Ever since I watched my grandmother smoke, and saw what it did to her, her voice, her health...everything...I have hated them. Even as a small child, when "everyone" smoked, I loathed smoking and all that went with it. I used to try to surreptitiously blow a stream of air onto cigarettes left in ash trays around the house so that when the adult in question returned, the cigarette would have "mysteriously" burnt itself out.
Now, after decades of anti-smoking legislation and anti-smoking efforts, the tobacco companies are STILL putting MORE nicotine in cigarettes and this is LEGAL!!!! Cigarettes are now MORE addictive than they were in 1998. One would think that these law suits would have taught the cigarette companies not to do things that deliberately continue to harm the health of people, but, they have to continue to sell cigarettes to their customers who are still alive.
Unfortunately, one of those customers happens to be my husband. Knowing that, after years of not smoking, he now smokes cigarettes with 10% more nicotine in them than before, makes me only hate tobacco companies with more venom.
I know there has been a lot of backlash against the anti-smoking campaigns in recent years. People say there is "anti-smoking hate and intolerance." Well, when a company makes its money selling a product which, when used according to directions, is addictive and fatal, I will hate it. I won't tolerate it.
The only way anyone has a "right" to smoke, in my opinion, is if they live alone, and have no one who will miss them when they die of a smoking related illness. If that is you, then, by all means, enjoy yourself.
4 comments:
I'm with you. I had nightmares for years after my mom died. Just hearing her labored and slow breathing was torturous. I don't understand wanting to smoke but I have compassion for those who try to quit.
Me too. They say that tobacco is harder to quit than heroin. I really think the tobacco companies should be held liable for deliberately marketing a product that is so harmful and has no redeeming qualities at all.
If God meant for us to smoke He'd have put chimneys on our heads.
I hate smoking too. It's a constant battle with the smokers at work. The smoke is insidious - gets in every nook and cranny - and they smoke outside!
Smokers do need our prayers to quit. I finally kicked the habit 11 years ago - one week after my dad died at 55. He was a heavy smoker. He had a heart attack.
Good for you, Angela! I'm sorry to hear about your dad (and your mom too). My dad died at 57 and that's part of my fear for my husband.
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