Friday, January 27, 2012

Smoking...not!

A wise woman, I know, read in The Reader's Digest in the early 50's that cigarettes could cause lung cancer. That's all she needed to hear. She quit immediately.  So why is it that she is the exception to the rule?  When I was in college, I started to smoke. I knew about the health risks, but felt invincible, I guess.  I panicked as a I watched actors on stage having to smoke for their characters and so obviously not smokers.  It looked stupid, probably would've been better not to smoke at all.  I thought, what if I have to smoke for a role?  I learned how to smoke and kept smoking.  Of course, I never had to smoke for a role.  Smoked with my friends.  How dumb, huh?  

Now almost 35 years later, a non-smoker for 20 years, and walking around the streets of NYC, I am stunned by all the smokers.  The smokers I see are not old, weathered, long time smokers.  The smokers I see are young people.  Really?  Young people??  How much more scientific evidence do people need to not smoke?  Researchers have proven that there isn't a cancer not increased by smoking.  When I was a kid, it was lung cancer. Now, it's lung, breast, pancreatic, stomach, etc. and so forth.  It increases diabetes, ulcers. I don't think there is a health issue that isn't negatively affected by cigarette smoking. So how is it that people keep starting to smoke?  In NYC, cigarettes cost around $14.00 a pack.  Really?  That is a bloody fortune and for what?  Inhaling poison and carcinogens into your system?  It makes no sense to me.  

I am too frugal to smoke today. I would never spend $14.00 for a pack of cigarettes. That alone would've kept me from ever starting to smoke.  Now, some of you may tell me that cigarettes are only $10.00 where you live, but whatever the cost in your community, it is an obscene amount for an item that has no redeeming value.  

Sidebars:  Governor Jan Brewer cannot be excused for wagging her finger in the President's face.  It can't be excused. It was completely disrespectful and would be if she wagged her finger in anyone's face, but the President? How far we have fallen as a civilized people. The fallout for Paula Dean's three year late admission continues.  Did anyone else hear she smokes a pack and a half a day?  Heard it as a throw away on one show, that's it.  And for those of us over 50, Robert Hegyes died in Metuchen, New Jersey of a cardiac arrest at the age of 60. He played Juan Epstein the Jewish/Puerto Rican sweathog on Welcome, Back Kotter.

Please feel free to re-post or forward to a friend! Happy weekend!!

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