One of the things I am most grateful for in life is that I don’t smoke.
It is a terrible addiction,not to mention it costs a fortune. A pack of Marlboro cigarettes currently costs $13 Canadian so a pack a day for a year will set you back a staggering $4750 a year. Ouch!
When I was a kid my father used to smoke like a chimney. A trip in the car with him smoking left me breathless. He would always deny the quantity of cigarettes he would smoke when my mother would confront him. He would then counter attack with the money she spent at the hairdressers! End of argument.
When he passed away, we discovered packs of cigarettes hidden in so many places it was hilarious.In his shoes, his suit pockets, even wrapped in his underwear. Dad, we knew all along!
Whenever I came back to visit my parents in Scotland, I would buy the best air purifier I could find, as my father would insist on smoking inside the house. Never outside. Tragically my mother passed away from lung cancer.
It’s a hard habit to break, some say more addictive than heroin. The cigarette companies were caught putting substances in the cigarettes to make them even more addictive. According to an article posted on Jan 23 2018 by The Truth Initiative,
“One way the tobacco industry has manipulated cigarettes to increase addictiveness is by loading cigarettes with chemical compounds. Bronchodilators were added so that tobacco smoke can more easily enter the lungs. Sugars, flavors and menthol were increased to dull the harshness of smoke and make it easier to inhale. Ammonia was added so that nicotine travels to the brain faster.”
Thankfully Society has changed a lot. Instead of “would you like a cigarette?” now you hear “would you mind if I smoke?” although most are trained to take their smoking outside for a chit chat.
I hate to see kids smoking. My friends at school would take great delight in smoking at break time. They thought it made them more grown up.I never joined them. I did try a cigarette once but didn’t like it. ( I didn’t even know you had to inhale them)!
Hopefully with us becoming a more health-conscious society the millennials will stay away from cigarettes. At least now there are no more commercials and cigarettes are hidden and under lock and key at the variety stores.
Governments are so hypocritical. They make a ton of money from taxing smokers and then sue the tobacco companies for the costs of treating those who suffer from the side effects. Sorry. You can’t double-dip!
Anthony Robbins, the great personal coaching guru and motivator, talks about using pleasure and pain to change to good habits. My father always associated smoking with pleasure (as do most smokers).
“Cigarettes are my friends.” he would say. “They calm me down and ease my stresses”.
There was never any pain associated with smoking. The health implications, the cost, the effect on others, etc. I’m all for free choice and I would never lecture anyone about smoking. I just feel blessed and grateful I never fell into that addictive trap.
$5000/year is a lot of money to smoke away. Better to plan more pleasurable and memorable activities, don’t you think?