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Downwind

Health & Fitness > My Daughter's Gift
 

My Daughter's Gift

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In 1977, my daughter was two years old. Today, her own daughter is now 15 months old. Perhaps one day my granddaughter will learn how her mom saved her grandpa’s life. On that particular day back in 1977, I had been in trial all day. Once the verdict came in, I rushed to get home to see my daughter before she went to bed. I didn’t wish to miss our nightly story telling session. So hurried was I to see her, I didn’t stop to get a pack of cigarettes, even though I knew there was only one left in my pack. If one is a smoker and a lawyer, lots of cigarettes get burned while the jury is out.

In those days I was a three-pack-a-day man. It boggles my mind now to think that, once I got home and had my daughter in my lap, telling her a story, I lit up that last cigarette in the pack. Some smoke got in her little face. “Oh Papa,” she winced, “smoking is pooey.”

That was my epiphany. I never smoked again. Back then, a package of cigarettes where I lived in Florida cost 50 cents. Today in Florida, according to a study recently completed, a pack of cigarettes will cost over $6.00. New Yorkers pay the most: $12.50 a pack. Depending upon the state tax imposed, all states are different. West Virginia is the cheapest: just under $5.00.

I cannot imagine spending that much for a package of cigarettes. Admittedly, that is partly because I am a cheapskate. But once you factor in that cigarettes are poison, it becomes even more incredible. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), there are 443,000 deaths per year from smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke. Another 8.6 million people in the U.S. live with a serious smoking related illness (if you can call that living).
Once again we have an example of spineless politicians succumbing to the will of lobbyists, in this case the Big Tobacco lobby. Tobacco will never be outlawed, notwithstanding the billions in annual health care costs related to its use. It has been my observation that those people most likely to continue to smoke are the ones least likely to afford it. They will spend what limited funds they have on cigarettes and go without auto insurance or dental care or new shoes for the kids. But tobacco executives rake in the dough. The rest of us are all downwind.

posted on Mar 24, 2013 9:45 AM ()

Comments:

comment by nittineedles on Mar 24, 2013 5:59 PM ()
As bad as it is here, it is worse overseas. Italy has gotten better. England has gotten better. Madrid has been the worst I have seen but this summer I am going to China, which I expect to be even worse.
comment by miker on Mar 24, 2013 3:16 PM ()
When I visited Russia in 2003, everyone there smoked!!
reply by steeve on Mar 24, 2013 5:38 PM ()
Tobacco is a rude and smelly habit. It is also expensive and disastrous
to your health. I got tired of being a slave to a bad habit who burned
holes in nice clothing and quit 25 years ago. The addiction can be
conquered with will power.
comment by elderjane on Mar 24, 2013 2:56 PM ()
You are exactly right. I quit cold turkey. If we can do it, others could too if they really wanted to quit. The stuff is poison and I find it incredible that people can be so stupid & weak.
reply by steeve on Mar 24, 2013 5:39 PM ()
No this will not happen.Sorry,to say they will smoke,smoke,they have been educated and they know.If they are addicted to it and then something should be done about it.
But never will as we continued to get Lung cancer,etc.That is their problems.Either quit or die.
comment by fredo on Mar 24, 2013 1:31 PM ()
Not just die...die horribly. The treatment for illnesses caused by smoking is not pleasant and neither is the ultimate demise.
reply by steeve on Mar 24, 2013 5:41 PM ()
Tobacco has been untouchable. I'm picturing a little covey of congressional members huddled outside the front door of the capitol building furtively puffing on their smokes as fast as they can so they can get back inside to count their tobacco PAC money.
comment by troutbend on Mar 24, 2013 10:10 AM ()
"It is more profitable for your congressman to support the tobacco industry than your life." Jackie Mason
reply by steeve on Mar 24, 2013 5:44 PM ()

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