But, but, I used to smoke. Oh, yeah, I smoked and loved every drag of every cigarette and every cigar that ever made its way into my lungs. For a time, dig this, I was a pipe smoker. I loved the idea of smoking a pipe. It's a tweedy thing. I like tweedy, always have. More on that later.
Smoking is a pleasure only those once addicted to it know.
I quit. I haven't smoked in years. When I did smoke, I was very fond of the habit. And it is a habit. So is sweeping the street in front of your house three times a day. Is sweeping that street dangerous? Might be that it is. Might be you're nuts if you do it.
If you smoke, you are nuts. At least, in today's culture you are. In my childhood, adolescence, and in-betweenhood, no, you weren't nuts if you smoked. Everyone smoked.
My Dad smoked. My Mom smoked. Aunts, uncles, cousins, they smoked. Many of them are dead.
Are they dead because they smoked? Some are, some are not. Let's get an example here in front of us all - Dad died at 59, heart attack; Mom died at 87, respiratory failure.
Did smoking kill Dad? Yes, I do believe it did. But I also believe he had symptoms long before he fell dead on the floor at work, which he did indeed. If he'd conceded that the symptoms needed attention, who knows, he could have had some more years.
Did smoking kill Mom? What if it did? She was 87. She might have been 89. Mother lied a bit about her age. She quit in her 70s, after being diagnosed with mild emphysema. That diagnosis was followed by at least 15 good years. Her health only collapsed the last, at most, 2-3 years of her life.
Then there's Uncle Patrick. Never smoked in his life, which ended up being all too short despite his rather clean living. Patrick died at 65.
Saying that smoking is a good thing is certainly not within me. But what is within me is this: I believe the day will come when medicine will announce that smoking isn't as bad as once thought. Moderation could be key, as is with most all other pleasures in life. Could be they'll someday discover that organically grown tobacco is fine, it's the chemically-doused crap that hurts people. Maybe it's the paper and the chems used to make it. The filter material?
(Are there any Edgar Cayce fans out there? Cayce directed that we should smoke two cigarettes a day. If you don't know who he is, he's at your fingertips, just go look.)
I think the bans are out of control. Let people smoke. Contain and restrict where they can smoke, but let it happen. Stop judging anyone strictly based on whether they smoke or not.
When one of America's treasures died, many hung their heads and said, "Well, he was a heavy smoker." He was Jackie Gleason. He died in his 70s. Smoking killed him. Maybe. So, if he didn't smoke, what then? Maybe "The Great One" could have lived another 5-6 years or so.
Are we delusional?
Same thing with Lucille Ball. Someone said to me, "She was a wicked smoker." Yes, she was. She was 78. How in hell long do we think we can live?
If smoking killed us at 21-31 or thereabouts, maybe the antis would have a real strong case. So you'll now, I'm not an anti. Not a pro, either.
Sad to say, without that solid info, they still have a case.
What troubles me most is this - with smoking in decline in this country, are we better off for it?
I have no idea.
I have no idea if we lead better lives without smoking.
I have no idea if we Americans lead healthier lives without smoking.
I have no idea if those living in other countries where smoking is still routine lead unhealthier lives.
I have no idea if we live longer without smoking.
I have no idea if living without smoking has had any impact on our lives.
I don't know. Do you?
