I was at a drug store the other day picking something up. I had noticed that the line to get prescriptions was long and people were coughing and not feeling so well. I then went to the front register to check out. The man in front of me purchased a generic pack of cigarettes for 7.38. He said wow that’s expensive, yelled at the cashier for having expensive cigarettes and walked out. Later that day someone sent me an e-mail and it said; why is it that people who are sick have to go to the back of a drug store to get their medication and people who are healthy can get their cigarettes at the front of the store and it got me thinking…

 I used to be a smoker. I quit almost four years ago.  When I first started smoking, a pack of cigarettes were about forty-five cents. I was not a heavy smoker at the time so I could smoke for about 2 bucks a week. It clearly was an affordable way to mask my emotions and blow nasty smoke in people’s face and expose them to second hand smoke. Why not, I am a smoker and I have the right to do what I want!

 As a young smoker I had no fears about health. Come on let’s look at some of the old smoking commercials. Back in the 50’s who knew that cigarette smoking was so good for you? It’s a wonder the entire US doesn’t smoke. Why they were so good for you that cigarette manufactures were some of the first industries to use TV to advertize so widely.

 Don’t kid yourself either. Everyone got on the band wagon to get us to smoke.  One of the most convincing reasons we needed to smoke was the fact the most doctors recommended Camel cigarettes.  But what do doctors know? Fred and Barney of  The Flinstones knew Winston taste good like a cigarette should and used their influence of cartoons to get people to enjoy that nice smooth taste of a good smoke.  The Beatles even got on the bandwagon so to speak advertizing for Marlboro.

 Still need more convincing that smoking is actually good for you?  Well Chesterfield cigarettes are just down right good for you and they have studies to back that fact up!  In fact cigarettes were so healthy for you back then that you could walk a mile for a Camel and not even be out of breath!

 I am unsure what happened between then and now. The once healthy habit that calmed us, tasted nice and fresh, made us glamorous and had doctors telling us how good smoking was is a thing of the past. The Marlboro man is dead, doctors now recommend that you do not smoke and smokers are dropping dead like flies and they cost too much.

I still want a cigarette and quite honestly quitting sucked and once in a while I still chase the smell of a Camel when walking down the street but I am glad I do not have to pay over 7 bucks for a pack to support my habit and stuff my emotions.  I suppose if we still had these snazzy old ads, maybe I would not have quit. What I know is there were great slogans to get us to pick up that smoke, and I miss the old ads.