I’m a fine one to be giving advice on quitting smoking - I’m a puffer and it’s a very bad habit with me - it’s one of the worst - booze? I kicked that - I just made up my mind that there would be two situations under which I would abstain from the affluence of inkahol .
1)When alone
2)In company
And I guess that’s what I’ll have to do once I quit the weed.
There is some advice I’m perfectly qualified to give - that is to tell you(if you are not a smoker) not to start.
I was 13.
Here’s a little poem I wrote a long time ago:
I remember my first cigarettes
They were Matinees and they came in
a yellow box.
But that was in the day when smoke
meant a long cool french inhale
Grass?
Grass was something green on which we lay in splendour.
I remember how it was in the mornings - first thing, I’d get out of bed - out to Dad’s car to swipe a couple of smokes.
I remember going to a restaurant called the Cozy Grill - it was decorated in pink and black - the Bee Bop a Loola days -
the world was just getting used to Elvis Presley and at the same time, the song Picnic & Moonglow was hitting the top of the chart.
I remember being with two girls who wore exactly what I wasn’t allowed to be wearing - white silk scarves on their necks, brotherhood jackets and a whole lot of makeup.
I remember Judy - her boyfriend - older - at least 17 - he was a real hood type - slicked back hair - James Dean rebel - absolutely fascinating to a 13 year old.
He said to me: Hey! Why don’t you inhale?
I said: Oh, I can’t do it.
He said: Sure ya can - and he demonstrated the French inhale - how you let the smoke drift idly from your lips and up into your nose - you draw the smoke up through your nose - give me shelter!
I went home, so impressed with this, that I practiced it. I got so good at it, that I progressed to smoke rings. I could blow rings as big as my room. That’s where I entertained the neighbour’s kids. Everybody loved watching me blow these rings and doing that French inhale thing.
I actually charged them a nickel each to watch - it bought my smokes for the week - back then, I could make a small deck of’em last the whole week.
The habit progressed - of course.
Now! About a deck a day! Too much! Just can’t leave it alone.
My advice again:
Do not start smoking!
Do not start smoking ANYTHING!
Do not start any habits that you will find hard to quit as you get older.
I listen to old time radio shows that my husband downloads for me from the web - can you believe those commercials actually said the following:
More and more doctors are changing to Camels!
In Toronto, there’s a by-law that’s going to be starting in a few days - there will be no smoking in public places!
I’m mad as a wet hen, but I have to admit, it needs to be done.
I figure if one person this reaches does not start smoking, then all will have been worth the words here.
OK - I’ll get off my soapbox.