Tobacco

I seem to see a lot of younger folks smoking. I am not going to preach an anti-smoking sermon. I smoked, a lot, for about 45 years. Recently, I have had a severe sinus infection and there is nothing like having difficulty breathing to get your attention. Well, as I coughed my brains out while trying to smoke during this infection, my brain, as dysfunctional as it sometimes is, got the message. I quit.

It really has not been bad  I use nicotine lozenges and walk a lot. On the past, I tried everything and time and again, lasted about a week. I seem to have finally gotten over this awful habit.

I grew up around heavy smokers, but they started before we knew the health risks. Also, in those days, a pack of cigarettes cost about a quarter. There really is no excuse for those my agel we were just dumb, but at least they were still cheap.

I don't quite understand the younger smokers I see.. They certainly knew the hazards and the darn things cost $5 a pack(yes, there are cheaper brands, but they taste4 awful and I', not too sure what they really are). This is decidedly not practical. Add to that, the cost they add to your medical issues, the fact that insurance is much higher for smokers and the fact thatthey impair your breathing and, ultimately slow you down, and there is no excuse.

In addition, more and more, smokers are treated almost as social outcasts, and believe me, when you stop, you realize how vile they smell and begin to understand other's negative reaction. All in all, there is little positive about the whole foul habit.

If you smoke, do whatever it takes, therapy, drugs, hypnosis, anything it takes, but quit. If you are young, don't start and if you do, realize than it is much easier to quit after a few months than it is after 45 years Plus, a half a pack a day, at $5 a pack runs you  somewhere around $875 a year, and I'm sure you can find better uses for that money.