Another Habit

Another Habit



Forty-five years ago, it was cool to smoke cigarettes. Children, myself included, would feel cool about smoking. There was a product called candy cigarettes at the grocery stores. I haven’t seen this product for many years. They came in a little box which had some of the names and logos of the major brand cigarettes of the era.

I thought I was cool sucking on that candy with the little red end on the tip. I was acting like an adult.another-habit.jpg

The manufacturer was training me to feel cool about smoking, just as the big people were doing. That product helped hook me onto smoking cigarettes for more than thirty-five years. Do I blame them? No. They were in business to make a profit.

I wasn’t thinking about or looking at what was happening. People told me not to smoke. I didn’t listen. The good advice was there; I did not accept the advice.