Call For Philip Morris!

Got a smoke? Filtered, flavored, pack or box?

We were told in 1964, FIFTY YEARS AGO, that smoking was bad for our health. Some of us, including me, had already been smoking for several years. As a note of full disclosure, I had my first cigarette in February, 1961 when I was nine. By 1964, I was smoking at least a half pack a day.

On Monday evening it was reported that the Marlboro Man, Eric Lawson, died from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, COPD. He was 72. 

How many of us baby boomers were actually brainwashed by the Marlboro commercials, as well as, (I'd walk a mile for a) Camel, Kool, Winston (tastes good like a cigarette should) and the best one, (four out of five doctors recommend) Lucky Strike (for better health)? Or, watching Ricky and Lucy lighting up several times in each episode? Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore? And so many others?

In December, 1995, I smoked my last cigarette. At that point, I was smoking at least three packs a day for about 15 years. Of course, the lower the tar and nicotine content was, the more I smoked. I am sure many of you who were in my position did, and may still be doing the same.

The problem in 2014, sadly, is that so many of our children or grandchildren are smoking, even with all the evidence of its dangers. There have been no radio or TV ads since January 1971. Also, outdoor advertising was banned in 1997, including sports arenas, stadiums, billboards etc. In 2003, magazine publishers and tobacco companies ceased the placement of ads in school library editions of Time, People, Sports Illustrated, and Newsweek. 

Cigarette ads, however, are still permitted in newspapers and magazines in general circulation.

So, we have the office of the Surgeon General, a part of HHS, warning of the dangers of smoking. The Department of Agriculture is paying subsidies to tobacco farmers who grow a cash crop. What is wrong with that picture? Do you find it to be somewhat ironic and hypocritical at the same time as well as, illogical?

Our teens and young adults are attracted to this terrible, dirty and dangerous habit. Yet, the allure of doing something daring or basically, defying their parents, seems to be the allure. As a generation, baby boomers have successfully reduced our participation from over 60% to fewer than 20% of our demographic. But our kids haven't seen the light, no pun intended, yet. 

Hopefully, they will see that Eric Lawson's demise will be their fate.