bch@mcnc.UUCP (Byron C. Howes) (11/06/85)
I have said this before and perhaps it bears repeating. Smoking is not
a rational behavior. It is a physiological addiction compounded by
psychological factors. If you have never smoked or never been addicted
to nicotine there is simply no way you can understand.
Telling horror stories doesn't get people to stop any more than death
sentences prevent murder. Murderers don't think they're going to get
caught. Smokers don't believe they're going to get cancer.
I smoked 2 packs a day for 20 years. I've been smoke free for six months
and intend to stay that way. When I quit, however, it was my own decision
and for my own reasons. The people who helped me most were the people who
were genuinely concerned about me as a person rather than as the potential
host for some variety of noxious disease.
Pointing fingers, guilt, stating the obvious, surgeon generals'
reports, warning labels, barring advertising, etc. etc. don't solve
anything. Caring does. It's too bad we've come so far in being able
to deal with alchoholics and alchoholism but are seemingly unable to
deal with nictotine addiction in as reasonable a way.
--
Byron C. Howes
...!{decvax,akgua}!mcnc!ecsvax!bch