Smoke

   Some things wear out their welcome. Slavery had it's day in the sun. It was O.K. to descriminate based on superficial qualities for some time. Wiping out species for sport, too, had it's era. But with social maturity, these things were eventually denounced, at least by the popular view. It is time, long past time, in fact, for an end to smoking. Cigarettes have had their 100 years or so(probably much longer) to shine, and most certainly have worn their welcome clean through. In the old days, everyone smoked. The movies glamorized smoking. People would smoke as guests on T.V. talk shows. Maybe it actually looked cool then. We know better now. It seems rediculously primitive to me as I see people in the year 2001 smoking as frequently as I did as a child. Have we really made no progress.
        When I was as young as twelve I noticed that some scoolmates had begun to smoke. I'd see them from the bus, walking home, happy that the day was through and that they could indulge in their newfound habit. At this early age the only kids who smoked were, how shall I say, from the wrong side of the reservation. In high school the number of smokers increased. The smokers still included the riff-raff with the addition of some more "well to do" kids who were of the hippie persuasion. What is really sad is what I noticed in college. The number of freshmen who take up smoking is heartbreaking. I can only guess they do it to fit in(with whom I can't say for sure).   All to often this leads to quite the long lasting habit which is detrimental to their health and bothers their friends and fellow students.        Living in a frat house where about half the live-ins smoked, I learned a lot about "smoking culture." It is a most pathetic circle, I must say. "Can I bum a smoke?," "Wanna have a smoke?," and "Smokey, smokey?," were commonly asked. Smoking at the house was allowed only outside, thank goodness, and it was laughable to see groups huddled on our porch in heavy jackets and boxer shorts in the dead of a Montana winter, sacrificing comfort to get their nicotine fix.
     Now I live in California, where smoking is not allowed inside of eating and drinking establishments. This regulation is great. It does not, however, discourage people from smoking. California has an appalling number of smokers. I know many people who "only smoke one or two cigarettes a day," or "only smoke when they drink." Give me a break. Smokers are slaves to their addiction. Seeing adults having to leave a restaurant or building so they can smoke outside conjures so much pity in me.
    To be honest, though, I don't care that smokers are at the mercy of their addiction. I don't care that it is bad for their health or that it makes them look homely. Quite frankly, they deserve it. I care that it has an unfailing knack for annoying me in restaurants, bars, casinos, and, at times, directly outside my own home. I hate having to respond "Not at all" when asked by a friend, "Mind if I smoke?" I hate that, in California especially, smokers have the nerve to flick their butts out of car windows, onto sidewalks, and into lawns. This happens constantly. Uncaring smokers simply casting their still burning stubs onto the ground. Unbelievable.
     I think smoking is an unmistakable trait of a scumbag. Smoking is the act of someone who has no reservations about damaging their own health, my health, and the environment.
It also shows weakness. I could never view a smoker as someone who is completely in control of their life. I am dissapointed that in this day and age smoking is something that still annoys me. It should have dissappeared long ago.    10 years from now, 20 years from now, will this entry be nothing more that a relic, or will it still be neccesary?
Lets hope smoking has burnt out by then.

                                                                          -Billy Six-Bears
                                                                           04/23/01