Smoking has never appealed to me. I’m allergic to it. When I was a child, the slightest exposure would set off a series of uncontrollable sneezes, now I simply get red itchy eyes and a head ache. I still don’t like it and I wish everyone was allergic.
My uncle just suffered his second heart attack; he’s 51 and has been an avid smoker since he was quite young. His first attack was about a year ago, since then he’s stopped drinking, but like many of us, he has that one vice that he just can’t give up. His is smoking. Mine is probably caffeine, and I’m sure that someone could present an argument similar to this about how I am slowing deteriorating my health…I know I get it…I’m not free from indulgence of some sort. Am I saying that smoking is the worst thing in the world? No. Am I judgmental for hating his habit? Maybe. My intention, however, is not to be judgmental, I want him to know that his habit is slowly taking him out of our lives. He grew up in a place and time that smoke was acceptable; I don’t remember his father without a cigarette in his hand. Guess how my grandpa died? I fear my last images of my uncle are going to be an oxygen tank following behind him everywhere he goes, only left behind when he lights up. That’s not how I want to remember him. Before he was released from the hospital he tried to get his brothers to buy him some cigs. Again, that’s not how I want to remember him.
Beginning January 1, 2008 a law ( Smoking Stinks ) came into effect that allows officers to cite people smoking in cars with minors present. Though this law won’t help my uncle I am happy that our state is pushing for more restrictions on a bad habit that equally hurts others. My uncle was a passive smoker (2nd hand) far before he became a smoker. I don’t know how much of that has to do with his recent turn for the worse, but I know it didn’t help. This law puts a positive spin on this not so positive experience and again, even though it doesn’t help my uncle, it does deter (I hope) a lot of other people from exposing their children to a destructive habit.
Get better, uncle. And please, stop smoking.
3 comments:
It's so weird to me that this is a law. I hate smoking, and I hate when children are subjected to their parents' poor choices, but a law? Damn the man.
Ha...yeah a little shocking, but I like the man this time.
I hope he gets better too. At this point it's hard to feel sorry for him when he's doing this to himself. I think it's even sadder that to watch dad have to deal with it..frustrating. Thanks for sharing the info on the new law...I love it! People who smoke with kids are idiots..judgemental, YES lol. Now the new law about cell phones and head sets..gag me haha.
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