These cigarette ads from yesteryear are shocking. Perhaps one day our descendants will be equally shocked when they look at present day ads for betting and gambling organisations. I hope so.
Imagine sending your loved ones packs of cigarettes for Christmas! That's like sending them time bombs or vials of deadly viruses. But of course back then they didn't know better did they?
Actually, "they" - the tobacco companies did know better - but they suppressed the health information as they wanted to keep the money rolling in. Often, through different forms of bribery, they were secretly in league with leading politicians.
I confess that I smoked cigarettes from 1974 to 1988 - fourteen years and for most of those years it was twenty a day. Looking back, I can hardly believe how stupid I was to take up that disgusting habit. However, I haven't smoked a single cigarette in the last thirty six years and that makes me feel rather better about myself.
This is how I managed to give up. It was the summer of 1988 and our second baby was on her way. I had failed to give up in 1984 - the year that our Ian was born but this time I was utterly determined.
I took my newly purchased golden pack of "Benson and Hedges" out to our dustbin and I broke up all the cigarettes inside - crushing them to bits then I ripped up the golden box and tossed that in the bin too. I rubbed my hands and all the tobacco was gone. Then I went inside and washed my hands in the kitchen sink.
In that instant I had become a non-smoker once again. I was not playing around, not pretending, not playing mind games with myself. It was over and as I say, I have not had a puff on a cigarette since. In fact, I have grown to be revolted by the foul stench of cigarette smoke. Horrible!
I have never smoked a cigarette in my life. As a kid I found the smell disgusting and wanted no part of it, so I never even tried it.
ReplyDeleteYou are very lucky that you never succumbed Bob.
DeleteYou have to be kidding. I smoked B&H from the time I was 14 years old until 1986. (See what I did there?) I did quit during my pregnancies, and when I was nursing a babe, I would light Farhad's for him and that was it. But the minute those babes were off the breast?.....a pack a day!! I still miss it when I have my glass of red some evenings but, to be honest, I could not $ afford $ that terrible habit these days!!
ReplyDeleteSo you smoked for just eight years?
DeleteThe only one of those ads that surprises me is the pregnant lady one. I don't remember seeing one like that here. You're right about politicians and cigarette companies being in cahoots.
ReplyDeleteGiving up smoking was the hardest thing I ever did.
ReplyDelete