Greetings…

Yesterday, President Obama signed into law a measure against tobacco
companies that is aimed at preventing young kids from getting hooked
on smoking…

Obama said it would help stem the “constant and insidious barrage of
advertising” that draws millions of teens into a lifelong battle of
addiction and the struggle to quit for years and years…

The new law gives sweeping authority to the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration to regulate tobacco products and bans tobacco companies
from using youth-oriented gimmicks such as candy-, fruit- and
spice-flavored cigarettes and sponsoring athletic and entertainment
events with tobacco product brand names and logos…

Flanked by lawmakers who have fought tobacco companies for years,
Obama declared that his signature on the bill represented a significant
defeat for tobacco companies that tried to hook young customers…

“Their campaign has finally failed,” Obama said. “Today, change has come.”

As someone who gave up the “cancer sticks” three months ago, I applaud
his efforts to do whatever he can to help prevent anyone from getting
hooked on something that is probably the hardest thing to give up…

It’s a struggle and I won’t lie, I’m doing fine, but I think about
ciggies all the time and although I feel better than I ever did and
the electronic cigarette has been a miracle fix for me, I sometimes
wonder if the Devil showed up at my door and offered me a pack of my
regular brand of ciggies in exchange for my soul, depending on the
day, I’m not so sure I’d tell him to take a hike!

I know in time it will get easier and easier and I can’t wait for that
day, but the reason for today’s column is because of the way President
Obama was treated when he talked about his own smoking addiction and the
struggle to quit…

For Obama personally, he gave up cigarettes as part of a deal with
his wife, Michelle Obama, who wanted him to quit before he took on
the rigors of a presidential campaign. He swore off cigarettes and
started chewing Nicorette gum…

In recent weeks, though, aides to the president have acknowledged
that the president’s nicotine habit isn’t a thing of the past, which
started the 3rd degreee of questioning by reporters about his smoking…

A person charged with 20 serial murders didn’t seem to go under the
microscope like he did because of smoking. His press secretary was
hard pressed to answer if Obama is still smoking, when he smokes,
how much he smokes, where he smokes, etc. etc.

The disgust couldn’t be hidden and Obama seemed really embarrassed
and was forced to be defensive. Unless you are a smoker or have been
a smoker, you won’t understand why this ticks me off…

I KNOW smoking is bad, I KNOW smoking is dangerous, I KNOW smoking kills
millions a year, but for Pete’s sake, the guy didn’t commit a crime!
People were much more forgiving when George Bush admitted being an
alcoholic and cocaine snorter!!! (Please save the political arguments,
this isn’t about party affiliation)…

President Obama is HUMAN and fighting a battle I wish him the best in
fighting. He was as honest as he could be until the “smoke Nazis” started
and you could see him backing away from giving a direct answer and you
know what? I don’t blame him!

Maybe it’s still too soon for me to consider myself a non-smoker and maybe
one day I will feel like all those who would rather befriend a killer as
long as he/she doesn’t smoke, I sure hope not…

I will even go as far as saying I understand it from people who never
smoked and have always hated smelling it, but for those who did smoke
and fought the battle and won, have a little compassion…

What I said the week I quit smoking is still true…

Smokers are not evil, bad people…

Go after the drunks who get behind the wheel or the ones who insist on
texting when they are driving!!!