Stinky hair and clothes. Yellow teeth. Bad breath. Wrinkles. Cancer. Oh, and death. SMOKING IS AWESOME!!!!! It seems to me that there really aren't any benefits to smoking (well, unless you consider looking like Keith Richards a positive thing). Before Isla was born, Lindsey and I let our parents know that if they wanted to hold her, they couldn't have any cigarettes beforehand, and they would have to wash their hands profusely to get any smell/residue off of themselves. We had hoped that this tactic would make them quit smoking altogether, but alas, it has not. I completely understand and appreciate that it is a difficult addiction to kick, but I want them to get healthy. There are nearly 500,000 deaths per year from smoking related illnesses, and I don't want to see them become a statistic. In the past, my ways of trying to get them to stop smoking has ranged from stealing and destroying their cigarettes to being extremely sarcastic about their smoking to just being downright rude about it. As I have gotten more mature (on a relative basis to my own levels of maturity), I've realized that I was going about this the wrong way. If my random acts have taught me anything, it is that I need to be more of a support system for them since quitting an addiction has got to be tough. The American Cancer Society Great American Smoke Out is today, and it gave me the inspiration to help my mom, stepdad and mother-in-law all quit smoking. So today, for my random act of kindness, I am going to start encouraging (in a positive way) my parents on their mission to quit smoking. I am going to stay on top of them in their attempts to kick this nasty habit, but rather than just be rude about it, I am going to realize it is a tough process. Hell, I might even start bugging my friends who smoke about quitting too.
You forgot "Dry lips" ;)
ReplyDeleteexcellent post!!! My friend's drapes reeked of smoke. Hated going there.
ReplyDeleteAs a recovering smoker (there is no such thing as an ex-smoker) of just over 2 years after having the habit for over 40 I can honestly tell you that an offer of support is far more constructive than any other type of action. In fact constantly raising the issue is similar to putting a bottle in front of a recovering alcoholic - not helpful at all. Well done Ryan!!
ReplyDeleteI quit smoking in July of this year after 39 years smoking! 4 months now! I did not realize how smoke permeated my home and clothing until I quit.I did it cold turkey & so happy I did. It was not as hard as I thought it would be. I feel great and hope my kids see the benefits & quit now too.So just try quiting,you'll be surprised at how much you LIKE not smoking!
ReplyDeleteDebbie B.