"Experience is a hard teacher. She gives the test first and the lessons afterwards." 

Here are just a few of the disturbing facts which have been gleaned from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website:  Cigarette smoking is the single most preventable cause of premature death in the United States. Each year, more than 400,000 Americans die from cigarette smoking. In fact, one in every five deaths in the United States is smoking related. Every year, smoking kills more than 276,000 men and 142,000 women. 

About 10 million people in the United States have died from causes attributed to smoking (including heart disease, emphysema, and other respiratory diseases) since the first Surgeon General's report on smoking and health in 1964, 2 million of these deaths were the result of lung cancer alone. 

Every year in the United States, premature deaths from smoking rob more than five million years from the potential lifespans of those who have died. 

On average, smokers die nearly seven years earlier than nonsmokers. 

Hmmm...now  if THESE above statements aren't enough to get you to think about giving up smoking  perhaps you are in need of  hearing a little bit more. I, of course, make no demands upon anyone to do anything, but I DO hope that all of my talking will cause you to THINK about your choice to smoke or not to smoke.

It is my belief that the majority of us tend to view ourselves as being unselfish people. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty well certain that we ALSO like to consider ourselves as being good, responsible caretakers, family members and friends to our loved ones.

When it comes to the raising of our precious children and/or the care of our treasured animal companions, according to various statistics that are out there, seeing as those most affected by secondhand smoke ARE our innocent children, I would appreciate it if you would pay close attention to this because since their pure bodies (in this case childrens') are still developing, exposure to the poisons in secondhand smoke puts children in danger of severe respiratory diseases as well as can hinder the growth of their still-developing lungs. On top of all this, the effects can last a lifetime! Now knowing what you have just read here, do you STILL believe you are being a good, responsible person when it comes to the welfare of our children and our animals? 

Now I am quite well aware that there are many, many people who hold onto the argument that trying to stop them from smoking is in violation of their right of a precious freedom of choice.  Please understand that it is not that I am AGAINST a human being having a free will of choice, oh NO! but what I AM against is if that SAME free choice somehow violates my, my loved ones or any OTHER innocent bystander's freedom of choice (i.e. our right to live as long and healthy a life as we possibly can) then I begin to become distressed because suddenly it is not just YOUR life and choices that we are talking about, but OTHERS' lives and choices as well.  This last sentence naturally brings me to the topic of smoking in any public place...of course by now you already must realize how I feel about THIS issue and if you said that I am for a person's right to smoke in their own private "smoking area" you would be absolutely, unequivocally, positively CORRECT! By "smoking area" I mean a nice, large room that has all the comforts of home, in which a person can relax while enjoying their smoke. I honestly do not understand why it is so very difficult for public establishments/institutions to create such a room in order that those who choose to smoke may do so without persecution. After all, I wouldn't want somebody who loves asparagus to try and push one down MY throat now would I? 

Well I guess that I've shared everything that I have come to this page to share.All I can do now is point you to my FAVORITE LINKS page and direct you to the category of SMOKING. Whether or not you decide to either never START smoking, CONTINUE smoking or STOP smoking is entirely up to YOU. 

Oh and by the way, my mom DID stop smoking (cold turkey no less) 25 years ago and her loved ones are sure grateful that she decided to do so!