Cigarette Smoking: Concerned Post

Sitting on the patio, waiting for my roommate to bring the house key....Darn I'm cold, a trench would really come in handy right about know and maybe a cigarette or three. When I was a kid my dad used to smoke. I guess he must have been for the longest while because even when he washed he still reeked of it. He had this leather jacket that he liked wearing in the evenings when he went out,ciggie between his fingers and I used to think.."wow,my dad is cool" . He used to be BTW, an awesome guy(who's dad isn't when you are 10?) My dad can kick your dad's ass and all that. I'd smell ciggs somewhere and I'd look out for my dad...I felt safe and protected. Those days of the old sportsman ad of a chap who'd run laps of a field with kenyan track wear and it felt so patriotic



He used to work late and when he came home he'd wake my sisters and I to keep him company while he ate supper. He'd bring tons of foodies and candy( and he asks,where did I get cavities..SMH)
I used to look forward to late nights with him, even stay up late on a school night waiting for him.
I'm not a smoker though. Can't! not even because it's  bad for me or nothing like that but even if I try, I can't seem to inhale( Ironically,It got me suspended from school once. The sticks were not mine though- scout's honor. It was just hard luck :-)


 


Back then in a certain Sunday School session the teacher asked the class "Who smokes"?
boy: Another one in Village market
boy 2: Gangsters  (Years later I see gangsters in Nollywood movies always smoke like it's in the script or something)
me: Dad!!.... Shit I embarrassed him, I didn't know then,I was young
It is a rotten behavior and when I got older I'd see him try books, patches, gum. Eventually he did quit.
To most people I know (hi mom), it is repulsive and if she ever caught me, she'd pelt me with rotten fruit. I thank God I do not smoke(which is hard to explain to my counselor yet I was refer ed to her for that reason)
 We all know the DANGERS
You are well aware of the fact that today smoking is not permitted in any public building. Likewise, smoking is banned even in outdoor gatherings in many places. Most of these non-smoking laws are sane and sensible pieces of legislation that are designed to protect the public health but here are some weird smoking laws I read on the internet


in New Orleans, Louisiana, where practically everything is legal, it is against the law for anyone who is participating in carnival or a parade to smoke. Not only that but every float entered in a parade must have a highly visible “No Smoking” sign attached to it.

In Illinois in the little town of Zion, persons are not allowed to give lighted cigars to domesticated animals. The law actually names dogs and cats but the wording seems to include hamsters, gerbils and goldfish as well. So…no matter how much your goldfish begs for a cigar, it is illegal for you to give him one.

New Jersey is, of course, famous for going the extra mile. While you expect to see “Do not Feed the Animals” signs, in New Jersey zoos, you’ll also find signs that tell you not to give cigars, cigarettes or whiskey to the animals. Hmmm….since only whiskey isn’t allowed, maybe it would be okay to give a hippo a cold beer.

In New Port, Rhode Island, it’s perfectly legal to smoke a pipe but only during daylight hours. It’s illegal to smoke a pipe after sunset. Go figure.

In a little town in Missouri, teenagers can buy loose tobacco and rolling paper but they cannot buy a cigarette lighter. Aw, geez….and matches are SO hard to come by!

People are funny. Laws are written by people so, it stands to reason that we get some funny (off the wall….weird) laws.