Have you ever been out to eat with your family at a restaurant and notice the smell of smoke on your cloths and in your hair when you returned home? Did it upset you? Were you frustrated? This exact situation happens to me all the time. For those who choose not to smoke, the idea of smelling like smoke is just aggravating. So tonight I want to make a point ……. for most non-smokers the irritations of smelling like smoke is far more than the smell, it’s the knowing how dangerous smoking is for the smoker and everyone around them and being forced to be around it. So let’s get started.
Today’s smokers are much different than smokers were 2,000 years ago. More than 2,000 years ago natives used tobacco as a medicine and for religious purposes. The Mayan Civilizations used tobacco as incense and burned it to ask gods for rain during droughts. Now today we would never hear of such. Smoking is so common to most every culture that it is never given a second thought when seen in public. Today many tobacco substances are available. For example, cigarettes, cigars, chews, and snuff can be found in any store with many different brands and flavors to choose from. This may be great for “Smokers” but very unfortunate for those of us who don’t smoke. So what is it about a cigarette that makes it so addicting? According to Health Canada, an on-line web page, “Using any form of tobacco, including smoking cigarettes, cigars, and pipes, or using chewing tobacco or snuff, can rapidly lead to addiction. The substance in tobacco that causes addiction is called nicotine along with many other chemicals. Nicotine is a stimulant that causes us to temporarily feel good or energized. This substance is found in tobacco plants. A large enough dose of pure nicotine 40-60 milligrams which is equivalent to a few drops can kill a grown person. If you are depressed, it can provide a short boost. It also causes the release of natural chemicals in our brain called beta-endorphins. These...