Hard to believe

…that these advertisements took place in the last 50-70 years. Illustrates how much we’ve learned in a very short time, comparatively. I think they’re kind of funny, in a tragic sort of way.

Remember when smoking was allowed everywhere? When people smoked on airplanes, in movie theaters, in the grocery, the bank, and in schools? When doctors smoked in their offices?

This isn’t a nicotine bashing, and I’d prefer it not turn into that. Lots of people I love have been and still are smokers, so please temper your comments about it; we all know it’s an unhealthy habit. Rather, my point this morning is to illustrate how long it took for modern medicine to figure out that smoking was bad, especially since folks have smoked for over 200 years.

So that is what I wonder this day. Forty-eight more hours, forty-eight more hours, forty-eight more hours…

9 thoughts on “Hard to believe

  1. Suzanne

    I remember when I was a kid and we’d be playing in the living room while Mom did her lesson plans at the dining room table. She was a smoker and I remember the smoke just hanging in the air….we didn’t think anything of it back then. Was probably a big reason why I was sick a lot with “a respiratory ailment”.

    Reply
    1. Rat Fink Post author

      Ah-ha. Our parents never smoked, but I think if they had, the second-hand effects would have been significant. I remember going to my grandma’s house, where everyone smoked, and not even thinking about it. Bizarre!

      Reply
  2. Rae

    God… I would give anything (almost anything) for Heffe to stop smoking. My little “trick” to say ‘I’ll start smoking until you stop!’… that’s a little difficult to imagine me actually following through with. Though, he is mindful – but the skin on his hands and face are SO dry from constantly washing them every time he smokes when he’s around me. I won’t even take so much as a handshake from him! Bummer for all parties involved… I say.

    Reply
    1. Rat Fink Post author

      I’ve never understood the power of the addiction, Rae, but from family and friends who are smokers, I know it’s all-powerful. I know people who would do without the necessities of life before they’d do without cigarettes; it’s that strong. I can only imagine how hard it is to walk away. But keep working on the boy!

      PS – how was your anniversary dinner?!?!

      Reply
  3. Ross

    Many of the early heads of the National Cancer Institute were heavy smokers. There’s a Time magazine cover introducing to the public the first head of the NCI, Clarence Cook Little, and he’s pictured smoking a pipe. Ken Endicott, the guy under whose leadership in the 1960’s the NCI grew by leaps and bounds smoked 3 packs a day. And the surgeon credited with the successful removal of the first cancer-stricken lung, Evarts Graham, was a chain smoker. By the way I can’t actually see the images in this entry- or any recent entry for that matter. Must be something with my browser? I hate computers. and browsers.

    Reply
    1. Rat Fink Post author

      Hey Ross, merry Christmas, pal! Interesting factoids about all the puffers in the health care industry. Amazing. And yep, it’s most likely your browser, unless other folks are having trouble seeing pictures too. I check the blog from my computer at school and on my phone and all looks good, but maybe someone else will pipe up (no pun intended) about it.

      Reply

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