Beware! - forthcoming complaint may offend, horrify and confuse, so make of it what you will. Where do I start, M'mmm? Life, for what ever reason, has made me a smoker of hand-rolled cheroots since the age of 14. On my 64th birthday (now called the 'Day of the Pie'
) I calculated that I had smoked 1,465,000 hand crafted smokes of various blends (that's 80 per day for 50 years). Tiz my poison, for all men must have one, and have been known to smoke the bark from trees through a hollowed out gumnut and reed when conventional sources have been exhausted. Now I know what your going to say - "Give it up, you mad laughing fool. Don't you know it will kill you?" My response would be the same as it has always been to any medico that assumes me a fool. "My god, man, I had no idea. The government should run TV adds to alert the public. Pass a law that tobacco companies must place a warning on every packet, along with horrifying pics of the health consequences. Outlaw smoking in public places - including outdoors. I think its life that kills you," I conclude. Granted, a gratuitous response. And I have no problem with educating the stupid public of the obvious. But here's the rub. My weekly tobacco bill now exceeds my food bill, due to the erroneous tax. I cannot enjoy an after coffee cheroot el fresco at any coffee house, despite the choking fumes from the passing traffic. Criminals now see tobacco as the must do theft and break-in, diverting police resources. Smuggling is rife, diverting customs officials from more serious importations. Hospitals are STILL stretched and overflowing, despite the massive reduction in smoking. And last, but not least, I'm am shunned by all and sundry.
There ends my rant, of which I solicit no sympathy.
