Today’s the Great American Smoke-Out, kinda like ‘Weedless Wednesday” every January in Canada, eh.

It’s the one day, smokers take a shot at trying to kick the habit…hopefully, for good.

It always amazes me when I see people today who still smoke despite the great education and awareness we have…way more than 20 or even 30 years ago.

Some of my friends still smoke…some family members do and I still cringe when I watch them.

The thought of putting this crap into your lungs and your body blows my mind. Here’s a breakdown…

Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 different chemicals. At least 50 are known carcinogens (cause cancer in humans) and many are poisonous.

Benzene (petrol additive), Formaldehyde, (embalming fluid), Ammonia (toilet cleaner), Acetone (nail polish remover) Tar, Nicotine (insecticide/addictive drug), Carbon Monoxide (CO) (car exhaust fumes),Arsenic (rat poison), Hydrogen Cyanide (gas chamber poison)

If that’s not enough to scare you cigarette-less, I don’t know what else could…maybe seeing pictures of blackened lungs…or watching your loved ones die from emphysema, cancer, heart disease or watch as their skin prematurely wrinkles, making them looks years beyond their true age.

I’ve tried smoking and never have liked it… frankly, it disgusts me and being around it sickens me.

I’m highly allergenic to it and at one point had acute emphysema from 2nd hand smoke…I also blame my asthma on 2nd hand smoke…being around my mother growing up…my ex-wife and all her friends and fellow co-workers at radio stations where I’ve worked throughout my career.

It was really pisses me off driving behind some knob who decides to toss their lit butt out their car window going 120 kms per hour and having it hit my windshield…just imagine if I were a biker and got smoked in the face with a lit butt going at that speed.

The main reason I HATE smoking is cuz I tried it at a very young age…and I mean VERY YOUNG… like 5 years old !

Yes, I was a very precious child which was actually a blessing for me.

I despised it then and despite it today.

All I can say is good luck to you if you’re trying to kick the habit…I understand it’s an incredibly hard addiction to quit… just think… in Canada at around $10 a pack…if you smoke a pack a day, it means you’re spending $3,650 a year… over 20 years= $73,000… enough to more than pay for 1 kid’s education…buy several moderately priced cars…many trips for 2 anywhere in the world…and one hell of a down payment on a house !

But the most important part is how smoking shortens your life due to heart and lung disease and contributes to many other ailments.

Good luck and God bless