The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-07-13
Cigarette Smoking Among Boys.

oA5"h WV Fhhio"S Ivy
The little cigarette, so harmless in it's
appearance and so blighting in its effect.
is one of those things which seem to
thrive on denunciation. The more it is
shown up as something which is ruinous
to its devotees the greater it's popularity
seems to become.
Since the passage of the state law pro
hibiting the sale of cigarettes aud tobacco
in other forms to little boys, Il manner of
prohibition which does not prohibit, the
boys of 10 and over have found them.
selves called upon to act as middle
men"-to buy the cigarettes for the
smaller boys and retain two or three by
way of commission. When the cigarettes
have been obtained the next thing is to
find safe hiding place for them until
they can be used, if, as is generally the
case, the boys parents forbid smoking
After school, in the evening, is the time
when lie thinks he can enjoy the luxury
of smoking without detection, and when
his precious package in his hand and is
soon joined by one or more envious com
panions. To get light is sometimes a
task of real difficulty. To ask for matches
at home or to be seen taking them would
lead to discovery. AS a result, he has to
apply to every man not known to him
who passes by until he gets a light.
There is scarcely man in the city ex-
cept policemen who is not frequently ac-
costed during the evening by boys and
asked for match or two. Before the
passage of the tobacco law the boys could
light their Ct garettes at any tobacconist's
Now they feel delicacy about it. but
the light is obtained in some way, and,
if no other method is within reach he
climbs to a street. lamp, opens it and
lights his cigarette at the gas jet, not al
ways taking time to close the lamp.
Should larger boy pass by while the
cigarettes are being enjoyed he not infre-
little fellow does not feel any the less ag.
grived because be cannot complain to bis
parents of the injury.
Cigarettes have hold upon the per-
sons who use them far stronger than any
other form of tobacco has. They are
largely used by men who attribute their
ill-health directly to cigarettes and yet
seem disinclined to abandon their USE
Two cases of suicide of Baltimoreans of
late years have been traced by medical
authorities direct to the habit of smoking
an excessive number of cigarettes. What
ever its eff, cts on boys may be, they all
look for one result at first, and that is to
get very sick.
When boy begins to feel "qualmish"
from smoking IN the company of other
boys he tries with all his power to CON-
ceal the fact, for boys are about as SYM
pathetic in such cases as cats. He at
first ceases to take any interest in what
ever may be engaging the attention of
his companions and takes no part in their
conversation. He begins to feel that 9
must be getting very white, and then he
wipes the cold Precipitation from his |
brow. Another boy addresses remark |
to him, and instead of answering he SIM |
ply responds by & astly smile, and his |
eyes roll in very curious manner. Then |
he is discovered, and his companions be-
gin to talk about fat pork, and recon-
;,.h ~ -,
other ways try to divert his mind until |
he breaks down and creeps away into |
some retired spot, where the involuntary |
muscles of his body create the impression |
that he is trying to eclipse all contortion. |
lists by turning himself inside out. But |
if one experience of this kind proves suf- |
ficient to make him stop smoking cigal-
cites, he is wiser or more fortunate than |
most boys.
Chewing tobacco, although the most
unpleasant, to others. as a method of using |
the weed, is the least injurious. What is
inexplicable to the people OF this state is
that men throughout the West and in
such Northern states as New York use
any kind of tobacco, except that which |
has the natural flavor of the plant. Sugar,
moldsses, rum, extract of vanilla and
other articles are used to make "sweet
tobacco, in which there is no taste of
tobacco at all. 1t is the only kind which
men care to chew in the West and North.
In Maryland and the South generally
natural tobacco, which retains the full
flavor of the plant, is almost universally I
used.