The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-09-28
THE TOBACCO HABIT.
It's Spread Among the Young Boys
Causing Alarm In Several
European Countries.


the effect of tobacco smoking on the
adult, the opinion that it is deleterious
in the extreme on the young is unani-
nous and decided. Of late years juve-
nile smoking has been spreading like
an epidemic in all countries of the
world, and is attacking both the ply
steal and moral health of nations. In
France, in Germany, and in this coun-
try, efforts have been,made tottheck it's
further inroads. In some parts of Ger
many, as also in portions of the United
States, laws have been enacted pro-
hibiting persons under the age of IS
from smoking, and rendering it pun
ishdble offense for anyone to give or
sell tobacco to children. In France
numerous societies have been formed
for the suppression CT the vice. In no
country has this habit increased with
the young to a greater extent than in
England. The advent of tho cheap
cigarette is doubtless chiefly RESPONSE
Bile for this state OF affairs. To see boys
of seven or eight years putting their
cigarettes is quite a common occur
renee in London, and particularly is
this the case in the East end. How
ever. when a packet containing five
cigarettes can be bought for two cents,
the fact that smoking has become so
general can scarcely be wondered at.
Sir William Harcourt, ia his last speech
on the budget, referred to the large in
crease of revenue received from to-
bacco, in these words: 81 believe it is
mainly due to the great increase in the
consumption of cigarettes, which are
especially attractive to our youthful
population" He added: 81 am told
of one manufacturer who makes 2,00o,-
600 cigarettes day who hardly made
any few years ago. 1t has been pro-
posed in Great Britain, as remedy for
the evil, that the members of the med
ical profession should make move in
the matter, and urge on the managers
of schools the Importance of special
teaching exposing the har1nfulness of
juvenile smoking, and should also make
such representation to parliament and
the government as might lead to eff
Gent legislation. It is difficult to see
in what manner this vice can be
checked among children unless by re-
pressive measures. If the medical pro-
fesion in this country were to exert
themselves with a similar object in
view the habit might be yet stopped.
There is no question in the case of in.
reference with persons liberty, it is
simply a matter of health and morals.
In Paris, some months ago, at a meet
ing of the society against the abuse of
tobacco, it was decided to submit pc
tition to the chamber of deputies pray
ing that 'all telegraph messengers and
school boys should be prevented from
smoking, and also that tobacconists
should be forbidden to sell their wares
to mere infants whose lips should know
no other pleasure than the cheeks of
their mother" Though the wording
OF this petition is rather curious, 1t is
quite to the point. There is a humorous
side to the question of children smok-
ing. In a book on tobacco, lately pub
lished, is the following paragraph:
"It was the custom in England about
the middle of the seventeenth century
for children going to school to carry
in their satche1 with their books pipe
OF tobacco, which their mothers took
care to I'll early in the morning, it serv-
ing them If place Of breakfast. AT the
accustomed hour everyone laid aside
his book to light his pipe, the master
smoking with them, and teaching them
how to hold their pipes and draw in the
tobacco" At the present day Dutch
children smoke pipes, and little boys
Of five and seven years old calmly dis
cuss these .-calumets of peace as they
proceed to school. Still this does not
alter the fact that smoking Injuries the
health Of the young. The excessive use
of tobacco is harmful to many adults;
it tends to deteriorate the moral char
acter in the same way as the inordinate
use of choral OF bromide of potassium
will deprave the mind, by lowering the
tone of certain Of the nerve centers. If
this is SO with grown men, how much
moro forcibly must the case apply to
immature youths ?-Editorial in Pedia-
tries.