The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-03
CIGARETTE SMOKING.
Reasuns For Opposing the
Practice by Boys.
Given by Charles H. Stow-ll, ". D., Treasurer
and General Manager Of the J. C. Aver
Co. lowell, Mass.

IA rational consideration of the effects
of smoking cigarettes on boys and young
men. By Chas. H. Stowell, M. d., Treas
urer and General Manager of the ]. C.
Aver Co., Lowell Mass.]
l would give the following reasons for
opposing the smokingl of cigarettes by
boys under q years of age:
1. 1t Lessons the Natural Appetite for
Food and Injuries Digestion.-Any close
observer will know at once how true is
this statement. The boy who smokes has
a bad digestion and a poor appetite. Be-
cause of this interference with appetite
and digestion, the food is not properly
digested and assimilated, cellular activity
is checked, and the growth and develop
ment of the body seriously interferred
with by this early poisoning.
2. 1t Seriously Affects the Nervous Sys-
tem.-We often hear about the tobacco
heart" of the adult. If tobacco is strong
enough to affect the beating of the adult
heart, how much stronger must be it's
effect on the heart of a young person,
long before tissues have become fixed
The rush of blood to the head, the dizzi-
ness, the unsteady beating of the heart,
tie uISlTtSSl0S QTcdmS-dlI SIlOW nOW
seriously is the nervous system affected.
But a more serious charge can be
brought against it under this heading.
This effect on the nervous system is suf-
ficient to produce the most marked
changes in the mental activity Recent
statements from the University of Michi-
gan, Northwestern University, Yale Col
lege, Union College, together with scores
n other ipS and a1c IF tho
most eminent teachers of the country,
all testify to the fact that cigarette
smoking inerferes with scholarship. If
it interferes with the scholarship of
young men over twenty one years of age,
how much more seriously must it inter-
fere with the mental activities of those
under this age!
8. 1t Lowers the Moral Tone.-Another
most serious charge against the cigar
cite is that it lowers the moral tone
Boys who would not tell a lie on any
other matter, not for fortune, our best
and noblest boys, do not seem to hesi-
tate moment to- tell any kind of false
hood in order to keep from their parents
the fact that they are smoking cigarettes.
They hide the cigarettes. They smoke
them away from home They try in every
will do all manner of things in order to
deceive those who are nearest and dear
est to them.
4. 1t Creates a Craving for Strong
Drink.--There has been a great deal of
discussion on this point, but l am con-
WINGED that the statement is logically
true. The hot smoke from the cigarette
tends to make the mouth and throat
1rxy 1raA to Ito. trlyi
tion in the stomach. Water may tenn
porarily relieve this dryness and may
temporarily check the sinking sensation.
But with the moral tone lowered and the
mental power weakened, the desire to
yield to the first temptation is strength
ened, because of the Shiny excuse that
the boy must have something to wet his
throat. And SO it goes, from bad to
worse. In other words, the boy who
smokes more easily accepts an invitation
to treat than one who does not smoke.
5. 1t is a Filthy and Offensive Habit
No matter how stealthily the boy may
do his work, sooner or later his clothing
becomes saturated with the odor of to-
bacco. And let me add right here, one
of the most inexplicable things in this
world is that a we'll dressed, highly ac-
complished young lady will sit by the
side of young man in a carriage or
street car. or will walk by his side in
the street, or will submit to inhaling
this most offensive odor-bad at all
times but of course increased a thou
sand fold when the smoking macine is
in full operation.
6. 1t is Expensive.-Boys should not
be taught how to uselessly expend money.
Parents, friends, and teachers should
give directly the opposite advice.
z. 1t is Unlawful.-In nearly every
State in the Union there are most
stringent laws forbidding the furnish
ing of cigarettes or tobacco to minors
under a certain age. In most of these
States there are laws against selling to
such minors. Take the District of Column
bia; we find that 257 physicians, ga Of
ficers and teachers of the public schools,
the trustees of the public schools, and
sc pastors of churches petitioned Con-
gress for the passage of a bill pro-
hibiting the selling, giving, or furnish
ing tobacco to any person under sixteen
years of age.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Believing that smoking cigarettes is
Injurious to both mind and body, there
Dy uniting young men IOf InelF DeSL
work; therefore, after this date we will
not employ any young man under q
years of age who smokes cigarettes.
J. c. AVER co.
February, 1902
8. Cigarette Smoking not Allowed.-1t
seems to me that these reasons are
sufficient for the action taken in postir
throughout our buildings the above an
nouncement. A close observation for
many years among the boys employed
by this company has shown that those
who are most energetic, active, alert,
quick, spry, do not smoke, while the
listless, lazy dull, sleepy, embarrassing
and uninterested boys are those who
smoke.-Reprint from The Business
World, May, 1902.