The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-13
The Nine Lives Of tho Cigarette.

Conclusive proof has recently been
Afforded that opinions still differ, and diff
fer widely, in high places concerning the
effect of cigarette smoking upon young
people. Last week Governor MURPHY
of New Jersey vetoed the Anti-Cigarette
bill proposed by the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union of that State, pro-
hibiting the sale Of cigarettes to boys
under sixteen years ofage. The bin found
numerous enemies in the Legislature,
and the Governor, in rejecting it, in
scribed thereon this comment:
Most boys at sixteen smoke. and generally
without injury. This bill. u approved. could not
DO enforced
Whether or not Governor MURPHY ex-
pressed in this declaration the prevail
ing sentiment Of his State. we can
not say. Between his views, however,
and those advanced the other day by the
House Of Commons In Canada, We find
an exceedingly strong and bewildering
contrast. This Canadian body adopted,
by largo majority, the following rsso-
lutions, practically denouncing the cigar
cite among minors as the root and main
spring Of destruction:
THAT the smoking Of cigarettes has been proved
BY overwhelming testimony 70 be productive Of
serious physical and moral injury 70 young peoples
impairing health, arrestins development. weak
ening Intellectual power. and thus constituting .
social and national evil.
The legislation licensing and restricting the sale
hss sufnc "a "a
these evils which will continue while tho public
sale of the cause OF the mischief 10 permitted
70 60 on
THAT this House 10 Of the opinion, for the reasons
hereinbefore set forth. that the night and most
enectusi legislative remedy for these evils TO be
found In the enactment and enforcement Of law
prohibiting the Importation. manufacture and sale
OF cigarettes
OF course, this does not mean that
. the importation, manufacture and
sale Of cigarettes will henoeforth be
forbidden in Canada; it means, simply,
that the efforts Of the reformers there,
who have bean uncommonly active dur
ing the past year or two. have been sue
oessful, 30 far as concerns the creation
of public sentiment In the matter.
Experience has shown that the coffin
nail is a mighty hard nail TO drive.
Parliaments have decreed against the
sale Of 1t to youngsters, and Legislatures,
in our own country, have done like
wise. School and college authorities on
both sides of the water have endeavored
to discourage cigarette smoking among
students. Anti-cigarette leagues. great
and small. have fiourished and died.
Doctors, individually and collectively,
have startled the world with their reports
on the little paper-wrapped weed and
its pernicious influence. and thousands
have shuddered at the thought Of the
doom that awaited them, II all OF the
doctors warnings were true.
Has the number OF cigarette smokers
decreased In the United States, The
crusaders tell us that 1t has, and the
figures showing the extent Of the cigar
cite industry in the past four or five
years seem to bear out their statement.
But 1t cannot be said that the decrease
has been sufiiciently marked 10 impress
the ordinary observer.
What will DO the result Of the present
movement in Canada remains to be seen.
In all probability, however, the COM
plete determination Of the cigarette in the
Dominion is long way of.