The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-07-04
w. C. It. U. COLUMN.
A Chapter on Gig
arctic Day June %.

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arctic Day June %.
The use of cigarettes is one of the
greatest of evils. Cigarette smok-
ing is the most harmful form in
which tobacco is used.
This is not due to the presence of
more nicotine or other narcotic
drugs but they are especially damag-
ing to health because it is the habit
of those using them to inhale the
smoke. This act carries the nico-
tine down into the air spaces in the
lungs. Here it is much more read
ily absorbed than in the mouth. The
user of cigarettes is also more likely
to smoke to excess than one addicted
to the cigar or pipe. The use OF
the cigarette makes one more a
slave to the drug, so that when he
is deprived of it a longing desire
takes possession of him. He is un-
fitted for work or for enjoyment un-
til another dose of the poison has
been administered. AS an illustra-
ton will give the experience of one
held fast by the cigarette habit as
told by himself.
''It was at the age of six that
first began to smoke cigarettes. At
the age of fifteen they sent me away
to school. At eighteen l went to
college. Freed of all home ties and
restraint, I smoked to my hearts
content. At twenty-five l was a ner-
vous wreck. The doctors thumped
me over the heart and shook their
heads gravely. l had tobacco heart,
they told me, and my only hope of
evading a premature grave was to
stop smoking absolutely. l had fig
ured that l smoked from fifty to six
ty a day. ! resolved to cut this
number down. / did manage to get
along with about half that number,
but below that l could not go. Then
one day l took stock of myself.
Life was sweet and l had no desire
to die. 1 resolved to master the
cigarette habit or die in the attempt.
If 1 didn't 1 was going to die any
way. Once more l threw away my
tobacco and papers. And this time
l did not retrieve them. Time after
time 1 returned to the place where
l knew they lay just over a hedge
fence, but each time 1 managed to
control myself and walk away from
the spot.
THAT first night was one cres-
cendo of horror. 1 tossed restlessly
upon my bed. 1 thought of the
pleasure which one puff would give
me. Again and again 1 sat upon
the edge of my couch, fighting
against the desire to get up and
search my pockets for "scrapings"
enough to roll just one cigarette.
How l kept from doing so is more
than 1 know. Morning found me
gaunt and hollow-eyed. The craving
had me in it's grip. Breakfast sick
ened me because 1 hadn't braced my
stomach to receive it with my morn
ing cigarette. I ate no dinner and no
supper. Water alone would stay
down. This is only a portion of the
torment that I suffered for weeks.
They seemed like ages to me. The
smell of a cigarette would drive me
frantic. Cigars and pipe had never
appealed to me before. Now, l would
have almost parted with life itself
to have dared to smoke one. My
nights were one long series of toss
ings and tumblings upon my bed,
dropping off into doing only to
awaken because of the nightmares
which pursued me. And in each of
them the central figure was cigar
cite. By day time / was grouchy and
irritable. Harsh words came more
readily to my lips than kind. l al