The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1922-07-13

LIST prize in state essay contest
conducted by the w. c. T. w.
WHY THE HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT SHOULD FIGHT THE
CIGARETTE
BY Dingman Bajema
The statistics OF our country
show that the use of tobacco Is
increasing enormously; in fact
so rapid is the increase of con-
sumption of cigarettes, that to-
day, our annual consumption is
near the forty billion mark. In
1904, less than three and one
half billion were charged against
us. This means an increase OF
over one thousand per cent.
This increase is forever foster
ed by intensive advertising cam
paigns. Every where we see adj
vertisments for cigarettes.
Many young men who had
never before smoked, started the
filthy habit lover there" because
they were made to believe that
smoking was healthful and would
help them in their loneliness.
Thus tobacco is coming to be
used to an alarming extent by
the young men of our country
Why alarming? Because il
shows a lack of judgment on the
part of our intelligence, lack OF
ideals, morals, cleanliness. There
Is a weakness of character; a lack
Of that spirit that says, II WILL
keep my body and mind fit"
You may ask, where is the
proof for these statements?"
Tobacco is a very strong poi
son. 1t is used commercially as {
poison in agricultural work. The
products of combustion (wheI
tobacco is burned) also are dead
ly poisons. They are used, too
in deadening the activity Of thu
honey bee during hive work, t.
kill insects in greenhouses ant
other similar work,
Tobacco is fatal poison t.
the human body when applied
to an open wound, and cases o
fatal poisoning also have beel
brought about by the swallowin.
Of tobacco accidently or purpOsel.
Nicotine, which constitutes
about thirty per cent of tobacco
smoke stands next to prussic aci(
in the rapidity and energy of it
poisonous action. When tobacco
is burning about seventy per cen
Of the nicotine is changed int
pyridine and collidine, two yer.
strong poisOns. Pyridine is nov
used in the denaturing of alec
hol, one of those agents used Il
make alcohol unfit for human
consumption.
Tobacco smoke also contains
carbon dioXide-only one thou
sandth part of which is necessar!
to pollute the air of an ordinar.
sized room.
Another product of burning to
bacco is furoil. 1t is calculated t.
be about fifty times as strong a.
liquid alcohol. 1t has an especia
action upon the nerves causing
the we'll known twitching ant
tremor of the cigarette addict.
One reason why the cigarette
is the most harmful of the 10
it that it contains acrolein.
This is what Mr.. Edison, wht
has given much thought and ex
perimenting to the effects of to
bacco on the body says: "Tha
injurious agent in cigarettes
comes principally from the burn
ing wrapper" The acrolein 81
developed has a violent actor
on the nerve centers, producing
degeneracy of the brain; which
is rapid among boys" unlike
most narcotics, this degenacy
he believes, is permanent anl
incurable.
Experiments have proven tina
very moderate smoking of to
bacco in any form increases the
blood pressure and heart rate, di
rectly after and during the pro
cess of smoking. If smoking /.
heavy this increase may be per
manent and sometimes fatal.
The neutro-muscular contro
is impaired, thus lowering the
efficiency of the smoker. PLY