Up in Smoke

We all know that cigarette smoking is bad for us. In my lifetime I have definitely seen the acceptance levels surrounding smoking change. As a small child my grandparents smoked like chimneys in the house with everyone around. They smoked in the malls as they took us shopping. Now I don't know anyone that smokes in their home, even my friends that are dedicated smokers. The laws have changed and you can no longer smoke in public places, not even bars. I started smoking as a teenager. In a small town with not much to do one of the most rebellious things to do was smoke. I became a full time smoker around 18 steady until 21. After 21 I reduced it to social smoking, only really smoking as I was having cocktails. In my head that's gotta be better than full time smoking right? It's got to have some sort of benefit. A University of Georgia report today published it's findings in a journal, the findings of which were feature in a New York Times article today. Guess what? Doesn't look like social smoking really has any less effect than smoking. The scariest part of the article for me states, "The researchers said the lasting effect of occasional smoking on artery health was surprising. “Most people know that if they have a cigarette or two over the weekend that it’s not good for their arteries,” said study co-author Kevin McCully, a professor of kinesiology in the University of Georgia College of Education. “But what they may not be aware of is that the decrease in function persists into the next week, if not longer.” I haven't had any alcohol or cigarettes in almost two months as a part of some personal goals I am putting myself through. Yet I know some day I will have a drink again. When I think about I have wondered wether or not I will have the urge to smoke again. I thought if I did it would be no big deal. Occasionaly imbibing in alchohol doesn't have ill effects on the body, what harm could the truly occasional cigarette have? I think after reading this article I am going to have eliminate that as an option.