I have a colleague at work who smokes like a chimney. She's well into her fifties and her lungs aren't getting any better: whenever we're together in a quiet meeting room, I can hear her breathe fast, wheeze and cough all the time. She keeps expressing her need to quit smoking, but never seems to even get started.
Every now and then, I step outside and freeze my ... off with her to keep her company while she goes for a smoke - and I go for a vape. Since she's seen me quit smoking effortlessly with my magic stick, I mentioned a couple of times that she should perhaps try out vaping. Her answer was "I won't be seen dead sucking on a marital aid!"
I told her "If you don't try soon, you might just be seen dead period."
"It doesn't matter" she said. "Cigarettes are killing me, but at least I don't look stupid when I smoke."
Er... What do you answer to that eh?
The logic of looking stupider sucking on a electric device than on a burning paper tube escapes me completely. But I know where she's coming from: in my youth, movies and ads portrayed cool people with cigarettes hanging from their lips, and in her own youth - which predates mine by a good 15 years - even more so. We both got suckered into starting smoking, so I don't blame her. But in 2014, at her age, knowing full well how poor her health has become, I can't believe she still falls for the "cigarettes are cool" thing.
Well done marketing targeted at young, impressionable minds, has powerful and long-lasting effects. I suppose obese adults who continue to patronize burger joints are further proof...
Every now and then, I step outside and freeze my ... off with her to keep her company while she goes for a smoke - and I go for a vape. Since she's seen me quit smoking effortlessly with my magic stick, I mentioned a couple of times that she should perhaps try out vaping. Her answer was "I won't be seen dead sucking on a marital aid!"
I told her "If you don't try soon, you might just be seen dead period."
"It doesn't matter" she said. "Cigarettes are killing me, but at least I don't look stupid when I smoke."
Er... What do you answer to that eh?
The logic of looking stupider sucking on a electric device than on a burning paper tube escapes me completely. But I know where she's coming from: in my youth, movies and ads portrayed cool people with cigarettes hanging from their lips, and in her own youth - which predates mine by a good 15 years - even more so. We both got suckered into starting smoking, so I don't blame her. But in 2014, at her age, knowing full well how poor her health has become, I can't believe she still falls for the "cigarettes are cool" thing.
Well done marketing targeted at young, impressionable minds, has powerful and long-lasting effects. I suppose obese adults who continue to patronize burger joints are further proof...
My gift to her is demonstrating to her that she doesn't have to be slave to cigarettes. If she don't want to jump on the opportunity, it's her loss. I like her, but I ain't buying her vaping equipment. I'm not Mother Theresa.
