World No Tobacco Day
May 31 is observed around the world as No Tobacco Day. So, everyone on this day switches to bud or pollen. Just messing.
In observance of World No Tobacco Day, I wanna share a video of Ardi Rizal. Ardi Rizal is a two year old baby from Indonesia who is addicted to smoking. He got the habit at 18 months old when his father gave him a cigarette. His nicotine habit got so intense that he smokes about 40 cigarettes in just one day - and that's more than the cigarette consumption of most people who have started at the legal age of 18. If he doesn't get his fix, he actually throws a tantrum and complains of headaches
If you look at his photo, you'll notice he's slightly overweight. The article says that he can barely catch up running with his friends. What do his parents have to say about it? His father rationalizes by saying that he looks healthy anyway.
Two-Year Old Toddler Smokes Cigarettes - Watch more Funny Videos
I think I might just be the last person to complain or to preach that people should stop smoking. Everyone's got their reasons to start and you can't just mother every person with a cigarette dangling from their lips. Assuming, of course, these people are adults who can make choices and know what they are getting into.
A 2 year old? My best memories at 2 involved running - running down the hill at the Taal Vista Lodge, playing tag with the neighbor kids and running away from a slipper or a belt aimed straight to my ass. It's a shame to be deprived of all that.
I had my first cigarette when I was 10. I got in trouble with my mom and I knew she was right. I wanted to punish myself. Since I come from a family of smokers, it was so easy to find them and I lit up to sort of hurt myself so that I don't EVER repeat the same mistake. Yeah, I was a dumbass kid. This happened in our rooftop and I just remember climbing back in through the window with a bad head rush. I started smoking more regularly at 11 because of a church group. Hahaha.
I kicked the habit when I got involved in varsity. I just wanted to be in the varsity more than anything else. I got into softball, basketball and since I was going to the US more regularly, I fell in love with snowboarding. I trained everyday. I felt better than I have ever had in my entire life - a natural high.
Then, came another bad habit that woke up the cigarette smoking part of me. At that time, my brother started smoking so it was more difficult to kick the habit. I tried quitting early on in college. When it failed, I was smoking even more.
Now, I think I'm doing pretty good for myself. I've cut down considerably and I try really hard to stop smoking indoors. I'm back into running, but I haven't been very good the past 2 weeks. At any rate, I'm hoping smoking for me would just be a phase that I outgrow.
For everyone that smokes, don't quit if you're not ready. Your relapse might just be even worse. For now, smoke responsibly - drink a lot of water, take a lot of food with antioxidants, observe proper oral hygiene, use a throat spray if you need to.
...BUT, maybe today, you can cut down just for World No Tobacco Day. I'm down to three since this morning. How about you?
