World No Tobacco Day

2017-05-31

Each day when I park in the parking building and proceed across the street to the building where my tenth floor office is I must pass through the gauntlet of smokers on the sidewalk standing around puffing away. Typically I will hold my breath for a few moments until I am well into the street but I often times catch a big whiff of second hand smoke with which I start my workday.

Not really being too warm for the UN or any of it's offices I am hesitant to discuss anything important to the World Health Organization because I personally believe the UN and all of it's agencies should depart the country and stop trying to take us over.

Today is World No Tobacco Day a recurring May 31 event intended to support abstinence from all forms of tobacco as a health measure. Created in 1987 by the World Health Organization it is both a welcome and hated observance depending on the relationship an individual may have with tobacco ... smokers feel they have a "right" to smoke and nonsmokers feel they have a right not to breathe smoke.

It's a vicious cycle likely to continue into the years of "vaping" and "dipping" and all the varieties of partaking of the stimulus barrier tobacco has to offer us in these difficult times of making ends meet. Ash trays holding fresh flowers are a common symbol for the day. I must say that I rarely see this symbology in my travels. As a matter of fact I have NEVER seen it of which I am aware.

Regardless have a happy No Tobacco Day and do try to leave it alone if you can. The deleterious effects of tobacco on the health are evident in the hacking and gacking, wrinkles, and teeth encountered in and on smokers and dippers everywhere.