Smoking: My Guilty Pleasure

By: Melissa

At the beginning of this year I began smoking. I don't remember why I started, and I still don't truly know why I quit. People make the argument that smoking kills, but in the end we are all going to die anyway, so why not enjoy the nicotine while we are here. We'll in the eyes of many I quit smoking, but today I needed a cigarette and I had one with my morning coffee. They are my guilty pleasure. 

The only reason why I stopped smoking was to prove to society that I wasn't dependent on a substance external from myself. Still, that Marlboro Light this morning gave me a great start to my day. Every time I reach for one of those beautiful tobacco filled candy tasting treats someone snears at me, like my second hand smoke is personally going to kill them. My desire for this substance has been severly repressed. I tell myself every day that I don't want a cigareete, so in other words I lie to myself every day. 

I almost bought myself a pack of American Spirits today but then my friend made this comment , " you're bigger than that". I know i am physically bigger than a cigarette but is that to imply that I'm stooping down to a lower level when I smoke. Is that to say that the people who smoke every day are less than me? That non smokers are better people because they choose no to polute their bodies this way but rather through alcohol, destroying their livers, or weed which also hurts the lungs. What makes society accept casual alcohol consumption before casual cigarette smoking? In all cases we are picking our poisons, what difference does it make if one is a liquid or a smoke? 

P.S.- I didn't buy that pack... and now I regret it.