Lightside

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Curiosity has its way with me. Common sense, caution, even using my head come second to my insatiable need to discover. In most cases this penchant has landed me in hot water or worse.

One of my first lessons in reality came when I was in public school. Both my parents worked. Dad for one bank and mom for another. These were and remain powerful, major employers in the Canadian marketplace.

Sadly, neither is know for paying its employee's large salaries. Despite competence and dedication, my parents did not earn enough per week so one could stay home. So five and a half days per week, during adolescence, I was on my own from 7 a.m. until they returned home, unusually around 6 p.m.

Today that would be impossible. Various agencies would charge them with child abandonment and put me in a place where I would be cared for all day long. Of course I did survive and consider my life to have been lonely but just fine, thank you.

In those days it was common for most adults to smoke cigarettes and both my parents did. No one told them second-hand smoke was dangerous and who knew about the cancer risks.

Of course curiosity made me want to try smoking. So did my pals, and together we bought and smoked to our hearts were content.

One day it was my turn to buy a package of cigarettes and I did. That night, feeling brave, I offered my father one of my brand. The package was flattened from being in my back pocket, but he accepted and then offered me a cigar.

At the age of seven I thought he approved of my being a smoker, the cigar a token of his considering me an equal. I lit up and puffed away, my dad encouraging me to inhale, puff deeply.

Words do not allow me to describe the shades of green I turned, or how blurry my vision became. I was sick and convinced death would be better than I felt. It took time for me to realize my dad did not approve my smoking. But I have never smoked since, thanks to his wisdom and that White Owl.

What brings me to this was a common sight. In particular high school kids standing in packs just off school property and smoking. You know the type. Large clouds of white smoke and boisterous, typical hijinks readily identify them.

Recently our provincial government moved to force corner stores, to cease displaying cigarettes and attendant products. Hide them and the problem of kids smoking will go away. I do not believe it will curb the use of tobacco one bit.

One reason is the availability of illegal cigarettes, the kind sold loose and in bags for considerably less cost than approved brands sold in corner stores. Just yesterday I saw a guy selling the illegal kind out of the trunk of his car. Business was brisk.

Who will be deterred from buying smokes, displays gone or not? Especially when almost half of the smokers have access to the cheaper, illegal cancer-by-the-bag type.

I never thanked my dad, but he did me a huge favour. My mother as well. Dad never stopped and died days after his 57th birthday.

Too bad today's kids have peer pressure and ready access to tobacco products. I wonder, do they really think they look chic, smell good and are sexier because ... well, it is their problem. Theirs and our public health system's, that is.