Do smokers really take our warnings seriously given the plethora of platitudes flooding our daily language, the media, or our Facebook! It seems that there is always someone out there seeking to make a smart remark, but very few people care!
I have seen these warnings “Smoking Kills” in International airports on the crystal shelves of duty free shops during my last travels. From afar the displays looked like fancy boxes of chocolate or other pricey duty free items, but up close the words ” Smoking Kills” just seemed to pay lip service to the people in the Health community undermining others’ serious efforts to combat this deadly habit. The Airport signs did not feel much different than signs like ” Beware Dog”, “Keep out of Reach of Children”, or “Do not Swallow…
I think it is time to ask smokers themselves what DO THEY THINK SMOKING will do to them? or when are they going to do something about it? So seriously, should we keep putting those Insipid and less- than- scary signs up. SMOKERS you are smarter than that! Is this about a Campaign or Education; lets face it, if the real issues of personal choice and accountability are not addressed by the consumers themselves, no changes can be permanent.
In my life I deal with procrastinators, lazy individuals, pack rats, and other irritating and debilitating dysfunctional types, but if the perpetrators do not choose to change their condition or read the sub-text of the warning signs, no amount of talking or deprecating will help.
In fact, a deep heartfelt whisper in their ears that last but a few minutes preceded by a meditative prayer; may be better than all the campaigns in the world! Yes one must pray that the right words will strike the right chord. Addiction goes deeper than a WARNING SIGN, even if it was started as a social joke or experiment, if it ever latches on to a deeper subconscious want or instinct, then that person has just let an alien entity take over a part of him or her.
We will be endlessly searching for something or some way to fulfill our selves until we find the spiritual answer to our wants and desires.
I will say a prayer for all us addicts of sorts, as we all overly depend on things outside ourselves; may we find true peace and joy within ourselves, and hold on to the omnipresent benevolent force that is in us and all around us. We just need to set that intention that we are already free!