I smoke, so deal with it.

It?s not like I?m selling babies on e-Bay or something. But you?d think I was with the way people react to my little habit.

Let me start off by saying this: yes, I?m fully aware that smoking is bad for me and that if I keep it up I?m going to die, so don?t remind me on a daily basis.

I?ll quit, just not today, probably not tomorrow and not because you dramatically cough when I smoke near you.

It?s not like I enjoy smoking. I smell bad, my clothes smell bad, my car smells bad, my teeth are stained and my bank account is empty. But it?s a habit, and a vicious one at that. Having said all that, there are a few things I?d like to address.

First, the ads by the company “Truth” that tell us all that smoking is bad. No way! I didn?t know that, I thought it was healthy! Actually, these commercials are quite funny. They portray smokers and the tobacco industry as evil creatures.

Two things come to mind.

First, smokers are some of the friendliest people I know, unless you bitch at them about smoking.

Second, these anti-smoking ads attack the tobacco industry as trying to deceive the American smoker. Hey, guess what? We know and we don?t care. Why? Because, as unhealthy as smoking is, it relaxes us and takes the edge off of our stressful existence.

One of my other favorite things about these anti-smoking ads is that they claim the tobacco industry is marketing their product towards teens. They use evidence such as the fact that most smokers start when they?re teens. Of course, that?s exactly what happened to me. I saw an ad with Joe Camel that looks just like a phallic symbol, and immediately decided to fill my lungs with toxins…only in the anti-smoking advocate?s dreams.

Teens start smoking because they?re at a very rough point in their lives. It was either a bad break up, family trouble, trouble at school, alcohol, something. For me, it was the ending of a three-year relationship with my high school sweetheart. Instead of driving my car off a cliff or shooting up heroin, I lit a cigarette for a relaxing smoke.

Smoking comes down to the single act of being stressed out, bumming a cigarette from a friend and falling prey to nicotine.

That?s another thing. Anyone who says nicotine is not addictive has never actually smoked a cigarette. It?s completely and totally addictive and that?s why I haven?t quit yet. Finally, professors who smoke are good.

Professor Brian Roberts, a fellow smoker and my favorite professor, once joked around about holding class outside so he can smoke.

Sounds like a great idea to me, let?s do it!

Ryan Endean is a Journalism major and managing editor of The State Hornet. He can be reached by mail C/O The State Hornet ? CSUS, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, or by email at [email protected].