On Wednesday, an Oregon based cigar smoker (like myself!) wrote a great article in the Atlantic titled “The Case Against a Smoke-Free America.” In it, Jacob Grier makes the argument that it is time for people to realize that smoking can be enjoyed in moderation, and that it can be enjoyed as an art as well.
Grier writes:
“millions of people do see the need, and they’re not all just looking for a nicotine hit. There is much more to tobacco than mass-produced cigarettes; premium tobacco is arguably every bit as artisanal as many of the other food and drink products that those of us in the culinary world obsess over.”
Grier goes on to write that:
“More generally, we must stop treating smoking as pure vice. Lost in discussions of the very real problem of how to reduce deaths from smoking is an acknowledgement that tobacco has redeeming qualities, that it can be enjoyed in moderation, and that not all forms of tobacco use are equally dangerous. We can and should educate consumers about the risks of tobacco and tax it appropriately. But we should also respect the rights of consenting adults to gather in private places and decide for themselves what to ingest into their bodies.”
Props to Jacob on a great article. Give it a read.
You can read the full article here.