Barack Obama quit smoking.  Well, he says he’s quit but occasionally he falls of the bandwagon.  This probably rings true to many humans around the world.  Many people want to quit but are having difficulty.

I haven’t ever smoked in my life so I can’t say I understand withdrawals from smoking or how difficult it can be to quit.  The closest I’ve come is to needing chocolate ice cream to help me feel better.  Oh yeah, that is called emotional eating and would require many more posts to discuss!  All I know are all the problems smoking can cause to your health.  My grandpa died due to all the years he smoked.  He ended up with only 10% lung capacity and had to walk around with a oxygen tank just to be able to function on a day to day basis.  At the end of his life, the saddest part is that he was mentally healthy but his body succumbed to all the effects of 40 - 50 years of smoking.   I often wish he could be around to see his great grandchildren grow up.  His brother, my great uncle, is still alive so the possibility would have been there.

I’ve been reading a few articles written on Obama’s smoking.  Many seem to think it is a negative thing and shows a weakness that he hasn’t been able to quit.  Others say it shows he is human and deals with chemical addition as many other Americans do.  Could he be a role model to kids saying that not even the most powerful man in the world can stop smoking so don’t even start?  Or will it make kids think smoking is cool?  Could he ask the nation to join him in his quest to stop smoking?  He could be the perfect role model to help people reach their goal but is this an issue that will even have light shown on it with all the other issues he will be dealing with?

Some quick stats on smoking in the US reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

- The number of US adults who smoke has dropped to 19.8% (43.4 million people).

- Smoking and secondhand smoke kill 443,000 people annually from cancer, lung disease, heart disease and other causes.

- Half of all long-term smokers, especially those who start as teens, die prematurely, many in middle age.

- The economic burden of smoking on the United States hit $193 billion per year.