I'm constantly surprised by the smoking culture. After treating thousands of patients for smoking related diseases over the last 20 years, I still find myself not quite fully prepared for what I discover. Now, mix in the culture of pet owners and you have a tossed salad of betwixing attitudes and behaviors.
Point number 1
Most smokers want to quit smoking. Many try and fail, but try again they do. They find a number of reasons to motivate and trick themselves into quitting. Listen, I'm all for telling or convincing yourself whatever you have to, in order to become free of nicotine and tobacco. I applaud them for trying and trying again. Without a doubt, smoking is absolutely one of the hardest things to stop.
Point number 2
People who love pets, well, they love pets. Many will do amazing things with their pets. They'll dress them up in little hats and shirts, feed them food which is healthier than what is served at their own dinner tables, or sometimes, pet owners will even give their little loved-ones jewelry; as if Fido needed a diamond studded collar, er rather, necklace. That is what makes pets so great. They are part of your family, they love you unconditionally and they usually don't care if you smother them with affection.
Now when these two cultures meet you discover just how passionate pet owners can be. A recent story was published in the USToday that spoke to the dangers of second-hand smoke in pets. The results are impressive. Pets who are around second-hand smoke develop respiratory problems, while pets in smoke-free homes, do not. When veterinarians approached the pet owners an interesting result was found. Many of these smoking pet owners (37%) said they would choose to stop smoking when faced with the proposition that their behavior might be injuring their pets.
I find this amazing because many of these smokers were approached by physicians and family members numerous times, in hopes they would take their stop smoking help. Yet, when the pet became in danger, the cigarettes couldn't get thrown out fast enough. I'm fascinated how people build such strong attachments to their pets, some even stronger than their own family children.
I'm not here to judge any part of our culture or any person. I have always had a pet and loved each one with a passion that was difficult to explain. They were, in essence, a real part of my family. I would never do anything that might hurt them or put them in danger.
So, am I surprised by this report? I can't say I am. But part of being a writer is observing the world around you and discovering how it all fits together. That is something I'll never tire of.
