LETTER FROM & TO A 16 YEAR OLD SMOKER
 

----- Original Message -----
From: Schweizer...
Sent: Friday
Subject: hi

hey
we met last week in ..., you remember? i find your homepage very good, and i'm very happy, that there are people like you on earth; people who try to help other and put things into the right
i know I can stop smoking if I want to, and when I smoke, I remember your story of the poisoned snake and it's a very good example and it helps! but I smoke very seldom, and I always think of this, that smoking is terrible but i try to forget that, and i always "win"!! but deep in me I'm stronger than the devil, and when I know I can stop it if I want to, i don't stop! but when I feel the "poisoned snake tries to bite me I stop as fast as you can!
I just wanted to tell you that...and thank you, you helped me and you help other who smoke more than I!
bye
n...
P.S-i know, I have to learn a lot at English...
================================================

Of course I remember!

You were walking with 2 other young girls - you were the only one smoking. I was really quite busy and had to go but I felt so sad to see you smoke that I had to talk to you. We walked to the end of the pier. Finally got the attention of the 3 giggeling 16-year-olds to give me 5 minutes without interruptions and comments.

When I walked away I wasn't sure if it was effective or worthwhile - but I felt that maybe it had a little effect - maybe you'll look back one day, either when you're free of this nasty habit - rather - never caught in it - or you're so caught in it that like all other smokers you're suffering, having been bitten by that poisenous snake you toyed with, having those iron chains around your ankles.

What fueled my entheusiasm in talking to you was that it seemed to me that you are not fully caught - although - my guess is that you are simply because nicotine is extremely addictive. A specialist doctor told me recently that nicotine is more addictive than heroine - and it's easier to become addicted and more difficult to quit nicotine than heroine. Recently a study showed that all is takes is a few puffs for a person to get addicted to cigarettes.

Another special cause of my concern was that smoking, specially for women, specially for young women is the most dangerous - it will have all kinds of ripples later in your life and you chidren and so on - and the younger you start the more difficult it is to stop. These are things the tobacco companies do not want ou to know. Those crooks just want your money. You are sustaining their existance. They want you to believe that you are smoking because you like it, that you're not addicted, and that you can stop anytime you want - WRONG! - out of a 100 people who want to stop only 5 actually do it!

You see, you're happy, the three of you could giggle, laugh, so easily. Your hearts are filled with joy of life itself. Life is good.

You are now young and your bodies are strong and can handle the tar and the 400 poisons you put into it with every puff. Soon, you will hate it - if you're honest. But you will have a hard time stopping - you'll be caught in a jail, in a trap - a perfect victim for the tobacco companies. It's no fun being in a jail. Think again! Is it worth-it?

You see, when you stop, you also make a strong statement to your friends. You are intelliget enough not to smoke!

Again, thanks for writing - you brightened my life.
Keep in touch & Good luck
Reza

PS - I like to send you my CD - if you're interested, I'll need an address.