Treasure

  Looking through some things in the attic and I discover this gift I received from corporate America. Well, at least from the Philip Morris corporation. I was sent a small personal ashtray designed just for me. Gotta say, I feel special for them to go to all that trouble. The copyright date is 2006, almost twenty years ago. At that time I was still enjoying my Marlboros' just as they urged me to do. The cover tells me to, Kick Back and enjoy your day. My day, my birthday and I mean a lot to them. I have never taken that ashtray out of the box and believe I will just leave it that way. One day perhaps some collector of these things will be thrilled to have it. I just wonder if it will survive as I don't have any plans to ensure that. But, that is what makes things collectable and have value. I laugh when I see brand new items being sold as a collectable. 

 On the back of that package there is a warning about the dangers of smoking cigarettes. The government mandated that beginning in 1966. There have been several messages over the years. This one simply states, quitting smoking now greatly reduces serious risk to your health. They also point out that the amount of tar and nicotine you ingest depends upon how you smoke that cigarette.  I have seem people that inhale so hard it glows like a blast furnace. Personally I just kicked back and enjoyed them, almost unconsciously lighting them up. At my peak, three packs a day, up in smoke. I have since quit that habit more because of the expense, than the risk. That's the simple truth of it. When they reached thirty dollars a carton I decided that was enough. I was well aware that smoking could kill me, I would die, but I wasn't about to go broke doing that! I'll die for free, thank you very much. 

 In 1970 cigarette companies were forbidden to advertise on television and radio. No more ads urging you to step up to Kool or be a Marlboro man. They were also required to give a much sterner warning about the effects of smoking. Lung cancer and death were printed right on the packages! Then in 1996 the FDA prohibited selling them in machines, they could only be purchased in face to face contacts. And no ads near schools or playgrounds. In 2009 congress passes the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. No corporate sponsorships or outdoor advertising. Cigarettes were not to be seen, talked about, or promoted in any fashion. Currently congress is considering the legalization of smoking marijuana. I'm guessing the same rules will apply as far as warnings and advertising. 

 I do think all of that is working though, as I don't see that many people smoking. Vaping has become a big thing in some circles and that is now being scrutinized and warnings issued. There is talk that they are targeting kids. Gee, ya think? I do think the cost is the biggest driver of that decline. In Maryland a single pack can cost about nine dollars. If you are a kid thinking about trying them out that is a high price to pay compared to just vaping. And vaping is cool. 

 Smoking isn't as cool as it once was, at least smoking tobacco isn't. My habit began while I was in Navy boot camp. The order was, smoke'm if you got'em. Smoke and coke, the kind you drank. If you didn't smoke you kept on training, didn't take long to figure out what to do about that. Smokers, even company commanders, love to stand around  and enjoy their cigarettes. It was a "bonding" type thing. It's what sailors do. Don't be a nerd, be a man. That was definitely the attitude whenever you had a group of men together. At least back in my day it was that way, there was no questioning your "identity" or confusion about pronouns. The Marlboro man wasn't on broke back mountain! 

 I ran across that little piece of nostalgia in the attic and it made me smile. I can remember saving Marlboro miles, like saving green stamps, to get free stuff. They had a lot of items you could get. I still have a cookbook and a blanket. Somewhere I'm certain I have another ash tray that has a racing tire around it. Never did collect enough for the pool table. I remember mailing off a large brown envelope full of them. It took a good number of miles to get the good stuff. I'll tuck that ashtray away and hopefully someone will discover it. 

 It's something I think about and am aware of, we just don't know what will happen to our stuff after we are gone. I became keenly aware of that when I worked for the town of Ridgely. One day a week we collected what we called "rubble" from peoples homes. Just set that stuff out on the curb and I came by with a backhoe and a dump truck. In that "rubble" I often saw family photographs, trinkets, memorabilia, tools and clothing. It was often shortly after someone had passed away. Ridgely being a small town and I working for it I was aware of that, of who had passed. I'm convinced many treasured items wound up in the "rubble" pile. Ones mans' treasure.