Smoking is Not Cool? But They Do it on The Real World!

Real World is back for a new season, full of attractive men and women (really boys and girls) picked to live in a house and have their lives taped... This Real World season started off with a bang, or should I say a "puff" with plenty of flirting, drinking and smoking. Really, the flirting and drinking did not bother me and I actually enjoyed the show. Of course, I hope that the "Real Worlders" drink responsibly and I assume they are of drinking age but I found myself noticing how much they were smoking. When did it stop being cool to be healthy? Remember that phase? Believe me, later in life smokers will hopefully realize just how cool it actually is to be healthy, but that is another story.

In the real world, everyone wants to be cool. I remember leaving school to go mud-riding by the river. The popular kids were there and so was the guy who had stolen my heart. Beer and cigarettes were available as well as other "things" if you went looking for them. I had friends who smoked and I admit to having beer now and again. We were so young and had our whole lives ahead of us. Not once do I remember thinking, I wonder what cigarette smoking will do to my friend's health? I remember breathing in plenty of second-hand smoke but not once do I remember wondering what long term effects it was having.

When I worked in the corporate world, I had plenty of friends and co-workers who smoked. Several times a day, they would head out to the smoking area. I have to admit I was a bit jealous. There they were out there in their nice suits, firing up a smoke and having extra time to socialize. I wondered what they talked about out there. I was not a part of that "club" and had no idea what was discussed while I kept on working. I worked in a high-rise building and was single and I remember thinking it seemed like all the cute guys were out there. You know, I do not remember one time thinking about how the smoke was affecting my co-workers; health.