No Smoking Day

Cross-posted in the CHAFF BLOG

This is a part of my history I tell whenever people tell me that it is difficult to give up smoking.

No, it isn't.

I took up smoking when I was just 13 years old.

After Choir practice at the St. Thomas Cathedral, on the way home, late evening (about 7:30 pm - that was late those days), as I waited for the bus at Flora Fountain in the heart of the great metropolis, Bombay, I would drag on a cigarette and follow that up with a peppermint, before I got home.

I was hooked. For the next 30 years I smoked like a chimney reaching 80 cigarettes per day - and that to the roasted ultra strong variety - CHARMINARs, the most popular brand in India.

Smoking Kills

Along with cigarettes, I also became a coffee addict as well as a heavy drinker, killing a bottle of rum and several bottles of lager beer, every day. I was never drunk and could even drive the car as alcohol apparently had no effect on my brain.

Or so I thought.

I had been blessed with a super duper memory where I could recall the date, time, place and exact details of any incident that had taken place in my life.

One day, I walked into my office in Bangalore and, for the life of me, I could not recall where I had placed a very important paper.

I sat down and thought long and hard. I was travelling to Hyderabad the same night.

I found the paper, eventually, and caught the bus.

All through that journey this incident haunted me. Why did it happen?

Then it suddenly dawned on me - I had been destroying my brain with the heavy intake of alcohol.

As I got off the bus at Hyderabad, I vowed never to touch the stuff again.

I had done that several times, but this time I knew I had to keep to this promise.

Just as I got off the bus I knew I had to have a cigarette and then a cup of coffee.

As I was about to light up the "Charm", it dawned on me that the cigarette was also connected to my alcohol intake, as a cigarette always resulted in me wanting to drink a cup of coffee or have a glass of beer, which later in the evening became a reason to have a glass of rum!

I put the cigarette away and drank only a glass of water.

I knew this break had to be absolutely clean.

Could I do it?

Now it is over 23 years since this and I have not touched a cigarette, had about a dozen cups of coffee at very very rare occasions and indulged in some very very rare intake of alcohol, after about 10 years since I gave up.

At the most I have the alcohol that Annikki may add to one of her cakes or I may partake in a glass of non-alcoholic beer if I really feel I have to join someone in a drink.

By running my web sites and my blogs, I have slowly but surely recreated much of the brain damage that was done due to my alcohol abuse. I would say that about 90% has been restored, but my fast recollection ability has been lost forever.

Did I like the cigarettes, coffee and alcohol - YES, I DID.

Do I regret having had to give them up - NO!

So, as today is NO SMOKING DAY, all I can tell you is that if I could give up these habits, so can you. You will be better for it.

Here are three great pieces of art made by my dear friend from Zambia, Kamutaza Tembo, about the danger of cigarettes as also the danger of drinking and driving.

What I suggest is that you DON'T DRINK!



I am not intending to moralise here, but it is better to give up these habits before some lasting damage takes place in your brain, your lungs or your mouth, etc.

If you think not, well enjoy your habit while you can!