CIGARETTE HABIT.

Bruce Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 6, 2 August 1909, Page 4

CIGARETTE HABIT.

The opinion of a number of Auckland doctors on the cigarette habit was obtained by a 'Herald' representative. "Yes, smoking is bad, undoubtedly, for youngsters," said a leading doctor, in giving his opinion. "It is especially injurious to them if they inhale the smoke, and most of them seem to think that inhalation is the acme of smoking. Investigations that have been made in the Old Country show that this undoubtedly has the effect of t arresting their growths. I have patients who have confessed to smoking as many as three packets of cigarettes a day, and there are quite a number of boys who think nothing of finishing their two_ or three packets every day, and inhaling the smoke. I think that the smoking of cigarettes by boys, especially those under eighteen years of age, should be checked. As for men, the moderate use of cigarettes does no harm; in fact, to the busy man, with the cares of business about him, an occasional cigarette may be beneficial as a sedative." "FIVE PACKETS A DAY."

"It is a. bad habit; it is like a baby sucking its thumb ;it grows on the boy, and the man too, and it is hard to overcome." So said a well-known doctor. 'That it is bad for boys', of course, goes without saying, but there are many men, several in my profession, [ regret to say ; who abuse this form of smoking," the doctor added. "No; I will not mention any names, "he continued. "But I know a doctor in Auckland who gets through five packets of cigarettes a day. He, of course, may be left to do as he likes, but thing ought to be done, if possible to check the habit > among growing lads-, especially those in their early teens." Another doctor gave an explanation of the admittedly large extent to which medical men are addicted to the. handy cigarette. "It is very convenient for diort smokes between calls," he pointed out, and it does not envelop' one in the fumes of tobacco as does a pipe or cigar, and thus it has a manifest advantage to a doctor who is constantly entering sick rooms."_ ; ' "If I were engaging a boy," said one of the doctors seen, "one of the first things I would do would be to look at his fingers and ask him: 'Do you smoke cigarettes?' If he answered 'Yes,' I would not waste time upon him. 13oys who are always striking matches and lighting cigarettes are not only doing harm to their constitution^: they \re also rendering themselves incapable of doing their best for their empployers. [ think' that employers might assist in checking the spread of the abuse of the cigarette by giving preference as far as possible to lads who do not smoke." A SUGGESTION. The suggestion that cigarettes should be sold only by licensed tobacconists was referred to a leading member of the trade. He stated, whilst concurring that the adoption of this suggestion might be in the interests of.the trade!, that he did not think it would have the effect of checking smoking by boys. "The tobacconists," he said, "are spread all over the country and it would make very little difference." One of the doctors who was spoken to on the subject said that the proposed restrictioil might have some good effect, but he was dubious as to it having any substantial yaluV