Cigarettes by Elizabeth Hughes

When I was a young lady, most of the young men and young ladies would smoke. I always thought it was bad for these young men and young ladies to smoke, to put something in their mouth with fire on the other side. I have never smoked, not even to try it.
     Ray and I were going steady for some time and he tried to get me to smoke. I told him I was not crazy. I saw him going into the car ashtray looking for a butt because he did not have the money to buy a pack of cigarettes.
     I had a brother-in-law, George, and a sister-in-law, Katy, who both died from lung cancer. I know we all have to die from something someday, but cancer is the worst way to go. Even though I never had a cigarette, from being near my husband who smoked, and inhaling his cigarettes, I could get some kind of illness that cigarettes cause.
     It is very sad that something was not done a long time ago. I am glad people know more about cigarettes now. I do hope that someday no one will smoke.

About the image: Actors Donna Reed and John Derek endorse Chesterfield cigarettes while promoting their film Saturday's Hero in 1951.