“GOT A MATCH, MISTER?”

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2563, 26 July 1909, Page 2

“GOT A MATCH, MISTER?”

— ... - THE CIGARETTE HABIT. SOOTHING AND HUMAN “WEEDS.” Tho cigarette, which at more or less frequent intervals is called upon in the name of virile manhood to answer for its sins, has once/again been placed on trial. “The cigarette habit is - making weeds of hundreds of our young men,” is tho serious indictment preferred by a Christchurch doctor against this unassuming, but, perhaps, withal, the most seductive form of the “soothing weed.” “What say you, guilty or not /guilty?” was tho query put to two or three, Auckland medicos by a “New Zealand Herald” seeker after truth. •“Guilty,” in more or less decisive and unequivocal terms, was the verdict in each case , and “My .Lady Nicotine,” in her most dainty garb, stands condemned. -i.es, smoking is bad, undoubtedly, for youngsters,” said a leading doctor in giving his opinion. “It is especially injurious to them to 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 Ims the effect of arresting their growth. I have had 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 under 18 j'oars of age, should be checKed. As for men, the moderate use of cigarettes does no harm, in fact, to a busy man, Tjvith 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 his thumb. It grows on the boy—and the man too —and it is hard to overcome.” So said a wellknown doctor, who expressed his entire concurrence with the remarks of a southern doctor. “That it is bad for boys, of course, goes without saying, but there are many men—several in my own profession, I regret to say, who abuse- this form of smoking,” the doctor added. “No; I will not mention any names,” he continued, as he eye rested on. the point of the reporter’6 pencil, “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 something ought to bo done, if possible, to check the habit amongst growing lads, especially those in their early teens.” Anotlicr doctor mentioned an explanation of tho admittedly large extent to which medical men, are addicted to the handy cigarette. “It as very convenient for short 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 that 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. Boys who are always striking matches and lighting cigarettes are not only doing harm to their constitutions but are also rendering themselves incapable of doing their best for their employers. I think that employers might insist in chocking the spread of the abuse of the cigarette by giving preference, as far as possible, to lads who do not smoke.” HOW THE LAW STANDS. An attempt at suppressing juvenile smoking has been made by the New Zealand Legislature, which in 1903 passed an Act making it a punishable offence for a youth under the age of 15 to smoke in a public place. For a first offence a boy is liable to have a conviction recorded against him, whilst for a second and subsequent offence, he is liable to a fine not exceeding ss, but he is specially exempted from imprisonment. Any person supplying tobacco in any form to a boy under 15 is liable to a fine of £lO. There have been very few prosecutions under the Act, but in view of the lightness. of the penalties the police, whilst bearing the existence of the Act iii mind, do not fee] encouraged to enforce it very rigidly. Moreover, the Act deals only with smoking in “public places,” whereas, of course, tho habit may be pursued without molestation in “other places” whose names are legion. A similar provision was inserted in the Children Act passed by the Imperial Parliament last year. Tho suggestion that cigarettes should be sold only by licensed tobacconists was referred to a leading member of the trade by a “Herald” inquirer recently. Ho stated that whilst the adoption 'of the suggestion might bo in tho interests of tho trade, htsdid not think it would have tho effect of checking the smoking by boys. “Tho-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 tho subject said that the proposed restriction might have some good effect, but he was dubious as to it having any very substantial value. Ho is doubtless right. Moral suasion, and parental control, as in all such matters, must bo accounted greater powers for good than volumes of statutes and regulations.”