"This vice brings in one hundred million francs in taxes every year.

I will certainly forbid it at once - as soon as you can name a virtue that brings in as much revenue."

--Napoleon III (1808-1873), when asked to ban smoking in the French empire.

Smoking is a disgusting habit. It causes terrible health problems, costs a small fortune, and isn't even subtle: stale smoke can usually be detected for some time around a partaker. I can only say one thing in praise of it, but that one thing is quite significant: smoking does look cool. I don't think there's any way around it. There's something primal in me that really digs the concept of "taming fire".

It's certainly not a pastime I encourage in others, or even tolerate in my home or auto. But the issue comes when hanging around people who smoke. As a musician, I know a great many smokers, even among those whom I would consider foolish for smoking. Wind players and vocalists; it's amazing how many. And let's not even mention the dancers! Feh.

I recently faced the choice of prolonged close proximity to the residual residue in a smoker's clothing, and I ultimately decided it was better to have company than principles. At least in this circumstance. It would certainly have been a much greater internal struggle if I had needed to kiss them, for example. Or perform on their instruments, if such a case arose. {Paging Dr. Freud!}

It so happens in this case that there was a strong attraction. So I was faced with the unenviable choice of whether or not to abandon ship. Luckily, I've grown out of my irrational intolerance of smokers, much as I did with excessive alcohol consumers.

After all, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.