My father told me when he was young, nobody had any idea that cigarettes were bad. It was fashionable to smoke cigarettes. One movie star always had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. The way he did it the whole of America was trying to imitate. He was such a sex symbol and such a handsome heroic person. His style became the fashion. . . . but he died of cancer of the lips. One of the most famous singers would sing while smoking a cigarette. How can anyone smoke when he is singing! It was amazing. . . .he died of cancer of the lungs only when he was forty.
So doctors began coming out and saying, ‘Cigarettes are going to kill you. Stop Smoking!’ When that message came out cigarette smoking became more popular among the young people. Because they are trying to prove to themselves, ‘I am daring. I am fearless. I don’t care if I am risking my life. I am going to do it to be cool. Yes I know it will kill me.’
It’s so foolish. It’s just the example of mentality of material existence. We are not willing to listen to good advice.
– Radhanath Swami
