I never had much interest in smoking cigarettes. They stink and look trashy. Tobacco cigars on the other hand are just the opposite. I can remember my grandfather smoking a cigar in the evenings. The smell always filled the room. It was a deep, rich smell that seemed to match the deep dark leather of his chair.
Even the box tobacco cigar boxes seem to be an effective marketing tool. I, like many kids, would keep my childhood treasures in a small gold colored box that had all sorts of designs on them. I can remember buying cigars with my grandfather, happy because I knew I would be getting the nice box with the Indian on the front.
And of course tobacco cigar smoking has become even more classy now. Magazines like Cigar Aficionado put the most interesting cigar smokers of the month the cover, just to show us that cool people still prefer cigars.
And of course there is the media. Boston Legal ends each week with the two main characters, including the ever manly William Shatner, having a glass of scotch and a cigar. It’s as though the tobacco cigars are meant to establish the relaxation of the scene.
Then of course you have the brand names. Name like Montecristo and Cohiba. And the search for Cuban cigars. I would be so good at the buying part of cigar smoking.
I just don’t know if I can actually legitimize the health problems for the sake of being a little cooler. How tobacco cigars are certainly better than cigarettes, and don’t seem anywhere as addictive (I can’t remember the last time I saw someone jonesing for a cigar), I just can’t help but think about the heart and lung issues.
