Katie Couric's Notebook: Smoking

By: Kelly Wallace
Topics: Katie Couric's Notebook

Katie Couric is on assignment. I'm Kelly Wallace.

We've all heard the excuses. Some of us have probably even made them - all the many reasons why we can't quit smoking. "It tastes good." "It gives me something to do with my hands." "It helps me when I get stressed out."

The fact is nicotine is addictive.

Today President Obama signed some legislation that could cut down the number of people who get hooked.

The FDA will now have the power to regulate the amount of nicotine in cigarettes, and prevent companies from promoting fruit or candy flavors. These things lawmakers say are meant to appeal to children.

While the bill has its critics in the tobacco industry, supporters applaud the efforts to improve public health and to try to keep cigarettes out of the reach of young people.

The President has personal experience with the struggle to kick the habit, and would probably agree that the best way to stop smoking is to never start in the first place.

I'm Kelly Wallace. CBS News.

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by petersemkiw June 24, 2009 6:04 PM EDT: You got to let go !; Reply to this comment


by casey_abbott June 24, 2009 9:35 AM EDT: But look, let's just take it slow.; Reply to this comment


by Paul-Solomon June 23, 2009 8:57 PM EDT: In between fielding questions dealing with the unrest in Iran, the fate of the economy, and the perils of global warming, Obama admitted in a White House press conference Tuesday that he still smokes occasionally, and that it is an ongoing battle. "As a former smoker, I constantly struggle with it," said Obama. "Have I fallen off the wagon with it? Yes." Obama added, however, that he never smokes in front of his two young daughters and not on a daily basis. During the presidential campaign, Obama occasionally bummed cigarettes from aides, but was never photographed by the media and made sure to emphasize he was working on getting his habit under control. Today, Obama that he is "95% cured," after a reporter asked about his struggle kicking the habit. As to the legitimacy of the question, the president brushed it off, saying "I understand...It's an interesting human interest story." He didn't see however, how it was relevant to the new law, but, in order to satisfy the media's quest for instant gratification on the subject, he wasted time talking about his own struggles. "There are times where I mess up...I get this question about once every month or so. And, you know, I don't know what to tell you, other than the fact that, you know, like folks who go to A.A., you know, once you've gone down this path, then it's something you continually struggle with, which is precisely why the legislation we signed was so important. Because what we don't want is kids going down that path in the first place." The President didn't explain where exactly he lights up, but since he doesn't do it in front of his family, and the media hasn't witnessed him smoking, it seems that the question asked of him was unnecessary. The sweeping new legislation passed yesterday giving the FDA authority to regulate tobacco was a major step in protecting children. Obama has said he got hooked on cigarettes as a teenager, and as he signed the bill in the White House Rose Garden yesterday, he said "The decades-long effort to protect our children from the harmful effects of tobacco has emerged victorious." That should be the story, not Obama's own struggle with nicotine. He is, after all, a role model for children. Why complicate the issue?

http://www.paulsolomon.blogspot.com; Reply to this comment


by bsherzig June 23, 2009 1:46 PM EDT: Quitting smoking was the hardest thing I ever had to do...It has been 4 years now since I had one. I smoked for 40 years.; Reply to this comment


by GenericGene June 23, 2009 1:31 PM EDT: I wish I had never started, everyone around me smoked, movies promoted it, TV & radio was saturated with ads & at 14,15 it was big time to smoke -
when you look at it really its ridiculous to smoke - DON'T SMOKE; Reply to this comment