Back in Time - Tobacco

Smoking and Tobacco display
Pioneer Museum
Lander, WY
Summer 2013
My father and brothers smoked cigarettes as did my maternal grandfather. Grandpa Eberle always used a long cigarette holder when he smoked. I never did know why.

My Dad rolled his own cigarettes for years. He smoked Bull Durham which is the white bag behind the Velvet tin in the photo. He would often close the small bag by holding one of the golden strings in his mouth. Later he smoked Lucky Strikes. I never did see him smoke a pipe or a cigar.

My oldest brother John smoked Marlboro, and Rich smoked L and Ms. Rich sometimes smoked a Tiparillo, which is a small cigar with a plastic tip.

As you can tell, I was surrounded by second-hand smoke as a child and a teenager. My mother did not smoke and neither did either of my sisters.

I don't know if tobacco played a role in the early deaths of my father or brothers, but I'm sure it contributed a great deal.

Comments

  1. My parents did not smoke, but they allowed visitors to smoke. It was fashionable back then and no one realized the health risks.

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  2. My mom and dad BOTH smoked heavily, as did both of my grandfathers and one grandmother. They smoked unfiltered cigarettes and I'm sure it contributed to their health problems. My dad and his dad died very young, as did my Mom's mom.

    My sister and I, thankfully, did NOT pick up the habit.

    I remember cigar boxes too. We liked to get them from the drug store in our town. We used them as pencil boxes in elementary school. I can't imagine that would be permitted now. LOL

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  3. Both my parents smoked as well as myself for 37 years. It was indeed "fashionable" but one hard habit to break but am so thankful to be smoke free now.

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  4. Tobacco definitely played a part in my father's death, and he never smoked anything but a pipe. Sometimes I smell pipe tobacco on someone or around me and it makes my heart ache for my dad.

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  5. My parents both smoked. So did I, but I quit. I have most of those items..I collect tobacco items:)

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  6. I should feel lucky I've always lived in a smoke- free environment. It's interesting to see those artifact though!

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  7. Seeing those old cigar boxes, the Prince Albert cans, and cigarette papers certainly reminds me of seeing those products on the counter in Dad's store. He sold a lot of cigarettes too. I remember that in the early days a lot of men rolled their own.

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  8. We were surrounded by smokers as well. Fireman recalls being driven to the SOUTH with the windows rolled up and the a/c on with 3 adult smokers.

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  9. second hand smoke was probably a reality for a large percent of us growing in the 1950s or 60s. My dad had a cigar in his mouth all day long when I was growing up. Then he quit cigars and switched to a pipe for a while, then quit altogether. Yay! I HATE the smell of cigars to this day! And my mom smoked cigarettes until she was about 50 when she finally gave it up. Both died in their early 60s and I've often wondered too whether their smoking contributed.

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  10. My grandfather smoked, my father smoked regularly until I was 6. I asked him to participate in a River Run out in the San Joaquin Valley where my great Aunt Millie lived. We each ran 1 mile. My father was so winded, he gave up smoking and took up running. :)

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  11. I hadn't thought of a Tiparillo in years. I grew up with second hand smoke too, and my father died of emphysema. Horrible habit that destroys so many lives. For many years after my father died, I wanted to rip the cigarette out of the mouths of middle aged people and ask them why they would do that to their families.

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  12. Both my parents smoked and I know that my dads health problems are from smoking. I do remember those cigar boxes tho, I remember using them as pencil boxes and to hold my treasures in :)

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  13. Both of my parents smoked as well. I couldn't get his doctor/godfather to confirm it, but there was some evidence that my father had lung cancer (or throat?) when he died at 62 of a massive heart attack. I find it hard to believe cigarettes weren't a contributing factor...

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  14. Interesting pictures but the only good thing about smoking are cigar boxes! Both parents smoked and I hated the smell. I'm a confirmed non-smoker.

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