Dumb and Dumber

I saw a young kid smoking in traffic. No more than 16 or 17, they thought they were being so cool. “I’m driving and I’m puffing on this cancer stick…look at me.”

Now, I know I did (several, OK, countless) stupid things in my youth that I thought made me look like hot stuff and had quite the opposite effect. One that I’m willing to share is the period of time I wore two different-colored slouch socks that coordinated with my outfits. As you have probably guessed, that fashion statement didn’t take off. I looked ridiculous. Everyone knew it. In fact, towards the end, I knew it, too. And the only thing hot were my ankles.

But as I watched this youth, I thought, “how do kids not understand the health consequences?” That warning label means nothing to an invincible teen. No, instead it should say something like this:

WARNING:  Smoking makes you look like a doofus.

Maybe then they’d think twice. Probably not - we know youth is wasted on the young - but it’s worth a shot.