The reason why ads promoting cigarettes are being sought to be curtailed is because of the strong influence of famous personalities to the public in lending a glamorous nature to the practice.  Cigar smoking which is said to be different from cigarette smoking has its own league of famous loyal patronizers.  It is said that there was nothing that could separate them from their cigar, so much so that seeing without it makes on wonder if he is looking at th real one.

Winston Churchill was one the more well-known personalities who offered absolutely no excuses for his taste for cigars.  There was no one or nothing that can stop him, not even a visiting king who particularly prohibited smoking in his presence or an oxygen mask while on flight.  He was supposed to have smoked 8-10 cigars per day of his favorite Cuban brand.  He was so identified with smoking cigars that a tobacco size was named after him.

John Kennedy was another personality who conveniently used his political power to ensure a steady supply of his favorite tobacco first before signing an embargo that will affect products of Cuba including his well-loved Petit Upmann cigars.  Fidel Castro was at it for at least 44 years, giving it up only because of health concerns that involved his country. George Burns disproved his doctor’s medical admonition to stop smoking and actually smoked cigar for at least 70 years of his 100-year life.  He was particularly known for smoking a cigar while doing his acts, settling for a brand that would stay lit all through out  a show.

Mark Twain is said to have smoked the most on a daily basis, smoking as much as 20 cigars per day.  He is not particularly choosy of his brand and would smoke anything except Havana.  Many other known names have lent their persona once in their lifetime to cigar smoking.  A complete perusal of the list will reveal that one doesn’t have to be extraordinarily famous to appreciate what these famous men did.

 

Originally posted on August 22, 2012 @ 7:36 pm