Recent data from the federal government shows that cigarette consumption in the U.S has gone down by 28 percent. And according to the American Legacy Foundation, a Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) ten years ago with tobacco companies helped reduce young people’s exposure to pro-tobacco marketing, which has in turn helped decrease their consumption. I have to admit that after reading this news I couldn’t help but to be excited, but the only lasted for a minute.

For the past few months media consumers like me have been drowned with depressing news about the economy, which makes a non-smoker like myself tempted to pick up a cigarette and experience a sense of relief. Of course, other people’s reactions may differ from mine, but I find it hard to believe the consumption of cigarettes will continue to drop based on the depressing road the economy is taking us on.
When I was in high school, two years ago, smoking was the easiest way to release high school stress but it was also an easy way to be cool. I guess I should just cross my fingers and hope consumption of cigarettes continue to decrease.   

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