Obama: State of the Smoking Update
EmailABC News’ Sarah Tobianski reports: While praising the passage of the tobacco bill in Congress this afternoon, President Obama noted that each day about a thousand young people under the age of eighteen become regular smokers.
He did not mention that he was once a young smoker as well.
The president’s battle with overcoming his addiction to smoking has been a well-documented one – he admitted to letting the habit slip during the presidential campaign, against the wishes of his wife who only agreed to let him run for president if he kicked his habit.
But now that he is in the White House, has the president reformed his ways?
At Friday’s White House briefing, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs could neither confirm nor deny whether Obama has fallen off the wagon, though he did sayhe saw the president chewing gum earlier and that he assumes the president still chews Nicorette.
“I think the president would likely tell you, as I think anybody would that has smoked or been addicted to smoking, that it is — it is a lifelong struggle,” Gibbs said.
-Sarah Tobianski
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It takes about as long to quit smoking as it does to start. You just keep quiting, and eventually you become a continuous non-smoker. Don’t give up, Mr. President, just keep quiting.
Posted by: MarkLeavenworth | June 12, 2009, 6:19 pm 6:19 pm
“you just keep quiting” should read “you just quit whenever you can”…
Posted by: MarkLeavenworth | June 12, 2009, 6:31 pm 6:31 pm
As someone who smoked through graduate school and believes that she wouldn’t have completed her doctoral dissertation without nicotine (it didn’t help that I was doing much of the work in Italy), I am entirely sympathetic.
If the President hasn’t quite quit, he needs to keep trying. I found that being extremely busy during my first teaching stint worked wonders. I didn’t have much time to light up. He must be even busier than I was.
Posted by: Eleonora27 | June 12, 2009, 6:42 pm 6:42 pm
Gibbs could neither confirm nor deny that Obama was still smoking…that means yes, he is.
Posted by: paul | June 12, 2009, 6:52 pm 6:52 pm
So help me understand this.
Obama is doing his best to destroy the tobacco industry and lower tobacco use, while at the same time use tax receipts from tobacco sales to fund healthcare via the SCHIP program. Mmkay.
Liberal economics are a wondrous thing.
Posted by: Stacey | June 12, 2009, 6:59 pm 6:59 pm
I can see it now. Republicans – who for years decried that the “science” was not all in on tobacco, addiction and health – will now declaim loudly that Obama is unfit for the Presidency because he still struggles with a smoking addiction he acquired in his youth and has been diligently trying to overcome. Meanwhile, “Joe Camel”…
Posted by: Jordan | June 12, 2009, 7:12 pm 7:12 pm
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs WOULD neither confirm nor deny whether Obama has fallen off the wagon…
There, I fixed it. Gibb knows he is just playing coy.
Liberal economics are funny, er… more like dishonest. Funding health care programs with an addictive habit that you say you are trying to discourage doesn’t make sense.
Be honest about it Mr. President. The government needs smokers to fund programs, die early and get out of the way.
Posted by: WhereWasThePress? | June 12, 2009, 7:23 pm 7:23 pm
So let me get this straight…Obama can’t kick the habit, blames society for causing him to smoke, and now is enforcing legislation designed to do what he resents not being strong enough to do oh his own. That’s not being liberal. That’s just stupid, arrogant, and grossly abusive of his powers.
Posted by: Mary | June 12, 2009, 8:04 pm 8:04 pm
There are more pressing issues in our country than whether our two faced, double talking president is smoking.
Posted by: Etbrand9 | June 12, 2009, 8:18 pm 8:18 pm
“There are more pressing issues in our country than whether our two faced, double talking president is smoking.”
Really.
For example, when do we get the inside scoop about the Obamas’ next DATE NIGHT and other important stuff like that?
Posted by: Jenn | June 12, 2009, 8:39 pm 8:39 pm
Obama still smokes-he is blaming his weakness on the industry!
I was addicted ,and quit. It was difficult,but doable. Anyone can quit -if they are strong!
Man up Obama- admit you still do it-then Quit
Posted by: alan | June 12, 2009, 8:53 pm 8:53 pm
Gibbs certainly doesn’t speak for me. I quit smoking years ago, and it’s not a lifelong struggle. My kid asked me to stop, and I looked into his beautiful eyes and knew what I had to do. Simple as that. Some people make things way harder than they have to be. If he can’t do what’s in the best interest of his children for a lifetime … he’s a bigger loser than I thought.
Posted by: Kitty | June 12, 2009, 10:19 pm 10:19 pm
Lookout McDonalds…you’re next!
Posted by: Me | June 12, 2009, 11:26 pm 11:26 pm
Soda will be next.
Posted by: 3rd party | June 13, 2009, 12:10 am 12:10 am
Stacey says: “Obama is doing his best to destroy the tobacco industry and lower tobacco use, while at the same time use tax receipts from tobacco sales to fund healthcare via the SCHIP program. Mmkay.
Liberal economics are a wondrous thing.”
Stacey you make a great point. This is one of the many reasons why liberal economic policies are unsustainable. Pretty soon the money runs out and then you have to find someone else to go after. Gibbs has the toughest job in the world, trying to spin all the contradicting statements and policies. The criticism of Bush was that he couldn’t ever admit he was wrong, seems equally fair to apply to Obama.
Posted by: Jason | June 13, 2009, 8:02 am 8:02 am
dear obama if you get this letter my name is teresa my testimony is to praise my Father in heaven I smoked for fifteen years never smoked a pack a day had all four of my kids only one smoke free baby that was my first born by the grace of God they are healthy I was a sinner most of my life i have been saved for almost five years my habit got so bad i would smoke old butts one morning i was up alone till 3am itook cigs and was tossng them out and it was when i cried out Father i can not do this anymore remove this from me take the taste from me Mr Obama that morning he heard my heart like never before on my knees i got healed the next morning i only wanted the coffe and i have no desire to smoke in fact it stinks to me something that use to smell wonderful before it became addicting now stinks i thank God for that miricle and remember he is no respector of one person what he do for one he does for all love teresa im glad God loved me because two of my boys lost their father and they only have me may God bless you and yours
Posted by: teresa ann williams | June 13, 2009, 10:49 am 10:49 am
The list of things that Gibbs can neither confirm or deny.. grows once again..
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | June 13, 2009, 3:32 pm 3:32 pm
Transparency will return to the oval office – once that the smoke clears.
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | June 14, 2009, 7:35 am 7:35 am
typical doublr-talk from Biden, Gibbs and Obama–he wants us to watch him blowing our money on sightseeing but not blowing smoke. He does that in private on the white house lawn.
Posted by: sifto77 | June 15, 2009, 7:28 am 7:28 am