Classic Ann Landers

Editor's Note: Hundreds of Ann Landers' loyal readers have requested that newspapers continue to publish her columns. These letters originally appeared in 1999.

Dear Ann Landers: Some months ago, I was diagnosed with a disease that my doctor said would be aggravated by cigarettes, even though the disease itself was not caused by smoking. For me, this was a no-brainer — give up smoking.

Several of my co-workers smoke, but not at work, because it is not allowed in our building. One of these co-workers recently had surgery to replace veins in his legs. He was advised by his surgeon to quit smoking, but continues to puff away. Another co-worker had a quadruple bypass, but continues to smoke a pack and a half a day. A third co-worker developed a cancerous growth on his tongue, but continues to smoke like a chimney.

These people share my group insurance policy, and frankly, I am mad as hell. As my premiums go up, I am tempted to tell the bookkeeper to attach my increases to the bills of the smokers. It is not fair that we should all be penalized by people too selfish to get their own insurance, who instead insist on raising our premiums by continuing with their destructive behavior.

I know there is probably no solution other than for insurance companies to drop the policies of people who continue to smoke against medical advice, but I really needed to vent my anger in a public way. — Smoking Mad in Minnesota

Dear Mad in Minn.: You came to the right place. I am pleased to give you space in which to vent your anger. We now know that smoking is more than just a filthy habit, it is an addiction.

Dear Ann Landers: In the last year, helmet sales have increased dramatically in Myrtle Beach, S.C., since my 16-year-old son, Matt, died from a massive trauma to the brain. He was skateboarding. His skateboard slipped from under him, he hit his head on the sidewalk, and he never regained consciousness. He was on life support for two days in the neuro-trauma unit.

Matt had been skateboarding for four years and loved it. He was well-liked and always smiling — a very happy kid. That father who told his sons that helmets are for sissies is crazy. I hope he will never know the gut-wrenching anguish of burying a child. Death is FOREVER. Helmets save lives. Keep telling them, Ann. — Dianne Arrington Hughes Douglas, Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Dear Friend in Myrtle Beach: I hope that father sees your letter. It would open his eyes and close his mouth. Because you wrote, some lives may be saved.

Skateboarding should be permitted only in areas where there is no traffic. It is impossible to control a skateboard on a downward slope, and a skateboarder who heads into a busy street is risking his life. Thanks for an important letter.

Is alcohol ruining your life or the life of a loved one? "Alcoholism: How To Recognize It, How To Deal With It, How To Conquer It" can turn things around. Send a self-addressed, long, business-sized envelope and a check or money order for $3.75 (this includes postage and handling) to: Alcohol, c/o Ann Landers, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. To find out more about Ann Landers and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

ANN LANDERS (R)

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