Matthew Fabian
Mfabian1@uwyo.edu
This time last year, I was hopelessly addicted to chewing tobacco.
That might even be an understatement. When I woke up in the morning, my first thought was to throw in a chaw. During classes, I continually wondered when my next dip would be. I wasted unbelievable amounts of money on the poison. At my peak, I was chewing close to a can and a half per day. I knew I had to stop, so I forced myself to. It was an extremely difficult process, but I was able to make it through to where I was no longer dependent on nicotine.
I knew the struggle of forgetting my can at home, while an addict. Getting to a lecture hall only to have my heart drop into my feet realizing that I did not have my tin of chew. I instantly went on edge and started having nicotine withdrawals, simply from knowing I could not feed my addiction. It led me to focus less in class, and I was unable to even enjoy my day. I imagine, for many tobacco users today, they experience a similar problem. Whether it is cigarettes or chew, everyone at some point will need to buy an emergency supply. While on campus, tobacco is not easily accessible. There are gas stations littered around Laramie with tobacco products, but none are within reasonable walking distance of campus.
CJ’s, the lone campus convenience store, should absolutely have tobacco products to sell. Everyone attending the University of Wyoming, with a very few exceptions I am sure, are of legal purchasing age for tobacco products. Before all you health nuts pop your shirts off and start yelling at me, selling tobacco products is not an endorsement of using them. If that is your belief, then you should probably boycott the Union entirely. They sell processed crap that is not good for you either, so why not include cigarettes and chew?
CJ’s could also make some major dough off of this proposal. Mark that s—t up! A person that really needs a pack will pay whatever it takes to get that nicotine in the bloodstream. I know I certainly would have if I was without a can. The power of an addiction reaches far more than some people realize. CJ’s also would not have to offer a large array of products, like seen in many gas stations. Just get the most popular products and put them up behind the counter. If you play to the lowest common denominator, sales should do just fine.
So bring on the Marlboro and Copenhagen! CJ’s jump on the cash train and ride it on the backs of tobacco fiends.
