HABITS are hard to break, and smoking appears to be one of the hardest despite all the aids and the warnings about related problems – especially death.

Just the fact that tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in the United States ought to bring smokers to their senses. Unfortuately, that isn’t the case.

Smokers often try, try and try to kick the habit. Sometimes, they’re successful, but it might take years before cigarettes break their hold on the individuals.

DESPITE pleas from family members, a smoker many times keeps smoking.

Years ago, there were short segments on television about the dangers of this problem. One, in particular, featured a smoker with the warning that he would cough his head off. That used to frighten one small Eastern Ohio youngster who apparently took the message literally. His father, however, couldn’t stop smoking even though he tried.

It was years later when another son gave him a magazine article to read about a lung specialist who had treated people with lung cancer during his professional life. In spite of seeing patients suffer with lung cancer, the specialist couldn’t stop smoking.

The article was printed after the specialist died – from lung cancer.

Of course, the specialist could never know how his own experiences helped that father, who wadded up a package of cigarettes and quit cold turkey.

NOT ONLY is a smoker endangering himself or herself, but the habit is creating problems medically for others because of secondhand smoke.

The American Lung Association reported that smoking attributable deaths in Ohio totaled 18,590, and those deaths reflect the average annual estimates for 2000-2004 and are calculated for persons 35 years and older. They don’t take into account deaths from burns or secondhand smoke.

A RATHER lighthearted song, “Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette,” by Merle Travis and Tex Williams tells about people interrupting their activities so they can smoke and puff on cigarettes and then notes:

“Tell St. Peter at the Golden Gate

“That you hate to make him wait

“But you just gotta have another cigarette.”

ENOUGH said.