Today I’m sharing a little known fact about me. One that I’m not proud of. When I was in college I worked promotions for a major tobacco company, handing out free cans of dip at summer concerts and fairs. I traveled all over Western and Central New York meeting people far and wide that not only took the can not knowing what it was, but they’d also fill out a full page document with all of their information without batting an eyelash. It seemed like I was merely a prop who wore costumes to fit the bill that night: cowgirl, referee, or school girl. One that was used like bait to hook new customers. It felt dirty like I was preying on individuals that would fall into the tobacco trap, and I cringe thinking about how many people I started on the road to tobacco so long as they showed their ID. I didn’t last long. The effects of dipping were not lost on me — I vividly remembered the pictures of oral cancer-causing leukoplakia from health class — but when you’re young it’s easy to feel invincible. You may be shaking your head saying that I should have known […]