Obama Has Quit Smoking, Wife says

Summary of Article:

President Barrack Obama has finally kicked his habit, says first lady (Michelle Obama).  "Yes he has", says the first lady when asked from reporters whether her husband had finally done what millions of Americans can't seem to do and quit smoking.  It has been almost a year since President Obama quit.  There are no details on when he quit or how he quit and our first lady says "he never smoked a lot" and she "never saw him light up".  Obama is known to have chewed nicotine gum to help and after his medical checkup as President last year, the White House physicician said that Obaba should stick with "smoking cessation efforts", the use of nicotine gum.  One in five adults in the United States or 46 million people still smoke and tens of millions more are regularly exposed to seconhandsmoke.  The rate of smoking has dropped dramatically in the United States since 1964 when the first surgeon general's report declared tobacco deadly.  The government had hoped to drop the smoking rate to 12% by last year.  This goal was not only not acheived but has been pushed to 2020.

My Opinion of Article:

I believe this is a very big step not just for Obama and his family, but for the United States of America and around the world.  Everyday lives are being taken from smoking or second-hand smoke and people are dying from a bad addiction.  It is time for our world to realize and put a stop to smoking so we can live our lives without dying unnecessarily.  People see Obama as a role model and leader.  He is a role model and leader from different aspects to different people.  Since Obama stopped smoking this is a big step for smokers and non-smokers.  Even though he is the President of the United States, he still is a regular, everyday person like ourselves.  He sends the message that he can overcome any obstacle if he puts his mind to it and makes people (especially smokers) say if he can do it, why can't we?