President's Day ~ February 15th ~

Today is President's day ~ For the first time in decades we have a Commander and Chief who we know is presently a smoker of cigarettes ... but he's not the first one to do so.

I've done some research on the subject of American Presidents and their tobacco use but much of the sources and articles I found were very much contradictory. Rather than go through a long list and write might haves and might not's, I will just hi-lite a few we know to be true.

Many of the Founding Fathers were tobacco farmers so I'm sure in turn they were also tobacco users. Ulysses S. Grant, civil war hero and 18th President, was known to have smoke up to 20 cigars in a day and later die of throat cancer.

More recently, FDR was a known cigarette smoker along with the use of his signature cigarette holder. Ike, General Eisenhower, too was a cigarette smoker ... fairly heavily if all read is to be believed. Kennedy and Johnson both smoked cigarettes and JFK was also a know cigar smoker. Rumor had it he had a staffer round up as many Cuban Cigars as he could prior to signing the trade embargo against Cuba.

Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush were both known 'former' smokers who kicked the habit prior to occupying The Oval Office ... As a crutch to help with nicotine cravings and withdrawals is how Reagan became know for his jar of Jelly Beans on his desk.

39th President Gerald Ford, and avid pipe smoker, was our last Commander and Chief (prior to Obama) I remember who openly used tobacco. ("Used" as in smoked I should say ... We all know the Clinton Cigar Story, no need to rehash is here).

In fact Hillary made news when she banished all smoking from the White House ... Maybe she should have restricted ALL uses of tobacco products!!