Trapped Miners Allowed To Smoke ~

No word yet on whether or not alcohol will be allowed ...

Tomorrow, Monday September 27, 2010, I will be smoke free for 450 days! I really have to confess I am proud of this accomplishment. Further, I am very confident that I will make it another 450 days and beyond!

However, if I ever do find myself in a situation like the ones the Chilean miners are in now, I think I may be tempted to have a few cigarettes, just to curb the boredom if nothing else!

The 33 men trapped deep inside a northern Chilean mine were given permission to smoke a couple of weeks ago after improvements were made in their air ventilation.

The miners will share two cigarette packs a day through the small shaft from the surface, after nicotine patches failed to curb their cravings.

The trapped miners have become national heroes since they were found alive on August 22, 17 days after a mine cave-in in the remote Atacama desert.

They are trapped about 700 metres below the surface.

Rescuers have installed a multi-functional plastic tube that lets the miners get water and air, and have permanent telephone communication with the surface.