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Home > What's New > An Interview with Cuba's Ricardo Alarcon
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A Lifelong Cigar Lover
MRS: I understand that you have been smoking all your life, that you love cigars, and that you smoke several a day. Do you ever get criticized because of your open enjoyment of cigar smoking? I only say that because President Castro was forced to give it up.
RA: Yes, because he wanted to be consistent with the health concerns. We went through--we are still going through--a campaign advising people not to smoke. To have the best-known person in the country smoking while advocating not smoking was quite contradictory. And so he sacrificed himself by quitting.
MRS: You don't see yourself sacrificing? [laughs]
RA: No, no [chuckles]. I have continued smoking, and he sometimes gives me cigars to smoke! I think that it's a matter of education. I am smoking here, freely, with you, because obviously--it's Mr. Shanken, you are supposed to smoke! But imagine if you were another person who doesn't like it. Last night I had dinner with a couple of good, old friends, Americans, who don't smoke--they hate smoking. I didn't smoke with them. A cigar smoker can do that. Cigarette smoking is a different kind of attitude.
MRS: I've always said that cigar smokers are the most considerate people in the world because we always ask. We don't want to offend the person we're with.
RA: Exactly. And I am addicted to cigar smoking, I must confess that. I have smoked every day since I was a teenager, and I intend to live many more years always smoking. But, as a cigar smoker, you don't have to be constantly with your cigar. Cigarette smoking, some types of cigarette smokers, seem constantly forced to be smoking. Cigars are different. I was with those friends, we had dinner together. I didn't smoke. I smoke now, after having lunch with you. We're relaxed because we are two old friends...
MRS: Comrades. [laughs]
RA: Yes, comrades! Two comrades smoking, but with them I didn't. After dinner, we said good-bye, and I lit my cigar and I was relaxing, in a very quiet mood. It's a different approach to smoking. And I don't criticize people who smoke cigarettes. I think this is also their right. But you have to respect the right of those who, for any reason, do not want to be around smoking or consider it bad for their health; that's fine. That is their right and we should respect that. It's the same as listening to music that your neighbor doesn't like; you turn down the radio.
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