alohakid wrote:steve1989 wrote:Hey rattatoo, that is fascinating stuff right there! If you ever find that cigarette packaging, please share a picture!
I hear ya, I never throw any Ration packaging out of it is something rare & interesting. Actually, I have a hard time even throwing out standard MRE pouches because of all the practical uses!
Folks, I just uploaded a review of a WHOLE CASE of 1973 DoP Food packet, Survival, Abandon Ship on Youtube and here is the link if you wanna check it out!
I even smoke a 42 year old Pall Mall. I must be crazy.
As I'm catching up on older post, my apologies for very late response/questions... this one is for steve1989 since I've witness his rare smokes... why were cigarettes a mainstay in the early days of survival rations?.. very historical/interesting thread, thanks.
mahalo
Hey Mahalo and BTemple!
First off to Mahalo, very good question!
You know, cigarettes were such a staple addiction back throughout the 20th century in the U.S. - in the 40's and 50's for example, tobacco had no surgeon general warning - people knew it wasn't healthy, but the denial and lack of medical understanding was universal.
So since such a large percentage of individuals as a whole were nicotine addicts - soldiers were no different. And in a survival situation out on a raft in the middle of the ocean or out stuck on an island in the pacific.. one extra thing that is potentially detrimental is nicotine withdrawal.
A soldier having nicotine withdrawal will have risk of headaches, nausea and intestinal cramping leading to vomiting and fluid/electrolyte loss, difficulty focusing on tasks, irritable to others, increased sweating, depression, etc.
And to BTemple's absolutely correct addition of, it was simply a morale boost. You are in a survival situation - imagine how nice it would be to take a moment to gather your thoughts and have a relaxing smoke? Also good point - they are like natural punk sticks! (those are the weird slow burning things you use to light fireworks with)
Also, if nearby a village a soldier could use tobacco as trade to the locals. Perhaps a little 4 pack of Camels and 4 pack of Phillip Morris could land a non-smoking sailor or pilot a place to stay for refuge until the proper help can arrive and extract the soldier. Also there are survival kits out there that had gold coins as universal currency essentially for that very same reason. Or to perhaps trade for food, water, medicine, or a guide to some safe refuge.
So in a nut shell, the cigarettes had multi-purpose reasons for being in Survival Rations, and I feel it is a shame tobacco is no longer included in any.
Thanks so much guys for reading my long rambling reply.
