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Santa Claus Has Been Boosted, and He Also Quit Smoking

By JOHN F. BANZHAF. Originally published at ValueWalk.

given up smoking Santa Claus

Santa Claus Has Been Boosted, and He Also Quit Smoking; Tell Young Children to Help Promote Healthier Living


Q3 2021 hedge fund letters, conferences and more

Santa Claus Has Been Vaccinated

WASHINGTON, D.C (December 22, 2021) - Santa Claus has been vaccinated against COVID, and has received his booster shot just before Christmas when he will visiting the homes of billions of children, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert.

Also, despite what they may see or hear this holiday season, Santa Claus has given up smoking, says public interest law professor John Banzhaf, the man credited with persuading Kris Kringle to give up this deadly habit, and to set a good example for billions of children and their parents.

Santa Claus will deliver toys this year without his pipe – and its smoke encircling his head like a wreath – because of growing concerns about his health, and the health of Mrs. Claus and children everywhere. This way he will no longer be endangering the health of billions of children, many of whom have medical conditions which make them especially sensitive to secondhand tobacco smoke and its residue, notes the professor.

Children’s perceptions about Santa are very important and can have a very long term influence on them, says Banzhaf, noting the public outrage triggered by a billboard showing the jolly one puffing away on an e-cigarette, the major controversy over a news anchor’s claim that Santa is white, or the great consternation which occurs whenever a mall Santa is seen by youngsters smoking during a break.

So let’s urge parents, grandparents, and others to reassure children that Santa is healthy, and that he will not be endangering them when he visits their homes, with the COVID virus or with the residue of his tobacco smoke, urges the law professor.

Say No To Smoking

“Long before they can articulate it, children see an idol their parents praise, with a pipe in his mouth, and draw the obvious conclusion that smoking is OK,” says Banzhaf, noting that the attitudes of millions of children towards smoking were unfortunately influenced early in their lives by pictures of rugged cowboys puffing Marlboro cigarettes, sophisticated women enjoying Virginia Slims, and happy young couples smoking together on clean white sandy beaches.

“That’s why I’m working so hard to get Frosty the Snowman to give up his corncob pipe. Frosty says to tell the children they should never start smoking, because it is so very difficult to quit,” reports Banzhaf.

In 1996, Banzhaf wrote a letter to Santa, modeled on a similar letter sent to Jack Elrod, the creator of the cartoon character “Mark Trail.”

Just as that earlier letter persuaded Trail to promise his readers that he would never smoke again, Santa responded to Banzhaf, explaining that to protect his own health, as well as the health of Mrs. Claus and the elves, he like Mark had given up his pipe. Santa, Mrs. Clause, and all his elves have now also been fully vaccinated, first with their initial shots, and more recently with boosters.

Santa is also urging parents to follow his own example and get themselves and their eligible children fully vaccinated, including boosters where appropriate, for Christmas; one of the best and most important gift they can given. Santa is also urging parents to quit smoking for their own health, or at least not to smoke within a house where there are children.

Interestingly, even by those who strongly oppose his antismoking activities, Banzhaf is credited with helping Santa to quit. Reason

“Christmas is about children, and it is great that Santa Claus is setting such a wonderful example in protecting them from the COVID virus and tobacco smoke pollution. The most important and lasting gift any parent can give to a child is to be fully vaccinated, and to extend the same protection to all eligible children.

Similarly, the best gift any smoker can give a child is to give up smoking, or at very least stop smoking around his or her children or grandchildren,” said Banzhaf.

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