[Lord of Angmar]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>I always wondered why everyone in the fellowship would smoke except Legolas.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I do not believe that Elves feel the desire for nor fully understand the smoking of pipe weed. In the chapter "Flotsam and Jetsam," when the group begins to smoke their Longbottom Leaf, Legolas says that he wishes to go outside and get some fresh air, rather than sit in a smoke-filled room. It certainly would not seem an Elvish thing to do, inhaling smoke into one's lungs.<P>Although it has been said without evidence in this rather strange thread that smoking pipe-weed is not bad for you, I think that perhaps you are wrong, as Professor Tolkien said in "Concerning Pipe-weed" that it is probably a strain of <I>nicotania</I>.<P>In any event, I think there is no need to get angry at anti-tobacco campaigns. Although I do smoke a pipe (a habit I picked up from reading the Lord of the Rings almost as much as from my father ), I must say that I have absolutely no problem with anti-tobacco organizations trying to get a ban placed on tobacco products in movies (although LotR may be an exception as it is never said in the movie that pipe-weed is tobacco or marijuana). Movies with tobacco use can be a bad influence on children. In fact, even the Fellowship of the Ring movie may have glorified the smoking of pipe weed as harmless and entertaining. But that is enough of this strange rant. <P>Cheers!<BR>-Angmar<p>[ October 17, 2003: Message edited by: Lord of Angmar ]