I-40 thru Camel City

cigarette machines and new creations

Last year my dance mom life had me driving on I-40 right here in North Carolina. Growing up here, tobacco was part of the culture. It is hard for those growing up now to understand a time when there were smoking sections on airplanes and in restaurants; like the smoke would obey the invisible boundaries and not seep into the non-smoking sections (and I always managed to be seated along that line between the two sections). I have a vivid memory of walking through an airport and passing a glass-walled room in which you could hardly see the people inside for all the smoke that filled the air. It is at this moment you have to believe that nicotine is a powerful and addictive substance.

In the early to mid-90’s smoking was a hot-topic issue, especially in the south. The right to smoke in public versus the right of a person to walk in a public space without going through a cloud of smoke and breathing it in was an ongoing battle. Businesses began to make shifts from having dedicated smoking areas to being non-smoking facilities, designating outdoor spaces for those who needed a nicotine fix. Airplanes became smoke-free, even making it a federal offense to disable smoke alarms in the bathrooms because on long flights nicotine cravings would cause smokers to hole up in the tiny space to light up.

Some might be surprised to learn that churches were battlegrounds on this issue as well. A church I served had one Sunday school room that allowed smoking. As the class of older gentlemen began to dwindle and the needs of the church space were evaluated, the leadership team considered making the move toward a completely smoke-free facility. It took a while, but the shift was made. It took several coats of Kilz, some odor-removing technology, and months of airing out to get the room usable for other groups. The history of tobacco was deep in this space. 

I-40 runs through one of the largest cigarette production areas of the country - Winston-Salem, “Camel City,” North Carolina. Reynolds and Hanes, key figures in the early tobacco industry, are names you see on roads, malls, medical centers, museums, and historical landmarks around the city. It was only in 2010 that Reynolds shifted the primary production of cigarettes to be in nearby- where else? - Tobaccoville.

If you were born before the mid-1970s you probably have memories of cigarette machines. These pre-digital, pre-credit card machines were a fascination to me as a child. Put coins in the slot, pull the knob, and out comes a pack of your preferred brand of cigarettes. And it was nothing for a family friend or aunt or uncle to send a kid to the machine to make the purchase, giving them something to do while the adults talked around the table at the restaurant. Eventually, stickers were added preventing minors from using the machines. And yes, that makes me laugh.

These machines gradually disappeared as smoking was banned in public places. So imagine my surprise when I walked into the convention center in downtown Winston-Salem for my daughter’s dance event and caught sight of a cigarette machine. My first thought was how cool it was to see something that brought back so many memories of a time gone by. Upon closer inspection I saw that some brilliant and creative person had repurposed this machine, painting it purple with chrome accents all around. It was a piece of art and, where cigarettes had once been, there were little “packs” of art. These works of art were wrapped in cellophane, just like cigarette packs. And for $5 I could pull the knob and receive a special piece designed by a local artisan. 

Cigarette machine turned art dealer.

What had once been a stigma for those who smoked had been turned into a support for those who strive to bring art to the larger community. With a variety of options, I made my selection which turned out to be a block of wood with a painted scene and words of encouragement. I thought about the “old days” of the cigarette machine giving way to “new things.” And it made me wonder what old things I need to lay aside for new ways.

So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!

2 Corinthians 5:17

I get into habits, some bad and others just not helpful. Old ways that need to be put away to allow for new ways that give space for creating and seeing what Jesus and I can do together! If done well and with care like this purple piece of art, I can quit dispensing unhealthy things and start sharing encouragement, joy, and creativity so that others can see Jesus. 

Thanks for being on the journey with me! And be sure to comment on how the journey is going and maybe share what new things you and Jesus are doing together. 

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More for the journey…

As you spend time reflecting on the Bible verse, find some old things around the house. Make a new creation/design from these things. Be creative and have fun! And of course, post a picture so we can all be encouraged.

Here’s a little more about the movement to transform cigarette machines into something new.

Details about the Art-o-mat