Halloween is a good time to talk about blood and why the American Lung Association sent me candy and rolling papers

Last week the Lane County Blood Bank sent EW an email that says, “Halloween is a great time to talk about blood and we’d like to bring some attention and educate your readers on the need for blood in our community.”

Err, umm, yes, I suppose Halloween is a good time to talk about blood, now that you mention it. And nothing says Halloween like the Lane County Bloodmobile, right?

You do have to give the Bloodbank points for a holiday-themed news peg. Plus the agency forever earned my affection when it began the “Pints for a Pint” donate blood and get a beer thing.

The American Lung Association trumped the Bloodbank’s vampire, zombie, blood, donate thing by sending me a bag of candy. Yup. Before I opened the enclosed card, I fell for it — assumed it was a bag o’ kids treats. I was right about to throw the bag on a coworker’s desk when out of the depths of my Monday mind I remembered that no one just sends a reporter candy. They want something. I opened the card.

The American Lung Association didn’t just send me some Starbursts, Rolos and Dum Dums. It also sent me some watermelon flavored nicotine liquid, rolling papers and a Swisher Sweet.

Ironically the coworker whose desk I was cavalierly going to throw the bag of treats on has been trying to quit smoking for two weeks. I’m not sure the  grape flavored cigar wrapper would have amused him.

So there you are, if you want to get the word out, send an email about blood or send a goodie bag of candy and nicotine. Now go donate blood and don’t let kids get hold of nicotine products that look like kids treats.

And I’m going to put the watermelon flavord nicotine vapor bottle on my shelf next to the organic personal lubricant (Good Clean Love) and the condoms (Center for Biological Diversity).