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Lung Ashtray

Ceramic Lung Ashtray
Created by John Edwards
(not the Vice Presidential candidate) in 1987
Purchased on eBay in
December 2004

Years ago, I saw a pink one of these in a Salvation Army thrift store, and I passed it up. This was long before I got the idea to create Julie's Tacky Treasures. Ever since I choose to become a maven of tackiness, I've longed for another chance to have a lung ashtray. And now, thanks to eBay, my dream is fulfilled.

The funny thing is that back when I first saw the lung ashtray, I didn't know that it was produced to educate people about the dangers of smoking. It was not in its original box, otherwise, I would have noticed this message:

SURGEON GENERAL'S CERAMICS WARNING: The Anatomically Correct Ashtray Causes Those Who See It to Think Twice. Thinking Twice Does not Cause Lung Cancer, Emphysema, Or Complicate Pregnancy.