# I only smoke Pall Mall cigarettes... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 3, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115 "2006-10-03T15:58:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/1 "2006-10-03T15:58:59Z")
> [@](#): > > I only smoke Pall Mall cigarettes so I can remember you 40 times a day. Recently, I’ve noticed this sentence written on a number of desks in various buildings around campus. In one room I was in yesturday, it was written on at least a quarter of the desks. Nobody I’ve asked has been able to tell me what the significance of this sentence is. Can any Dopers enlighten me? I Googled it, but only found [this (less than informative) site.](http://pin1121.blogspot.com/2005/07/cigarette-smoking-is-dangerous-to-your.html) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/2 "2006-10-03T17:52:26Z")
OK, you got me curious. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/3 "2006-10-03T18:03:02Z")
I’ve never seen anyone smoke a Pall Mall before. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/4 "2006-10-03T18:08:25Z")
Maybe it is a witticism in reference to the Pall Mall motto? Printed on every Pall Mall package is this Motto: **_In Hoc Signo Vinces_ - "Wherever Particular People Congregate"** ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/5 "2006-10-03T18:10:38Z")
It was an entry on Postsecret: [http://postsecret.blogspot.com](http://postsecret.blogspot.com) I googled “I only smoke Pall Mall” and traced back from there. So maybe the person who posted it on Postsecret… goes to your school. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/6 "2006-10-03T18:41:09Z")
Wild, uneducated guess: the writer thinks of the person every time he/she takes a cigarette, and is a two-pack-a-day smoker. (Are there 20 cigs in a pack?) The writer smokes _Pall Malls_ because they remind him/her of thye other person (Their initials are P.M., or he’s named Paull or something). As for why that phrase gets repeated, who knows? In-joke? Shows up in favorite Book/Movie/Video Game? It’s some kind of mnemonic? Sneaky advertising for Liggett and Myers? ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/7 "2006-10-03T18:44:22Z")
No, it’s from PostSecret…which is a fantastic book/collection, one of my favorite art books I own. Even if you don’t have any interest in buying it, at least check it out at Borders. Very interesting concept, with some hilarious, some thought-provoking, and some absolutely heart-wrenching stuff. -foxy ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/8 "2006-10-03T18:52:28Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] It’s some kind of mnemonic? [/QUOTE] I thought of that. The building in which I’ve seen it the most is used mainly for math classes. Is there some mathematical procedure for which you can abbreviate IOSPMCSICRY40TAD? Acronym finder’s got nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/9 "2006-10-03T20:00:52Z")
[QUOTE=devilsknew] Maybe it is a witticism in reference to the Pall Mall motto? Printed on every Pall Mall package is this Motto: **_In Hoc Signo Vinces_ - “Wherever Particular People Congregate”** [/QUOTE] To clarify, the Latin portion of the slogan translates to “by this sign, you will conquer” (as I’ve often heard) or "in this sign… " (as [this page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pall_Mall_(cigarette)) says). Such writers as Kurt Vonnegut, Charles Bukowski, and Stephen King frequently refer to the brand in their works. Perhaps the sucking on the cigarettes reminds the mystery graffitist of the taste and/or sensation of a certain sexual act… ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/10 "2006-10-03T20:30:06Z")
[QUOTE=Sternvogel] Perhaps the sucking on the cigarettes reminds the mystery graffitist of the taste and/or sensation of a certain sexual act… [/QUOTE] Remind me to never, _ever_ buy Pall Mall… Also, remind me never to let my wife try them. I’m not taking any chances. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/11 "2006-10-03T21:03:30Z")
That postsecret site is fun! ( Too bad my life is way too boring to warrant any postings there.) IIRC, I only smoke pall mall is either an obscure advertising slogan or some really old movie line. I keep getting either a Jack Palance or a Clint Eastwood picture in my mind saying this line. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/12 "2006-10-03T23:09:11Z")
[QUOTE=Shirley Ujest] That postsecret site is fun! ( Too bad my life is way too boring to warrant any postings there.) IIRC, I only smoke pall mall is either an obscure advertising slogan or some really old movie line. I keep getting either a Jack Palance or a Clint Eastwood picture in my mind saying this line. [/QUOTE] Dale Robertson, played agent Jim Hardy in _Tales of Wells Fargo_ back in the 1950’s. He did ads for Pall Mall. “My name’s Jim Hardy, and I smoke Pall Mall.” done in a cowboy accent, dressed like his cowboy character. Very big at the time. One of the more memorable commercials from the '50’s. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/13 "2006-10-04T04:12:12Z")
[QUOTE=myskepticsight] I’ve never seen anyone smoke a Pall Mall before. [/QUOTE] My dad used to smoke Pall Malls. I once asked him if he smoked them because they were the best…he told me that they were. I tried one, and immediately got sick. Never picked up a cigaratte since. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/14 "2006-10-04T04:25:40Z")
[QUOTE=blondebear] My dad used to smoke Pall Malls. I once asked him if he smoked them because they were the best…he told me that they were. I tried one, and immediately got sick. Never picked up a cigaratte since. [/QUOTE] You need to switch to Old Golds, [there’s not a cough in a carload.](http://www-tech.mit.edu/archives/VOL_047/TECH_V047_S0163_P004.pdf#search=%22a%20cough%20in%20a%20carload%22) ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-only-smoke-pall-mall-cigarettes/375115/15 "2006-10-04T04:30:04Z")
[QUOTE=Sternvogel] To clarify, the Latin portion of the slogan translates to “by this sign, you will conquer” (as I’ve often heard) or "in this sign… " (as [this page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pall_Mall_(cigarette)) says). Such writers as Kurt Vonnegut, Charles Bukowski, and Stephen King frequently refer to the brand in their works. [/QUOTE] This phrase, of course, appeared to Constantine along with the cross before he won at Milvian Bridge. The other phrase on the logo is “Per Aspera Ad Astra.” Most of the Pall Malls I’ve sold in the past were the old unfiltered type, although young smokers preferred the newer filtered ones. Neither were nearly as popular as most any type of Marlboro.