As soon as the law came into effect, we saw the media well prepared to handle this fun with lines like,
Smoking ban goes up in smoke…..
The smokers puffing the law away .. etc etc.
I heard much explicit comments myself since I live with a smoker and knew in my heart that there is no way these smokers are going to be deterred.
Hubby never smokes inside the house or car and he always tries his best not to smoke in confined spaces too. And if his parents/brother or in-laws are around then it is very hard to find him or the place he chooses to smoke away. (The troubles these poor smokers have!) So in his case, the choice of a private place is very limited. It is not as though all smokers love their habit especially since they are now being treated as social outcasts in most workplaces too.
So like my children, I have just this question to ask. Instead of banning smoking when will the government ban the cigarette companies?
If the government continue to let the companies sell these cigarettes in public places since they need their taxes badly then this ban is only to laugh away. The smokers will try their best not to pay the fine, but they will continue to smoke. As for private and public places, does the government have any rules on those?
So I guess it is best to leave the veteran smokers alone. And since the government will not ban the cigarette companies, can they at least have stricter laws to deter the young smokers?
Can they have more awareness programmes to educate the younger generation (before they reach their teens) on the dangers in smoking?
i wonder whether any laws would work in India :/
ReplyDeleteCame huffing & puffing to thy blog :))) Saw that you've seen through the smoke screen and zeroed in on catching the problem at source. Nice blog.
ReplyDeleteWe can only hope that better sense prevails. But don't smokers ever think what an insult (for want of an 'apter' word) it is for the passive smokers!
ReplyDeletei am sure the law will catch on in india. secondary smoke can be the cause for so many things..i stopped 21 yrs ago when i wasa told that my son's frequent 'congestion' problems may have been caused by smoke..
ReplyDeleteforgot to add - but then maybe after another ten years i will pack a pipe..good for the 'digni kutti' i suppose
ReplyDeleteRoop: I guess it will take its own sweet time...
ReplyDeleteKat:u puff too? wont you add one more to your to-do-list?
Swarna: there are many smokers who takes care not to bother the non-smokers...but then there are many more who dont.. I think the smokers will have to first go through the shock of their “curtailment of rights” and come to terms with the fact that even the passive smokers have their rights.
Maddy: that was a great thing to do.. but I cant catch my hubby on that terms too since he never smokes around us!
but I hope you will chuck that "digni kutti" thing and stick on with your resolution.
Good idea of banning the cigarette companies, can be a solution to the problem. BUT...
ReplyDeleteThis ban will soon go up in 'smoke'! The few who are 'caught' will wind up enriching the 'catchers' and both will continue smoking as if nothing ever happened!
ReplyDeleteBanning smoking will get money to the catchers. Banning tobacco companies will see money, big money, being lost by political parties that are being funded by them!
First time I have come here. Nice blog you've got Happy Kitten. BTW, a happy kitten purrs...why do you rumble?!
Indrani: let us hope these 'buts' fade out and we have less 'butts'
ReplyDeleteVinod: Thank you for visiting.. u have a 'nicer' blog.. and that was a neat question, I guess I purr once I have rumbled/grumbled on my blog.
In December 2004, a study was published by the Nicotine & Tobacco Research Journal that alarmed physicians. This U.S survey suggests that despite years of consumer education in print and TV ads and in-office patient education, the great majority of smokers are misinformed about the health risks of their habit. http://www.chantixhome.com/
ReplyDelete