 Alright,
so everybody knows smoking causes lung cancer, coronary diseases,
liver damage, bad breadth, yellow teeth, ugly gums, and hampers sperm
production. Incidentally, all these true but oft- repeated facts are
paid heed to and memorized by non-smokers more than smokers, which
is why you find me so well-informed. The culprits, are too engrossed
in deluding themselves that (1) all their problems are being solved
by killing themselves...which might actually be true but not a healthy
approach of course; (2) smoking strenthens their image as a sex-god/diva;
(3) Smoking stimulates their mind/sex organs; (4) confusing the cigarette
as equivalent in addictiveness to cocaine/ heroine and hence, themselves
as incapable of leaving. Smoking, by the way, is not physically addictive
at all. Its addiction is about as strong as that of tea or cola. This
Psychological addiction can be cured without having to resort to extreme
measures; ever cured yourself of chewing too much gum? That`s how
hard is quitting smoking for a normal individual with normal willpower.
Contrary to popular opinion, you are not likely to suffer body pains,
daylight hullucinations, and consequently a tragic death during quitting
period. As for the earlier misconceptions with a capital mis, smoking
is more likely in today`s world to strenthen your image as a self-inflicting
idiot rather than a sex symbol radiating sophistication; it`s time
to abandon the fifties` concepts buddy, it`s way past that age. Also,
as I was dutifully informed by an in-process-of-quitting smoker, the
stimulant trait of nicotine is overshadowed by all that tar that is
so gladly consumed. The cigarette is, hence, merely bad smelling carbon
more than anything. It does not make you a better problem-solver,
and definetely doesn`t revive your potency. So that out of the way,
lets come to the major point of this article here. Everytime I go
out, in a restaurant with no non-smoking zones, or a bus, or even
university, I have to face attack...deliberate and painful as any
other...by the insensitive and ignorant smoker public. Ignorance and
insensitivity in fact, seem to be common traits of most of the smokers
around here, who would continue to blow smoke in your face whatever
you do to dissuade them. In the end, you just have to walk away, and
if you can`t, well too bad. Stay and endure. According to authentified
medical research second-hand smoke is actually just as bad as inhaling
from a cigarette pressed between your own lips. It doesn`t matter
if you aren`t the one smoking, if you`re in the vicinity, you`re facing
all the ills you thought you had avoided by not taking it up yourself.
And henceforth, every fine day, all of us with smokers in their immediate
surroundings for an hour or two, perform the act of smoking as good
as smokers themselves! So it would be just as well to take up smoking
yourself...you`re doing it anyway....a few cigarettes here and there.
If you have to be killed by smoke that didn`t even come from your
own cigarette, better do it on your own and obtain all those mindless,
orgasmic pleasures smokers claim to obtain then, too! Sarcasm aside,
non-smokers seriously need to start realizing their right to health
and safety, and their right to tell off anyone who threatens it just
because of a few moments of his/her own pleasure. It`s a pity that
our media continues with advertisements of tobacco when most of the
remaining world has long done away with promotion of such an outrageously
harmful product. But even in public places, and most horrifyingly,
in many places of education such as universitie
 An absurd,
idiotic misconception is associated in teenagers about the `image`
that goes along with smoking. And the funniest explanations are given
to deny this image factor by smokers to save face, ranging from the
amazing anti-depressant abilities of the cigarette to the unparallel
comradeship it shares with them in times of loneliness and so on.
I think, that if the only person who understands you in the world
in times of distress is a cigarette stick, you need some serious social
therapy buddy. The blatant truth is, that anything that becomes a
psychological addiction, be it tea, coffee, coke, mint gum, or tobacco,
tends to be conceived by the human mind as a rev-up tool, when it
is indeed, nothing more than a problem. A big, fat, over-abused problem.
Except for a couple of restaurants, smoking isn`t even formally prohibited
in public places. In some, at least, there are non-smoking zones,
in others, there is no concept even of showing some concern for the
larger bulk of families who don`t need lethal smoke to pollute their
lungs on an outing. The fact that most retaurants have no regard for
a majority of their customers` health and well-being,being the main
source of recreation for most public on weekends, is just as bad.
But of course, the major blame lies on the smokers themselves, who
usually have no regard for people, be it complaining parents or spouses,
smoke- allergic friends, or even young children who rapidly learn
what they see their elders doing. This merely shows the lack of social-consciousness
in our society. Increased awareness about the ills of smoking has
led bans on public smoking in most developed countries, and the least
smokers themselves do in those societies is ask for permission before
they light a cigarette in social situations. Here, well, be it weddings
or birthday parties or a formal dinner; who needs a permission, it`s
a free world! I actually once experienced the same line from a junior
at university; a teenaged habitual smoker. He was outraged at some
fellow students coming to him and advising him against smoking, considering
it a breach of his personal rights. Also, a breach of the freedom
that `we have obtained after all that struggle...this is what freedom
is...freedom to do whatever we want`. Obviously, the explanation left
me a little flabbergasted, on the twisted version of the struggled-for
freedom in the kid`s mind. Personal freedom I agree with, only that
personal freedom is freedom to act for your own self unless you are
not breaching anyone else`s personal freedom, and I believe a genuine
refusal of any individual to take in your smoke does count as his/her
personal freedom. You are of course entitled to choose an activity
for yourself, and perform it as long as it doesn`t start to involve
the others. If one is bent upon destructing his own health, fine,
but that really doesn`t allow doing the same to other people. The
same goes for this free country and its free inhabitants. Freedom
is one thing, respecting others` freedom is even more important. That`s
what education instils into you doesn`t it? That`s why you`re endowed
with that working, amazing mind, to think and make intelligent choices,
and make yourself a productive, not destructive individual of society.
That`s all that there is to say...I rest my case. |
