Smoking in public places
This is in reference reply to my letter by A. Bashar, published on April 10, 2009. The writer accused me of charging smokers in a wholesale manner in my letter, disregarding the tobacco act. My point is that when a doctor examines a patient suffering from tobacco related diseases he never asks whether the patient had smoked cigarettes maintaining tobacco code or not or whether he had smoked in the public places or private places designated by the government. It seems the writer is a supporter of smoking and I had hurt his sentiment by comparing the smokers with terrorists and by appealing to the present government which initiated the anti-smoking law to enforce the same very strictly. Smoking is harmful and injurious to health which may cause death as is evident from the statutory warning on every cigarette packet.
He wrote so many things for the smokers to smoke in designated places as per the tobacco act, but did not write a single word on the harmful effects of smoking. Rather, he gave a suggestion that one should learn about the tobacco act before commenting against smoking. My question is, are those who smoke in public places aware of the tobacco act?
If he supports smoking, an act which is universally rejected and against which public awareness is growing everywhere around the world, he should still avoid pleading on behalf of smokers. This will only create frustration for the anti smoking campaigners who are striving hard to eliminate it.
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