| Product: |
Should smoking be banned in public places? |
| Date: |
09/05/06 (243 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Sorry, what?
Disadvantages: It kills, hurts and destroys.
It still puzzles me why people smoke. It’s not social; it makes your clothes smell like you’ve been standing near a bonfire for the last four hours, and its really expensive. I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks this and the bill for smoking being banned in public places is being passed in 2007 – finally. I’m not anti-smokers and quite a lot of my friends smoke and I don’t not hang out with them because they do – it just annoys me as they is nothing good about smoking. Many people think that if you smoke you will get cancer – false. Being a smoker does however dramatically increase the risk of getting cancer or specific diseases/problems relating to the lungs.
My dad smoked for most of his life and four years ago my Mum and I started to pressure him to quit as we were worried about his health. After a period of cutting down (and chewing lots of regular gum) he finally quit completely and hasn’t touched a cigarette for 3 years. Sometimes it takes family members to take charge as some people haven’t got a strong enough will to quit themselves and need perspective.
In a twisted way you’ve got to hand it to the tobacco companies. They sell people a product that they not only do not need, but one that damages their health and is addictive. Meanwhile they rely on this addiction to keep people hooked and earn ridiculous amounts of money in the process. They are the biggest and most successful drug dealers in the world essentially.
Is there anything good about smoking? Well, it has calming effects and is a good stress relief – so does taking a walk and I can’t remember the last time someone dropped dead from walking. It was made iconic and therefore attractive through people such as Frank Sinatra and Humphrey Bogart. Its attractiveness hasn’t waned.
The problem I have is if people want to smoke – I don’t essentially have a problem. It’s their life and body. When it starts to effect family members and becomes more than just a selfish habit that affects everyone, I do have a problem. How many times have you gone to bar to have an after work drink or just a quick one in the pub and you leave covered in the smell of smoke? I went to the pub yesterday in a clean t-shirt in the evening and I had to put it in the laundry as it stank of smoke after only an hour in the pub – it’s ridiculous. I also have mild asthma, but it hasn’t affected me recently which is surprising.
Even smokers I know hate the smell of their own smoke, but like cigarettes. I tried them years ago and it did have a relaxing effect, but at the end of the day you know how bad they are and how they affect others around you. A pint of beer has the same relaxing effect. I commend people who have given up smoking. As with any serious addiction, it is hard to stop. Mother’s who are pregnant shouldn’t drink or smoke, but many do. There seems to be a general sense of indecency and a selfish attitude at the moment in England – not sure why. I think at the end of the day, if you really want to give up, you can. It’s not easy, but whether it is for your health, the health of others or the safety of your child; it is something that shouldn’t be in our society as it does nothing to make it better. Tobacco companies should be ashamed of themselves.
Summary: Selfish habit that will be banned in public places soon - Thank God.
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