Health Concerns

Can we enforce
the ban on SMOKING?

It was yet another get together with my friends at one of the cinema theatres in the city. We had an hour in hand before the screening of the film. Obviously, the talk revolved around the latest movies. The movie in discussion was a recent Kannada movie, Slum Bala. In the movie, the lead actor is portrayed smoking in public places. This left me mulling. Why is our nation plagued by paradoxes? On one side, there is a ‘Smoking Ban’ in public places and on the other hand, a lead actor is depicted puffing away to glory. Wouldn’t movie buffs get the wrong message watching him and get into the habit of smoking? Soon a heated argument ensued. But we had to cut it short in order to catch up with the show.
Cut back to campus. As I walk everyday to and from the college, I see a lot of youngsters smoking along the way seated outside the petty shops and eating joints that have sprang up around the college. Whenever I see them puffing, the first thing that comes to my mind is a wish. “Oh my God, I just hope that other people don’t get influenced watching them in the act of smoking. Strange as it may sound, often smokers narrate how they got into smoking and the numbers they have manage to get into smoking. This just shows how most people think and act today.
Surprisingly, law makers have often come up with wonderful rules and regulations that prohibit smoking in public places. But when it comes to implementation, the result is a big zero. We in India lack civic sense. We smoke in public places, carelessly dispose garbage, plastics and spit in every place oblivious to the dangers such practices pose. The picture is even gloomy looking at educational establishments. Little wonder, life has become unbearable for women and school children to coexist in peace.
Educational institutions are respected places of learning and students should abide by the rules and regulations that prevent smoking in and around these establishments and public places. I am not totally against smoking. All I have to say is that it should be a personal and private indulgence. We are all aware that passive smoking is far more dangerous than direct smoking. Do smokers have a right to kill others? The answer is certainly a big No!
The most shocking thing is that despite of the fact that smokers recognize that tobacco is injurious to health, a good number of them still engage in smoking. Nicotine as we all know is poisonous to the nervous system. There is enough Nicotine in just four cigarettes to kill a man in just a few minutes of it were to be injected directly into his bloodstream. Aside, there is also carbon-mono-oxide which is an asphyxiating gas same as the one produced by all the vehicles. There are no less than 4,000 irritating, suffocating, inflammable, toxic, poisonous, carcinogenic gases and even radio-active compounds that have been identified the smoke produced by tobacco.
By the way, for all those smokers who think that smoking is the “in-thing”, “dude-thing”, “manly-thing” or “being a man you have to smoke once in a life time to experience it”, I really feel they have misplaced notions. Being true is to care and have respect for other people. Not by hurting or creating an uncomfortable environment for them.
As students, we need to shoulder more responsibilities and take the first step by making these smokers cease from puffing and being an influence on others. Sometimes, I feel that the students in today’s world have taken their education and conferring of knowledge just as a passage to earn money. But is there something more? We need to cultivate love, take everyone along, show care and concern.
The future of our country, as it is always said, is in the hands of a vibrant young India. If the young students or people do not try and improve things, then who will?
We have to be strong to desist from lighting up. I made my choice long back during my school days. I hope you too can make one. My wishes are all with you!