More smoke than fire on non-smoking day

JAKARTA (JP): The campaign to hold one worldwide non-smoking day went ignored as both young and old lit up as usual, uncontested by non-smokers.

While health experts say passive smokers are exposed to the same -- or even more -- health hazards as smokers, non-smokers said they were hesitant to express their concern.

"People will think that I am such a nag," Pipi, a secretary, said. "Besides, I don't think that the perceived danger is worth the alienation. Especially if the smoker is a superior," she said.

Another employee said she felt it was easier to reprimand strangers than acquaintances about smoking near her.

"I often reprimand smokers on buses, either explicitly or waving the smoke away as a hint, but mostly it doesn't work," Lala said.

Linawati, a high school student, said she is annoyed but does not express it.

"It has become as natural as inhaling air," she said.

Some smokers said yesterday they knew of the campaign, but could not help themselves, including councilors and City Hall officials.

"My father is a smoker and he lived to 79 years," said Maskup Ustianto, a city secretary in charge of government affairs.

"I might stop today, but four hours is the most I can stand," Anto, an employee at a private company, said.

Waskito Adiribowo of the Jakarta Legal Aid Office said he would keep smoking up to one-and-a-half packages a day, despite the campaign and health warnings against smoking.

"I thought I needed smoking to fight stress from work, but I found that during holidays, I smoked even more," he said.

Irianto, another lawyer, said he only smokes occasionally and did not smoke yesterday in conjunction with the No Tobacco Day.

Mery, a Jarum cigarette saleswoman who was operating in Blok M, South Jakarta, said she was "just doing her job."

"I knew nothing about the campaign," she said, looking a bit offended.

Meanwhile, members of a bus crew said smoking is needed to overcome stress and sleepiness during traffic congestion.

"We always think hard about getting enough money for the day," said Sumanta, a driver of the state-owned PPD bus plying the Tanjung Priok-Kampung Melayu route.

The 28-year-old man said he smokes two packs a day.

"We're sure that if we do regular physical exercises, smoking won't have much affect on our health," another bus crew member said.

Students of an aviation school in South Jakarta said they are not worried either, as their second year at school is their only opportunity to smoke.

"In the third grade, most students stop smoking so they can pass the health exams," one of the students, Sigit, said. He referred to aviation center exams, where graduates apply for further training for mechanical or flying skills.

They said with their average daily allowance of around Rp 2,000 (85 US cents) each, a pack selling for Rp 1,200 is bought and shared among six students, each paying Rp 200.

Sigit's friend, Jhaee, said he smokes about five cigarettes a day and his mother "seems to understand that it's natural among teenagers."

"She just warns me against smoking too much," he said.

Others said they smoked since junior high school, but avoid being caught by parents out of fear of being punished.

"My father says I can smoke when I earn my own money," said Ache.

They all said they knew of the campaign from television, but had forgot about it. (14/anr/yns)