The danger of smoking

The danger of smoking

From Republika

I was very concerned to discover a television report that said
lung and respiratory cancer in Indonesia rank second in the world
after China.

One of the major causes of this disturbing finding is
cigarette smoke. It is baffling that despite numerous health
campaigns such as the immunization drive, the healthy halal food
promotion, family welfare and prosperity and the fight to reduce
child and maternal mortality rates, authorities seem to have
missed the antismoking crusade.

I am certain that doctors do not doubt the potential danger of
smoking on health. It is not just dangerous for the active
smoker, the passive smoker will be affected too.

Unfortunately active smokers do not realize this. Just witness
the number of smokers in public vehicles, conference rooms,
offices, hotels, schools, houses and even hospitals (where
patients should be breathing clean air). It seems we are unable
to escape the presence of smokers.

I often travel with smoking passengers in public vans, who
disregard the presence of mothers and babies beside them. I still
observe smokers in offices too despite countless "No smoking"
signs. The same applies in AC-buses. What is the matter with
these people? It is as if smokers are unable to comprehend the
seriousness of the problem.

Of course, a solution should be sought by various parties. The
public should become fully aware of the dangers of smoking.
Smokers should realize that their habit is offensive and they
should nurture a sense of responsibility for nonsmokers. Everyone
has the right to breath fresh air.

As for the government, it seems that a large-scale drive is
necessary to dramatically decrease the number of people smoking
in this country. We do not want smoking to become a typical habit
of Indonesians.

If the national immunization drive was such a huge success
(babies who missed the treatment at the clinics were immunized at
home), why would an antismoking campaign be so hard to organize?

However the battle remains as cigarette ads are rampant and
flourishing freely without objection.

And as for cigarette manufacturers, I suggest that they should
think of rechanneling their profits into other ventures. The
media could also help in reducing smoking by decreasing the
number of cigarette ads in their papers.

Ady

Environmentalist