Is Smoking a Crime?

What's wrong with people nowadays? Don't the Health Ministry have more constructive things to do? How about ensuring the people have access to excellent healthcare?

I'm neither apologetic nor ashamed to indulge in a puff or two. I'm considerate enough not to inconvenience others. Respect works both ways. Those who are critical of cigarette smoke, keep your distance from smokers, and your opinions to yourselves. Because smokers can't stand the smell of self-righteous bigots either.

Since there are so many rules and regulations which most smokers dutifully abide by, here's my friendly advise to the nons on behalf of the smokers:

• If you walk past a smoker, hold your breath. You don't own the street.
• If you can't stand the sight of someone smoking, close your eyes. We can't stand your ugly face either.
• If you feel like ticking off a smoker, bite your tongue.
• If you feel like making the stupid gesture of waving your hand in front of your face, you will get a bigger puff in your face and maybe a broken hand!
• Mucking with smokers when they are having their much needed fix is actually more dangerous than the smoke they emit! Smokers have a little higher tolerence for assholes after their fix though.

Well, how many of you would actually have the guts to tell off your bosses or clients if they smoke in front of you huh?

Smoking is a bad habit, among others such as drinking, drug taking, gambling, swearing, nose-picking, lying, cheating, pissing others off, etc. It is addictive and bad for health, which is why they are called bad habits. Propaganda has led many people to demonise the user, instead of the substance. Instead of just accepting the fact that smokers have the right to do so, just as we have to accept the fact that there are stupid people on earth, these people prefer to penalise and demonise smokers. Because these self-righteous fools are selfish people.

Over the years, the anti-smoking campaign, just like other similar campaigns, have bred a group of brainwashed hypocrites. It always starts with subtle persuasion. Through the years, these campaigns will slowly take on a more confrontational tone. Study the campaigns against plastic bags, save the whales, rainforests, pandas, etc. The last I checked, the human species is not too far down the list!

Granted the intentions are noble, but the methods have evolved to confrontational rather than educational. Take open burning for example. If you do it in your garden, they will come after you. When big plantation companies do it, choking the whole nation, nothing happens.

Back to the smoking ban. I'm not defending smoking. I'm putting things in perspective and deluded people in their place. Let's face the facts without the hypocrisy shall we?

The Penang "Cigarette-Smoke-Free" campaign is a fine example of a hypocritical campaign in their distinction on the type of smoke. Penangites deserve clean air, free from cigarette smoke. Other types of smokes from cars, lorries, factories, burning, are welcomed!

Non-smokers demand the air they breath to be free from cigarette smoke because they think that a whiff of that stuff will kill them, eventually, if they should be lucky enough not to die from other causes first. But their bodies seems to be immune to exhaust fumes, factory smoke, haze, alcohol, transfats, dirty water and insecticides.

Now, they even go as far as taking away the rights of smokers to smoke in open spaces! But it is acceptable for everyone to breath in the exhaust fumes from your vehicles? Are these people stupid?

Here are some pointers for the Health Minister, Dr. S Subramaniam to help him set his priorities right:

Alcohol

Would a person who doesn't consume alcoholic drinks have the moral authority to stop drinkers from drinking in public places? After all, an intoxicated drinker can become violent. Or if he drives, might cause an accident. Girls might be harrassed. And it is a bad influence on the kids! Moreover, it is bad for health especially the liver.

Alcohol actually poses higher risks on others than cigarettes. Other people actually die, sometimes instantly, due to road accidents or violent acts. How many actually died from inhaling a whiff of second-hand smoke? Smoking does not even intoxicate a person! (not from tobacco anyway)

Why aren't there any anti-drinking campaigns in a country where the majority of the people does not drink? What happened to the drink-driving campaign? What? You mean you can enjoy your alcohol anywhere you like while others cannot enjoy their nicotine within your sight? What happened to equal rights?

How many alcoholics are there in the population? Habitual drinkers? How many drunk-driving accidents? How many violent incidences and crimes of passion were commited under the influence of alcohol?

Drinkers are a danger to society and should not be permitted to drink in public.

Smokers kill themselves. Slowly. Drinkers kill others, instantly! None of the major religions condone nor encourage alcohol consumption.

If I were the Health Minnister, I would make alcohol consumption and abuse my priority due to the damger it poses on society. Ban alcohol too!

Air pollution

Everyone is affected by this. How much toxic exhaust fumes do we breathe in everyday? Does anyone actually believe that cigarette smoke is more toxic than exhaust fumes? Really? Then why do people choose to kill themselves by locking themselves in the car and inhaling the exhaust fumes? Why not use cigarettes?

You can't even smell anything other than exhaust fumes at those places! People are practically eating with an exhaust pipe in front their faces! And the Health Minister & non-smokers are more concerned about a little cigarette smoke? Really?

Has it ever occured to him that polluted air can cause lung cancer as well? The annual haze seems to be speeding up this rather nicely, especially to those who are suffering from respiratory illnesses.

People are breathing in polluted and toxic air 24 hours a day! What is the amount a passerby inhale from a smoker in an open area? 2 or 3 whiffs? 

So, again, has there ever been a anti-haze/open-burning campaign? Has there ever been an anti air-pollution campaign at all? What about vehicle emission pollution? What standards of petrol and diesel is Malaysia currently adopting? What exhaust emission standards do we have?

It is the rights of everyone to have clean air!

Water

Most of us would already be familiar with the quality of our water supply. Most houses and eateries are fitted with expensive water filters to make it potable. Compare our water quality with some countries where they can drink straight from their taps. We probably use and consume ten of thousands of litres in our lifetime. It is astounding that people show little concern about water safety, but get so hysterical on a few whiffs of cigarette smoke. In Selangor, you people are drinking mining pond water!

Now would be a good time for a clean water campaign don't you think?

What about the polluted rivers where they source the water from? Why are factories still discharging their toxic waste into the rivers and drains?

Is the Health Minister concerned about the safety of our water? What are the levels of contaminants, floride, bacteria, micro-organisms? What are the health effects?

Epidemics

Oh my, there are just so many to choose from... but let's just take dengue as an example. Statistics show that the numbers have increased exponentially these past years. Why? Because the drains are clogged, uncleared rubbish dumps and construction sites are breeding grounds for the Aedes mosquitoes. Do they need to wait for cases to happen before they take action? How many times a year do his people check on construction sites? How frequent are the drains cleaned? How often are the public parks, gardens and roadsides swept and maintained?

I think the few issues above would keep the good minister occupied and help him reprioritise. There's actually a list of more harmful things the government should ban: processed sugar, condensed milk, transfat, GMOs, MSG, sodium nitrate, floride, BHA, BHT, aspertame, food colourings, fast-food, soft-drinks, radioactive wastes, etc, etc, but importantly ban stupid people from talking and working in government.

Time for my ciggy break.

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“Smokers are not criminals”

A Penang Umno leader is 'smoking' over smoking ban at highway R&R areas.

GEORGE TOWN: Don’t treat smokers as though they are criminals, especially when the government has been collecting so much tobacco tax from them, said a local Umno leader who is himself a non-smoker.

Penang Umno secretary Musa Sheikh Fadzir said it was ridiculous to ban smoking at open rest and recreational (R&R) areas along the highways across the country.

He said that if the government was serious in wanting to stop Malaysians from smoking then they should close down all cigarette manufacturing plants and ban the import of cigars and cigarettes.

Health Minister Dr. S Subramaniam had announced that all highway R&R areas would be gazetted as “No Smoking” zones by the end of 2014, and offenders would be fined between RM250 to RM500.

The measure is part of the Healthy Ministry’s effort to reduce the number of smokers in the country by 16%.

The Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2011 revealed that 23.1%, or 4.7 million Malaysians, were smokers.

Musa said it was acceptable for the ministry to ban smoking in government buildings, closed door areas and air-conditioned places.

“But not in open R&R areas where smokers stop for a cigarette and release their tobacco addiction before proceeding on their journey.

“It is hypocritical for the government to allow for the sale of cigarettes on one side and then segregating smokers as if they are criminals.

“The sale of cigarettes has allowed the government to collect so much tax from smokers. Just close the cigarette factories and ban sales,” Musa told FMT here today.

He urged the Health Minister to review the latest government ban on smokers and suggests the ministry to study the issue thoroughly before making a decision.

Meanwhile, the Penang government plans to gazette certain city heritage areas as smoke-free zones next month.

Executive councillor in charge of welfare, caring society and environment Phee Boon Poh indicated that core and buffer zones located in the heritage areas will be gazetted as part of an overall plan to make Penang smoke-free.

“There will be no compromise,” Phee who also chairs the Cigarette Smoke-Free Penang (Penbar), told newsmen yesterday.