Ban on Public Smoking

India has joined the list of countries where smoking in public has been banned w.e.f. 2 October 2008. Finally! To view a list of countries where public smoking is banned, click  here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_smoking_bans

Tobacco smoke is very harmful for the human body. Though I feel its a personal choice, whether to smoke or not to smoke, we should all welcome this move by the Government of India. How we treat our own body, is our own business. However to harm another individual directly or indirectly through our choices is simply wrong. You might not care about the damages of smoking to your own body, but give a moments thought to the havoc it plays on other non smokers especially children. Indirectly they are all inhaling the tobacco smoke.

Research has shown that the younger the children, the more susceptible and harmful the effects of second hand smoke can be. Even babies in the womb are not spared. Do we need to do this? Children who are constantly exposes to second hand smoke have more respiratory problems than children who are not exposed to tobacco smoke.

Furthermore consider the environmental effects public smoking has. This smoke is directly released into the atmosphere. We need to heal the environment in whatever way we can, not contribute to its further destruction. With rising global warming, reduction of our forests, immense temperature and environmental changes occurring throughout the world, we all need to contribute to healing our Earth. 

So give a thought to our fellow human beings, to our children and to our planet and make an effort to stop smoking in public and eventually stop it completely. You will be a happier, more healthy person at the end of it all.