Ban on smoking
So much of late has been written and spoken on the topic ever since it has been brought as a rule – Ban on smoking.
Might be we could learn a little from this village – A.Pudupatti – near Madurai, as reported in the Hindu. This village with a population of 3500 has a self-imposed ban on smoking cigarettes, beedies and tobacco, for the past 90 years. Solid 90 years of non-smoking, amazing is it not. The mention of tobacco sends people into rage. Any outsider seen smoking is gently told to go to the outskirts to satisfy the pleasure they obtain from smoking.
Well nothing is gained without loss, so it is said. The reason behind this ban happens to be a major fire that was caused when a person carelessly threw a cigarette butt on a haystack. This made the people resolve that never again would any shop in the village sell any of these products/items and neither does one find a wine shop in this village.
The village does have its proud moments when they say most of the youngsters here are non-smokers.
The question is do we have to face a calamity or disaster to strike on us, do we need our lungs to choke because of the smoking habits to resolve that we would never do this thing ever again in our lives? Which in most cases happens to be a belated one, more so because enough harm, has already been done.
It has been rightly put by Duane Alan Hahn in his quote – "When are people going to realize that breathing in smoke from anything that burns is not a good idea?"
What right do we have to knowingly cause harm to ourselves and to those around us? Each individual has to resolve that he/she would give top priority to their own health and that of others around him/her. After all of what use is this few moments of pleasure gained by putting the entire life into jeopardy which is a sure sign of dying daily.
So before we go to that extent of losing out on our lives let us fight tobacco, to ensure that we win the war against cancer."
So much of late has been written and spoken on the topic ever since it has been brought as a rule – Ban on smoking.
Might be we could learn a little from this village – A.Pudupatti – near Madurai, as reported in the Hindu. This village with a population of 3500 has a self-imposed ban on smoking cigarettes, beedies and tobacco, for the past 90 years. Solid 90 years of non-smoking, amazing is it not. The mention of tobacco sends people into rage. Any outsider seen smoking is gently told to go to the outskirts to satisfy the pleasure they obtain from smoking.
Well nothing is gained without loss, so it is said. The reason behind this ban happens to be a major fire that was caused when a person carelessly threw a cigarette butt on a haystack. This made the people resolve that never again would any shop in the village sell any of these products/items and neither does one find a wine shop in this village.
The village does have its proud moments when they say most of the youngsters here are non-smokers.
The question is do we have to face a calamity or disaster to strike on us, do we need our lungs to choke because of the smoking habits to resolve that we would never do this thing ever again in our lives? Which in most cases happens to be a belated one, more so because enough harm, has already been done.
It has been rightly put by Duane Alan Hahn in his quote – "When are people going to realize that breathing in smoke from anything that burns is not a good idea?"
What right do we have to knowingly cause harm to ourselves and to those around us? Each individual has to resolve that he/she would give top priority to their own health and that of others around him/her. After all of what use is this few moments of pleasure gained by putting the entire life into jeopardy which is a sure sign of dying daily.
So before we go to that extent of losing out on our lives let us fight tobacco, to ensure that we win the war against cancer."
Pleasure, which must be enjoyed at the expense of another's pain, can never be enjoyed by a worthy mind. Pleasure's couch is virtue's grave. - Augustine J. Duganne.
1 comment:
A former union minister tried hard to bring about a ban on smoking but failed.There is a powerful tobacco lobby to encourage smoking and as long as there are willing and gullible consumers, it is a losing battle.A Pudhupatti is an exception than a rule.As always you have highlighted another social malady
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