Do You remember the moments you waited for a bus or train and had to inhale tobacco smoke? Did you react or were you just too afraid to say anything? Well, someone has done it for you. Since 15th November 2010, smoking in public fields has been banned. Smoking is now not allowed at bus stops, in railway stations or in bars and restaurants. Should we be happy about the fact that the government cares about our health or should we be alarmed that those in power are interfering in our private lives and want to control us?
According to the WHO (World Health Organization), five million people this year will die due to diseases caused by smoking. What is even more shocking is the fact that over 150000 of this number will be children who never smoked. By 2030 this number will probably reach eight million. If the problem were connected with drugs the majority of the population would say, “something has to be done to stop this”. But when it comes to cigarettes the number of those who are against drops suddenly. Isn’t it true that smoking is bad for our bodies? Isn’t it true that the vast number of those who suffer from heart attacks, strokes, cancers, and lung ailments were or still are smokers? So why are people so attached to something that kills them? Each cigarette contains numerous chemicals, among which are nineteen carcinogens, such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, acrolein, and nitrosamines. Those components of tobacco smoke can cause cancer and have a major influence on the development of other diseases.
To focus people’s attention on this problem, in 1987 the WHO established No Tobacco Day, which is celebrated annually on 31st May. This worldwide carnpaign aims at focusing attention on the consequences of smoking, especially second-hand smoking. Through all the years where No Tobacco Day has been celebrated, many different aspects of cigarette addiction have been mentioned. Each year the WHO encourages governments and public organizations to organize gatherings, lectures, and other forms of education to stop the growing number of nicotine addicts. Those forms of education have recently been directed towards teenagers, Sadly, more and more young people aged between 13-15 have contact with cigarettes. In Poland, one in five teenagers between the ages of 13 and 15 smoke. In case of teenage smokers, smoking is not yet an addiction but a habit. Peer pressure, as well as TV commercials in many countries, are the main reasons why young people start to smoke. That is why the WHO is trying so hard to in¬crease young people's awareness of the dangers of smoking and present a non-smoking lifestyle as 'cool'. Unfortunately, not everyone is in favour of the anti-tobacco carnpaigns conducted by the WHO around the world.
Since 15th November 2010 smoking has been banned in all public spaces in Poland and breaking this law re¬sults in a penalty. Public spaces include work places, spaces designated for public use, bus stops, railway stations, shops, pubs, and restaurants. Many people assert that personal freedom, as guaranteed by the Polish constitution, has been infringed by the ban. They believe that as long as they do not harm other people and aren’t committing a crime they should be free to do whatever they want with their lives. The loudest voices of protest are heard when it comes to pubs. Many people cannot imagine visiting a pub or bar without a cigarette. But what about that part of the population that don’t smoke, but who cannot go anywhere without having to put up with the constant presence of smoke, smoke that makes everything smell and is also dangerous for their health, even if they only passively inhale it?
Passive smoking is considered one of the main causes of asthma in young children whose parents are smokers. It is also considered a factor which can cause cancer in cases where a person is exposed to it for a long period of time. The smoking habit is especially dangerous for unborn children.
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Do you smoke? Maybe your inmate smokes? Is it problem for you?
What do you think about smoking in public spaces?
How to stop smoking? Any new ideas?
let them all smoke and kill themselves. let them take drugs and get high. don't cure smokers for public money. treat it as natural selection.
ReplyDeleteI have met so many people who smoke a lot and at the same time they are absolutely sure that smoking is not unhealthy. What is more it doesn't cause any kind of cancer. They are so blind that I have to agree with Kuba that they shouldn't be cure for public money.
ReplyDeleteI smoke, but I'm trying to quit the habit. Unfortunately it is not as easy as it seems to be for people who do not smoke. Smoking is often a pleasure to many people. However, doing sports it is easy to see the impact on health is the habit. Not just about drop in fitness, but mainly about the threat that has been shown in the presentation. Because of easy access to "legal drug" which is tobacco, lots of young people falls into this habit.
ReplyDeleteI support the ban on smoking in public places. In my own example I see that it makes less smoke. Of course I agree with people that this is a restriction of my freedom, but for people who are dependent on tobacco is certainly daunting.
As to previous statements, I can not agree. I think smokers have the same right of access to cure. The same principle should not be treated the perpetrators of accidents ... And what's more smokers pay duty for cigarettes, which is to be transferred in part to the treatment of diseases caused by smoking.
I don't smoke and I couldn't agree more with Jakub, as long as they are not cured for public money it's only their problem.
ReplyDeleteRegarding smoking in public the owner of the place should decide whether it's allowed or not. In case of area owned by state it should be allowed as long as it doesn't hurt other people.
I do not smoke and I do not like when somebody near me smokes. I was really happy hearing about banning smoking in public places. Finally I can go to pub or club and be sure that i wont back home with red eyes and smelly clothes. I have also to agree with you guys that smokers shouldn't be cured for public money.
ReplyDeleteI don't smoke and I'm against smoking in general. I've always been surrounded by people who smoke, including my parents, which has been the worst memory from my childhood. In my family only grandpa was not a smoker. We were always running away from the others and it was really irritating.
ReplyDeleteMy negative attitude towards smoking is strongly visible today. I can't help criticizing people waving their cigarette in front of my face. One thing is that it's not healthy for me, but the other is that it's just extremely rude! I can understand that most of those people are addicts, but they need to take into consideration other people's needs. They might not know that the person standing next to them has for example asthma or some kind of other disease.
Quitting smoking is not easy. A lot of companies realized that too and made a big business out of it serving potential customers chewing gums, patches, nicotine free cigarette substitutes and many other "wonderful" products. Electronic cigarettes are becoming more and more popular. I can say that they are more "environment friendly" - I don't mind person standing next to me using it. Some people say it looks stupid and if you're smoking, you should do it in a traditional way, but what "traditional" means? For example in Sweden there are few people smoking. Why is that? Are they the healthiest country in the world? Obviously they are not. Swedes has their own Snus which is a tobacco packed in a little bag resembling a tea bag. It's the most popular form of nicotine consumption in Sweden and it has long tradition which started back in the days, during the Viking times. Nevertheless Snus is dangerous and puts you in an increased risk of cancer, especially a gum cancer and death. It is also very addictive.
The best thing you can do is simply not start with it and try to stay away from it as much as you can.
I also don't smoke but my parents and grandies were smoking a lot or even more. Parents have quit this when I came to this world, grandies few years after that, so I was used to feel smoke.
ReplyDeleteI stand for ban on cigaretess in public places, they can treat themselves wherever they want but I don't want to be their victim! I had enough from my own family!
I also know many people who smoke and who know pretty well that it's not healthy but they don't care saying "you need to die by something".
As for medicine treatment for them, it's hard but it's the same problem as for alcoholics or people who caused an accident isn't it?
I don't think you would say so easy 'let them die' if you'd have to consider this option for your family member.
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ReplyDeleteI used to smoke 10 very long years. I smoked even 30 cigarettes daily. 2 weeks ago I decided to quit. I woke up in the morning and decided to trow away my last package. "Stopping smoking it's not a problem for me. There were so many times that I've tried..."
ReplyDeleteNow 14th day passed without ANY cigarette. And I have to tell you, I'm happy. I decided to stop smoking rapidly. In my opinion that's the main and basic method. Some days ago I've tried Nicorette patches, I've tried tablets - without any success. But you are only substituting one addiction to other and finally never stopped.
Yes, it's hard. You have to be 100% sure that you really want to. You are not supposed to be weak. And you have to be certain that quitting smoking is only for your own good, not for somebody else. The stupids thing is to quit for somebody else, because other person forbid it. Maybe you'll survive 3-5 months, but I'm convinced you'll return - faster then you think.
There is a book, written by: Allen Carr - "Easy Way method". How to successfully quit smoking.
Personally I do not belief in such kind of methods. Someday I received that book from my friend (who has been a smoker too) and we decided to read it. I finished that book and I've been still smoking. Doesn't help you said. Actually it does. Few days after I stopped. And seriously I don't have any complication or hesitate moments. Any.
Coincidence?! Maybe, buy really pleasant :)
See:
http://dziendobrytvn.plejada.pl/24,40161,wideo,,216260,chcesz_rzucic_palenie_przeczytaj_ksiazke,aktualnosci_detal.html
And have a nice quitting
I don't smoke and I'm not an inmate smoker so smoking is not a problem for me.
ReplyDeleteI think smoking in public should be banned (and it is). It was a good news. I'm glad I can go to restaurant or club and breath smoke-free air. I don't need to wash my clothes after visiting in clubs.
I don't have any new ideas to stop smoking. It's not my business. Maybe social campaigns or some substistutes of nicotine...
Luckily I do not smoke! When I was young I tried cigarretes but I didn't like it. In my family only my mother smokes and we strongle encourage her to leave it - but it is not so simple. She tried few ways like taking pills like nicorette or some therapies to make brain think like she never smoked before - but all those didn't work.
ReplyDeleteMy father also smoked cigarretes but he had a cancer and the doctor said that he must quit smoking or cancer will come back and chances to win will be small. And he quit smoking just like that - so what I think is that important is attitude and to have some strong factor which will force you to quit this sh*t.
Personally, I do not smoke, I do not understand smokers, smoke from cigarette is toxic today! I am in favor a total ban on smoking in public places. I think smokers should smoke only in their closed rooms, not on the streets, bars, etc.
ReplyDeleteI do not smoke and also my resident and I have no problem with that. I hate cigarettes, but I do not mind if someone smokes in the open air.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the ban on smoking in public places is adequate, but unfortunately not everyone apply to this. At bus stops, people go away for a few meters and smoke. The pubs are special places where you can smoke, but people do not always apply to it too. I think that most smokers are less tolerant because they do not see the problem in smoking, are surprised that it might interfere with someone. I spoke with smokers, and they just do not feel the smell of cigarettes.
I do not know an effective way to quit smoking, but my ex girlfriend smoked cigarettes, and it bothered me. In retrospect, I can say that as long as someone does not want throw it - he stay still as smoker.