Personal choice jeopardising others’ health : Smoking in public places
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: April 18 2016 -
It is a personal choice, no doubt.
But when this choice jeopardises the health of others then it is time to draw the line.
Smoking is an individual choice, but given the fact that the puff one has does affect the health of others, all countries across the world have drawn a line and have strictly enforced a ban on smoking in public places.
It is in line with this that airlines all over the world have enforced a strict ban on smoking while flying.
A ban which was not enforced decades earlier.
It was only after studies found that air hostesses and flight stewards were exposed to the hazardous cigarette smoke as passive smokers that a complete ban on smoking in flight was enforced.
The Government of India too has taken a stand against smoking in public places and one just has to watch the television to note the numerous campaigns that have been launched to sensitise the public against smoking in public places.
The State Governments too must have followed suit, but there is nothing much to suggest that the Government of Manipur has woken up to the threat of smoking in public places.
So far there has been no visible campaign against smoking in public places thereby seriously jeopardising the health of non-smokers.
A reflection of a mindset that no one considers that exercising one’s choice should not jeopardise others.
Another aspect which exposes this mindset in all its glory can be seen from the manner in which a number of shopkeepers do not hesitate in piling up their goods for sale on the footpath in the commercial areas of Imphal.
A few days back The Sangai Express received a call from one of its readers on the inconveniences faced by the people due to goods from shops occupying the footpaths.
Not only this, the caller also mentioned how smoking in public places is rampant in Imphal, thereby exposing the non-smokers to cigarette smoke which is hazardous to health.
Time for the Government to focus on how to curb smoking in public places as well as to study how shopkeepers can be told that footpaths are not their personal turf where they can pile up their goods for sale.
It is the mindset which is disturbing. A mindset which says no one cares for others.
It is this which is responsible for smokers to come under the impression that smoking is their personal choice and hence they can smoke wherever they like.
Again it is this mindset which has made a good number of shopkeepers believe that they can use the footpaths to pile their goods for sale.
A mindset which cannot look beyond one’s own need or one’s own comfort and this does not say anything good about the people as a whole.
No wonder Manipur continues to lag behind others as far as development is concerned.
The Government too does not seem concerned for public health never seems to have caught its attention. A shame it is.
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