No Smoking

The business of helping people smoke themselves to death is a lucrative one. And why not, when at least a fifth of the world's population willingly subscribe to it, knowing fully well the damage caused every time the haze settles.

Can't blame businesses for they will engage in a trade as long as there is money to be made. Isn't that the meaning of enterprise? And can't blame them of misguiding people; don't they write on the box "Consumption of tobacco products is injurious to health", or "Smoking is injurious to health".

What amazes me are the people who read the warning and still willingly lead themselves to the slaughter. One may say it's my choice to smoke. Agreed, I have no issues with that. But yes, I do have an issue with someone polluting my lungs with second hand smoke.

If one claims a right to smoke, then I claim the right of not wanting to be subjected to that smoke. Smoke your guts out, kill yourself by all means, but do not exhale. If you can do that, be my guest.

We are worried about terrorists planting bombs and killing us. But we are not in the least bothered of smokers killing us each minute. I leave it for you to decide who is the bigger threat, terrorists or smokers. Sometimes I feel the terrorists are wasting their time killing people who are anyways intent on committing harakiri.

The government's attitude is even better. They will try to ban smoking, but not the manufacture and sale of cigarettes. And why would they ban companies from making these cancer sticks when they earn billions by way of taxes. Big tobacco know how to keep the machines well oiled.

To me, higher taxes and hiking prices of cigarettes and smoking bans are just a farce. A show of action to mask inaction. A look at Parliamentarians gives us an idea of how they think. Most are addicted to smoking.

The Left leaders who are so concerned of the nuclear deal and its impact on the people of this country see no danger in puffing away to glory and of polluting the atmosphere. Can't help taking a dig at the Left; according to me they deserve it for trying to force upon the masses an ideology whose time has passed.

No cigarette vendor is supposed to be anywhere close to a school, educational institution or hospital. That's not what I say. That's what the rule book says. But as ususal we love bending rules; the result, we have a cigarette vendor within spitting distance of most schools, at least in Mumbai.

Dev Anand in Hum Dono had immortalized the deadly cancer stick when he mouthed the song, "Mein zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya, har phikr ko duaen mein udata chala gaya." The writer of thar song would have done a great service to mankind if he had written "Mein phikr ka saath nibhata chala gaya, zindagi ko duaen mein udata chala gaya." What say?