Why smoke up your life!

Health Hazards | December 9, 2011 | Share

Introduction

I was standing with my friends at the tapri just outside our college and discussing the events of the day. A surprise test, a disastrous viva and being dismissed from the class for creating disturbance was too much to take for a day. It was a chilly evening and I wondered how the winter will cast its spell on us. A group of boys from our college walked out of the campus towards the same tapri. We smilingly wished each other but in a few minutes my smile turned into a frown when I saw them pull out cigarettes and smoke right in front of us. While we walked away, one of my friends walked up to them and gently reminded them that smoking at public places was banned. They said “Yes we know, thank you!” That is the present generation. There was a time when our generation was ready to give up their lives for the freedom of our country and today that same youth is not able to give up smoking to abide by the laws framed by their own government.

Mission: Save public places

Smoking at public places was banned in India since 2003, but looking at the response the government toughened its stand on 2nd October 2008 by specifically listing the public places which included work places, restaurants, hotels, bars and pubs, and on roads and crossings. But needless to say, no kind of restriction seems to work on people who don’t seem to understand the value of their own lives, forget about their loved ones. Reports suggest that passive smoking is equally harmful to health. So now it is not just the duty of the smoker to stop smoking at public places but also the non-smoker to make this a reality. As it is rightly said, “To tolerate a crime is as good as being a part of it”.

Mission: Guide the blindfolded youth

Smoking has become a style statement to youth today. As a result, many children start smoking at an age as early as 14 yrs. Smoking at such an early stage increases the probability of getting heart diseases, lung cancer and other respiratory problems. The Indian government has taken a lot of measures to provide food supply and primary education to all and to ensure development in all possible ways. We continuously talk about building the future of our country by grooming the children who will ultimately guide the growth of our country tomorrow. But who has seen that these children that we talk about and theyouth that we depend on, are themselves blind folded. We have to show them the correct path today, unless it becomes too late.

Mission: Long lived happiness

Smoking is an addiction for most of the smokers and this is preventing them from giving it up even if they want to. As per reports, seven out of ten smokers say they want to give up, but they don’t. Giving up this addiction requires a strong will power and constructive support from friends and families. Hiding the cigarette packets, keeping it at different locations, chewing gum are few of the simplest yet affective techniques to quit smoking. There must be a nagging thought running on the minds of the smoker that smoking might give him the instant relief but it is killing him part by part. Smoking is a painful death; a death of all future plans, a death of the dreams and hopes of loved ones, a death of your conscience and dignity and mostly importantly you and your life! We get only one life to live and our every effort should be to make it worthwhile to live, so why suffer so many deaths. Quit smoking!

Swati Nidiganti