There has been a hue and cry over smoking in public places, resulting in some restrictions on the habit. But no one really seems to address the issue of hazards of smoking indoors.
The other day I was travelling with my siblings by an Uber and my brother had a friendly dialogue with the driver. He felt comfortable and soon offered him a cigarette which he politely declined, saying that he didn’t smoke. But the driver lit his cigarette and started smoking, after partially opening the window on his side. I requested him to open the window at my side also while advising him to quit smoking, which he ignored.
People smoking inside cars even while travelling with children and their families is a common sight on Pakistan’s roads. They don’t seem bothered about the health risks of passive smoking.
Second-hand smoke, experts tell us, is a danger to everyone, but children and pregnant women are most vulnerable. Passive smoking increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS or cot death), middle ear disease in children, asthma, respiratory illnesses, lung cancer and coronary heart disease, according to a website.
Some offices are like smoke chambers. In offices where superiors are smokers, their subordinates are often the victims of passive smoking.
I request authorities concerned to look into this serious issue and take necessary action to ensure that the health of the non-smokers is protected in all workplaces.
The statutory warning on the cigarette packet says “Smoking kills”. Cigarette smokers, who puff on without concern for others nearby, are like killers actually. They are slowly killing themselves and others also. Why no action is taken against these “killers”? They must be sentenced for this potentially dangerous act. We should wake up to this danger and do something. And smoking publicly should be banned.
Ariba Chaudhary, Islamabad
