Should smoking be banned?
@sudhajosyula50 (3808)
India
October 23, 2008 11:54pm CST
This year's World No Tobacco Day is on 31 May, a day set aside to highlight the dangers of smoking.
The focus this year, according to the World Health Organisation, is on tobacco and poverty.
According to the WHO, smoking cigarettes does not only lead to disease and death, but drains the already impoverished public health service of countries in Africa as the cost of treating tobacco-related disease soars.
With tobacco advertising banned in many western countries, cigarette manufacturers are increasingly targeting countries in Africa and elsewhere in the third world.
Last year, Tanzania banned smoking in public places.
Smoking also damages productivity and families as parents die young because of tobacco related illnesses.
The report says that poor people spend a disproportionately high amount of their income on cigarettes.
For example, in Kenya it an average of two hours and 40 minutes to earn enough to buy a packet for imported cigarettes, while in the United Kingdom it takes just 40 minutes.
On the other hand, African countries such as Zimbabwe and Malawi earn a lot of money from tobacco exports.
If smoking were banned, thousands of people would lose their main source of income and might be unable to find another equally profitable crop.
In view of the WHO statistics should smokers be forced to give up the habit for the sake of their own health and for that of the whole country?
Or should smoking remain a question of personal choice?
What is your opinion on this issue which is becoming a hot agenda in today's world.
3 people like this
18 responses
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
24 Oct 08
I think smoking needs to be banned everywhere. It's a terrible habit. And that's what it is, a habit. People aren't always addicted to them, they need them to keep their hands busy, or to stop the need for eating all the time and a lot of other reasons. Not to mention, some people just can't stand the smoke. I know I can't tolerate it well and I live with two other people that need to smoke. Getting rid of smoking would solve a lot of problems.
@sudhajosyula50 (3808)
• India
24 Oct 08
Hi friend,
You said is absolutely true.But if we banned them than so many people live without jobs.It has interlinked with people survival.I feel the people who are living on this industry should first leave their jobs and switch to other industries jobs.
Then it would be better instead of facing again unemployment crisis.
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
24 Oct 08
I was a smoker up to 8 years ago. I know its addictive, and I know the hazards of smoking. I am in favour that it should get abolished. It is a severe health hazard to both smokers an non smokers. © ronaldinu 2008
@sudhajosyula50 (3808)
• India
29 Oct 08
Did you stop smoking friend.If not,try to stop it otherwise it causes bad to your health.Be careful.
Have a nice day
@sudhajosyula50 (3808)
• India
29 Oct 08
Its good that you don't smoke.
keep smiling.
Have a nice day
@chrislotz (8137)
• Canada
25 Oct 08
I live in Canada and most places here they have banned smoking in public
places. The only place a person can smoke when they go out, is outside. So
you see many people outside smoking, at restaurants and bars and such, even at
hospitals.
I am a smoker and have been for over 30 years. That is sad! As I post the amount
of years I have smoked, it is way toooo much!
I have tried to quit smoking so many times and have not been successful,
yet. One of these days I will wuit for good, but it is sooo
hard and people that haven't smoked don't know what it is like.
I don't think they should ban smokes for good though, I think people should
have a choice if they want to smoke or not. Also, if they banned it completely
where would the governments get all that tax money from, that they get from
us smokers? They would have to raise everyones taxes a whole lot to
make it up. Do you want your taxes to double or triple because that is how
much they would have to raise our taxes to make it up.
Alrighty then, talk to you later.
Your friend, Chris.
@sudais2006 (349)
• Pakistan
24 Oct 08
hi friends
i think that smoking should be banned. because it injurious for health as well as for society. which cause the children specially and in near future these children came to rule over countries.
that is why i think and it must be banned on smoking.
and thanks for nice topic to discuss that make awareness in the people
Happy mylotting
Prince Sad
@sudhajosyula50 (3808)
• India
24 Oct 08
Hi friend,
I agree with you.But should be careful about the people survival in prohibiting the smoking industry.
@shineylawson (21)
• India
24 Oct 08
ya it shoul b banned.
smokeing is really dangerous for the smoker as well as for other people around surroundings...........it must b banned
@sudhajosyula50 (3808)
• India
29 Oct 08
Hi friend,
Welcome to mylot site.We have lot of demerits in having them but we have to look the workmen who are living in manufacturing them before banning them.
Have a nice day
@JUNGLE (1157)
• South Africa
24 Oct 08
Smoking should be banned without question.Lets save the health of our children,and our own.....and of course our pockets.I have stopped smoking just 3 months ago and I can already feel a wonderful change in my health.There is of course another change that I feel,it's the change in my pocket,there is very much more change in my pocket these days,as the hole that was once there has now completely disappeared.
@Jul14nch0 (1414)
• Argentina
25 Oct 08
It should be banned, since it means a dammage in the health of other people. And it should be conciderated a crime.
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
24 Oct 08
We should work hard to make planet earth a smoke-free planet. Let's all highlight the benefits of not smoking. Let us find ways to help those that have difficulties stopping this bad habit. Let us educate the young about not starting to smoke. Let us older ones be good role models for the young by not smoking ourselves. Let us all breathe a little easier by developing good habits and removing the harmful. 
@CAdreamer (118)
• United States
24 Oct 08
I am a smoker and it was my choice. I don't think that anyone can tell another what they do to their body. People talk about personal choice and human rights. Well isn't it a human right to choose what you put into your body. Geez, smoking isn't the only thing that makes one unhealthy. If they are going to ban smoking why don't they ban fast food. That isn't healthy and there are just as much health problems from obesity as there are from smoking. And if smoking is so bad, then why not get rid of all air pollutants. Cause more in the air is more deadly than what is in a cigerette. People just have no sense. You can't blame just one thing for health problems, and unless you have absolutely no health problems, and eat healthy all the time, and never put anything into your body that is bad for it, I don't think that anyone then has the right to force someone to stop smoking.
@agrant10 (1476)
• United States
25 Oct 08
Well, I do not smoke but my spouse does and I say smoking should be banned. Maybe the people could possibly be trained in something else that will improve their income. Think of the people that will be spared if it was banned, how many young people who would never start and most of all how much money people could save.
@rahulnegi007 (32)
• India
24 Oct 08
i dont think so it should be banned as every1 in the world has the right to do whatever u want . i know it is dangerous for health but then 1001 things in the world is dangerous for health lyk carrying fone n etc etc .I m not a smoker i care for my health dats y i dont smoke n if 1 care 4 himself he will not smoke
@pepot1968 (43)
• Philippines
24 Oct 08
i think smoking should be banned. its dangerous to our health especially to second hand smokers like children and pregnant women. they suffer because of the smoke.
@cuddlylian (6)
• Philippines
24 Oct 08
smoking is always been warned to be bad for every body's health even the second hand's smoking is much worse. it cant bring any good to boy and can bring many chemicals which can be bad to our body. ive known many persons who have been into smoking and right know they are suffering from different ailments. some are dying little by little. i just hope smoking could be gradually ban. for everybody's sake! :)
@angemac23 (2003)
• Canada
24 Oct 08
Yes smoking should be banned. This would certainly help me quit as I have been trying for years unsucessfully!
@Metalchick (1391)
•
24 Oct 08
Smoking has been banned in various places in England now as you can no longer smoke in public places for example bars, clubs, restaurants etc. As a non-smoker I always deemed this as perhaps the only good thing the British government had done for the country since they had been in power. But after your discussion I didn't realise so many would lose their jobs because of it. The only places smokers can smoke in England now is outside, in their own homes or their own cars. Don't think this new law has irradicated smoking but it has made smoking a lot harder for people to participate in.
In my personal opinion I don't see the point in smoking. Some say it calms your nerves others are just addicted full stop. When you look at the health problems it can cause surely it is just not worth it and to think of all that money wasted every week on a handful of cancer sticks...afteral thats what they are!
@lady_cayote (153)
• Philippines
24 Oct 08
banning smoking is maybe a eutopia. There has been plenty of attempts to stop it or even reduce it but tono avail. It is addicitive. it's a false paradise for those who have no other scapes. The government for sure won't even allow it. They will lose a lot of money from the taxes they get from it. Smoking is a personal choice and it is also personal responsibility.
