I’m often castigated for my zero-tolerance attitude towards smoking. People start quoting Niemöller at me (“First they came for the ‘smokers’ and I said nothing…”) and bandying about words such as tyrant and totalitarian but as many of you are aware, once I form an opinion, it takes about five solar eclipses to make me change it. Call it narrow-mindedness, I call it strength of belief.
Despite all the uproar over the various smoking bans, I readily welcomed them. I don’t spend my time in pubs but I still felt it to be a small victory in the battle of Kia v. World. I was especially pleased when Pizza Hut placed a ban on smoking in their chain of restaurants (pizza being one of the main staples of my diet). This strict anti-smoking attitude was instilled in me by my father at a young age. Not because he didn’t smoke but because he did. I saw him suffer a number of heart attacks and as we all know, smoking is a large factor in cardiovascular disease. But I don’t want to excuse my tyrannical stance by personalising the problem so we will move on.
I not only believe that smoking should be banned in public buildings and restaurants but that it should also be banned on the streets. If people want to smoke, they should do it in their homes and on their property. Why should I have to endure second-hand smoke being blown into my face by a pedestrian ambling along in front of me? Not only does the disgusting smell permeate every item of my clothing along with my skin and hair, it is damaging to my health. Why should another’s weak-will affect my health?
I honestly think that smoking should be banned in all public areas. If that sends out images of an Orwellian type autocratic state, then so be it. Smokers can either give up or shut up.