Comments on: Banning Cigarettes increases rate of Cancer

By: India Matters

India Matters — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:16:41 +0000

hey, that’s a valid point that the government intervention would just worsen things, but there are countries which have taken these steps, and tobacco related diseases have dropped. I walk in a pub, and its good to see the place smoke free. I like your point of view, the 14th World Conference on Tobacco or Health is being held in Mumbai in march. In conjunction with that, Salaam Bombay, the NGO organizing this event, wants to know what you think about it. The common man, their opinion on tobacco, so it could be taken up with the policy makers who are coming down for the event. If you have anything to say on this matter, please do leave a comment on the site – http://www.indiamatters.co.in/
Cheers,
Nice blog too…
Bhavika

By: Unpretentious Diva

Unpretentious Diva — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:48:49 +0000

Maybe its a case of Mind over Matter. Most other mortals will find cigarettes to be addictive because of the Nicotine.

I never inhaled that much to make my nerves addicted to nicotine.

I don’t think people believes in no-sense advertises that much. Although it may make a case.
Simple thing is, it is freedom of the model to what advertize he works. If Akshay kumar works for Red $ White or wills made for each other, its his freedom.
If Amitabh bachchan choses to do an add for Puls Polio, its his free decision.
As a private enterpriser, you may support advertises to demonize smoking, many others will advertise for popularizing smoking, and I see it no wrong.
Infact, it may make many Bidi users to somehow leave Bidis and turn on to ciggs which definitely are less dangerous. Also, that will make ciggs cheaper.

And anyways, smoking cigarette can never be as dangerous as chewing tobacco, beetle leaves + tobacco, gutkhas etc. plus it saves roads with those red collage the gutkha/tobacco chewers creates every now and then here and there.

By: Anurag

Anurag — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:31:49 +0000

oh and hi again, due to personal projects I had to cut down on the time I spend on blogging. When I get into debates, I start loosing my sleep :O

By: Anurag

Anurag — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:22:27 +0000

I found nothing in cigarette which could make me addicted to it, or even like it.

Maybe its a case of Mind over Matter. Most other mortals will find cigarettes to be addictive because of the Nicotine.

What if government bans smoking in private property too. If you smoke in your home, you get jailed or pay a fine of Rs1000/-

Perhaps then it will be time for a revolution V for Vendetta style?

On a philosophical note, Ayn Rand has said it. As a college student I have heard stories of legendary smokers who have made it MIT and managed feats like brewing the perfect coffee.

The Delhi High Court on Friday struck down the Center’s October 2006 notification banning smoking scenes in films, saying onscreen
Smoking was part of an artist’s creative license.

I could not agree with you more.

But in choosing the lesser of two evils, banning public smoking is the way to go. I don’t smoke but have closely seen my friends turn into occasional smokers. Before they become mildly addicted to it, the were drawn to it just for the sake of Style and the cool-dude image in public. They would bear the burning sensation of the tobacco smoke with a smile. People are drawn to smoking because the dude holding fire in the hands on the billboard is cooler than the self.

And when you begin smoking you will find reasons like
- “it’s to shake off my stress”
- “sherlock holmes smoked”
- “nothing like smoke after sex” (ok ill ya this one) …
… while there are perfectly safe and better alternatives than smoking for all the above.

The main reason people are drawn to the cig is the image it carries with itself and a public banning by law counters it in a direct way, instead of going in a round about way of demonizing smokers and cigarettes via advertisements. (For every cigarette you smoke, somewhere 7 kittehs are getting crushed under the wheels of a car)

By: Jinu

Jinu — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:12:34 +0000

we are both online it seems! Yep.
I’ll see you around (the blog) !

By: Jinu

Jinu — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:58:29 +0000

Girl, your blog sure as hell is one of the finest Bhopali blogs I’ve seen. Keep it goin.

By: Unpretentious Diva

Unpretentious Diva — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 08:53:51 +0000

@ Grasshopper
Well, It is a good change if you have left smoking.
Sure smoking is NOT good for health.
I am not a smoker, I smoked in class ninth/tenth I guess during school life, just to see why the smokers smoke, or better say,I had a school going boyfriend who used to be a chain smoker and I wanted him to stop smoking, so I vowed that if he smokes, I will also smoke.
Ultimately we brokeup, after school, we never met too, and I never missed him too. Yet I found nothing in cigarette which could make me addicted to it, or even like it.
Yet, its my personal taste.
I am not against smokers or smoking, though I wish that they get rid of their addiction atleast, they may smoke socially/occasionally.

And yep I will read your post, and will recommend my friends who want to quit smoking to read that too

By: Grasshopper

Grasshopper — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 08:16:27 +0000

Your write -up sounds reasonable and logical. However, the reason that I stopped smoking was that my kid did not like it. He told his grandparents that I smoked. And, I am now thankful to him for all the fresh air I breathe.
Secondly, regarding bans. I was in Ahmedabad for a couple of years and it was too difficult to get booze. Now, when my hubby leaves town with two bottles of beer in the fridge, he finds them as he left them : full.
So whatever you say, I am thankful to bans, for my own life has become better of it.
Oh, and by the way, I have posted a write-up on how to stop smoking -chakra logic, if you are interested.

By: city of night

city of night — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:06:34 +0000

The fine rate on public smoking is 200/- not 10/- or 5/- . If a bus driver is caught smoking a 5 rupee pack of beedis he is fined the same, regardless of his paying capacity.
Public places that used to have outdoor “smoking zones” have been directed to abolish those. You can not carry cigarettes in the public transport as the metro, even if you surrender the lighter or matches.
In fact, if the govt. recognizes that smokers exist in public, then where are they supposed to disappear to, in order to pursue the activity in public? Actually the ban is on a public meeting of smokers. The health ministry probably has nothing better to do than declare laws that create official taboos.
A “ban” loses it’s importance by being used on activities that hardly endanger the public. It is very agreeable to “ban” kissing in public, rather than banning use of violence. The govt. is playing the morality card, nothing else.