Smoking in public places of the country has been made a punishable offence by law. But there is no indication of making the law effective. People smoke as usual. Although prevalence of smoking has declined by 10 per cent globally over the past 30 years, the reduction has been uneven. In the high-income countries the smoking incidence among men has registered a marked decline but it has not been reciprocated by low- and middle-income countries equally.
What is, however, most disconcerting is that increase in smoking prevalence among women is reported in three Asian countries -Bangladesh, Malaysia and Cambodia. Whether men have made enough gain in giving up the habit is not clear. Apparently, the young generation in particular seems to be particularly inclined to picking up the habit. So if women and young people go for smoking in a greater number, Bangladesh will lose a battle against smoking.
It is exactly at this point, tobacco use in the country should be brought under closer scrutiny and the legal provisions enforced in order to get rid of the curse. It would be unfair not to note that some gains have been made on this front. Letting it go off the hook will be disastrous. Already, people have learnt not to smoke in public buses. But when they refrain from smoking in such transports, they do not fiercely defend their right not to be exposed to passive smoking from smoking by transport operators.
It is observed that helpers, conductors and drivers light a cigarette immediately after their vehicle start moving from the starting point. Or, at times, when the vehicle gets stuck in a tailback, they start smoking. When someone smokes, standing at the door or from behind the steering wheel, children, men and women in the vehicle get exposed to passive smoking. But few protest this illegal act. Even if some do, not all will join their voices vociferously to compel the erring man to throw away the burning cigarette.
As for those collected around a pan (betel leaf)-cigarette stall to do the smoking collectively, the least said the better. They have their own association to socialise there as if in a ritualistic manner. But they hardly care about passers-by. Non-smokers have to cover their nostrils in order to avoid a heavy dose of passive smoking. But one feels pity for those who smoke as they accompany a tiny tot or two to schools by rickshaw. Even they won't mind if the rickshaw-puller also smokes while pulling the three-wheeler.
Not all views this so leniently though. Some people deliberately avoid riding a rickshaw when they see the puller has a burning cigarette stick in his hand. Or if the rickshaw-puller is too interested to carry the passenger, the latter simply asks the former to extinguish the stick or throw it away. The rickshaw-puller gets the message. CNG-driven auto-rickshaws are often no different in this regard. But if the passenger is strict, usually a driver becomes submissive enough.
Bus drivers and other operators are reluctant to go by the smoking rule. They test the tolerance level of passengers. Sometimes they even dare argue advancing flimsy excuses in favour of their need to smoke. But if the protester has strong personality and makes his case unalterable, the smokers of transports also have to comply with the request or order.
Then there is yet another type of smokers who spew cigarette smokes like billowing trains on their way. These smokers walk on busy footpaths and feel no qualms about releasing smokes right and left no matter if the smoke assails non-smokers walking right behind or by the side. This is not only irritating but criminal. Laws should be enforced to ensure that no one gets the chance of polluting air on footpath like this.
It is difficult to enforce the ban on smoking when the products enjoy open sale. This is a double standard at its worst. If the practice is prohibited, manufacture and sale of tobacco products too should be made illegal. But no government the world over goes for such a measure. The reason is simple. They earn revenue of enormous amount from tobacco industry and also because companies in the sector are very influential. They can engage the best lobbyists to pursue their case.
The fact that the warning on the packet that smoking kills or is injurious to health has to be mandatorily printed is certainly a gain but it is not the ultimate one unless tobacco is banished for its carcinogenic properties.
A losing battle against smoking
Nilratan Halder | Published: December 24, 2016 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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