I heard from the news this morning, while having breakfast, that the DOH is planning to push for the No Smoking ban started by the MMDA in some specified areas, be made nationwide. It seems that the world of smokers, which unfortunately includes me, is getting smaller and smaller. However, I am not fazed for I don’t smoke that much anyway and I am a bit sceptical that this law would ever be fully enforceable for several reasons. First is the ningas kugon mentality we have, a term every Filipino knows as that of something being good only at the start but failing to follow it through. Filipinos have this characteristic of initializing something but failing to finish it. Hence, most of the things we do are usually temporary in nature.
Second is that the law enforcers who are supposed to put this law into effect are mostly smokers themselves. This being the case, they may be more lax in applying the law.
I may be wrong with my assumptions but nevertheless, I think that the move of the DOH is still flawed. If they want to really get rid of smokers, why not go to the main source - the tobacco companies! Close them altogether and let us not produce cigarettes anymore. This also means we would stop importing cigarettes for to do so would defeat the very purpose of why we are closing the tobacco industry.
With this thought, let us see how strong a resolve the powers behind this can be.
4 comments:
Political will is the answer Ka Rolly. Pinas Gov't should look to NZ or Aussie governtments as example if they really want to ban smoking.
Dito sa NZ - hindi puwedeng mag-advert (Print, TV, Radio, Billboard, or anything) ang tobacco companies - not even on the cigarette packs. NZ also required to put gruesome pix of the effects of smoking on cigarette packs - e.g. actual pix of the lung who died of lung cancer. Kapag di ka pa naman tumigil sa kakayosi.
NZ does not allow smoking on public places - parks, public transport area, public buildings, beach, etc. Bars, restaurants, and other public establishments must have confined smoking areas.
NZ gov't aims to have NZ smokefree by 2030.
I recall the reporters speaking to Elliott Ness in The Untouchables. One calls ouit the rumour that Prohibition might come to an end.
"What will you do then?"
He answers without scandal,"I'll have a drink."
I was thinmking about jay-walking laws where I live, and I now realize that it is my responsibility to me to comply, even though I run no risk of injury or "getting caughht" in my failure to comply.
July 5, I was eleven years free of cigarettes. I pray I never go back
Kiwinoy i have been to several countries where they have gruesome pictures of lungs but it doesn't seem to deter smokers just the same. Of course, I have yet to see the numbers if it caused the decline of smokers.
Keith What can I say? "Let's have a drink." :)
I, too, managed to quit smoking for a while but it came back. I'm sure you're safe after having quit for eleven years.
Mga pasaway talaga alam naman na bawal hoy ,,,, gisingggggg... -Ana
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