A Huff and a Puff

There has been a renewed effort in the battle against the dangers of smoking these past few days as medical societies all over the world, I think, have launched yet another Anti-Smoking Campaign against the addiction.

I've never smoked, nor have I ever felt the appeal to do so. And I guess, that's the key to stopping this habit -- Don't start at all.

The Philippine government enacted the Tobacco Law a couple of years back with several noteworthy stipulations for the average nonsmoking folk like me.

For one thing, it punishes smoking in public areas. But it has not stopped brazen smoking in the jeepneys of Cebu, in my opinion. Everybody, you are in line when you tell someone on a jeep to stop smoking. But rarely have I heard anybody do that. Nobody ever died from daggered staredowns, but so many die from lung cancer attributed to passive cigarette smoking. It's time for vigilance to step up, people.

The Law also bans cigarette brand advertisements. Not that it has completely prevented the "guerilla advertising" of cigarette companies by coloring a particular sari-sari store of its brand colors, but it certainly has tempered the invitations into the habit.

The next step getting flak is the placing of pictures on cigarette boxes. Pictures of diseased lungs, babies affected by the cigarette smoking, and even the effects on sexual function. I watched a smokers' rights attorney vehemently arguing the insensitivity of the move and asks "How would you feel if they put pictures of diseased livers on the bottles of beer you drink?"

I'd say I'd be downright fine with it.

There are so many factors going into the vice of cigarette smoking. Ultimately, it boils down to choice. One can choose not to do it. A smoker can choose to stop or go on (but please pray tell me, what are you going to do with the 4,000 or more chemicals you inhale into your body?).

It's all elementary now. You know it's bad for your health. It's addictive. It takes away a portion of hard-earned money. It affects your sexual potency, people! Wake up!

Seriously, do you really want to wait until you get a disease before you decide it's bad for you?