New anti-smoking issues
The smoking history includes a long list of anti-tobacco issues, prescriptions, preventive measures, punishments for using tobacco.
It goes back to the first years when tobacco appeared in Europe. For example, King James I of England was one of early tobacco protesters. His “Counterblaste to Tobacco” act explained that smoking is harmful for the eyes, naughty to the nose, hazardous to the brain, periculous to the lungs. The basis of anti-smoking laws was laid down. The rest was to descrive it in legal forms.
The struggle against smoking had sometimes monstrous forms, such like cutting noses in some countries during a medieval period.
The anti-tobacco legislation existed in Nazi Germany. It was initiated by Hitler personally who declared himself to a tobacco hater. He affirmed that the tobacco consumption is a risk for the “high race” reproductivity.
Well, this example is eloquent.
Those who initiate the anti-smoking laws, bans, campaigns would scarcely be pleased to know that their actions are compared with the rules of Hitler or medieval tyrants who injured their people for smoking.
Such actions are, of course, not admissible in the 21st century, but we must not forget the principle of tolerance as well. A modern democratic society cannot be stable if different social groups cannot co-exist within it. The same refers to smokers. The Constitution covers rights of all citizens, why must smokers become exclusion?
Anti-smoking protesters say that smoking is a bad and dangerous habit, the same saying can refer to chewing gum. Nobody strives to ban the advertising of chocolate although everyone knows that the chocolate is harmful for teeth!
Smoking is dangerous, but if people want to consume tobacco, it is their right. Following the rules of smoking restrictions, it is far-going. Hence, we will have to ban the advertising of chocolate as it can be dangerous for teeth and stomach. We will, maybe, have to restrict the advertising of meat as it can touch feelings of vegetarians who affirm that meat is dangerous for health. It is absurd, isn’t it? But this is what can happen if the principle of tolerance is forgotten.
Both smokers and non-smokers can share the world; they just have to be tolerant to each other.
It is necessary to take preventive measures to protect non-smokers against the second-hand smoke, but there is no need to make a force on smokers. They are people like others and their rights must be respected!
