Dear Editor,
Smoking marijuana or cigarettes just for fun or as a stress reliever has the potential to become an addiction. Most people begin this dangerous life relationship from a young age, when their brains are not fully developed.
Cigarette smoking is not only dangerous to the health of the smoker, but also extremely dangerous to persons inhaling the smoke. Exposure to smoking can also lead to the development of certain cancers that can reduce the quality of life of those affected and place a burden on the already burdened public health sector.
The management of smoking is a critical public health issue. It was therefore encouraging to hear the health minister Dr Fenton Ferguson, in a Jamaica Information Service report on May 13, 2013, say: "I have a responsibility to protect the health of the people of Jamaica" and, therefore, he plans to ban smoking in public spaces.
The Government's move is a step in the right direction. The real problem with smoking in general is not casual smoking at home; it is smoking as an addiction and non-smokers being exposed repeatedly to second-hand smoke in confined and public spaces.
The proposed Tobacco Control Act must be designed to protect citizens from exposure to tobacco and cigarette smoke, prevent smoking by young people and seek to ban smoking in public areas such as public transportation areas, workplaces, sports facilities, among many other areas. Laws that will result in a healthier society should not have to be debated amongst citizens before the Government takes aggressive action towards the promulgating of such laws. If the majority of the population were against the banning of smoking, which is certainly not the case, it would not change the fact that public smoking is detrimental to the nation's health.
Any such banning will only serve to contribute to the development of Jamaica, with or without public approval.
Andrew King
abking020@gmail.com
Exposure to smoking reduces quality of life
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Smoking marijuana or cigarettes just for fun or as a stress reliever has the potential to become an addiction. Most people begin this dangerous life relationship from a young age, when their brains are not fully developed.
Cigarette smoking is not only dangerous to the health of the smoker, but also extremely dangerous to persons inhaling the smoke. Exposure to smoking can also lead to the development of certain cancers that can reduce the quality of life of those affected and place a burden on the already burdened public health sector.
The management of smoking is a critical public health issue. It was therefore encouraging to hear the health minister Dr Fenton Ferguson, in a Jamaica Information Service report on May 13, 2013, say: "I have a responsibility to protect the health of the people of Jamaica" and, therefore, he plans to ban smoking in public spaces.
The Government's move is a step in the right direction. The real problem with smoking in general is not casual smoking at home; it is smoking as an addiction and non-smokers being exposed repeatedly to second-hand smoke in confined and public spaces.
The proposed Tobacco Control Act must be designed to protect citizens from exposure to tobacco and cigarette smoke, prevent smoking by young people and seek to ban smoking in public areas such as public transportation areas, workplaces, sports facilities, among many other areas. Laws that will result in a healthier society should not have to be debated amongst citizens before the Government takes aggressive action towards the promulgating of such laws. If the majority of the population were against the banning of smoking, which is certainly not the case, it would not change the fact that public smoking is detrimental to the nation's health.
Any such banning will only serve to contribute to the development of Jamaica, with or without public approval.
Andrew King
abking020@gmail.com
Exposure to smoking reduces quality of life
-->