Dear Editor,
As a father and a smoker, I am extremely proud of the efforts made by the students of Campion College and other high schools to collect signatures on the petition to ban smoking in public spaces.
It is in this light I wish to submit this proposal to the members of the House of Parliament, particularly the Minister of Health Dr Fenton Ferguson as to how the Tobacco Control Act could be improved.
In doing this, however, rather than trying to paint smokers as suicidal monsters who are intent on killing the society, it is important for all to realise that smokers are among the most heavily taxed citizens in this country.
Additionally, it is important to realise that for many micro-business owners, the sale of a single pack or two of cigarettes per day is of significant importance. It is this money which will contribute to the buying of something to eat and sending their children to school.
It is my view that the Tobacco Control Act should:
* Forbid smoking in any and all gatherings where there are non-smokers.
* Forbid smoking in the proximity of children and pregnant women.
* Forbid smoking in shared environments, excluding beer and wine gardens, parks and beaches; the rule against smoking in any and all gatherings where there are non-smokers remains in force here, except in dedicated smoking areas.
* Give the consumer the right to choose between smoking and non-smoking bars and clubs.
* Reduce the costs of spirit licences and other compulsory payments to the State made by non-smoking or smoke-free bars and clubs, while increasing those fees to bars and clubs which permit smoking.
It is my sincere view that such an Act would be supported and enforced by both the smoking and non-smoking public alike, and by club and bar operators regardless of their locations and/or size or invested capital.
It is also my view that an Act so structured could be supported by all members of the House of Parliament, religious or non-religious.
As pointed out elsewhere, the intention of the Act is good, however the approach taken to bring it into force is at best disrespectful and dangerous.
Let us work together to save the good and noble intentions of our children and encourage them to continue their activism in this and other areas. In doing this, we will ensure that when we do good we leave behind a generation which is capable of continuing where we left off.
Basil Fletcher
BasilAksumite@hotmail.com
It doesn't have to all go up in smoke
-->
As a father and a smoker, I am extremely proud of the efforts made by the students of Campion College and other high schools to collect signatures on the petition to ban smoking in public spaces.
It is in this light I wish to submit this proposal to the members of the House of Parliament, particularly the Minister of Health Dr Fenton Ferguson as to how the Tobacco Control Act could be improved.
In doing this, however, rather than trying to paint smokers as suicidal monsters who are intent on killing the society, it is important for all to realise that smokers are among the most heavily taxed citizens in this country.
Additionally, it is important to realise that for many micro-business owners, the sale of a single pack or two of cigarettes per day is of significant importance. It is this money which will contribute to the buying of something to eat and sending their children to school.
It is my view that the Tobacco Control Act should:
* Forbid smoking in any and all gatherings where there are non-smokers.
* Forbid smoking in the proximity of children and pregnant women.
* Forbid smoking in shared environments, excluding beer and wine gardens, parks and beaches; the rule against smoking in any and all gatherings where there are non-smokers remains in force here, except in dedicated smoking areas.
* Give the consumer the right to choose between smoking and non-smoking bars and clubs.
* Reduce the costs of spirit licences and other compulsory payments to the State made by non-smoking or smoke-free bars and clubs, while increasing those fees to bars and clubs which permit smoking.
It is my sincere view that such an Act would be supported and enforced by both the smoking and non-smoking public alike, and by club and bar operators regardless of their locations and/or size or invested capital.
It is also my view that an Act so structured could be supported by all members of the House of Parliament, religious or non-religious.
As pointed out elsewhere, the intention of the Act is good, however the approach taken to bring it into force is at best disrespectful and dangerous.
Let us work together to save the good and noble intentions of our children and encourage them to continue their activism in this and other areas. In doing this, we will ensure that when we do good we leave behind a generation which is capable of continuing where we left off.
Basil Fletcher
BasilAksumite@hotmail.com
It doesn't have to all go up in smoke
-->