I recently read now there will be pictures of cancerous mouths on every cigarette pack. Another initiative of the government to discourage people from smoking, I fail to understand the sense behind these initiatives.
If you don’t want people to smoke then simply put a ban on smoking. No cigarettes no smoking! But no, cigarettes and alcohol are the revenue streams which the you don’t want to cut. Even if the government does, then the funny part is, we will not let them be; afteral what about our freedom?
The media keep on arguing every individual is smart enough to decide whether to drink or smoke or not, the government should not interfere. By this proposition the government should not ban gambling as well. Or there should be no law against any crime for instance; every individual is smart enough to decide whether to commit murder or not. But then the argument is, smoking is not doing any harm to others. You bet it is. I don’t like when I am standing at a public place and someone’s puffing smoke in the air I breathe, making me a passive smoker. Anyways that’s not the point.
In the whole episode I blame media for messing with people’s head. Every time there is some proposal to lower the drinking age or about banning smoking, they come up with their stupid surveys and tell you how whole city is upset with high drinking age and how badly they want it to be lowered. They show as if all of the country’s population is having this virtue. Every time any survey of this sort comes I actually feel as if everyone [except me] is drinking [I have seen people actually saying everyone else is doing, hence so should we]. I remember in one survey a newspaper said 80% of Delhi’s women drink socially. I wondered, I don’t know even 8 females who drink, let alone drink socially. Later at the bottom of the survey, it read done in a leading pub of the city. You are doing a survey on city’s drinking habits and that too in a pub! You are bound to find 80% women drinking socially there; this is what people do in a pub, they drink. Some brains you have got.
Anyways that is not the point; if you [the government] think putting up those ghastly pictures on cigarette packs will discourage people from smoking then [think again and] why don’t you put on some of these pictures on whiskey bottles? What do you think those who smoke are not aware of the health hazards; come on, don’t be naïve; whom are you trying to fool? Everyone is already aware what awareness are you trying to create?
But that’s not the point either! The infamous words of wisdom by Jonny Quid, the rock star from the movie RocknRolla
“You see that pack of Virginia killing sticks on the end of the piano? All you need to know about life is retained in those four walls. You will notice that one of your personalities is seduced by the illusions of grandeur – the gold packet of king size with a regal insignia, an attractive implication towards grandeur and wealth, the subtle suggestion that cigarettes are indeed your royal and loyal friends, and that, Pete, is a lie. Your other personality is trying to draw your attention to the flip side of the discussion, written in boring bold black and white, it’s a statement that these neat little soldiers of death are in fact trying to kill you and that, Pete, is the truth. Oh, beauty is a beguiling call to death and I’m addicted to the sweet pitch of its siren. That that starts sweet ends bitter, and that which starts bitter ends sweet. That is why you and I love the drugs . . . . . . .”
and this my friend is the point!
There is a slogan which is frequently seen on radio, television, newspapers and magazines so we are well acquainted with the slogan. The slogan is – ‘Smoking is injurious to health’. A photograph along with the slogan is also found on a cigarette container. Even Govt. has banned smoking in public places. A boy although adult asked me why this slogan and an ugly snap are used to discourage smoking. ‘Govt. is an authority to do a good or any damn thing. If it feels it is not good for health it can ban cigarette manufacturing company to produce cigarette. Govt. earns revenue from cigarette producers by imposing taxes in many forms viz. sale tax, excise tax, and income tax etc. These companies generate employment too’ He said to me, ‘Govt. can’t afford to leave a handsome and hefty amount of revenue. So after showing false sympathy to public, Govt. tries to make public fool.’
I said to him, ‘Whatever, you think is correct. But there is also other side of the coin too. Smoking causes addiction. Those who smokes cigarette can’t quit it instantly. If Govt. closes down cigarette factories, smuggling of cigarette will be started. One day, these smugglers would be powerful. They would start interfering into the functioning of Govt., and would create a lot of trouble for Govt.’ Hearing of this, he was looking a little bit satisfied.
You are also welcome to share your comments.
Lectures and advice only go so far. Addictions are such a subject I think we have only begun to understand. The addict is told a million times their addiction is wrong they know this. But the chemical connection the power of the mind is immense.