Passive Smokers are in more danger than the Active Smokers

‘Prohibition of Smoking in the Public Places’ rule was passed by Indian Government on 2^nd October 2008. Two days back again we celebrated one more Gandhi Jayanthi remembering Gandhiji and his words. October 2^nd is observed only as ‘dry-day’ as almost all the bars will remain closed. But even after three years of passing prohibition of smoking in public places has not made any significant difference.

According to a survey performed last year, the number of smokers has significantly increased compared to last years. People exposed to smoke will be having higher risks of lung disease. Over the years there are chances that lung alveoli will be damaged, blood enters into lungs creating problem in breathing and sputtering blood. People who have enjoyed smoking for a long time, had many kinds of ailments in their old ages compared to others. This is the story of active smokers.

Passive smokers are those inhaling the cigarette smoke left by the others also referred as second hand smoke. Passive smokers are in high risk factor compared to active smokers. Sounds crazy? The reason behind it is the tobacco present in the cigarettes has anti-carcinogenic property along with the carcinogenic property. As long as smokers don’t quit smoking they will be slightly protected by this anti-carcinogenic property. But the same people when they quit smoking are more prone to cancer than anyone else. But for passive smokers the carcinogenic factors present in the smoke causes adverse factors.

Even though there is strong rule on prohibition on smoking, the strict implementation is not yet done. Awareness has to be created rather than punishing or implementing something strictly.

I came across a few lines Gandhiji wrote on smoking in his auto-biography a century before: ‘Ever since I have been grown up, I have never desired to smoke and have always regarded the habit of smoking as barbarous, dirty and harmful. I have never understood why there is such a rage for smoking throughout the world. I cannot bear to travel in a compartment full of people smoking. I become choked.”