Up in smoke

Anbumani Ramadoss, our beloved Health Minister and self appointed nemesis of nicotine has succeeded in stubbing out the public puffing of cancer sticks.

So exult, all ye who have been terrorised by tobacco, as from the 2nd of October smoking will henceforth be banned in all government buildings and public places in our major metros.

Sing Hosannas of your Saviour, the slayer of Puff, the magic dragon and the patron saint of poor, passive smokers every where.

As a smoker of obnoxious cigars and cigarillos I am personally very disappointed that I will soon be unable to brazenly light up in public with the impunity I once did.

However, I must respect the rights of non-smokers who have endured the stench of  cigarettes and cigars for years and who are regularly traumatised by runny eyes, hacking coughs, smoke infested hair and clothes each time they step in to a bar, restaurant or night club.

The outlawing of cigarette smoking in public places in India was inevitable and certainly took a long time coming to our shores.

Over the years, I have watched with growing trepidation as great smoking nations like Ireland, the US and England, all succumbed to the pressures of the anti-smoking lobby and banned public smoking completely.

Last year I found myself in a jazz bar in Harlem, drinking bourbon, about to light an
Esplendido when a beefy bouncer lumbered up and gestured for me to step outside if I wanted to smoke. As I puffed and shivered on the chilly sidewalk, the bouncer joined me and we bonded by bitching out the fact that jazz simply ain’t jazz without a Havana in hand.

The pavements outside office buildings from Wall Street to Fleet Street are lined with employees fervently puffing away and several London Pubs and Manhattan bars have as many patrons standing outdoors smoking as there are drinking inside.

It occurs to me that till very recently us Mumbaikars use to drink and drive with impunity even though we knew it was hazardous to ourselves and those around us.

But it took strict police action against offenders for us to finally see the folly of our ways.

I suppose one can and should make an analogy with smoking in public places.

We know its bad for us-no one can possibly deny the harmful effects of smoking.

We also know that passive smoking is equally damaging to those around us and yet we think nothing of lighting up in closed places.

A public ban will probably help smokers cut down their own tobacco consumption and certainly make all non-smokers very happy bunnies indeed.

Meanwhile, Buddadeb will huff, SRK will puff and Ramadoss will find other demons to slay.