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Smoke gets in your eyes


Meera

Meera is an A-level student at Winchmore Sixth Form, North London. She hopes to become a successful journalist, but she is currently stuck working at Toys'R'Us. She is stubborn and opinionated, although, ironically, if she ever met anyone with the same characteristics as her, she'd probably despise them. She enjoys reading absolutely anything, and is very passionate about writing.

Meera scoffs at people who blow smoke into our faces and asks the Government to ban smoking in every public space.

Have you ever walked happily down a street without a care in the world to find that some idiot you walked past has blown the smoke from their cigarette into your face? Well if you have, join my club.

It's bad enough that people are intoxicating their own lungs with cancer, but to increase the risk of lung cancer to innocent passers-by is practically attempted murder in my mind! The fact that so many people have complained when the new smoking ban law came into force shows how mindless and inconsiderate society can be. I mean, the Government is finally beginning to see sense and act rationally, and this has taken long enough, so surely it's been done for a good reason?

Many people I know complain about how hard it is to quit smoking, but ironically, the fact is that they imposed such a problem onto themselves. For God's sake, no one put a gun to your head and told you to start smoking, so I wish you'd just stop complaining! Why start smoking in the first place? I can easily point out the cons of smoking - bad breath, stained teeth, damaged and tar-filled lungs, reeking hair and clothes... Need I say more? But what exactly are the benefits?

Society tends to be so shallow-minded that people stupidly seem to think they are 'one of the gang' if they inflict themselves with a higher risk of heart disease or cancer by smoking cigarettes. I've got an idea - why don't we all just jump off a cliff and get it over with, instead of gradually committing suicide, and taking others with us?

"I can easily point out the cons of smoking - bad breath, stained teeth, damaged and tar-filled lungs, reeking hair and clothes... Need I say more? But what exactly are the benefits?"

Scientists claim that passive smoking is thought to be more dangerous than previously anticipated. They estimate that the raised risk of heart disease from passive smoking in non-smokers is 25 to 30%. Yet, smokers have a tendency to disregard such researched facts in order to selfishly satisfy their 'needs'.

Also, more than 17,000 children under the age of five are admitted to hospital every year because of the effects of passive smoking. This clearly indicates that the smoking ban is only a small step in reducing the increased health risks floating about in the environment. There is enough pollution in the air already, but to further deprive us poor souls of clean air should be made illegal. Although the smoking ban has now been extended to bus shelters, it would have been an even better idea if it was extended further to a ban on public streets. Maybe within a few decades, politicians will finally wake up and realise this.

I really don't get what all the fuss is about with smoking. If I haven't tried to contaminate my lungs with tobacco, I'm suddenly 'uncool'. Oh, I'm sorry, let me damage my health so that you will talk to me. Err, I don't think so! Just the other week, I was stopped by a school girl who looked about 12 years-old. She asked me to go into the local newsagent to buy her "a pack of fags", while attempting to give me £4. I must admit I was slightly amused, but I was quite shocked as well. In case you're wondering, no, I didn't take her up on her offer.

It's time for all non-smokers to stand up for their health. I, for one, don't want my life to be shortened by smokers indulging themselves with a 'fag'. I plan to stick around for many years to come (even if it is just to rearrange my sock draw).

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