Commentary

A matter of choice

I'VE STOPPED SMOKING now for almost four years and every day I thank God, Naomi Francis, and Tara Hunter for helping me achieve that goal. My lungs feel a lot better and my life in general has been better for it. However, there is a trend developing wherein tobacco is being made to seem like the source of all of man's ills that makes me feel a little unwell.

On July 7, Jamaica became the 74th country to ratify the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on tobacco control. What this is, is a global initiative to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco use and eventually a reduction in tobacco consumption.

All this is very commendable and I am sure it is being done for the right reasons. Where I have a concern, however, is that these measures and others do infringe on a person's right to choose.

There isn't a man alive today who smokes is not aware that smoking can and will kill him. Most people who smoke, I believe, will tell you that they are prepared to cross that bridge when they get to it. In the meantime, all they want to do is enjoy a good smoke in peace.

However, smokers have found themselves being chased out of their social lives because all of a sudden we want everyone to be healthy. I can imagine that smokers feel like they're being hunted every time they light up and that can't be right.

Now, smokers are generally insensitive to other people's rights, so it can be successfully argued that since smokers don't care who they offend when they smoke, they should not have the right to. But, where does it end, and why is it that only smoking is the only health issue on the front burner right now?

Obesity and illnesses related to obesity kill as many people across the world as smoking does but I don't see any ratification against fast food chains. Let me give you an example of how fast food is similar to second-hand smoke. There are times when I am not in the mood to eat anything and I am nearby a particular fast food brand and more often than not, the aroma grabs me by the neck and attempts to drag me inside.

Sometimes I yield to the urge, most times I don't, but the point is that just as second-hand smoke is harmful to bystanders so are these aromas that emanate from the kitchens of these fast food establishments.

Still, despite all we know about the harmful effects of these foods, we don't see bans being imposed on hamburgers and other such foods that have enough saturated and trans-fat to keep the fires of hell burning for a week.

Bearing this in mind, why are we not working towards reducing consumption of all fast foods?

Last, but certainly not least, is the use and abuse of alcohol. Alcohol is another killer and yet millions of people drink themselves silly every day. There are some whiskies for example, that are so harsh they feel like they can burn holes in your stomach. Drunken drivers kill hundreds of thousands every year and cripple twice as many but people are still free to drink as much as they want.

Is there a ban on alcohol use coming any time soon? I think not. All I'm saying is that in all of this, people must be able to choose to do what they want to do without feeling like they are being ostracised by a hypocritical society, and the only way that this will change is if the witch hunt going on for tobacco right now is extended to all other things that are bad for people; stuff that include sodas, pastry and certain pharmaceutics. But we all know that is all highly unlikely.