Friday, October 13, 2006

Smoking Habbit

Smoking is one of the most nuisance in the world to me. Especially in a restaurant, when someone next to me starts to smoke I am always irritated by that and feel like running away from the site. This idea is totally agreed with my English teacher, therefore, we choose a cafe as a lesson place where non-smoking room is completely separated. But smoking advocates say that they have a right to smoke. They may want to have a puff for a change or as an escape, I accept their insistence and think they have a point to some degree.

However in Japan, some smokers light a cigarette while walking the road. It not only makes passers hassle but also brings them danger especially in a case where passers are children. I sometimes witness that the edge of lit cigarette is about to touch an eye of a small child. Therefore, some municipals including Shibuya-ku(ward) where I work for ban smoking while walking, though, unfortunately, it hasn't worked out so far.

On the whole, however, I feel our society is heading to the direction in which smoking in public places is restricted. I have heard that even pubs in England (or Ireland?) are prohibited from smoking. I welcome this tendency, but I am looking forward to a day when smoking is barred in all public sites all across our country.

October 11th issue of International Herald Tribune had an article titled, "With a shrug, the French ponder new smoking ban". The article says that French offices, stores, schools, hospitals, cafes, bars and restaurants will be designated as a place that you cannot have a puff. I suppose there are hefty resitance from those who love smoke, but I hope tihs trend will spread all around the world as soon as possible.

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