No Smoking apparently is the new religion that binds people. My frustration stems from the total inconsideration of smokers' rights. Mainly at the Dubai Technology & Media Freezone Authority.
Why? Well it is now an official no smoking environment in the buildings i.e. one cannot even smoke during their lunch break and one must leave the premises to go smoke outside the building.I am all for not smoking in offices, but not in cafes nor restaurants!?!
My colleagues' argument is that it harms others too; driving kills more people annually than smoking! I don't see that banned! Especially driving in the UAE.
People speak of the rights of non-smokers. How about the rights of smokers. If non-smokers wanted fresh air why can't they go outside? I mean why polute the environment, rather have the smoking indoors with appropriate ventillation and filters. This way the harmful smoke is filtered and the environment won't be polluted nor will others be harmed.
This reminded me of the regulations in Ontario, Canada where smoking is banned in all buildings including clubs and bars, so most Ottawans drive to Hull, Quebec to go clubbing as it is permitted to smoke in clubs over there!
Alcohol kills and harms others, I don't see that banned anywhere (some drunks do lose control of their senses and cause harm).
Advanced nations kill, I don't see anyone stopping them.When are we going to wake up to all the hype that we are sold for the sake of distraction. Till when are smokers going to keep being made to feel guilty, show me ONE Adult without a vice.
Smoking kills, yeah well ignorance kills, stupidity kills, driving kills, the sun kills, salt kills, sugar kills, coffee kills, food kills, water kills, air kills.EVERYTHING thing KILLS in excess.
Another Ode to a Cigarette
pass me our breath
Let my mind rush
In a fervent hush
As I write you,
burn, for your life is in your embers
A silent glow
Of red, white, and grey
As I take you,
Come through and fill me
And hurry! As you thrill me
Surround me with your aroma
As I breathe you,
Crushed, slowly but surely
Between my forefinger and thumb
In your own suffocation
You lie numb
As I kill you,
A temporary existence, of a similar pleasure
In a short need of your breath against mine
Not temporary
As I want you,
Circa May 2005
20 September, 2005
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7 comments:
You've missed out the main complaint that most people have - smoking stinks.
I'm not going to die if I walk through City Centre on a Friday whilst it smells like a pub and I'm not going to collapse after eating a meal in the food court at DIC whilst surrounded by people chuffing away.
I will end up being bothered by the smell and having my shopping or meal ruined by the stench of irritating smoke being blown into my eyes by inconsiderate morons.
The sooner the UAE gets a more modern attitude to smoking, the better. DIC and DMC have made a brave first step forward. Let's hope that the malls follow suit. A full ban needn't be necessary - at least have some defined smoking areas so that people stop lighting up on the escalators and dropping ash on you as you walk out of the cinema.
I am totally with you..the law banning smoking at cafes is a bit harsh.....may the smoke be with you! (thumbs up)
I'm completely with the non-smoking crowd here.
Your smoke poisons my health and makes my clothes stink. I don't care if you drink or takes drugs - it doesn't affect me. If you drive drunk, that's a criminal offence obviously.
But your smoke does affect me. I *LOATHE* the smell of it. I want to be able to eat where I want to eat without seeing or smelling your smoke.
Ultimately: smokers are the ones actively causing harm - they are the ones whose rights need to take second place to the rights of non-smokers.
being a smoker myself, i feel the pinch too, but i must admit , it really is unbearable for non smokers. In pubs maybe they can go a bit lax, but otherwise it does make sense, unfortunately! or not :)
Smoke stinks, it makes your clothes stink, and it does a pretty darn good job of shortening your life, as well as the lifes of those that inhale your smoke. "Smokers rights"? I think people can smoke if they want to, but the default should be that there's no smoking in buildings where a lot of people are, and then there can be special smoking areas created. Now it seems like the default is smoking is okay everywhere, and there are small corners set aside for non-smokers. We went to a pretty nice cafe in Abu Dhabi not long ago and they have a "family section" which is the non-smoking part, but even in there people smoked. We told the manager and left right away. Even if the people smoking in there would have stopped it would still smell bad for a long time.
every time I go to one of Dubai's stinky centers I know I'll have yet another allergy crisis...
So I've been wondering how wonderful it would be to have something like a 'dog whistle' that would work only on smokers... something that would block their noses, cause nausea and impregnate their clothes and hair with unbearable stench... Then perhaps I could write an article about the rights of whistlers!
Being able to smoke anywhere was one of the best parts of living here, alas it seems the PC crew have landed in full whine. Why couldn't you have all moved to Canada instead?
You can pry the cigarette from my cold dead hand ;)_$
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