For more information on lung cancer, keep smoking

We were having dinner at one of our favorite eateries few weeks ago. Half way through the feast, a couple arrived and occupied the table beside us. Within minutes, the guy whipped out his cigarette and started puffing. What is most annoying is that, the smoker would exhaled the smoke senselessly in all directions wherever he faced. Normally, smokers with conscience will attempt to blow the smoke upwards so as not to disturb the public.

So I turned around and told the guy, "If you want to smoke, can you please do it elsewhere? There are so many people eating here, and we have to bear with your smoke...."

Upon hearing my complaint, the guy intuitively extinguished his cigarette and throw it away (Again, very inconsiderate act littering in public) and murmured, "Sorry...sorry" before I could finish my sentence. Apparently, he knew what he did was improper and he was unaware that his act was displeasing.

But guess what? Before I could turn around to finish my meal, the lady sardonically replied, "This is public area, if you don't like people smoking, then don't come here la!"

Now, let's examine her statement and ponder.

Yes, you have the right to smoke in public, because our Health Ministry is incompetent in implementing rules and regulations to restrict smoking in public area. I wonder why the Health Ministry failed in the anti-smoking campaigns, one reason could be the Health Minister himself is busy bidding for the WWW15 car plate number. Moron.

Countries like Singapore and the UK restrict smokers to smoke in public areas such as public toilets, hotel lobbies, apartment lobbies, bus stops, MRT stations, restaurants, shopping malls...etc. Limited number of tables are allocated for smokers at open air eateries, and these tables are reasonably distanced from the others.

But for Malaysia, we have failed so badly that the smokers here do not even have the littlest sense of guilt for causing displeasure in public. They even have the guts to retaliate, stare you in the eyes while they exhale more second hand smoke in your face. And that is why, we always walk into smoke filled public toilets after watching a movie, as if we are in a twilight zone. Your aromatic coffee or teh-o is often laced with cloud of tobacco substances at kopitiams. And hell, I even had to endure second hand smoke all night long in express buses traveling from JB to Penang. Reason being, the bus drivers need to smoke to stay awake.

Let's go back to the lady's earlier statement. "This is public area, if you don't like people smoking, then don't come here la!" I didn't get myself into a petty argument that night, but I would like to tell her the following:

1. If this gentleman here truly loves you, he wouldn't be smoking in your presence.
2. And if you truly love your man (and his manhood), you would persuade him to quit smoking.
3. If you understand the effect of passive smoking, and you care for your health and children's health, you would agree with my act.

Apparently, she acknowledged that her dude doesn't love her enough to care for her health, she doesn't love him and even least care for his health, and she doesn't care how second hand smoke could affect her health, her offsprings' health as much as it affects others in public. And this is why I kept my cool, finished my meal and walked away that night. Because they truly deserve each other, and together they will surely form a happy family, and live happily ever after.