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Sunday Nation - April 4th. 2004

This is in response to the article by Simwogerere Kyazze enttitle "Let us ban coffee, chips, beef and sex as well!" (SN, March 28) where the author says the "poor cigarette smokers are just picked on because their mother industry has lots of loose change."

Kyazze concludes with the observation that there should be "freedom of smoke once you navigate past the chattering classes".

I agree entirely as smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths worldwide so if one wants to put oneself in contention for several cancers that is your right. But only after you have been informed of the over 4,000 poisons contained in cigarettes and the effects smoking has on you.

But one thing nobody talks about, especially the smokers, is the effect of their smoke on those around them. Non-smokers also have a right not to be subjected to smoke filled atmospheres after having realised the harmful effects of Environmental Tobacco Smoke.

The sad fact is that many do not realise that smoke or Passive Smokin exposes them to higher risks that even the smoker for the smoke they are inhaling is more toxic since it is not filtered.

That children whose parents smoke or spend time in smoke-filled atmosphere become victims of numerous health problems.

Uganda and Tanzania have gone in the right direction in ratifying the Framework Tobacco Control Initiative laws while kenya not only continues to drag its feet but is allowing BAT and others to expand.

The silly thing, and it is imprudent for the government to spend about three times more intreating tobacco related ailments than what it gets in tobacco taxes.

Let us wake up to the simple fact that there are no ifs or 'butts' - tobacco use is a dead end road, makes you poorer, is slow suicide and worst of all - you smell!

David Ogot,
Nairobi.

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