EVALUATIVE COMMENTARY 5 - SMOKE-FREE HOMES

SMOKE-FREE HOMES AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS BANNING SMOKING IN VEHICLES CARRYING CHILDREN

The article wants us to study the engagement of population in Spain in determining the places where smoking should be banned. The author’s tone is curious to find out which places has the highest vote where smoking should be banned. Smoking has inevitably been a concern of governments around the globe considering how to manage and educate smokers. Even medical studies already show and explain to public that smoking deliver damage to people around the smokers, yet smokers are too stubborn to acknowledge that. There are few places that we can make smoking be prohibited such as smoking at home, smoking in an open area like elevated walkways, and smoking in the vehicle with the presence of children.

Firstly, according to the author, in Spain, there are more than half of all households have adopted a complete ban on smoking at home. As we know, smoker may have their favourite place to have a smoke and it depends on what the most discrete. We believe that having a good spot and position to have a smoke can give them comfort. It could be anywhere in home such as on a sofa, garage, and basement or even in the bathroom. The exact spot where they want to smoke probably depends on few factors such as how nosy their neighbours are or just how lazy the smoker tends to be. Smoker always thinks that smoking in peace gives them satisfaction. If people try to disturb them while smoking, they tend to express anger because it makes them feel like being discriminated by their bad habit. Furthermore, when smokers are in their comfort zone, there will be an increasing rate in smoking cigarette because they want to feel the pleasure more. This action surely increases the risk of the people of the surrounding to be affected as a second hand smoker. Even worse, the people whom might get affected are their own family members. This action is very inappropriate as it could harm the household.

Next, in Spain, smoking in cars is currently unregulated but the study shows that 90% of the population supports smoke free-laws in cars in the presence of children.  These results are relevant given that private settings such as vehicles are the largest source of second-hand smoke exposure by many people. Smoking while driving has been widely recognized as the most common cause of distraction while driving, yet, they still continue doing the same thing. Adults should know that children are more vulnerable to the effects of the second-hand smoke. Even being in a car with a smoker for short amounts of time can be bad for children’s health. Winding down the car window is not enough to stop tobacco smoke affecting children.  Their developing body is more susceptible to the toxins in cigarette smoke, and over time exposure may lead to respiratory problems, asthma and other illnesses. It can even increase an infant’s risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Therefore, smoke-free in public vehicles legislation has been introduced in Spain. The purpose of this legislation is to protect children from the harm to their health caused by the exposure to second hand smoke in vehicles.

Furthermore, like other countries, smoking is prohibited in open areas such as elevated walkways, buildings but not limited to hallways, stairways, decks, and patios. Spanish smoking legislation, Law42/2010, by Gobierno de España, which came into force in Spain in January 2011, prohibits smoking in common enclosed areas of building but leaves it to the community to decide to prohibit smoking in open spaces not designated as children’s areas. The study of second-hand smoke exposure after two smoking bans in Spain showed that overall exposure can be decreased across all settings by comprehensive legislative efforts. Thus, by providing smoke-free buildings from the outset, people can avoid problems like exposing themselves to smokers. In the meantime, by providing smoke-free buildings from the outset, people can also avoid cleaning walls and windows streaked with tar and replacing carpet. This is because, some of the irresponsible smokers tend to vandalise the areas with throwing ignited cigarette butt everywhere and this might defect the carpet inside a building or office and tar- streaked walls will be everywhere.

We are agreeing to the idea of banning smoking in Spain. Smokers tend to smoke every corner in the house where they do not feel comfortable to smoke but little did they know most people do not comfortable with such attitudes and agreed to completely ban smoking at home. The desire to smoke is unbearable as the smokers have the guts to smoke while driving. Much more worst is when there are children who breathe in as a second hand smoker. Smokers have the privileged to smoke in open areas but it is better to be restricted so that problem such as cleaning walls and replacing carpet due to tars can be eliminated. We personally think that forbidding such dangerous activity will be much beneficial that it can prevent others from having a vulnerable respiratory system. At the same time, we are partially disagreeing to banning this issue. People should be given the freedom to do anything that is a consequence only to them. Smoking directly affects the comfort, and more importantly, the well-being of everyone else unfortunate enough to be around. It should therefore be restricted to the confines of smokers’ own homes.

In a nutshell, smoking should really be banned in the house, driving with the children on board and in the open areas because it do more harms to the surrounding than do good to pleasure the smokers. Spain is on the right track on banning such a bad habit of their people just to promote a healthy lifestyle and towards a better country. Relating to Malaysia, we should enforce the law to ban smoking in the house, driving with children on board and in the open areas as to keep up with a developing country to create a healthy lifestyle surroundings. To achieve a more harmony and peaceful country, a minority such as smokers should respect and be tolerable when it comes to a situation involving the risk of one’s health. This is because; a good health is the best wealth.

- by Mirza & Wani