Smoking ban anew

By Hilda M. Austria

 

THE Department of Health (DOH) recently announced in its Facebook page the issuance of memorandum number 17 series of 2009 by the Civil Service Commission (CSC), prohibiting smoking (cigarettes) in government offices, catering to health, education and social welfare and development like hospitals, health centers, day care centers, public playgrounds, schools, colleges and universities and other places where the youth gathered.

In some other government offices, smoking areas will be designated for the smokers.

The campaign ad for the memo was titled “Bulusok, bulletin on second hand smoke”, ostensibly to underscore the need to protect the public against second hand smoke and, of course, to discourage the public from smoking.

I hate smelling cigarette smoke knowing how harmful it is not only to the smoker but more so to those who are forced to inhale the second hand smoke from irresponsible smokers.

I knew of two non-smokers in our neighborhood that died of lung cancer, and their cases were attributed to second hand smoke. For sure, it’s a matter of time before the smokers around the two get their due as well.

The DOH bulletin is nothing new and I agree with the netizens who reacted that the no-smoking law has no serious sanctions for violations besides an administrative disciplinary sanction, and no more. It is not also clear as to who will monitor compliance among the government employees.

I know of one government official who annoys everyone by smoking in the media gallery during sessions but not one among his colleagues even called his attention to his inconsiderate habit at the very least. No one just seems to care.

As for the public, we are just told to comply and that’s it. No one gets hauled to the police department or fined.

I recall during my college years that some professors even smoked with some of their students in spite of the appeal aired in our school publication to stop smoking inside the campus.

Perhaps the worst indicator of how people regard the law on smoking in public areas is to see health care authorities themselves who continue smoking. I wonder how many o f the even smoke while on duty. Seeing them violate the rules themselves, how can they expect others to support DOH’s campaign when they can’t practice what they preach?

If the CSC is, indeed, serious about promoting its advocacy against smoking and the effects of second hand smoke, it should take more than just a memo or bulletin to make others comply. No one is taking CSC’s memos and bulletins seriously, as social media already tell us.

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