Ashtrays the shape of lungs
It annoyed me the other day when two colleagues smoked away during a team lunch, steadily finishing three cigarettes each throughout the hour. Luckily, the fan was blowing the smoke away, so it was too bad. Still, that wasn’t too polite (to smoke in presence of others), I think.
Those who knows me closely would know that I am against smoking. It’s not just a health and economy concern, but also a social concern. Just look at a ten of twelve-year old kids picking up this addictive habit and you’ll understand what I mean. It pains me to know that two of my closest family member are smoking and they couldn’t quit (or perhaps choose not to) although I wanted to help.
Anyway, what I’m writing next may sound light after all the concerns that I’ve just listed above. But sometimes I do ponder, that when a smoker visits a home with no smoker and he needs to smoke (outside, preferably), the host would usually hand him (or her) a ceramic bowl or a biscuit tin as ashtrays. What if, there are ashtrays designed in the shape, feature, and colours of human lungs? I think I would buy one. I would hand it to my smoking visitors to use, who would then snub their ciggies in the ashtray, and hopefully be reminded that that is essentially what he (or she) is doing, inflicting the fire and ash of the cigarette to the lungs. Is this too rude? This doesn’t mean smokers are not welcomed in my home! Of course they are. In fact, precisely because I respect and care about them, that I wish they’d quit smoking.
8 comments:
bila gi bandung hari tu, tak tahan dengan org hisap rokok. jauh lebih banyak dari msia. dan tak tanya permission pun nak hisap ke apa. kami dah 'mencengik' hidung tak tahan. tapi dia org selamba je hisap. bak kata kawan, duk sini seminggu, boleh rosak paru2 aku
ummu auni afif,
what a nuisance kan? sape lah yg invent rokok ni.. mesti hari2 kena sumpah ;p
last year aku keje as stop smoking nurse..kitorang ada give out door posters saying 'this is a smoke-free home' pada sesapa yg nak, so if diorang ada guest yg nak smoke kena duduk luar
aku rasa consciously almost every smokers want to quit, but they cant, it takes more than just willpower
usually they will stop when they get a warning of death, like a chest pain or a cancer scare, or when their child got an asthma attack.
dulu prof aku ada ckp, ubat utk smoking man is a strong-willed wife, when she wouldn't allow the man to her bed or house because of the smell, and he has to choose btw his wife or cigarette, then he will stop.
but your idea is a good one..
drwati,
ashtray ni unlikely to influence ppl to stop smoking la kot, cuma sthing similar to yr 'this is a smoke-free home', just a bit more subtle :)
afterall, like you said, it's not that smokers tak nak quit, just that it's very difficult. that's why i think prevention is very important. don't let the kids try pun. and that's why it's important not to let the message 'it's ok to smoke' go through to yr kids, which is easier said than done sbb budak2 ni tengok ayah, pakcik, sedara diorg pun smoke.. hmm..
anyway, an uncle of mine stopped after what you termed as 'a warning of death', he was hospitalised for abt a week. after that, he stopped smoking, but his health deteriorates. i've heard of similar stories where a smoker (decades of smoking) who quitted got health problems afterwards. could it be the case of 'too late to reverse the negative effects? the body system dah messed up?'
another anyway, a 'strong-willed wife as ubat to smoking' is not as straightfwd as it sound, naturally. a fren of mine got his hubby to quit b4 they got married but later found out that he secretly picked it up again. promised to quit when found out, but the cycle continues. it's becoming a major issue in her rumahtangga. eh, melencong pulak.. i suppose the moral of story, byknya problem sbb smoking ni..
eh pjgnya komen ni, mcm lg pjg drpd post asal hehe ;p
mynie, actually a lot of studies proved that it's never too late to stop smoking, immediately after 24 hrs of smoke-free the lungs will be cleared from carbon monoxide, about your uncle or other people that deteriorates after stop smoking, i guess it's already time for the body to deteriorate (i mean it's nothing to do with stopping smoking, should they cont smoking it would be worse)
about your fren, she should be thankful that he tried hard, to secretly smoke so your wife doesnt know is not easy, he still respects her wish, but this is addiction, there is a change in chemical pathways in his brain, if it's affecting their marriage they should find professional help and alternatives, like the nicotine substitutes
memang prevention is the best way...
Salam mynie, lama tak jebguk ke sini...sgt2 sibuk...kehidupan di malaysia menyesakkan nafas & minda saya... anyway, awak still guna no mobile yg lama ke? Kalau dah tukar, email saya your phone no ye..:)
org merokok ni depa kata kalo x merokok pun mati jugak. hmm..
ummuahmads,
you're back? selamat kembali ke tanahair :) (chewah)
yes, still no dulu. but will email it to you shortly anyway just in case.
kakluna,
nak seribu daya, tak nak seribu dalih.. anyway, it's not just about health issues.. but also economy, social etc..
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